Hey guys, I just bought a 98 Disco 1 with 170,000km on it. I had taken it to two small mechanic shops in town and they told me it would need totally new rear brakes (rotors/calipers/pads), some electrical work to fix the washers not working (the PO got a stupid bodge job done to bypass the old multifunction switch when it went out), and some other odd fiddly electrical bits. Sounded alright, but still pretty steep with the money I had on hand. So I finally sold my other car and with the funds from that, I had enough to fix that.

I then found a proper Rover specialist about 60km away from me. This guy has the Rover ECU plug in from England, his shop is completely full of rangies, discos, jags, you name it. We put my car up on the hoist and he looks it over and we talk for a couple hours. The list he comes back to me with, and I saw every bit was

All the rotors replaced, along with pads, wheel bearings were outta wack needed rebuilding/adjustment, calipers were seized in back and needed rebuild, the Radiator was rusted out and needed to be rebuilt along with all the hoses needing to be replaced, thermostat was wrong, housing was wrong, two rear struts were trash, there was a misfire in cyl #7 and the plugs hadn't been changed in god knows how long so plugs/wires/good engine clean/tune up, washer switch and wiring fix, and the ignition cylinder was shot. It can start, but only if you put your foot hard on the brake and pull the key out one notch from all the way in. (how was I know thats not 'just how it is with rovers') Apparently thats really bad and not how its supposed to be at all. He gave me the rover tech's name at Atlantic British and told me to call them up and find out part costs myself and it comes out to like 2500-3000$ in parts alone without shipping, and so probably 5-6 grand all told to get it back on the road. Do these issues sound legit?

The body is IMMACULATE, no rust not even in the wheel arches, underneath..ect The engine is still good, emissions were good, tranny is good, CDL is stuck though, but hopefully still good. The interior is also immaculate and hardly shows any signs of being used. The other guys in his shop figured it was worth saving, but after that being a grand more then I got it for originally, it seems like a long shot now.

I'm still oscillating between just selling it and loosing most of the cash or trying to dig deeeeeeeeep into my savings/take out loan from rents and fix it. What say you guys? Is it worth it to fix stupid mechanics mistakes and maybe create a solid car or just ditch it when there may not be another disco one this clean out there around this area at all, ever. It took me 4 months to find this one. Still unsure, any guidance would be sweet. Also, I can already hear well just do all the work yourself and..ect I wish I could, but I don't have any automotive tools, jack stands, nothing. I can fix bikes (bicycles) for a job, but this car stuff is beyond me, so that isn't really an option.

Anyways, sorry for the long post, thanks guys!

 

After reading the above, I would seriously say that that is just the start if you are having to deal with others doing it all for you and buying parts retail from Atlantic British. That is just the tip of the iceburg and does not even consider any real engine problems.

I would say dump it for what you can recover and get something better. Where are you located?

Do not fall in love with looks, like they say even a turd can be polished up pretty good.

 

Wow, I can't believe someone on a "Rover Enthusiast's" forum said to dump the truck.

First off, most of the trucks that come into my shop need ignition switches. There are two in the yard right now that don't have locks, use a screwdriver to start them (one of them is mine-LOL). They are stupidly expensive and as long as just lightly pulling back on it works, it may go another 100K before it quits.

Wheel bearing adjsutment on a DI is a free, simple repair for you to do yourself (you're going to HAVE to learn to work on it yourself, you sound like a younger person, no time like the present to start learning skills that will serve you for a lifetime!).

Judging from your use of KM, I'm assuming you're in Canuckistan.

Rear rotors shouldn't cost more than $150 for new, remans are somewhat less expensive but a crap shoot-buy new. I can get them for about $125 plus shipping. Easy enough swap to do yourself.

Radiators are expensive, but yours may be able to be recored.

Rear shocks-there are many, many options from stupid cheap to stupid expensive. Cheapies run about $40/ea plus shipping.

Plugs/wires-$150 for good plugs and wires. Easy job for you to do.

I'd much rather have a truck with a solid rust-free body than one with an immaculate engine bay. Rust is a problem, the rest are just details.

 

Rust is only a problem to someone who doesn't know how to repair it(correctly),much like auto mechanics to someone without the knowledge or tools.

 

PT^, If he were anywhere near willing or able to do much, I would tell him to download the RAVE, start with the most important stuff and attack one system at a time. If he has no tools, nothing except:Also, I can already hear well just do all the work yourself and..ect I wish I could, but I don't have any automotive tools, jack stands, nothing. I can fix bikes (bicycles) for a job, but this car stuff is beyond me, so that isn't really an option.

This is his only car and he'es gonna go in debt just to get the above stuff done, I just said he is in for a tough road ahead.

If he has confidence JUMP IN, THE WATER IS FINE.

OTHERWISE, YOU SHOULD SERIOUSLY RECONSIDER.

