All,

Good morning! My first post in these forums. Long time Rover owner over the years - DI, DII, D90, Evoque, and wife is currently in a Disco Sport. I've been doing the Jeep thing since the Evoque left the fold and I am looking to get back into the Land Rover fold!

My Jeep lease ends in June of this year and I'm contemplating getting a Disco II to tide me over for a couple of years as a daily driver until the new Defender hits the scene After the Defender, if DII is still running well enough, perhaps it stays with my (now 12 year old) son as his first vehicle.

First of all, am I nuts? Limited time to do engine level repairs myself but I know a couple of good import shops locally that do a lot of Rover work (not dealer).

At any rate, I'm starting to look at vehicles online as there aren't a lot here in MI that aren't rust buckets. If I start to zero in on a couple of nice candidates, is there a definitive checklist of things I can have a mechanic look for?

I've seen a couple of posts on here (3 amigos, head gaskets, etc.) as well as the Internet in general but does anyone have a list of things they would definitely check before buying a used 2001-2002? Sounds like some advice says to avoid a 2003-2004 if you can.

Appreciate and look forward to the responses!

Steve

 

Frame rot in the rear. its always been there, but it's popping up more and more.

 

 

 

Check the everything over. The everything likes to go bad.

-Purchaser of many Land Rover money pits.

 

Just finished reading this thread and have quite a few notes - thanks!

What to look for when buying a Land Rover Discovery

 

Another question - I noticed quite a price disparity between what people on the forum say they'd pay vs. what these are going for on eBay Motors. Some examples:

$18,800 - https://www.ebay.com/itm/2004-Land-R...y/132916674472
$12,950 - https://www.ebay.com/itm/2002-Land-R...r/192785947804
$8,495 - https://www.ebay.com/itm/2003-Land-R...d/202562680041

These seem high by what most are saying they'd pay. Any other good sources I should checkout? FB Marketplace and Craigslist full of ratty samples here in the midwest with 1-2 pics

Thanks,

Steve

 

It all depends on what you are will to stomach.

Personally, these things are starting to go up in value because every SUV today looks alike. The boxes on wheels stand out and are extremely capable.
MOST forum members won't be willing to pay anything more than 5k for a truck because 9/10, that's what they paid or lower. Throw some sweat equity into it and you got a really nice truck for under 5k.
And that's not just here, I see the same thing on my Porsche forum. Just minus the sweat equity part.

Unfortunately you are trying to get in on the up swing. So yea, you could find a truck on craigslist, put some sweat into it, a couple night in the garage, become a shade tree mechanic working on your rover, but that's not your plan. You gotta pay to play.

I will say, that place asking 18K for that 04. That gonna be a hard no. Parking brake boots look like ****!!!

 

I just bought an 02 (Sunday and my first LR) - white/tan - with 199k miles.
I have $9500 worth of receipts from the last 6 years - of course this includes two sets of tires and 1200 in paint, but still.
All seals done within the last year including head gaskets - front cover - water pump etc etc.
8k miles on current tires
Interior in great condition - needs some minor TLC but overall very nice leather
Steel bumpers

Biggest factors for ME were this - its an SD with NO SUNROOFS and its from Florida - Naples originally then Clearwater with travel between there and Asheville NC over the past 6 years driving the mileage up.

3 amigos for shuttle valve switch and LH tensioner were on - neither a big deal IMO.

I got this one for $4500 - he was asking $5k

 

You don't have time to work on it, so you are going to either pay for it upfront to someone who has already done everything or pay it yourself to a shop, either as you go or all at once. I recommend the former if you can find it.