Hey everyone, I've been considering getting into Land Rovers, and I'm looking into both the Range Rover Classic and the Disco 1. I'm leaning towards the Disco as they seem to be much more reliable, and the 5-speed manual is definitely something I'd want. I've got a 1995 Disco 1 for sale in my area. I currently own an e30 BMW (1991 318i) so I'm not a stranger to older cars/the maintenance they require. So, my noob questions:
-Are these vehicles (Disco 1's) fairly easy/cost-effective to keep running? It seems like parts aren't too hard to find, though some can be pricey.
-Is the 5-speed manual a good choice?
-When looking at buying one, what are the keys to look for? I know rust in the underbody is a big one, as well as leaks around the sunroof (if there is one)
-What are some actual gas mileages achieved with the manual? I know it won't be pretty, i'm just curious.

If anyone has anything at all to add please do, I'd highly appreciate the info.
Thanks a ton!
-Adam

 

Maintenance

If the PO did it, your life may be easy. If not, you will have much work to start off.

Parts can be expensive. Shopping around, buying used, knowing good vendors, and cross referencing go a long way.

Avoid sunroofs if you can.

Manual is nice, but the autos are good too.

 

As far as rust, be sure rather than looking under it, look under the carpet. My 95 actually looks pretty good underneath, its when I pulled up the carpets that it looked like this.

 

read the tech section as there are a few good new buyers guides. They helped me out when I bought my disco.

As far as wrenching goes, your E30 will be like an absolute dream compared to working on the Disco. What ever project you plan to do, plan for it to take AT LEAST twice as long as you estimate. Perhaps even days because you might discover a new problem whilst performing your project.

Don't sell the E30! Rover ownership requires a back-up vehicle!

 

What's your total budget? If you're realistic, you can have a nice car that's really easy to work on and keep running for a long time. If you think you can pick one up for a few thousand and not put much else into it, you'll be disappointed. These aren't budget cars. They're high maintenance and they take a lot of parts replacement. But they're far simpler than later models and it doesn't take long to rebuild most of the car to a functional condition. If you do the work yourself, you can keep it going for as long as you want. But if a rebuild project isn't what you had in mind, or you need someone else to do it for you, then they're probably not the right car.

The classics are nice, but harder to find in the best shape. The Discoveries were imported in large numbers through '98 (some rare 99's) and it's easier to find one in decent shape. They each have some advantages, but most things can be rectified one way or the other fairly easily since they're so interchangeable. For example, it's easy to swap an LT230 into the classic in lieu of the borg warner, or to add an external spare carrier for oversize tires. The classic has more appeal to many people since it keeps the classic 1970 design that's still echoed in the current Range Rovers. It's an icon for decades and has "heritage" whereas the Discovery has little going for it outside purely practical improvements.

You want to avoid the 5 speeds. The automatics are good transmissions and will last a lot longer, and there's tons of spares from parts cars. The 5 speeds have a bad reputation in the countries where they were exported. In NA they're coveted because they're not as available, but reality is they suck. That's not a preference. They're crappy 5 speeds. Whereas the auto, whether you prefer them or not, are damn good ZF autos. They have less aftermarket support than a TH350 or 400 or something, but are probably better in stock form.

Mileage is 13mpg. Many people's experience agree Premium is required as stated by the factory. Some get away without it.

Mine has been a great project car, great off road, and I'll keep it, wouldn't trade it for anything but maybe another. However, I have other cars when I need them. I also did extensive work to overhaul nearly everything. I can't think of a two cubic foot space on it that I didn't do significant parts replacement in. And I've spent many times over the purchase price. If that isn't what you have in mind, then probably better to look elsewhere. I'm pretty sure you'll find most of the satisfied Discovery 1 / RRC owners have well over $10k in their projects. Some double that. If you're thinking cool car for $5k, the coolness will last about a year until it turns into a crisis where you feel trapped and burned. From what I can tell, the DII's are even more expensive.

 

I agree with almost all of what binvanna said, but the costs estimates are highly variable to what you want to do with the truck. Some light wheeling and you don't need to spend too much more than 5k total (after parts and your own labor). If you want the truck primarily to have fun in the mud the suspension and driveline parts can start to add up and reach those figure binvanna quoted.

The good news you have found a very good place to get all the info and support you need. The fellas around here are super helpful and are really into keeping these trucks on the road. Workshop manuals are free and very informative (called RAVE).

Aside from the suspension and driveline components, the most expensive job is replacing the head gasket which is notoriously weak in these trucks. The parts themselves won't run much more than $350, but you'll spend another $100-200 on head resurfacing and another $100-300 in hoses, sensors, gaskets, thermostats, fluids, and knuckle skin while you do it yourself. Super fast mechanics who have resurfaced heads on hand can do the job in a day. 2-3 weekends is probably more realistic for a DIY-er who will want to spend a fair amount of time cleaning/soaking parts to remove more than a decade of built up gunk from things like rocker arms, the inside of valve covers, and the like.

 

I was reluctant about quoting figures because I agree not everyone has the same goals. But if you look at some of the long-time members that have D1's they're satisfied with, I'm sure they have quite a bit into their Land Rovers over the years.

