All,
I am planning on driving 5 hours to visit my family tomorrow and have been considering taking the Discovery as my other "reliable" car is currently enjoying being a fair weather garage queen. The wife left this morning and is already there but I had to work today. The weather is much more suited for the Disco but my family and wife think I am nuts for considering jumping on the interstate for 5 hours when I have never driven the Discovery more than 30 miles from home. Granted, I have only put 1600 miles on the Discovery so far since I purchased it with a blown engine. Tons of new parts including:
1: Engine has 70k miles, very minimal valve cover leak (full tune up before install).
2: Completely new coolant system, all hoses, radiator, water pump
3: New front driveshaft
4: Ultraguage to monitor everything, temps stay below 202 sitting in traffic with ac on.
5: Oil change 1600 miles ago, added 1/2 qt this week as it was slightly low
6: New power steering pump/hoses
7: New battery, booster just in case is in cargo box

Why I am hesitant with all these great new parts? I have never driven it more than 30 miles at a time, and don't know if I fully trust it. It would be an epic PIA to get stranded on Christmas. I currently have a few small issues:
1: brakes drag at times, have ordered all new parts to install in a few weeks
2: Driver's side front cv joint occasionally clicks at full lock on acceleration, plan to fix when we do the brakes.
3: small transfer case leak, fluid level is ok (1 drop per day).
4: tires have great tread but are 7 years old, no dry rotting or cracks

Opinions? Enjoy the adventure as not knowing if you will make it is part of the fun? Play it safe and drive the Cayman as I can detail it again when I get home. I know, real first world problems I have. Yes, I do have towing on the insurance. Merry Christmas all.

 

The brakes you've got to judge on your own. If it's only sometimes, you're probably fine.

The CV makes me a little nervous. I'd say you're prooobbaably fine, but I'm not comfortable saying for sure.

Personally? If it were my truck I'd probably take it, but I don't know your truck and I haven't heard the CV for myself. My truck has never actually left me stranded. Despite all its issues, there's never been a single one that I couldn't get myself home. The closest I've been was when it was pouring coolant a LOT, but I just kept topping it off. That's something I can't even say about my Mustang which I've driven less than half as much.

That said, I'm not so sure about that CV. I'd pull the axle, pull the boot back, and see if it's dry. If it is then I'd pack it with grease and throw it back in. You don't have to remove the axle nut to do that, just remove it with the hub still connected. Can be done in an hour and a half probably.

 

The 13 miles at a time for the last 1600 miles is more traumatic to the car than a straight 500 mile trip(stop and go, constant starting, etc).

Take it. If you breakdown, have a positive attitude and trust that someone with a similar mind will help.

As far as your concerns, as Alex suggested, you need to gauge the risk.

Good luck.

 

Totally take it. No fun in arriving in a Porsche, when the family can say "you came in that?"

You get to find its real issues, which I bet it doesn't have.

You have towing. No risk.

You have access to this board from your phone, when something happens! Don't underestimate it.

Mine does 20 minute trips. That's pretty much it. I'm doing 3.5 hours on Saturday.

Go for it. And may the force be with you.

 

My 02 Kalahari has 224K on it, and I'd take it anywhere. Most LR people think I'm crazy, but out of the 10 LR's I've owned not a one has ever left me stranded. Stop n Go stuff is where a vehicle wears out. Long open road without stop n go stuff is far less stressful on a vehicle.

Just check your fluid levels, tires, and monitor temps, and enjoy the LR trip. Merry Christmas

 

The only time Redrover left me stranded was nearly six years ago on the way home from a Boy Scout ski trip. It was the CKPS. Pulled up to a stoplight and it just died. Like turning off a light switch. I was immediately almost positive I knew what it was (thanks to what I had read on this and other Rover forums).

I had six scouts with me. We had to wait for another dad to make the two-hour trip to get us in his minivan. The boys thought it was a great adventure and made the best of it. I had it towed and a friend went with me the next day to install the CKPS at the yard where it had been towed and get the truck home.

 

Just did an 1100 mile round trip to AZ for Christmas in my '04 Disco with no problems. I did run it over to my mechanic before to have them check for any problems. The beast performed like a champ. Happily slurped up that cheap AZ gas too.

Hope you totally drove it.

 

Go!! And then come back here and tell us about it!