Good first-generation Discoverys have become rare in recent years, and their values are now on par with Discovery 2s. Not many have received major restorations because it has made better financial sense to fit their drivetrains to One Tens and Ninetys. Although that situation is changing, many surviving Discovery Is have seen better days and most have been modified, so the few tidy ones that remain in original condition stand out.
The earliest examples with ‘Gxxx WAC’ registrations are held in particularly high esteem, and Project Jay Preservation Group is the go-to club for parts and advice about how to find and preserve them. Classic status is gradually being conferred to the facelifted (300Tdi era) models as well, but less so, and structural solidity is the main thing that determines value. There’s a lot of potential rot that can spoil the fun. Check the boot floor – it’s the bane of Discovery I owners’ lives because it rots around the edges. New sections are available, but replacement involves removing all the trim, followed by a lot of slicing, then the inevitable ‘weldathon’. The best way to avoid such problems is to find an example without the problematic sunroofs; they’re massively less likely to suffer from water ingress.
The outlook can be just as grim for vehicles with rusty sills, wheelarches and body mounts, which rust whether or not a sunroof is fitted, so they do need checking carefully.
But if you find a nice one, it’ll do everything you ask of it. Most are seven-seaters, making Discovery 1s a viable choice if you don’t mind your kids u