 

If not DIY as a new hobby. it will be an expensive vehicle. It is only starting, there are plenty of other things waiting to raise their ugly head. The shop manual (RAVE), the salvage yard, and the dismantlers are your friends.

This is the sort of thing we hope new owners would dodge by springing for a pre-sale inspection. 1 or 2 hours of time could save a pile of Ben Franklins.

 

I already have the RAVE manual downloaded onto my computer and have read all of the sections regarding what needs to be fixed. In reality I could probably tackle it part by part, but I cannot legally drive the car until I get the 'safety standards certificate', which includes all of these issues. Until then I have no car to drive. I am young yes (21) and from Canada as well. I think part of the issue is that my dad is not the type of guy who will do work on his own cars. He is emphatic I don't do the brakes because he said its worth the extra 300$ to pay someone who really knows what they are doing so that when you are going 120km/h on the highway they really do work, and if they don't you have legal recourse (he works at a law firm haha.) I have read the wheel bearing adjustment is pretty easy though, but some of the other small engine bits I just don't have the skill to do yet. I do want to learn how to do all the work on this car, but it was something I wanted to learn over time so I could gather the necessary tools, not perhaps having to buy all of them at one time and set up a shop on the driveway. The Rover guy I went to see did give me the option to come in and work on it on the weekends while it was in to learn how to wrench on it but I'm graduating university in a couple months so it may just have to wait until the spring before anything happens with it. There is always the bus I guess.

I also didn't expect the dump it comment, as that seems to come from most of the non-rover people I have talked to not the other way around. The thing was I am planning on using this truck as an overlanding/expo rig and so I bought it for that purpose after a year of looking at other vehicles and finding nothing else that really applied or was in my (old now) price range. If I was to sell it I would loose about three grand and then be right back into the same problem of trading one at least semi known devil for another.

 

I would take the Rover guy up on his "wrench and learn" on the weekend offer, and buy as many used parts as you can, like the ignition switch.
Hell, if you read the tech section in the DI side there is a "how to repair" the bad/broken ignition switch, and its free.
Otherwise buy a used ignition switch.
You do not have to order everything online, rotor's and bearings and such you can buy local, part numbers in the tech section.
Shocks, go cheap for now, then if you want to upgrade later fine but at least you can pass inspection.
Tune up is easy in your driveway with a cheap 3/8" drive socket set, PB Blaster and a nice sunny day, again all parts locally.
Wheel bearings, rotors and such if you want the piece of mind buy the Rover tech a case of beer and order a pizza, buy the parts, and bring the truck over and get dirty, watch and learn.
Thermostat is easy, 15min job.
Radiator is easy to pull out, 30min.
These things are ridiculously easy to work on and a great car to learn how to work on cars because they are so easy.
I understand your dad's point of view, but who's paying for the repairs?
Not to mention there is no satisfaction like doing the job yourself.

 

I'm a Disco newbie also. My disco is my daily driver and I've been going through a similar situation replacing things when they rear up- and they do rear up. I changed my alternator a couple times in the last 3 weeks- once because i bought a bum one off ebay(lesson learned) and the next time because the diodes of the autozone POS burned up on me on the expressway. I must be weird but I really didn't mind getting under the hood and getting my hands dirty. I am a novice at best and the upside of the experience is that I can now change the alternator in the disco in about 15-20 minutes. Good skill to have. Next few weeks are already planned out for me- start draining the fluids and replacing. I'm having a good time over here :-)

PS Another thing I also learned is that when you're have one of these things, you're in a tight-knit clan with people who want to help. Use this to your full advantage.

 

re: He is emphatic I don't do the brakes

Wait until Dad is in the truck with the first good encounter of the Death Wobble....

As far as dump the truck, once someone has bought it, that's not very practical, and you are fighting the emotions of the new buyer. It is true that all of these things can be fixed, doing them yourself or with a pal saves a lot of money. If you plan to take it to a dealer, you will spend far more than the vehicle is worth. You can buy running D1's for well under $2K.

Part of the "Land Rover Experience" is fixing them. It is fun, and I've been where you were, just didn't have someone to tell me what a pile of problems I had, and I did not have the RAVE, and had not found this forum. Rear brakes, front brakes, rear shocks, radiator, thermostat, fan clutch, water pump, washers still disonnected for head lights, ragged out seats, electric seat motors burned out, windows held closed with double stick tape shoved in the window slides, and on.

But I did have a large shade tree. The biggest single price item you have listed is the radiator, it is copper and brass, about $600 US new, may be able to have an indy rad shop flush it, solder up any leaks, and rod out the calcium buildup. Because it is copper, some people take one look and think it is rust. Nope, just black paint worn off. Try to find a shop that works on tractor and off road consruction equipment radiators. That's their boat payment, not your little teacup.