Advise before buying Disco 1997
Three Wheeling
Joined: Feb 2012
Posts: 61
Likes: 2
This is not a drive the family around town everyday truck, real world city MPG you are looking at 12mpg, and they require premium fuel.
Unless you can fix it yourself you will go broke and put it up for sale inside of 6 months.
The rear jump seats are for just that, jumping out of the moving truck to commit suicide because the seats are so small, in fact they used to use those seats as a torture method for suspected terrorists.
If you can fix it yourself, parts are cheap.
If you use it as a second car or weekend toy it will be great.
They sit high and lifting a carseat with a 20lb baby is going to be a chore you will get sick of quick, not to mention the back seat is small, 2 car seats and it is full.
That being said they are the best SUV in the world, they go anywhere, take tons of abuse and a guy on the forum was t-boned by a semi in the drives side and walked away with only a few scratches.
Another guy barrel rolled 50 yards down a hill while he was offroading...he and his kids walked away.
I drive mine everyday, but my commute it all highway and I set the cruise at 60mph, she sits on the weekends unless I need to put her to work or go offroading.
Unless you can fix it yourself you will go broke and put it up for sale inside of 6 months.
The rear jump seats are for just that, jumping out of the moving truck to commit suicide because the seats are so small, in fact they used to use those seats as a torture method for suspected terrorists.
If you can fix it yourself, parts are cheap.
If you use it as a second car or weekend toy it will be great.
They sit high and lifting a carseat with a 20lb baby is going to be a chore you will get sick of quick, not to mention the back seat is small, 2 car seats and it is full.
That being said they are the best SUV in the world, they go anywhere, take tons of abuse and a guy on the forum was t-boned by a semi in the drives side and walked away with only a few scratches.
Another guy barrel rolled 50 yards down a hill while he was offroading...he and his kids walked away.
I drive mine everyday, but my commute it all highway and I set the cruise at 60mph, she sits on the weekends unless I need to put her to work or go offroading.
I do have to say the ride is amazingly smooth. I mean like better than my Acura MDX smooth. Wish it didn't get less than 10mpg (well maybe 12 on a good day).
Sure the interior was built with plastics picked by a chimp. Good thing people give up on them cause there are lots of good used parts left.
Learn to love to work on a vehicle if you are going to own this or don't get it. Not work on it in a bad way, work on it to keep it good.
Baja
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,584
Likes: 7
From: Pittsburgh PA suburbs.
So what's the word? Did you take the plunge? I love my 98 Disco, but man has it been a bear with age-related needed repairs. But then I got it with low miles, on Ebay, from a dealer who had lots his lot and worked online only. So I knew it would be sketchy. But, overall, for the $3500 I paid for mine, with only 55k miles at the time (original engine), and now 3 years of ownership, it has not been bad. I do love driving it, although the horrible gas mileage kills me. It also gets put to work everyday now, with my wife taking it offroad for her job. Now if only I could get the bloody fuel pump retaining ring off...
All that is required is a large flat-bladed screwdriver and a hammer. Place the blade in between two of the raised areas and tap to loosen (lefty loosy). If it is really dirty, spray it with simple green or other degraser and tap tap tasp. Do not strike it hard, just do a little drum beat, moving the hammer 90 degrees around, tapping as you go. It should come off without much of a problem. If it is screwed up buy a new one. Rovers North stocks them.
The fun part is when you go to put the new pump in and dealing with the rubber seal. Place the seal in the hole first, lub the seal with vaseline and slowly work the ring down and on.
Baja
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 5,584
Likes: 7
From: Pittsburgh PA suburbs.
I must be a glutton for punishment. I have always wanted a Disco since they first came out. Finally got mine for free (Thanks Rob!) One the opposite side of the spectrum, parts on this thing are cheap compared to my Porsche 928! You can work on this truck with a screwdriver and pliers (another relief from the 928)
I do have to say the ride is amazingly smooth. I mean like better than my Acura MDX smooth. Wish it didn't get less than 10mpg (well maybe 12 on a good day).
Sure the interior was built with plastics picked by a chimp. Good thing people give up on them cause there are lots of good used parts left.
Learn to love to work on a vehicle if you are going to own this or don't get it. Not work on it in a bad way, work on it to keep it good.
