How to keep this passion alive?
Overlanding
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: Ada, Oklahoma
I have an 03 in the 'death VIN' range. I have used this truck as a daily driver for the last 5 years. I have taken it wading until the headlights were under water and the water was lapping on the hood. (BTW, I was on my way into work at the time!
) I have driven it through 8+" of snow, up 20+% grades, without getting stuck. I drove to 105K without rebuilding the front drive shaft. I drove to 120K before I changed the plugs & wires. While I have had momentary visits from the three amigos, I have not seen them in 9 months, my TC and ABS works perfectly and I haven't done anything to the ABS module. What more can you ask from a truck?!
At 120K I changed all the fluids, replaced the wires and the plugs, changed the CPK, and I will shortly be changing the coolant, T-stat and S-belt. But all this stuff is normal maintenance (in my case, maybe a little deffered.
).
One thing I have always noticed, as I do almost all my wrenching myself, is how easy these trucks are to work on. They are built tough and were designed to be worked HARD. When something breaks, which inevitably everything will, it is easy to fix. I have said to my wife, these trucks were designed to be fixed in the middle of nowhere with the factory jack and a leatherman tool (an exaggeration I admit - but not far off). If you really think it is tough to work on a Disco, try to fix the traction control on a SAAB 97x!
If you haven't gathered by now, I love this truck; so does my 11 year old son who plans to drive it 5 years from now. And yes, I am confident it will still be around!
) I have driven it through 8+" of snow, up 20+% grades, without getting stuck. I drove to 105K without rebuilding the front drive shaft. I drove to 120K before I changed the plugs & wires. While I have had momentary visits from the three amigos, I have not seen them in 9 months, my TC and ABS works perfectly and I haven't done anything to the ABS module. What more can you ask from a truck?!At 120K I changed all the fluids, replaced the wires and the plugs, changed the CPK, and I will shortly be changing the coolant, T-stat and S-belt. But all this stuff is normal maintenance (in my case, maybe a little deffered.
). One thing I have always noticed, as I do almost all my wrenching myself, is how easy these trucks are to work on. They are built tough and were designed to be worked HARD. When something breaks, which inevitably everything will, it is easy to fix. I have said to my wife, these trucks were designed to be fixed in the middle of nowhere with the factory jack and a leatherman tool
(an exaggeration I admit - but not far off). If you really think it is tough to work on a Disco, try to fix the traction control on a SAAB 97x!If you haven't gathered by now, I love this truck; so does my 11 year old son who plans to drive it 5 years from now. And yes, I am confident it will still be around!
Mudding
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 148
Likes: 0
Mine has been nothing but a nickel/dime or should I say a $50/$100 + pain the **** since the day I bought it. I LOVE IT. Best 4X4 I've ever had. Its parked now waiting to rebuild top end; overheating, head gasket blown. Praying the block isn't toast. Has been setting #4 misfire as well; suspect thats where the gasket leak is. Still searching for the best gasket kit; anybody know who is selling the best set? I want to do the best job I can. Love that heap. Thanks.
Last edited by 2001SE7; Dec 15, 2010 at 04:47 AM. Reason: spelling correction
Thread Starter
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Mudding
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 246
Likes: 0
From: Rocklin,CA
I can't believe how inspirational this thread has become! I give props to everyone that has gone through those major repairs and live to tell it today. I hope I can be as strong if my rig ends up needing a motor. Persuading the wife will be the hardest thing to do.
Rock Crawling
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 305
Likes: 137
From: Austin, TX
Yep, that's exactly the situation I'm in right now. We bought our Discovery new ('03) and after having the usual broken stuff fixed under warranty (window lifts, etc.) we had head gaskets and then a failing transfer case which was fixed on our dime. After the transfer case, we decided to go buy something new, test drove a bunch of cars and didn't like any of them as much as our Discovery. I then found this forum and decided to try to start fixing it myself. Two years later I've finally finished Mike's 60K service, but it now looks like I'm getting the start of a head gasket leak again (either the shop that did it the first time did a crappy job or bad luck). Also, a leak in the throttle body heater plate stranded my wife (but not to bad - fortunately I was in town and able to pick her up).
My wife doesn't trust the Discovery any more (despite how much she loves it) so we've gone out and done the whole test drive thing again. We even tested the new LR4 -- five minutes into the test drive I hated it... Floaty suspension, too fancy, too big -- not at all what I want. Closest thing that's out there that seems kind-of exciting is the Acura MDX (I know, I know... it's very different from a Discovery).
But... I just drove 3 hours to Dallas for a business meeting in the Discovery and after all of the work I've done (especially just finished changing differential oil) man does it drive smoothly. I called my wife and told her it drives just like the day we bought it.
So.. how to keep the passion alive? I guess all you have to do is go test drive new cars to find out how good our good ol' Discoveries are! The jury's still out as to what we're going to do, but with a virtually worthless trade-in offer for my Discovery, even if we buy an MDX I'll probably keep it.
Anyway, that's my story about my passion/money pit.
RedAustinIX (Ed)
My wife doesn't trust the Discovery any more (despite how much she loves it) so we've gone out and done the whole test drive thing again. We even tested the new LR4 -- five minutes into the test drive I hated it... Floaty suspension, too fancy, too big -- not at all what I want. Closest thing that's out there that seems kind-of exciting is the Acura MDX (I know, I know... it's very different from a Discovery).
But... I just drove 3 hours to Dallas for a business meeting in the Discovery and after all of the work I've done (especially just finished changing differential oil) man does it drive smoothly. I called my wife and told her it drives just like the day we bought it.
So.. how to keep the passion alive? I guess all you have to do is go test drive new cars to find out how good our good ol' Discoveries are! The jury's still out as to what we're going to do, but with a virtually worthless trade-in offer for my Discovery, even if we buy an MDX I'll probably keep it.
Anyway, that's my story about my passion/money pit.
RedAustinIX (Ed)
Mudding
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 115
Likes: 0
From: Raleigh, NC
I love my daily driver...we have snow predicted for tonite and over the weekend...Just happens I'm flying out of town this weekend. I can be confident that I'll make it to the airport..confidence that I'll actually take off, is another story...but at least I'll have my rover to get back home if flights are delayed/cancelled. That's the reason I love having this truck, and am willing to put up with it's idiosyncrasies. I'm confident that it'll get me where I need to be, when I need to be there.
Recovery Vehicle
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 916
Likes: 1
From: Quarryville, Pa
Nope..... of couse its lifted on 33"s and 4.37 gears. And my daily drive mite be 50 miles a month if I dont go 4wheelin
Last edited by Long Haul; Dec 15, 2010 at 08:23 PM.