Hello all! This is my first port here as I do not own a LR but am looking into them. I have a son who is turning 18 this summer and we'll be graduating off to college in Seattle Washington! Since we live in Texas in the city the need for a big suv has never been... Needed. He is currently in a 1996 Honda Accord EX sedan. I am worried that his little Honda will not be able to cope with the weather they have in Seattle and since he a major LR enthusiast I thought I would get him one. I currently have a close friend who is selling his 2002 Land Rover Discovery SD with 134k miles on it for $3700. My son has driven it and said it's the best thing he's ever driven. I have full confidence in my son not to do anything stupid. He get's good grades he's president of his class and president of the school band. would getting this vehicle be a stupid idea on my part? OR should I have already signed the check? Any help would be apreciated!

 

I guess I will be the first to say it. There is always something new to replace and repair on these trucks. The list is literally never ending. If your son does not like to turn a wrench and do his own repairs then this truck will cost you wayyy more then $3,700 in no time.

With that said, I love my Rover and would never get rid of it. They are great trucks when they are maintained correctly so make sure that your friend has done all the major repairs like- Head Gaskets, and the Front Drive shaft. Those 2 things are very common problems in used Disco's and can cost you a lot of $$$$ to fix.

 

i second what jared just said. if not done already, it's going to need head gaskets. they all do. i have not had front drive shaft issues, but who knows maybe the former owner already fixed that.

 

I wouldn't get an 02 anyways, no locking cdl. Find a nice 01 with service history and call it a day. (01, better motor, locking t-case, cheaper parts)


FWIW,
my headgaskets have 130k on them,
my dads headgaskets have 165k on them,
and my buddies have 190k on them.

Not all of them fail. Just maintain the cooling system. this is a very hot climate I am in also, 120 degree dry heat is not uncommon.

 

These have a cool factor that might get him smoking weed, and doing beer bongs from a Tuba...

No seriously, as mentioned, there are maintenance issues, but if you keep up on them, they can be a lot of fun. If he's not going off road a lot, then the locking CDL is not a major factor. I would suggest some good winter rated tires for the winter driving up there. These do tend to spin around easy with all the weight when it's icy (from experience), but with better tires now, it's MUCH better.

If the DII is really clean, the price seems on par for the year and mileage, and maybe even slightly a good deal, at least for around here.

When I turned 18, I was already into my 5th or 6th car, and I have to say, these would definitely have been on my list of must haves. I bought my first VW when I was 14 and drove it around the property we lived on, and occasionally would sneak onto the road. I too was a good kid, and the only trouble my cars got me into was speeding. But, I rarely got tickets due to my "Good Kid" facade.

For what it's worth, I've never been a drinker, or weed smoker.

 

He won't need a Rover to get access to weed in Seattle!!!

But seriously if he is going to UW or any of the other smaller schools in the area he wont need a car either. The public transit system is great and being a freshman he will have to live on campus at least the first year. Having lived in Texas once I can see how you might not consider the possibility of not needing a vehicle!

If he does go to UW literally everything he will need will be in walking distance... including a major mall... Or a short bus ride, students get a free bus pass which covers the entire metro area.

I could see a college kid needing a Rover possibly if he is a geology major but otherwise not so much... The only reason I can even think of is if he plans on going skiing in the mountains regularly, then he will be the chauffeur. If it is for frequent trips home to Texas, I'd fly.

As for the weather, mostly rain, snow/ice one or two weeks a year. A front wheel drive Honda would handle all the weather he would likely encounter in the city.

Don't get me wrong, it's a cool idea but the reality is he won't need it.

If you do it anyway, there are a few great indy shops in the area you will need to become familiar with.

Best of luck!

 

Hey Josh,

Having just moved to Seattle from Dallas, I can say that having an SUV such as a Discovery would be highly useful for your son. So much to explore and while you can do much in a subaru or another AWD vehicle, having and owning a Discovery in the NW feels like you are prepared for just about anything.

If the previous owner has kept up with maintenance then you are in luck as there are several well-known land rover specialists in/around Seattle that can assist in maintaining your sons vehicle at reasonable costs. Good luck with your purchase decision!

 

I lived in Seattle for 3 years.
You only need a Land Rover about 10 days out of the year.

But --
Getting a Rover with good tires will prevent hydroplane.

With that said - gas there is about $4.30 a gallon and going up.

Does not really need a Rover.

But if you can afford college tuition at U of W, what's a Rover to you?
Just buy him one.

There are independent Land Rover mechanics in Seattle but they rip you off just like the Dealers.