Anyone towing with Landrover Discovery 5
I would like to hear from anyone towing with the current Discovery using the 2-0 litre 240HP engine. I currently have a large caravan, plated to 2,000 kg but loaded to about 1900kg. Whilst I could go for the 3-0 litre version the current hostility against large diesels (even E6 engines is making me consider going for the smaller engine). Any experience of performance, pulling power, economy etc would be appreciated.
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I don't tow with a Discovery of any flavour but possible hostility or not I'd always go for the bigger engine, especially with such a large caravan.
I tow a large twin axle (1865kg IIRC) with a ML350 which it does effortlessly and chose this over the ML250 which is a twin turbo 4 pot 2.1 ..... you can't have too many cubes 😉
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Agree with MM. you will also find that the 3lt will be better on fuel than the 2 pulling a heavy van. less effort and no need for foot to floor. my 3lt Jeep V6 uses the same amount as urban driving when towing so quite happy about that. mines a 2000kg van.
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No doubt about it, the 3ltr would win for me.
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A late reply (sorry, just seen this). We have the 3 litre so there is no issue towing our large twin axle (or cow trailer and cows).
We have only been away with the caravan once - 22 mpg. Solo 32 mpg. Mostly short local journies.
I think we made the right decision (though the piggy bank is a bit empty now)
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read the reviews re Discoveries before you take the plunge, I have had 2, never again, last one cost me nearly £4k for new gear box, transfer box, and clutch at a tad over 100,000 miles on the clock, towing now with a Sorento, not big enough for your needs but in the reliability stakes beats the discovery hands down, i remember seeing this statement
"discoveries are the best off roaders in the world, simply because they spend so much time at the repairerers"
just a thought
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Have a friend who had a later Defender and this year has changed to a Discovery 4 2015 model very pleased with for towing he was not keen on the latest disco shape and had heard of issues he has had Discovery 3 again issues then before that Range rover P38 also we have had an older disco but oh not keen on the later models hence now a Landcruiser 3ltr not changing yet he looks at different makes and goes hmm!!
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There again, Rufs, we had more trouble with a Sorento than we did with a Disco so you can’t generalise.
100k miles? Phew! I’m not surprised something went wrong😀
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Your choice but I’d be very wary, I know one Velar fitted with the 240 engine, 10k on the clock, first service, metal filings on the sump plug, new engine being fitted, a few reports of the Turbo’s disintegrating and being consumed by the engine along with the oil dilution and snapping cranks on the 2.0 and 3.0 diesel versions respectively be careful.
LR owner for eighteen years of two Fl2’s and three Disco’s.
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Agree ,wirimg loom now fibre optic cant be repaired 10 grand . Disco owner my disco 1 .160th .disco 2 180 th . Wouldnt touch the newer ones . mind you my welding has improved !!
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By way of update I test drove the Discovery 5 in 2-0lt form it seemed reasonably lively solo. However as I am towing about 1950 kg I went for the 3-0lt V6 which certainly has a lot pulling power. The mpg solo on decent running is 34.8mpg - mainly rural and motorways - The official mpg figures make the 2-0lt version only 3mpg better than the V6. A previous D4 averaged 30mpg solo and 24-25mpg towing. I expect the D5 will be at least match this, perhaps even a couple of miles better. Generally large engines suffer less in towing mpg reduction.
Incidentally on the reliability points made above this is my 6 LR over 26 years all of which have been extremely reliable. I only had one non-standard service bill when a Discovery 200 needed new telescopic front dampers at 5 years old which were not that expensive.
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Like all Land Rovers, they will tow well, but my god that new Discovery is hideous! If I end up behind one, I either have to overtake it, or pull over and let them go. I simply cannot follow one because of the wonky rear end. How anyone can have one in their driveway, I have no idea. I have a lifetime love of Land Rovers, but the new Discovery is a huge mistake and there is better and cheaper out there.
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We bought a new Discovery earlier this year, and initially the shape put me off. I loved our previous one (Discovery 4) - but I have been won over and accept that different is not necessarily bad. My husband tells me the rear end has been likened to Kim Kardashian’s rear end.
Everything else is better!
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I’ve just changed my car and spent a long time deciding between the new discovery and a BMW X5. Eventually plumped for the X5. Nothing in it on price for the specs I was looking at, the X5 suited my requirements better, don’t need 7 seats ever, JRL told me I would have to pay extra for any tariffs that may be applied (due to Brexit) between order and delivery, BMW said the price at order would be the price I pay no matter what. The main thing that swung it was the reputation for JLR reliability and customer service. They wouldn’t even let me have a test dive without the sales rep setting in!
The 3l diesel X5 tows like a dream.
By the way when talking to the JLR rep he told be plans were being made to revise the back end with a central number plate.
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