I'm wanting to get a discovery 1 for, hopefully, around 2,000 I don't know if that's a realistic expectation or not? I want one that will need only minor repair work if any when I first get it. I'm willing to drive just about anywhere in the us to get one. I'm currently trying to save for one, and I'm expecting to have to save for about three months, so this is kinda long term I guess.

I'm just wanting to know if there's anything I should look for when I go to buy one, or if there's any common maintance issues I should be aware of. I'm not good with cars but I want to learn. So should I get a disco or go with another off road SUV? This will also be my first vehicle (I'm 19)

 

Depending on where your at 2000 will get you one that is running but needs work. The bigger question is are you willing to regularly put money into repairs and maintenance and the hours needed to keep it on the road. These trucks are pretty easy to work on and guys on this forum will walk you through pretty much anything that needs done, but it takes time and money to keep an old disco on the road.


That said - heck yea go get one - you will learn a ton about how your truck works, you will learn the importance of preventive maintenance, you will have to develop patience and problem solving skills and you feel mighty proud after you spend a whole weekend working on a problem and succeeding in getting it fixed.

 

I love my disco but realistically for a first car I'd recommend something that'll get you around day to day without needing to be worked on day to day. 95-01 explorers are a dirt cheap, optional 5.0, and although they need work, can still be driven broken in most cases. I drove mine without first gear or reverse for four months while I saved cash to swap trannies.

 

I'm more than willing to put in the hours and money to maintain it. My question is though that once I get it reliably running could I use it for a cross country trip? Or would that be dependent?

 

If it runs good and keeps its fluids in place I would. I put over a thousand on mine in the first week

 

If you want to learn about cars- a D1 is perfect. You will be spending a lot of time with it and learning the idiosyncrasies of the car.

$2k disco is doable, but depends on where you live. Rust free examples with some minor issues have been going for $3-4k. I would try to avoid a northeast or rust belt truck if possible. make sure to test drive if you can and check for rust (common spots are floor pans, wheel wells/arches and sills). It's important that you check out a few before buying.

This forum and DiscoWeb are invaluable resources that will help you immeasurably. Additionally, download a RAVE manual.

Also- if you're thinking about a cross country trip- keep in mind that these trucks get 12-14 mpg highway.

 

I also would not recommend this as a primary vehicle. If you have something else to drive then go for it.
Are you or you father mechanically inclined or have the desire/ability to learn? If not, I wouldn't recommend it. Even an oil change will be more money than you think, especially if you take it some place to have it done. These trucks take 7 quarts of oil which means an upcharge at most places.
Changing the brake rotors on these trucks requires unbolting it from the hub, repacking wheel bearings, and replacing two seals per wheel.

I got my daily driver D1 from my brother for $700. I looked through his receipts and there's probably $10,000 worth or work done in the time he owned it because he always took it to a shop. An independent shop not the dealer, mind you.

These are great trucks but the newest D1 is 16 years old and you'll run into one of two situations.
1) You find a truck in your price range but its very rusty and/or all the rubber components and possibly the cooling system will need replacing. Not to mention rips in seats and all the other little broken things.
2) You find a truck in good mechanical condition but it will be outside your price range.

Once I get my '95 up and running I'll be selling my '96 to get a Civic or something to daily drive.

 

You could always look for one with a good body that needs mechanical work for cheap (I paid 1200 for mine) then use the difference to get a beater car for the day to day

 

My daily drive would be to work and back, which is a trip I usually walk. I'm more looking for a vehicle that will be able to take a lot of miles and the mpg doesn't scare me that much. The other vehicle I'm thinking of would be an eclipse, but I still need to look into that more. Apparently they're reliable, but I have no first hand knowledge about them.

As for the maintance such as oil changes and changing the brakes I can do that without a problem. What year should I buy? I keep hearing people say the 94 and 95 is the best years for the disco 1? Why is that?

 

94/95 is still a dizzy.