Hi All,

I'm looking at Disco II's (LR3 is out of my price range) as my Suburban has seemed to pass it's expiration date. I've done some searching on here but figured I'd ask my question straight out.

I'm in my vehicle about 2.5 hours a day and spend some weekends in the fall bird hunting. It's not too serious an off road challenge, no bushwhacking, mostly unpaved roads and rough trails. Reliability is my big thing (I know a reliable LR...hahaha, I'm willing to do regular maintenance and such, just don't want to be stranded.)

I need 3rd row seating due to family transport issues. I'm also not the smallest fellow around 6'1"/340lbs so the roomier the better.

What year or years would be best if I looking for a daily driver/family hauler/bird hunting rig? Would I better trying to scrimp up for an LR3? I've looked into Rangies but the air suspension scares me and there's no 3rd row seating in them.

Also on the table is the Volvo XC90 and possibly the Toyota Sequoia but I'd really like a little more luxury than the Toyo offers plus I prefer Brit made.

Thanks in advance for any info!

Best,

Jim

 

I'll start off by saying this, if you have never sat in a Disco II, do that before you continue with your search. I'm 6'5" and the drivers area is a little tight, but I like being close to the wheel, so its not an issue for me. You may love it, but you may find it too tight...

If you do like the space, my recommendation for year model is 99-Mid 01. The reason for this is, you can add center diff lock (CDL) to this year range by just adding a linkage and shifter. CDL may come in handy for you while hunting. Also, higher mileage on these is not a bad thing IMO. Mine has been great and I bought it around 85,000. Just be sure you find one that has service records so you can be sure its been taken care of.

LR3's do have more space, and just FYI, they do have 3rd row seating, you just need to look for an SE7 model. They are also a bit more road friendly than DII's. Off road, LR3 doesn't really come close though.

Another thing, DII's have air suspension in the rear, but you can easily replace it with good old fashion suspension if that is a concern for you.

I'll be the first to admit that the Volvo and Toyo would blow the LR out of the water as far as reliability. Disco's have more personality, and sometimes that can mean more issues. If you can work on them yourself, you'll saves loads of cash down the road. Be sure to test drive a handful and don't rush into buying one. Sometimes one test drive can reveal issues of another test drive on these things.

Don't be afraid to ask us before you buy! Hopefully I covered mostly everything...

 

Cam pretty much covered it.... Also remember that if you go with 3rd row seats which i have, the minute 2 averaged size people get in the back, your truck will drop about 3 inches and handle like a death mobile... You will need a suspension upgrade if you intend to load up with 7 people. I drove with 7 people before and never again....

 

LR3s actually use full air suspension like the Rangie but it's full independent suspension. Despite what Cam said the LR3 is quite capable off road, it is a Rover after all. Some D2s use airbags on the rear suspension which automatically compensates for the weight of passengers and cargo in the back. Great system when it works, but it was engineered by the British.

None of the Discovery line, including LR3/4, is really designed to seat 7 comfortably. Midgets and small children are the only one that can seat in the back seats comfortably. I hurts to say but if you need 7 seats on a regular basis I would look somewhere other than Discovery.

A properly maintained Rover is as reliable as any other vehicle. I never had a problem with my D1. Survived a blizzard with a leaking water and head gaskets then drove the last 500 miles home without a problem. The best way to describe a Rover is maintenance intensive. Too many people confuse Land Rover and Land Cruiser so they think they can drive it like a Toyota and it will last forever. These vehicles will last forever but it will take work to keep them going.

 

Its not that I think LR3 is not capable off road, but when compared to the DI and DII, the LR3 doesn't really compare, at least based on what I've seen.

I went on a dealership sponsored event last fall and the LR3's struggled on some things the DI and DII's drove right up. Tires were an issue, but the DII right behind me was on street tires too, and it did just fine. Compared to any other vehicle in its class, the LR3 is amazing stock, I was just comparing from a DI/DII basis. Should have been more clear on that... Like you said, its a rover so its going to be top of the line off road no matter what.

 

Don't forget the driver factor. Doesn't matter how capable a vehicle is if the driver doesn't know what they're doing. To fully take advantage of the LR3 since it is a computer on wheels you have to have all the switches set right inside. The off-raod mode will actually lift the suspension more and provide better traction control than in manual mode.

 

First off, I love my Disco 2 ....that being said, I've had 3 of them and all 3 have had blown head gaskets during my ownership, and have had numerous other issues, as expected. If you decide to become a Disco owner, this just comes with the territory, and many times it does not matter how well it's been maintained. Can they be everyday trucks? Absolutely....are they a 2 and 1/2 hour a day commuter truck? Absolutely not....

I have an 01 Disco 2 with 115K and my wife has an 04 Volvo XC90 with 147K. Hands down, the Volvo is the best vehicle we've ever owned. The cargo area is huge, 3rd rows disappear completely when not being used, and we get 20 mpg with few very service issues. There are no weaknesses to the XC90 in my opinion, yet there is also no comparison with a Disco, as the XC90 is built on a car chassis, and it rides like one. It is good in the snow as it's AWD, but you wont be taking it off-road. It sits low and is a great family vehicle, but is apples and oranges when compared with a Rover. Make sure you drive both before you buy, and evaluate how you'll be using the vehicle before you buy. If you're going to buy a Disco, you'll be buying it b/c you really want one, and/or want to make use of what it was build for. Do not buy it as a solution for the everyday, family-friendly vehicle. Just my $0.02!

 

What he said except our Volvo is a huge piece of crap with 178k.
I would drive my Rover any where right now as it is today, that means I would drive it to Alaska and back without thinking twice.
But I maintain it rather well and I am in tune with the truck, I know when something is a-mis as soon as it is a-mis.
If you are commuting 2.5 hours a day you will go broke, you MUST use premium gas and at 14-15mpg average you will be going though half a tank a day.
If your commute is only 5 miles and it still takes 2.5 hours...get a Vespa.
If you are a salesman that is total drivetime for the day and the company is paying for your gas, then get a Disco.

 

Well , what both said as we have a volvo s 40 2005 with 42k and zero issues and it gets 33mpg...plus they dont recommend premium either as i found out by getting a misfire cylinder 3 error when i started using premium. when i switched to lower grade..went away...volvo mech informed me....

 

We have a 870 turbo wagon, we use premium as it is recommended but not required.
We get better mpg with premium than regular according to the trip computer.
We also get over 35mpg.
She gets the best mpg between 85 and 90 mph, the Rover gets its best mpg at 65 or below.
I will say with the Blizzaks on the Volvo it is just as good in the snow as the truck.