disco 2s

My previous DII TD5 had a long term average (4 years) of 29.4mpg, on a good run it might just scrape 32. I don't drive hard and cruise at 100kmh on motorways.

My current DII TD5 is ill I think. I have the fuel light on and it's only done 500 miles since the last fill up, that's about 26mpg. The old one would be around 550 for the light to come on and running on fumes would be

600 miles.

Not sure, rear aircon might throw a spanner in the works and I'm not sure of the large interior trim panels would need to be changed. I suspect it's more than remove the bins fit the seats.

On or around Mon, 09 Feb 2009 14:09:58 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Liquorice" enlightened us thusly:

ta, useful info.

On or around Mon, 09 Feb 2009 09:42:28 +0000, Austin Shackles enlightened us thusly:

next question: can someone who has a D2 7-seater and a tape measure do me a favour and measure between the back of the rearmost seat, across the seat squab and up to the rear of the middle row.

This dimension is described as "knee room" in the council's rules and if too short will mean it can only get a 4-pax licence, not 6.

chances are it'll be OK, I think the rules are based on some C&U style legislation somewhere.

"Austin Shackles" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

Only managed about 24mpg from my TD5 auto. Would rather have had a V8 on gas although they are prone to the cracked block phenomena as in the P38's

As for converting 5 to 7 seats, could be tricky as the 7 seater models have rear air springs to self-level whereas the 5 seaters are coils.

Oh yes, I'd forgotten that the air suspension is part of the type approval for the 7 seat version. I do find it odd that the 7 seat, thus self leveling suspension, also have the manual headlight leveling control.

It's not a lot but the biggest snag is the squab to floor distance. The 6 & 7th seats are for littleies only IMHO or adults for very short trips.

I'll just get me tape...

Base of seat back over squab to rear of 2nd row is 26". Front of squab to rear of 2nd row is 8". Front of squab to floor is 8.5". Seat back is 22" high, head rests drop down from ceiling (another problem for conversion?). Seat top to rear of 2nd row is 26", rear of 2nd row is canted back at angle the 6/7th seat backs are at the same angle AFAICT.

I'm a shade under 6' and my back of bum to front of knee distance is

24/25" but with that very short squab to floor distance my knees are sticking up.

The 6/7th seats on a Disco 3 are proper seats without the restricted squab to floor height. Is that a better option, there should be 4/5 year old D3's appearing now but how many pennies...

On or around Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:45:16 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Liquorice" enlightened us thusly:

loads, I bet. 26" will not pass the thingy, they want 30", ISTR. heyho.

D3 is way too much money - early D2s are fetching around 2K now even for tidy ones, D3s are gonna be a lot more than that.

Seems that they are anticipating the transporting of very large children!

Do you even get that sort of distance for the 3/4/5th seats? A rough measurement of mine gives only 29" with the driver's seat fairly far forward.

There are springs available for a 7 seat coil sprung version. I'm using them on my 5 seater to accomodate all the junk in the back.

On or around Mon, 09 Feb 2009 21:15:54 +0000, Dougal enlightened us thusly:

The rules say "with the seat in the middle of the adjustment" To be fair, they're not talking about children, but about adults. I bet most of the minibuses don't pass that, though.

I dunno if they actually check, mind. I guess it also depends somewhat on how you measure it... I'm not sure about this now: I thought that "squab" was the part that you sit on, but if so the council's regulations are silly, so I think either I or they have the terminology wrong. I presume the gist is that you measure from the back of the seat to the back of the one in front. Depending on how you measure it, I bet you get different results by several inches, as the seat tends to slope and so does the back.

hmmm. Dictionary says "squab" is several things including a young unfledged pigoen and a short fat person. However it says the padded back or side of a car seat, so they're saying back-to-back which is sensible. Still depends on how you measure it, though, and in the case of a front seat, whether the back is reclined or not.

ISTR measuring a car before, and fiding that it doesn't necessarily meet the requirements. I guess the thing to do is to apply for a 6-seat licence and hope they don't measure it too closely.

On or around Mon, 09 Feb 2009 21:25:28 +0000, Dougal enlightened us thusly:

might be non-eu or non-gb spec.

Rather than measuring it, and saying yourself that's it's not within their guidelines, have you had a word with the powers that be as to whether they'll accept a D2?

It may be that the guideline applies 'on paper' but that they might in fact have a list of eligible vehicles. I deal with 'the council' every day, being a caretake, and find that they tie themselves in so many knots (Arse covering exercises) that they frequently contradict themselves, the nack is to find the contradiction and utilise it ... ;)

LR only sold the 7 seat as air-sprung in the UK so they didn't waste their money type-approving the coil-sprung version. That doesn't stop you having coil sprung 7 seaters (even by conversion) in the UK but you're duty bound to have your insurer's blessing.

"Austin Shackles" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com...

Cheers for the headsup, just about won a very nice td5 for next to fuckall.

Sweet.

Thinking about it decent D3's of 4 years old were about 15k in November when I was shopping for a replacemnet DII. Mind I was looking at the top end of the range.

Same here might be able to push it to 30". Looking at the gap it does look some what bigger than any minibus I've ever been on.

Back to back would add a few inches to that 26" I measured earlier...

Trying to find out if they have a list of "approved vehicles" might be a good one. I can't see them going out to measure each vehicle for every licence that is applied for.

On or around Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:40:45 +0000 (GMT), "Dave Liquorice" enlightened us thusly:

they did say that they already have licensed a Discovery. According to me, the only way you get that magic 30" (which is a lot) is with the front seat pretty much all the way forward. Certainly true in the Rangie, I tried it. I'm betting that they don't measure everything. I'm gonna gather some data. The sierra doesn't get 30" either with the driver's seat where I normally have it.

My uncle traded in his wife's TDV6 D3 for £24k late 2007, the last time I saw it advertised online the garage was asking £14k (last month) haven't seen it since so presume they sold it now - when I was up there I saw in the garage at £16k (just before Christmas) - bet they are regretting that deal! You can pick them up privately from about £12k, even ones with not rediculous mileage.

Matt

But it's ugly!

That's a good sign, can you find out who to and get in touch? There is (or was I haven't seen it for a while) a DII licenced for Private Hire around here, don't know how many seats it was licenced for though.

Well in mine I get 29" with the driving seat in it's normal position which isn't right forward (I'm 6' near as damn it) but that is from the face of the seat back. If they measure seat back to seat back you add the thickness of the seat back... As you say 30" is an awful lot most PT I have travelled in my knees have only just been clear of the seat back in front, maybe 27 ro 28" max.

Reclining and adjustable seats make a mockery of any measurement. I think it may well boil down to the examiner (if one does come out) being able to sit comfortably without their knees jammed into the seat back in front. The 6/7th seats on a DII would fail that on the comfort grounds due to the low seat to floor distance.