I'm brand new here. I just joined because I plan on maybe purchasing my first Discovery in the next few of days. I've loved this car since I was a teenager and I'm now 29. I'm pretty excited. I've got it narrowed down to two. Any opinions/warnings/advice?? Thanks!

https://autos.yahoo.com/used-cars/la...718353876.html

2003 Land Rover Discovery HSE Paterson, New Jersey | Luxury Car Vision

 

I have an '03 and I would recommend you go for an '04. The Transfer cases come with Center Differential Lock and the engines are more reliable. Love that blue color.

I have the third row seating and it gets utilized rarely so unless you need it find one with the storage boxes. Much more convenient.

At those miles it is due for major maintenance so make sure and educate yourself from the forum what will need to be serviced. Look at the service record carefully, especially the front drive shaft and the cooling system.

Take it to an Indy Mechanic and have them look it over.

Good luck!

 

Get the O4 if you can afford it.

or

Get an LR3 if you can afford it.

Good luck to you!

 

Glad you can finally get your disco....you sound really stoked to get one. Congrats!


I've got an '03 disco SE and have had it for about 1.5 years. Low mileage. Don't off-road. Just take the kids to tennis and everyday car. It's VIN is in the "bad" zone; meaning there were a number of '03's that were sold in the US and the oil pump exploded due to faulty install or the OP was cracked. Maybe someone else can chime in on the vin zone numbers to help out our stoked comrade? Anyhow, just be aware of this fact.


I've got grade school kids and I would love to have had the jumper seats to ferry around my two kids and their friends from tennis practice to games. So, my needs are different than perhaps yours (you got kids? you're 29?)


Above all, read this forum and learn to do some of the work yourself to curb expenses. Take care of the landy, and the landy will take care of you in return.


happy trails!

 

mombus -- Click on the free car fax report for the blue 03 at Hudson Toyota; It shows accident back in 07 while in the state of New York and *gulp* 6 previous owners! Looks like it also had some service history at Southampton Land Rover. I would give them a shout and have them pull the VIN history and see what the dollar amount in damages was in the accident mentioned as well as any other service history. Make sure you do your homework on this one!

Bryan

 

Thanks for the replies! So you guys think this would be a better bet even for the higher mileage and higher cost?

https://autos.yahoo.com/used-cars/la...058035956.html

Thanks again

 

the first yahoo link you put, to the right of the page up had 10-12 03/04's for $3-5K, any reason you want to spend $10k?

 

If you go solely off of low mileage you are going to pay much more, and in fact may be buying a car that will need to have the ABS Modulator addressed among other issues.

Look at both low and high mileage vehicles. Look at service history and carfax.

Take it to a good LR Mechanic in your area and have them check it over.

The dealerships have done zero to those cars aside from paperwork and a detailing.

Also, I would do a higher mileage '04 than a lower mileage '03. But have it looked at and see what kind of filters the previous owner was using, and see what type of oil has been in it to get an idea if it was loved or hated.

 

Good lord if you spend $10k on an 03, I have a few bridges for sale in NYC area. Actually, don't even take a free 2003. 1999-2002 or 2004+, and nothing over $5k. Plan on putting about $2k into whatever you get within the next 2 years or sooner, especially if it has stock head gaskets, water/powersteering/suspention compressor pumps. Don't get my wrong I love my Disco, but they are utter garbage... even worse when they sell even near bluebook, unless they are immaculate and have the documentation and service history on paper to boot.

 

Meh. Buy whatever you want and have fun in it. You can keep them all running, some harder than others. I personally wouldn't get anything when it was owned by ford, though (Some 2001 models, all 2002-2004 models). I wouldn't buy the newer model only for the headlights and the .6 extra liters of displacement, its not worth the extra trouble for that engine.