Nobody can cuss my 04 any worse than I have.

 

 

Oldest possible. LR let the tooling deteriorate over the years, hence the oil pump, cylinder liner and other issues in later models.. I have a 2000 good running d2 with 230k on it, original rings and bearings with 50 psi oil pressure at hwy speeds. Later models had no significant features that can't be retrofitted.

 

Pick one in the same interior colour as what you have, and exterior colour if possible. Make sure it has sai if your does or not sai of yours doesn’t. Other than that look for best shape, no leaking sunroof water damage that would ruin the interior or electrical

 

anyone who buys them should know what they are getting into, but there are droves of fools driving them into the ground, blaming shoddy manufacturing for their bone head mistakes. It happens to all of them. At this point most 03'04's are either in the grave, or still going with the original equipment. whats left seems to be no more failure prone than the 99-02's. My '04 is at 230,000ish, one set of head gaskets, no block or pump issues.

 

After reading your second post...

I'd stay with the same body style as a 2000, forget the 03/04 (unless you really feel like you'd ever put the effort into a frame change). Having extra lights and such will come in handy if you drive off road...or just have bad luck. I've replaced one head light, both front turn signal assemblies (one twice) and a tail light since owning my 01. Yes, I use mine as a tank while driving through brush out back...so my issues may be unwarranted in your case.

But, if he had a same color rig (99-02), inside and out...l'd go that route.

Brian.

 

we will be towing the D2 back on a trailer. I will be happy with anything I can get. My 2000 disco will be my target donor truck with beige interior. I have no idea of any of the trim models.

 

Major tick was the slipped sleeve ticking - quite common unfortunately, and distinctive sound. Not a knock. The ticking occurs at idle and disappears with acceleration.

The grenading was a overheating on a 10 degree day. With coolant and oil dispersed throughout the intake manifold. Quite ugly. When I dropped the oil it was milky. When I dropped the coolant it was brown. Grenading.

It very well could have been poor prior maintenance, I'll never know. But 170k out of that motor ain't bad.

 

I've cursed both my 04s repeatedly. My current 04, which needs a new engine at some point, is an SE7 that spent its life in Austin, TX and has 0 rust. I mean ZERO rust. I couldn't believe it when I saw it. If you are looking to hold this truck long term, find the least rust 04 version and sock some $$ away for a new engine down the road.

 

Sure, but get a good engine in an '03 or an '04 and IMO they are the best to live with as a DD since they have all the latest conveniences, especially if you can fit (or have) CDL. The '04 HSE is still a pretty classy machine by today's standards.