I was so intrigued by the '99 D1 that I have here in VA, I bought a '94 D1 for the family back in CA as a backup vehicle, so I'd have 4 cars with three licensed drivers. My wife, who drives a '92 MBZ 400SE doesn't really care for it, but my two daughters, who drive a '99 Subaru Outback and a '98 GMC Sonoma, sure like taking it out to the beach!

But Land Rovers are definitely an acquired taste, like some other vehicles I've owned over the years: '91 Saab 900 turbo convertible, '95 Jaguar XJ6, '92 Ford Taurus SHO, '89 Mitsubishi Montero 2-door, '93 Ducati Superlight, '74 Moto Guzzi Eldorado, '78 Moto Guzzi V50, '95 Moto Guzzi 1100 Sport, '98 Moto Guzzi V11 EV, '00 Moto Guzzi Jackal, etc.

These Land Rovers are definitely not for everyone, that's for sure...

 

Well, I will probably jinx myself now, but...

I have owned my 96' for over 13 years. Bought it with 60k and now it has 179k. Sure I've had to put money into it, but it has been my daily driver the entire time.

I wouldn't hesitate to drive it across the country tomorrow.

I guess it's all about luck, and if that's the case I am lucky.

 

Problem is Shift, despite its excellent driveability in harsh conditions the issues are neither small nor few. I count harsh conditions as being far away from civilisation - where you go to get away from civilisation and other vehicles. I have owned vehicles for 50 years and 4-wheel drive vehicles for 30. Apart from a flat battery now and then due to my own neglect I have yet to have a starting problem or sudden cut-out on any one of those. With this D1 has had it many times every week since the second day, and fixing and replacing expensive parts lasts for not longer than a week. In three months' time I am into my third coil and fourth ignition amplifier module (IAM) (OEM, and maybe that is exactly the problem), and reading the world-wide forums it is an illness endemic to the vehicle. In Australia they have a proper fix with Bosch IAM from old Dodge engines.

The V8 engine is way beyond its sell-by date:
JE Robison Service — the blog: All you ever wanted to know about . . Land Rover V8 Engine Failures

(No expert write-up on the electronics' lack of quality yet).

In Africa you will NOT see any Discovery in the lonely places. The vehicles that last and are reliable over there are the Toyota Landcruisers, South African built Mitsubishi Pajeros and Toyota Hi-Lux pick-up trucks.

In desperation and to avoid the many law suits Landrover sold their South African franchise to BMW in 1994, and after some engine changes BMW could not manage or finance the many warranty come-backs, and almost gave away the franchise to Ford. It is clear that Ford is loosing money and slowly cutting back on their stock and in time new Landrovers will simply disappear off the market.

Home fixers like you and I can still manage in a way if we have another vehicle to use, but not even the ridiculously expensive dealers or authorized workshops can fix the plethora of problems owners have on a daily basis. Just read the pages of issues on this forum and then go to any Landrover forum anywhere in the world and you'll see pages and pages of the same nonsense.

A friend of mine in the city of Pietermaritzburg in Natal, South Africa, is a Landrover fanatic and owns seven series 2 and 3s. He runs two and the others are being cannibalised... He spits venom when being asked about Discoveries.

One of course must admire you guys who bite the bullet and keep on investing in time and money in your babies - however, if your daily living depends on a 4-wheel drive vehicle where your clients are ranchers in the remote parts of Colorado and Nevada a Landrover is not a sufficiently reliable asset - in fact it is a liability or soon will become one. When it does go it takes the most difficult conditions in its stride. That is WHEN it goes.

 

A good friend of mine who has spent many years in the Kingdom of Lesotho (land locked country inside of South Africa) said the same thing and laughed his butt off when he heard I got a Disco he's a bastid but he's also right.

 

I half to say some of you have thin skins. If you check my post, I have NOT really bashed the Discovery. It is just not for me. I have rebuilt many different vehicles over the years. I tried the Rover and I did not like it so I sold it. Be safe and enjoy the ride.
This is my last post and for you haters. You can kiss my ***!!!!

 

lolwut? every XJ cherokee from 1984-2001 came with a center diff lock. most XJs came with the NP231J case which only offered 2wd, 4hi (lock), and 4lo (lock).

 

Nope never insulted them at all. You're right.

 

I'm a 20 year old US Marine. Of COURSE I've tested the top speed in anything from my push lawn mower to my rover to my gf 😉 okay sorry for being crude. The steering and brakes have been redone and upgraded so when I have a huge straight stretch...well you know the rest.

 

don't waste your time correcting him, you'll only get a novelous reply filled with flowery language, inaccuracies and arrogance.

While the engineering was somewhat questionable (chain drive?) the New Venture and New Process transfer cases are reported to have performed well despite reliability issues.

 

I guess I'm lucky too. I've had my Disco for 12 or 13 years also, and I just got back from a 400 mile trip to the beach and back with a wife, two kids and a dog. A/C works fine, ABS works fine, engine starts instantly. The cancer is starting to get hold of her, but after 18 years or so, it's going to happen around here.