[ Owning a Land Rover Discovery]

Julian Lamb

Julian Lamb has been into Land Rovers for 30 years; he started with a 1962 SIIA then moved into Range Rovers. He has owned and restored a dozen Discovery 1s including the car shown here.

‘In my collection are two G-WACS [pre-production prototypes, referred to as such for their registrations] and four other Discovery 1s plus a pre-production five-door Discovery - one of just three survivors,’ he says. ‘I run the CVC Register which preserves and researches cars that were used by the Land Rover factory on press launches or as prototypes. Anybody can join via Facebook.

‘I find there tends to be two types of Land Rover Discovery 1 you’ll typically find for sale in a classic context; the restoration to original spec and the upgraded for hardcore off-roading. The latter is the most common but as the number of early cars diminishes it’s the former category that will dominate the classic market. The sky is the limit with modifications because you can upgrade just about every aspect of a Disco, but parts quality varies and it’s easy to sink a load of cash into a car that you’ll never get back.

‘G-reg cars are now being hunted down by collectors and restored; these are far more sought after than H-reg cars or newer. Such restorations aren’t difficult because parts availability is excellent; there’s more new-old stock available than you might expect and if you can’t get something new it’ll definitely be available used.’

Luke Petch

‘I have two Disco 1s,’ says Luke Petch. ‘The one shown in these pictures is in better condition than mine. They have some rust, but not as bad as some of the others I saw – most were really rotten. My 200Tdi feels like a classic Land Rover and is a bit more retro than my 300Tdi. At around 31mpg, it’s economical to run. I’ve sold a few Land Rovers but I’m holding on to the 200Tdi. Arguably it’s a cannier buy – it’ll hold its value better and may even appreciate. They’re basically the same; but the 200Tdi is tougher and much simpler to look after.

‘It sounds less refined, but it’s comfortable, cruises happily at 70mph and can tackle nearly every off-road obstacle a Defender can, while hauling a huge cargo. Its biggest flaw is the front sunroof, which can leak and soak the driver’s seat. But as a do-it-all modern classic, the Disco ticks every box – and is very simple to maintain, too.’