Guys
I am looking at getting a Discovery, so far I am thinking a 2004 or so, BMW engine Discovery.
Any suggestions on what to look for ?
Problem areas, known issues or problems.
I hear horror stories about dealer ships and getting service.
Things like they wont touch your vehicle unless its service records are up to date andservices havebeen performed.
Things like alternators costing $1000
And 50k mile services costing $3000 is this bogus ?
What im looking for is a good reliable truck to haul my crap and ocasonallypeople.
I have been looking at the Discovery, and it really fits what I need, good space built like a tank. I like the layout of the interior, and would be looking at getting a roof carrier.
I like the looks and having 4WD will be good.
I really dont want or need the fancy stuff, id like a/c, stereo, ps,pb.
Basically a people hauler version of my F150, with a few more creature comforts.

bob

 

if you can get a 04 SE.

they use a 4.6L V8 spec'd and built from a old buick design. NOT BMW. but it is rock solid and reliable.

must use premium gas. the 4X4 abilities even stock are amazing.

if you are smarter then a sack of sand then you can work on these rigs yourself. the dealers will always bend you over dry on parts and service. either take it to a indy shop or do it yourself.

parts can be had online new or used. lots of guys here can help you with install and wrenching info.

when you buy set aside about a grand to cover the 60K service and to have the front shaft rebuilt using zerk fittings. a 60k service will set you back a few hundred in parts and lubricants. i am doing mine over the course of 10k miles (50k - 60K).

make sure whatever you are looking at, that everything works.

other then that buy as well as you can afford and dont sweat it. just enjoy the rig

 

Well, you've come to the right place. Ignore the crap people say about their nightmares getting service and bogus repair bills. If you're any good with a wrench, do your maintenance and repairs yourself. Most of them are a piece of cake, and are very cheap when done yourself. Do a search for DiscoMike's 60k service list. It shouldn't cost more than a few hundred bucks and will have your truck running better than it came from the factory. 2004 is arguably the best year for the DII. They have the center diff lock if you go off road at all (also helps in snow), and the most gadgets and such inside. A few things to know: All Discovery's require premium gas, and you need to have the double cardon in the front driveshaft rebuilt with greasable U joints and a new centering ball. Any driveshaft shop can do that, if they charge over $300 go somewhere else.

The most common problem is probably head gaskets, change your coolant when you're supposed to and it won't be an issue. Check out roverracks.com for a roof rack, they have pretty good prices. As for the 'fancy stuff,' well, just about all Discoverys have them. There isn't much difference between the S model and the HSE7 other than some stuff inside, leather seats, rear air conditioning and such.

Any Disco you're interested in, go and test drive it. Push every button, make sure everything works. Climb underneath and look for leaks, listen for unusual noises. I'm sure you know the drill

Good luck

 

You will be able to find what you want for under $10,000.

I don't have a dealer near me so I service my own stuff. The majority of us it seems have electrical problems at some point. The back seat sucks for a long trip. The fuel mileage sucks. Some things were poorly thought out like the fuel door. You will love it or hate it. I personally like the wierd querks like in my Defender. The parts I have needed don't seem to be that much more expensive than an American car.

Good Luck

 

Thanks Guys
The 4.6 is the old Buick 215 aluminum v8 ? I heard that Rover bought the tooling years ago.
I remember that engine, pretty slick stuff back then, I think a bunch of them ended up in Vega's.
Yes I hear check everything out to make sure everything works, I was looking for low miles.
Most of the Discovery's I have seen are either a ton of miles or a lease/repo im guessing that is pretty trashed.
Seems the good ones dont last long.

Man this truck fills the bill, as a people hauler and it's big enough to haul my junk, camping junk around.
bob

 

Don't worry about miles. Anything under 150k will be fine, as long as its been properly maintained. Take care of it and it will easily go to 300k or more.

 

100k miles is just broken in,,,

also a one owner or one owner lease return are good finds. mine came from Land Rover in Los Angeles so it was never beat on or taken off road. it was mint in every way and had only 49k miles.

good finds are out there.

 

Hey guys, I have some more questions, looking to do the same thing here as MrIgotNoMoney.

How do I know if the Disco has ACE or not? I know I can crawl underneath and see the airbags but what other "signs" are there?
Is ACE that big of a deal to get it or should I avoid it. For the price, OME springs and shocks for a 2" lift is very reasonable so what does that do to me if I have ACE?

Also, can anyone give good tips on determining if the 60k or beyond major service has been done. Is there play in the front driveshaft if its worn? How about where to look in the engine compartment to see if she's leaking and dripping?

When I'm ready to buy (summer time, 3 months from now, more money saved and I figure more will be offloaded after winter...) I'd be willing to drive 200 miles or so to get a nice one...problem is I don't want to make 2 or 3 200 mile trips to only find "duds" if you get what I'm saying so...hopefully my questions are clear enough for you guys to help with. Also I'm sure it will help MrIgotNomoney with his purchasing process too.


I also already spoke with DiscoMike and he helped a great deal. If I can find the "right" 04 thats what I'm getting (price of course), if not then its the "right" 00-01.

 

Not sure about lifting with ACE. The airbags in the back have nothinng to do withe ACE. ACE= active cornering Enhancement. this adds a larger sway bar and hydraulic pistons to the end to "push up" in corners. Keeps the truck level. If you offroad, you don't want it. Ace trucks look loke they have extra shocks attached to a huge sway bar. There is also another fluid reservoir behind the power steering one.

And someone up there said the 4.6 is a Buick design, not BMW. Who has a BMW motor? The 4.6 is a bored out 4.0, still taken from the 3.9 which was the Buick 215. They are all the same design. BMW was never a factor.

And on a D2, don't try to check the front driveshaft. If it doesn't have grease fittings, replace/rebuild it. Don't try to guess...