Hey everyone ! I have been lurking around your forum for a while. I have wanted a Land Rover for as long as i have been driving and now have the opportunity to buy one. I think its a great deal 7k for a 2001 disco SDw/68k mi. But everyone I have talked to has said they are a nightmare to own , non of these critics have owned one but they have always had a "friend or heard of a guy etc" and even the salesman kinda dogged the brand but he never owned one either. So I am coming the owners and experts for advice. My situation: I drive about 20 miles round trip to work so I don't care about gas mileage I need a vehicle that will last me about 3 years without have to dump 2k a year on it. Needs to sit five and I need to look good driving it. So again I ask ... To buy or not to buy?

 

A couple a things for consideration...

7K is a good price, maybe too good. Look for the following:

Pull the dipstick, check the oil level, sniff it and see if it smells of coolant.
Check for leaks underneath the truck. Unless you are leaking at your valve covers, which is common and not too expensive to fix, it will cost some money.
Request the service records. I don't recommend buying a discovery and having confidence unless it has had its 30k, 45k, and 60k services. If it has not had its 60k, not too big a deal, but you need to do it soon. Costs about 400 dollars if you do it yourself.


You came to the right place, you'll get plenty of good help for your buying decision!

 

If you do not want to dump any money in it......pass-on!!

To be happy, you have to expect to spend at least a few grands in the first months of ownership. Postponing the needed fixes, will only postpone your happiness cause you'll always be afraid that those things will let you down anytime.

Search it well, get it and spend to fix the needed things a.s.a.p and once you're done you'll be able to enjoy the Discovery. People tend to get rid of them when a lot of things need to be done. I've purchased a 1 owner with all the service history and the dealer confirmation that it was one of the good ones.....Took me 9 months and close to 6 grands to get it perfect.

Good luck!!

 

You are looking at a Land Rover for the wrong reasons, and it will
need the TC-HD-ABS in the 3 years and that can be big bucks.
I think that no is a real answer.

 

Well I got a carfax and it seems to have had service at 30k and 48k but no 60K...Landzu thanks for your opinion so i got 1 no so far..

 

The O.K.S.

Land Rover Discoverys are great vehicles. However you need to invest in their maintenance to keep them running good.
Make sure you have the 60K service completed. If you can do it yourself, you will save over a $1000. Check the forum for the 60K service list from DiscoMike.

I have also heard that the D2s are a little more demanding then the older D1s. This is most likely from the Ford influence.

Be prepared to invest at least an additional grand the first year.

 

This is true about the money, but not Ford.
BMW did the redesign of the Disco I enter the Disco II,
the LR3 is Ford.