I do have to say the ride is amazingly smooth. I mean like better than my Acura MDX smooth. Wish it didn't get less than 10mpg (well maybe 12 on a good day).
Sure the interior was built with plastics picked by a chimp. Good thing people give up on them cause there are lots of good used parts left.
Learn to love to work on a vehicle if you are going to own this or don't get it. Not work on it in a bad way, work on it to keep it good.
I remember my 86.5 928. I was lucky with mine. It had been my mechanics wifes car. We bought it for cash (8 grand) with 48k on it. It was an anniversary present for my wife until I got in it one day and found ashes and cig butts overflowing from the ash tray and I took her keys away that very day. She had her dad's new Rubicon to drive.
So I drove my 928 and my 420SEL alternating between the two. Both were really low milage for 1986 models. The only thing I had to do to my 928 was put new tires on it. I went thru a couple of sets on the rear. The Benz did not require much either.
After a few years though, I got rid of both of them. I was rear-ended one winter by some ignorant woman one winter morning in my Benz. She was doing about 60 in a 40 zone when she came over the hill and smacked into me right after I pulled out of my driveway one snowy winter morning.
The 928 was going to need more than I wanted to deal with so I had to let it go. A 944 would be fun.
As far as buying a Discovery, it is not a good decision IF it is the main vehicle for you and your family. Savannah covered most of it, except for the excessive rust that is common on most, especially in the Rust Belt.
Best only if you have no need for it to run on a daily basis and you are a capable do it yourself type. If you rush into buying one, you will be sorely disappointed pretty quickly unless you are the luckiest guy we all know.
Last edited by Danny Lee 97 Disco; Apr 13, 2012 at 03:34 PM.
Overlanding
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 17
Likes: 2
From: cairns australia
Had my disco tdi 300 since new , bought it in 1996 in OZ.
You guys are nuts for not buying a diesel. The diesel engine and 4WD were made for each other. And my disco gets 36 MPG, eg 1100 KMS out of one 80 liter tank if you drive at 120 kph or less.
Caveats, mine has over 200000 kms on it, yeah getting a bit of overdue attention now.
But in the first 10 years had a swivel joint and main rear bearing seal changed under warranty. Anything else i fixed myself eg aircon compressor, various oil and fuel line replaced.
Last year have resealed injector pump head myself;
new brake discs and hoses
springs in door locks rear and lh fwd side
resealed steering pump myself,
tailshaft unis and center bearing
wheel bearings
replaced all hoses after 7 years as preventative maintenance
indicator stalk switch
headlining replaced by motor trimmer
aircon control panel ($40 2ndhand)
aircon vent fan (repaired myself)
various other glitchy annoying things that proved to be easy to fix
once again if you dont buy a diesel your missing out
regards
OZ
You guys are nuts for not buying a diesel. The diesel engine and 4WD were made for each other. And my disco gets 36 MPG, eg 1100 KMS out of one 80 liter tank if you drive at 120 kph or less.
Caveats, mine has over 200000 kms on it, yeah getting a bit of overdue attention now.
But in the first 10 years had a swivel joint and main rear bearing seal changed under warranty. Anything else i fixed myself eg aircon compressor, various oil and fuel line replaced.
Last year have resealed injector pump head myself;
new brake discs and hoses
springs in door locks rear and lh fwd side
resealed steering pump myself,
tailshaft unis and center bearing
wheel bearings
replaced all hoses after 7 years as preventative maintenance
indicator stalk switch
headlining replaced by motor trimmer
aircon control panel ($40 2ndhand)
aircon vent fan (repaired myself)
various other glitchy annoying things that proved to be easy to fix
once again if you dont buy a diesel your missing out
regards
OZ
Winching
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 683
Likes: 3
Rub it in a little... In the USA there are no Diesel rovers.... Unless you have one specially shipped in or make it yourself...
There is little market for high priced luxury SUV's with diesels here in the US.
If you want a diesel you buy a full sized pick up truck or a Jetta, those are your choices here in the US.
I would MUCH rather have a diesel Disco.
To convert to a diesel would cost about $10,000USD.
My truck would rust away into oblivion before I could recoup my "investment".