It starts with a straight car with minimal rust, and maybe some things already done. A lot of classics and earlier D1's have over 150,000 miles so it's normal to have to replace a transmission somewhere in there, and the head gaskets. Besides that, you'll need to address cooling system issues which could just be new rubber hoses, but probably also a water pump, thermostat, fan clutch, and maybe a radiator. For sure you'll need new transmission and oil cooler lines, and on the classic's a heater blower motor. You'll probably have to spend on new floor mats, new tires, and new shocks since the ones from the previous owner are sure to be worn out. Then you have to look at sagging springs. You don't have to upgrade with a lift or anything, but at that age, the stock springs are sagging. You've got a seat heater repair to do, and then there's more important things like the brakes. Suppose the master cylinder is good, you've at least got to change out the servo booster, possibly rusted hard lines on the wheel ends, but certainly the cracked rubber lines, preferably for steel braided. You know you've got to change out the pads, and there's some agreement that Rover rotors don't turn well so that means new ones. While you're in there, better do the wheel bearings, not to mention the swivel ball seals since the bearings have high mileage and the seals are leaking. You don't have to fix axles and CV's that aren't broken, but don't expect to off-road with oversize tires on axles that are fatigued over 150,000 miles of driving or more and not have problems. Every time the half-shaft gets twisted a little too much, there's a small amount of plastic deformation and that adds up over time until the shafts are pretty tweaked. The ultimate strength on fatigued axles is way lower than new stock axles. Off-roading, you really want 4130 shafts. With the axle in better shape, plan on locating it on new bushings. The panhard rod and lower radius arm bushings are going to be shot. You might as well change out all the rubber bushings since the rubber is ancient by now. The stock drag link and tie-rod are weak, but fine for street driving provided they've got tight ends. You'll need four new TRE's.

The rear resonator will be rusted out. Some people just cut it off, but that can accelerate underbody rust. You may need a new muffler as well. The old catalytic converters have to be addressed, and you'll probably need new oxygen sensors. Plan on fixing any air conditioning refrigerant leaks and recharging the system.

Then you have relatively minor things like the window regulators, the door seals, rubber window trim and hinge and latch adjustments or repair, and interior trim issues like sagging headliners, torn seats, worn out shifter boots, broken items on the dash, busted door panel clips, and so on.

Don't forget to budget for all kinds of bolts, screws, nuts, loctite and a case of brake parts cleaner and other chemicals and fluids.

Those are some of the normal things I would expect. If a person is ready to deal with that and it doesn't concern them that it will take many thousands of dollars and a lot of hours of their time, then it's a worthy vehicle to consider. I actually consider these two vehicles (RRC and D1) to be a good bargain. A older G-wagen would cost far more and isn't as good.

I also think that most people willing to put what it takes into these is going to want to upgrade a few things that need attention. The stock carriers are weak and should be upgraded to factory four-pin or aftermarket carriers. It's worth rebuilding the differential with new ring and pinion gears selected for the oversize tires most people will want. I've broken three stock axles and won't bother with them anymore, but I use the Spicer 4130. I also have a lift with springs and links, wheel spacers, bumpers, sliders and skid plates, and HD shocks and steering links. Those things add costs that aren't necessary to have a nice Classic or D1, but most people that offroad are going to want some armor and good recovery points.

It adds up, but if a person is looking for a project, they're quite good ones. It just depends on how you look at it. Take a 1973 Chevy truck on Craigslist for $500. Some people with $500 in their pocket and another $20 a month for oil and stuff wonder if it will get them through High School. Others see a custom show truck project they'll spend over fifty thousand on. Not saying you have a build a show-case of Land Rover parts, but if you're shopping at the bottom-end, you'll get burned. If rebuilding the entire vehicle is a nightmare scenario, then watch out. One of the nicest things about these vehicles is they are essentially owner-rebuildable.

 

Definitely pull carpets to check the front floors and rear cargo area, the padding is literally black foam rubber sponge rots from inside out

U pull yards will become a hangout for you

It is a challenge sometimes but the ride and handling are good, just like jeeps there are rover events if that's your thing

Expect head gaskets hoses fluid leaks electrical gremlins to some extent

Owning a rover is an "experience " lol

 

binvanna, of course you are 100% correct, but we WANT new people to help preserve the fleet. Adam sounds like he is ready to take the plunge. Let's not scare him off.

 

Adam,

I too come from BMW's (E30, E36, E46..even an E39 and E38) so I've seen a lot of different as well as common BMW issues. I'm not entirely new to Rovers having had a D1 back in '97 for a while. However I wasn't much of a hands on car guy then so I'll call that a brief intro. I picked up a D1 in March of this year, bought it from a guy on this list after having shopped around for about a year. I was in no particular hurry and was actually shopping for a Jeep Cherokee for part of that time (til I realized I could get a better D1 for the same or less $$$ - up front that is).

I learned a lot from this forum before buying though I'm still learning a lot. I don't find parts to be any more expensive than BMW parts (perhaps more so than E30), they're just not as plentiful so it's not as easy to get a better deal....it's out there though.

Anyway, I bought my as a project truck for me and my son to work on. I wanted something I could drive right away though because he's only 8 and doing a lot of work without the reward of use gets old quick for a young kid. So I paid more up front. Honestly I've been doing similar stuff that I do to all the BMW's that I buy used....cooling system, suspension stuff, some electrical, some interior, etc. Biggest difference for me is most of my BMW's were in decent shape and only needed some maintenance. When you buy a $1500-$3k truck like this it will probably take more than general maintenance to bring it back to a nicer status. But then that's part of the fun and learning.

If you're handy you ought to be fine. Definitely spend time learning and shopping around. Consider your longer term plans...upgrades, etc. If you're willing to spend bit more up front you might find some of those future upgrades for a fraction of the cost already on a truck. Or you can spend a bit more for stock truck in better shape. Depends on budget. I paid $3300 and I feel like I got a pretty good deal considering the upgrades it has. I'm probably spending more on maintenance stuff than had a I bought a nicer "street" truck but I'd quickly surpass that with upgrade costs.

Anyway, hope this helps....take your time, there are plenty!

Oh, and I wanted an RRC also but decided I'd start with a D1 until I have more time to find the RRC I want.

Cheers.