Hello,

I currently own a 2010 2DR Wrangler R, looking at a 1996 Land Rover discovery SE Sport Utility listed for $5500 (USA, attached photos are from the listing). I've read a few posts here saying to beware of head gasket, roof leaks, and overheating. I'm familiar with the cons of owning an older vehicle (previously owned a 1st gen Tacoma as well) but looking for guidance on this purchase now.

Is the general attitude to just avoid these completely since they are money pits or is it doable to expect some initial repairs and then it becomes a fairly reliable vehicle? What's your experiences with this gen?









Thank you

 

I would inspect the car for rust first - this is either going to make you or break you. These don't rust as bad as toyotas, but they do rust.
Next, 4.0 engine actually works good. Open the oil fill cap and see how is the inside of the valve covers looking like, do you see any sludge? This will give you basic idea if previous owners changed oil or not...
Inspect all the oil lines - going to the radiator, transmission and etc, see what is leaking. See if steering box is leaking, check the drive shafts for any play and etc.
Check suspension components, all the shock absorbers and tie rods and so on - at least you will get an idea where is the car standing on this.
Don't miss on the electrical stuff inspection! Check all the switches, windows and etc. You can easily repair everything but it costs money...
I love my Disco 1, but i put more money into it, than it is worth, so be aware of it. I do all my work, but you still have to pay for parts and oils and etc...just saying.

 

I bought a '96 SE back in 2013 with 184K on it. Needed to spend about $1500 on parts to get it into shape. Did my own work, which is very basic with good access under the hood. Now it has 213K on it and runs perfect. My daughter even used it for a summer.

The GEMS engine control system is quite good, with an OBD port to scan for diagnostic codes. Be sure to scan yours for active codes, and look at real-time data with the engine idling, if possible. As mentioned, check the build-up under the oil filler cap and peer down in there, black is not good, brown is OK, tan better. Maybe tap along the chassis to check for rust, the rear 1/4 is susceptible in wet and salty climates. I would certainly lift up the carpet at the front footwells to check for rusted floorboards, but rust does not need to be a deal breaker.

Purchase price on mine was $800, but it died 5 times on the 3 block drive home.

 

Glad to hear it ran well after the initial repairs. It sounds like the $5500 asking price is a bit high so I might wait a bit and offer something closer to $3000. Searching around this forum, that seems to be closer to a realistic asking price.

 

When my son sells a car, he says he figures out how much he wants, then adds 1000, because most buyers want to haggle, but some buyers don't haggle at all. The price you offer might take into consideration the quality of the lift/suspension upgrade and tires, besides checking for rust. Cracked or broken plastic trim and saggy head liners are common, but all fixable if you like that part of the hobby. Availability of parts is still very good, both new and used. My focus is more on the basic mechanical stuff, and really enjoy those beefy solid steel axles.

 

If you look at bringatrailer auction site you will see excellent examples going for not much more - this is wayyyyyyy over priced

 

Great buying advice above. They're neat vehicles, but as a DD can be expensive to own compared to a Taco or Jeep. Really should use Premium fuel. Fuel economy is not great. Leg room is sketchy depending how tall you are, handling is sketchy. If you have to rely on mechanics to repair your vehicles, than it's NOT the vehicle for you. You almost need to be your own ace tech to keep these going w/o breaking the bank

That said, I love mine and it's fun to drive. After I completed all the deferred maintenance items (from previous owner) it's been good. It's fun to drive/own and learn about land rovers, and how robust these vehicles were built. But little things crop up which I fix right away. Things which would annoy the heck out of most owners and drive them bonkers if they had to pay to fix. But if you are a good mechanic and don't mind doing ongoing maintenance you should be ok with a Disco. Disco II's were improved a lot, have more support, but also a lot more electronic bugaboo's than Disco 1's. But there are known 'fixes' for most of them. But again, almost DIY kind of fixes, not thing a tech would do.

That one you looked at, the engine compartment seems pretty crusty, so look it over well. If you're in to Jeeps I'm surprised you haven't considered a JKU, Gladiator or a FJ? My Hummer H3 is the most fun vehicle I have right now. Drives great. I drive it most. It's better than a JKU. Diminishing support thought. But I love my Disco ...warts and all.

Yeah, if you like that Disco, take it for a long test drive. See if it's "you". If it's a 2nd or 3rd vehicle for 'fun' you might enjoy owning it.