So I'm test driving a Disco on Tues. and I don't what questions I should ask. It has 150K miles. I am not going to use it as a primary vehicle. We are going to be using it for camping trips and to pull a horse trailer a couple times a year. I understand that LR's come with problems, so what should I ask? Thanks in advance.

 

You should ask to see any service records, look for amber warning lights on the dash, find out if it has SLS (airbags on the rear axle) or 4 coils. You MUST use premium gas. Look up the 60K service here, it details everything you should do after purchasing. Except to spend a couple grand after purchase to get everything in good shape. A lot of people sell them when repairs have added up. Head gaskets can be an issue as well as the 3 amigos, look that up here too. Come back and tell us what you find and we can point you in the right direction. Welcome aboard.

 

I have heard that the air suspension system on LR has problems, and didn't realize they could come with coils. If it has an air suspension, are there certain fixes I should look for to be done?

 

Most commonly the air bags develop leaks, but the pump can go out as well. Some people wait for it to crap out then switch to coils. That's not what you want on a trail, which it looks like you're planning to do. There is a conversion kit to coils if you decide to switch. AtlanticBritish.com is the best place to look for parts.

 

All that, and I'll add that when you test drive it, if you can, drive it a lot. Sometimes little warning signs will pop up only after driving for a while, so don't just drive up the road and back, but take it out for a long time. If you get three warning lights on the dash (ABS, TC, HD) at the same time, even if it goes away, walk away from it. That is, unless you're able to negotiate a few grand off the price. It would be worth the investment of time and money if you know of an independant Rover shop that could check it out for stored codes, etc., and even if you check it out good, you could still plan to spend some money on it at first. Once you fix all the little things that made the previous owner bail out, then you'll have a dependable truck, but the trick is to find one that's not totally going to be a money pit from the start.

 

A test drive should last a hour min. Test EVERYTHING!! Wipers, rear defroster (make sure that glass gets warm), check ALL the power windows and ALL the window switches. Cruise control, CD player/changer/cassette deck, sunroofs...you get the idea.
Most likely you will be the third owner and the truck will not have any service records so you must assume that nothing has ever been done to the truck.
Also floor the truck from a dead stop, does it hesitae or stall? If you can run it on the expressway up to 80mph for a good 5 minutes.
Check the A/C, is it cold, does the HVAC fan work at all speeds? Rear wiper.
Here is one that people forget, check the lights. Turn them all on and get out and walk around the truck. Do all the turn signal bulbs flash? Check the high beams too.

 

Print this out and take it with you.

 

Thanks guys! I printed the check list and the thread as of now. I will take everything when I go to test drive tomorrow.

If all three amber warninglights come on what does that mean is wrong with it?

 

It's what we affectionately call "the three amigos", and it's one of the most annoying things to deal with if your Disco happens to have it. It can be caused by anything from bad sensors to squeaky brakes to a defective (and very expensive) ABS unit. Do a search on here for "three amigos" and you'll get all the info you want about it and more.

 

I called the guy that is selling the LR and got the VIN# then called Land Rover of Nashville and spoke to a service writer. She said the last time it was in for service was last month. She told me that it had: Right and left height sensor, Tracksion Downhill descent, and ABS fault codes. Is this the famous three amigos? I didn't catch everything she said but she said something like: Rear air suspension fault...then said "but it has coils". She said they reset/ cleared codes and they went away. She also said that might be what caused the codes to show up. Could this be the case? Or should I maybe just keep looking?

hahahah- I haven't even driven it yet!