I say steal, but I’m not really sure. You guys know more than I do.

i have briefly owned a series 3. I’ve wanted a discovery 1 or 2 for a long time but have always passed them up when used car shopping because while I want a car with character, it’s also always a daily driver I’m looking for and I don’t want to get stranded and don’t have much mechanical knowledge yet. Tho I am a diyer that teaches himself everything and even when I suck I don’t give up.

imactaully sitting in my car waiting to meet the lady here in a couple of hours but I couldn’t sleep so I came to their areas early.

so it’s a 1998. Seller says only known issues are check engine light is on. If he remembers right it is for something minor and the other is a service light that just needs the dealership to turn it off.

sunroof leaked but has been sealed.

Some scratches on body.

needs alignment. Loaned to neighbor and she hit a curb.

and lastly for the negatives, there is a squeak coming from the engine but he can’t tell where from.

he said he never replaced the head gasket and doesn’t know if it was done previously

173 thousand miles. Runs and drives great except for the alignment. New tires. All electronics work, windows, heated seats. Transmission is good...

he claims he bought it four years ago to have a four by four on his property and never uses it.

i offered him 850 and he said yes. He was only asking for 995

what do you think? I’m pretty afraid I will lose 850 within a month by buying this thing but Ian also willing to take that chance on the off chance it’s a gem.

it’s so hard to find good deals ever anymore. Maybe this is one? I remember years ago there were tons of discos for 1000$. Now I look and am hard pressed to find one for under three or four.

i just got a used bmw I’ve been starting to practice maintenance and upgrading and other car stuff on, I really don’t need a second car to maintain and upgrade etc....but I want one, plus. And this is a real biggie.. my girlfriend and I are supposed to go to California for at least a month and surf and camp and sleep in hotels and sleep in the car and see cities and see nature. She says the bmw is too small, I begrudgingly agree. For me to carry everything I want and then add surfboards and wetsuits and sporting and camping goods, it’s too small. So I’m leaving within a week. I could really use a great vehicle like this disco could be. And I really don’t need a blown engine lemon right now. I need that money for our trip.

Plus people are always giving me a hard time for impulsively buying used vehicles basically sight unseen but I’ve stayed one step ahead of the critics and gotten great car after great car. I’d hate for that streak to end and hear I told you so.

what are my odds here? Should I do this? I’m supposed to meet in three hours and I said I had 850 cash and I just wanted to hear the engine and check the coolant and oil. It would take me les than five minutes. But it’s not like she told me I had to hurry or anything. I just figure it’s either going to look good 8n which case I’ll get all excited like a puppy and have to have it or it’s going to be beat and I’ll run.


I posted this in series two and was told it was a one. Anyways I like both those series..

 

check for rust-
check the frame
bottom of B pillars
front body mounts - behind the grill
where the front wings meet the fire wall - especially under the brake booster
where C pillar meets rear wheelwell
(if you can) under the carpet in the back
check for wet carpet in the front foot wells

I would say you will easily drop another $1,500 in parts to get it to a DD status - I would say this would be expected with any 20yr old car.

as I understand 98 & 99 is the most desirable year for D1
I was daily driving my 98 for the past 2.5 yrs.

 

+1 on what Whiskey wrote. Rust is the killer. Doors and panels are alloy so they don't show the troubles. frame and roof are steel. Under the carpets is key.

 

If I were you I would invest in a code reader and put it on this truck. The codes are easy to google. I did it on mine and find out a lot. Good luck

 

So what was the results?