Faults:

There were several gearbox oil leaks during my ownership that really never got fixed properly. Firstly the front gearbox seal leaked at about 60k miles. This was fixed at a local LR specialist (not main dealer) and luckily the leak wasn't too bad and the clutch didn't need replacing. The second leak that kept re-occurring was a leak from the transfer box into the transmission brake housing; this meant that the handbrake would generally not work too well as it had oil contamination on the shoes. I had this seal done a few times, wasn't too expensive, but after the second time I just 'lived with the leak', and as the transmission brake passed the MOT, it didn't really matter, clearly the leak was only minor.

Second gear synchro was replaced at about 5k miles, there had been a replacement fitted to the 200tdi in the last few months of manufacture, mine just missed this and was fixed by the main dealer - no cost to me.

All other replacements over the 14 odd years in my ownership were just normal wear and tear items, one exhaust (cheap as chips), brake pads etc.

At about 20k miles I filled the fuel tank with unleaded fuel, rather than diesel, and my wife drove another 40 miles to work. Thankfully it didn't start when she tried it, towed away and drained. No damage to the injector pump and all was well after that - I don't think I'd get away so lightly these days with injector pumps that are made to even tighter tolerances.

Oh yes, as a parting thought... this car was so much more reliable than my Audi 100 quattro 2.8 litre estate!! The Audi was one of the most unreliable cars, and by far the most expensive to fix, that I've owned.

General Comments:

It seems such a long time ago now, but this was the first new car we had, it only came with a one year warranty and took 5 years to pay for outright, so we took a risk!

I used it for towing a small caravan, which it did with ease. We used farmers field sites in the UK and caravanned all year round; the 4x4 was great for this and dragged the caravan off a site after 2 feet of snow fell when we were there. The best investment I made during my ownership was to fit some BF Goodrich AT 235/70 tyres; they made a huge difference in the mud and snow.

Rust was starting to be a problem in the end, although I rust proofed the car and cavity sealed it, the under boot floor paneling was corroding badly and the lower door edges (where bonding between aluminium and steel skins) were a problem area, although not too bad.

One of the benefits of a car like this, being a bit agricultural, is that when someone runs up your rear, you walk away with a dent and some paint on your bumper; the Fiesta was written off!

Overall we really liked the car, it took us on many fantastic caravan holidays and was always dependable.

Faults:

Ignition barrel.

General Comments:

Really old, but is really good for muddy fields and country lanes.

Loads of room for stuff like ladders, bicycles and children.

Hardly ever breaks down. Has only broke down about 3 times, and it is 19 years old, which I think is outstanding.

I love this car, and my son drives it around my garden. These cars were at their best when they were British.

Faults:

Clutch hydraulic hose became blocked with dirt; got my Land Rover mechanic to replace the master and slave as they were likely to go wrong again, cost $250 incl. labour.

Power steering developed a leak from the input seal after hitting a kerb at 60kph. "Fixed" with a thick rubber washer, which cost $2, now it just seeps fluid gradually and needs topping up every couple of weeks.

High-Low selector lever broke from metal fatigue, cost a $10 weld to fix (but several hours of own labour).

One injector thread has a hairline crack in it, driven it like this for 30000km, but intend to repair when I do 200000km cambelt change.

Rear wheel bearings went after seals wore and they became contaminated with sand after some off-roading. Should have maintained them more regularly.

Indicators and headlights have stupid plastic surrounds, which perish.

General Comments:

It is very comfortable, despite its truck like underpinnings. Combined with the massive interior space and fuel economy, it is the preferred vehicle for any long trip.

People love to knock the reliability of these trucks, but I give mine hell and it just keeps going. Servicing is very important, make sure you buy one with a good service history and keep a tight service schedule. It is very simple to work on; anybody with a garage, toolbox and Haynes manual can do most jobs.

Diesel engine is a total reptile; noisy and slow, but reliable and runs off the smell of an oily rag. Tank is 89 liters and I get 800km out of that on average, which usually includes some towing and off road driving. Once got 1050km out of it on a long highway trip. Astounding for a two tonne vehicle. It also doesn't smoke at all. It does consume about a liter of oil every 5000km, but I call this the Land Rover chassis rust prevention system!

It has been rolled twice by the previous owner and twice by myself, and is very dinged and shabby on the outside. Despite this, it still drives like a dream, a testament to the mechanical strength of the vehicle. The last time it rolled, it landed on the A pillars, and while the roof buckled a little and the windscreen broke, the pillars did not budge an inch. It is top heavy, and in my leaf sprung Landy it probably wouldn't have rolled at all, but I walked out, and, once it had been flipped upright with a winch, the Disco drove home.

Because it is so good mechanically, I am going to replace the body soon.