hey so i use to have a jeep cherokee until 2 weeks ago when someone hit me...so anyway im looking to get a land rover dis. in the years of 1998-2002/2003, and i keep seeing them for really good deals used like 12,999 with miles on them in a rang of 47,000-60,000. i really want on and the more i shop for them the more i want one. so if anyone has any feed back on used dis i would love to hear it...from what i know and heard about land rovers is that they are great suvs and but im just want to know why there are used ones out there for such great deals...is there something wrong with used ones in the above years? like do u have to put a ton of money into them after they hit the mileage of 47-60? by the way all of the ones that i see have not been in accidents either. whats the deal why are they so cheap?

 

I think they're getting cheaper now because of gas prices. Disco's are thristy, 15-18mpg at best. Will drop down to 11 mpg if you floor it everywhere. Also paying someone to work on them is expensive too. If you're into them for off roadcapabilitiesand can do a lot of the minor maintenance yourself I'd recomend it, if you just want to have an SUVthat looks "cool" and are not mechanically minded I'd just go for a Toyota or Lexus. But that's justmy 2¢. The only way I'd own one is as a 2nd car, I have a Honda (Acura)to drive when the Land Rover is acting up. BTW I've also owned two Ford Explorers, which were cheaper to run, parts much cheaper and easier to get, but I wouldn't trade my $4KDisco for an $8KExplorer now. You will find when you have one it's very addicting for some strange reason?!

 

What is it that you are wanting to do with a Disco? Are you planning on alot of wheeling off road and put on some modifications?
Mike

 

Fact is that you get incredibly equipped vehicles for real cheap because Discos are one of, if notTHE most unreliable vehicles on the road today. But darn do they get under your skin. You just can't beat the feeling you have when driving one. The overlook of the road and the seating position is practically unbeatable. Those vehicles have 'panache' and if you can get past those frustrating first months, where you discover all the negatives of owning one, it can be a very pleasant experience. After owning mine for close to 7 months now, I've finally shakin most of the gremlins off of it and amreally starting to enjoy the truck.

Search it well and good luck.

 

okay so other than the gas thing what are the neg. about owning one that i keep hearing about? in my research i also thought that i found that you can rely on them, but now im hearing that you can't.

 

Rachel,
I was a former Jeep Cherokee owner (99 XJ) and I recently sold my XJ and purchased a 2003 SE7 and I absolutely LOVE it. I’ve been driving it for about 2 months now, and can offer a few things I learned through my search process. First make sure you do you research, the crew here on the board is VERY helpful, read through as many posts as you can to learn about the different issues that may arise with your Disco (if you choose to buy one). Personally I’d recommend going Certified Pre-Owned (CPO), you pay a bit more but there is a warranty included in the CPO process that’ll get you out to 6 years/75,000 miles from original in service date.
If you’re looking for something that gets good mileage don’t buy this truck. My Cherokee had a small lift, 31’s, roof rack, etc. and I was getting about 15 around town (downhill with tailwind) and running on 87 octane; I’ve been using 93 octane and driving smoothly but not too conservatively around town in my disco and I’m getting anywhere from 12-14 mpg on average. The bad mileage is part the deal with Disco’s, do the calculations based on your annual mileage and the difference in mpg and the difference between regular and premium to determine the “real” financial impact.
Repairs on the Disco will be significantly more expensive than on your Jeep. The simple difference is that the parts are harder to come by and there are not as many aftermarket parts for these vehicles.
When looking for your disco, drive as many as you possibly can. These trucks are VERY individual and you’ll find each one feels a little bit different from the last, find out what feeling you like and go for that. Get service records if they have them! This will let you know how well it was or was not maintained by the previous owner, look under the hood and crawl under it to look for mud in odd places.
A couple of other items to think about, this is a V8, Oil Changes are more expensive, standard maintenance items are going to be more pricey. From my reading here everyone recommends using synthetic lubricants, again more expensive. These are full time 4WD with a low range, your Jeep was rear will drive with multiple 4WD transfer case options (high range 4WD, Low range 4WD, etc). AWD eats up tires. Figure 30-50K depending on tire and how often you rotate, as opposed to the 70K I could get on the Jeep.
All that being said, this is the nicest vehicle I’ve ever owned, I LOVE driving it. It handles extremely well for an extremely heavy and tall SUV (better than my old Jeep). The fit and finish on the interior is great and while I’m not planning on any serious off-roading with this truck, knowing that I can get myself out of any sketchy situations I might encounter is always a comfort. The styling on these trucks is like nothing else out there and the truly stand out in a crowd, but be sure you know what you’re getting into, if you decide to take the leap shop around and find the right truck for you! Discos can be very tempermental, but once you get behind the wheel, you'll be hooked.

Good Luck!

 

Ditto to what 99XJ said. I had a 4 inch lifted, 32 inch tired and roof top spare mounted with the big brush guard 1996 XJ from 1996 to 1999 until I got the TJ which I still own. The XJ and Disco cannot compare.The Disco was about twice the price of the XJ when new because of all the luxury and sophistication that you get with the Disco's interior and drivetrain. The only thing that the XJ has over the Disco, is that the Disco cannot be taken for granted, where you only open the hood once in a blue moon to do your oil change. These beasts have to be monitored on a at least weekly basis. Older Discos are notorious for electrical glitches, and the 1999 1/2 -2004 have their own problems, mostly revolving around the engine gaskets. Which brings me to my last comment. If you must, and I repeat MUST have a vehicle that is as dry underneath as your XJ and you will not stand a vehicle that leaks a little or a lot.......Steer clear and get something else. Otherwise, you'll empty your wallet to fix leaks that just don't go away. And if they do go away, they're just taking a break and will definitely be back.

Again, search it well and good luck .

 

Rachel,

I'm a bit new to the Disco ownership fraternity so I don't have much for you. The one thing I can offer is that if buying from a non LR dealership and they claim on doing an inspection and complete fluid change, don't take their word for it. Most non LR dealerships know nothing about these trucks. Take it from the dealership where it's at to someone who knows a thing or two about these vehicles. I made the mistake of taking a dealerships word for doing a coomplete service and came to find out they put the old oil filter back on and air filter also. They were to lazy to order the parts they didn't have.

 

Yes, these vehicles are awesome. You are taking a step in the right direction researching, and you found one of the first major "coincidences." The reason these trucks are easy to find in the 2002-2004 range w/ 50,000 miles (give or take) is because this is the critical decision point. The warranty runs out, and you can decide to spend the $$ on more significant maintenance and an extended warranty, or as many do...dump it. The third choice is to keep the truck without warranty / maintenanceand try to get by for awhile- and by reading these forums you should see this is a BAD idea. I'm an auto enthusiast, and have had many cars - and I LOVE my disco. Here's my2 cents:
1. Gas is expensive, and could get more expensive. Be prepared.
2. Maintenance is extensive and costly $$. The more you do yourself the better, and if you don't have any mechanical know-how and the truck has no warranty you may want to choose another vehicle. If you're willing to learn, this site is great
3. If buying used from an independent dealer, PLEASE have a good land rover mechanic or someone who knows them look it over. I've seen to many posts here and elsewhere where people impulse buy a poorly maintained rover and start their experience on a bad note because of leaks, engine fault codes, shakes, vibrations and everything else.
4. Good luck in your search, and remember. A well maintained rover is a happy one. These cars are truly like supermodels; fussy, tempermental and sometimes hard on the wallet, but at the end of the day it's worth it.

 

Exactly. Well said.