Hi my name is Rob, and I just and some quick questions about the Disovery IIs. My girlfriend is hell bent on getting one and I just wanted to know what some of the common issues were with them. Whether they had electrical issues, mechanical issues, etc. I have a good mechanical back ground and I do own a few different shops so I can do the work myself just in case I need too. But I would like to know what I am potentially getting myself into. Thanks everyone!

 

 

They are great trucks once you get a new engine, replace the suspension, and get all the maintenance up to date. Cheers!

 

Known issue with head gaskets at 80,000-120,000 miles. Engine is a 1963 Buick 215 V8, all aluminum and modernized through the years. During their ownership of Land Rover, BMW "improved" the cooling system that wasn't broke. If not kept in tip top shape, engine runs too warm (205ish+) and the heads repeatedly over expand during cooldown/heatup cycles, working over the head gaskets and the tty head bolts. Most running d2s will likely have new head gaskets by now. Need to see if cooling is running below 200. DIs have old style cooling if you're interested in them. Or convert D2 to old style.

Front driveshaft issue. Sits too close to exhaust and double cardon joint "dries out" and fails, usually knocking a big hole in your transmission. Replace or upgrade current to include grease fittings and religiously maintain.

Those are the two big cost items to check for. Any non-running D2 is likely these two things. Or possibly bad sensors.

1999 1/2-2002 D2s have glass headlights. 03-04 have plastic Hids.

1999 1/2 - 2001 1/2 have CDL in transfer case WITHOUT in cabin handle to engage. 2004 only has CDL and handle to engage. Other years no CDL.

Hid models have 4.6 L engines (bored and stroked from 4.0)

Option of 16" or 18" factory rims.

Some models have optional ACE (active cornering enhancement, hydraulic rams push roll bar down to level truck in tight turns (NICE) and additional articulation offroad in factory spec).

 

If you love working on cars...buy a D2!

 

The Disco 2 is a money pit and the newest one is 14 years old. Look at something newer. I'd be looking at a 2005 or newer Nissan Xterra if I was shopping now. You could get those with an optional 4 wheel diff lock and even a manual transmission. It also has 260hp and gets 20mpg. I have to lie to say I get 16mpg on the highway in my Disco.

 

Man for some reason it was easier to find Land Rover products than 4 wheel drive xterra's up here. I literally looked at 10 and they were all 2 wheel drive, the only 4 wheel drive I found had a blown engine.

Look a the Disco if it is a second vehicle and not mission critical - IE you do not depend on it to get to work every day with no alternative. I go out with local rover group and not one disco has failed on the trail, at least in the 6 runs I have been on.

But they are a 14 year old truck, with in most cases a doubtful maintenance history.

The #1 biggest issue aluminum engine, if it has been overheated you will have head gasket issues, unless it was addressed.

Dexcool coolant needs to changed out if it has not been changed out for the green stuff. While a decent coolant IF the coolant system is perfect after 14 years our cooling systems are not. Lots of threads on that.

Sun roof water leaks are common - not really a Land rover unique issue.

Water ingress from the windshield easy fix with a bunch of silicone - upper corners are the culprit.

Plastic bits are getting brittle with age

Drive shaft has been mentioned

Oil pump can be a problem on 2003's but they should all have been sorted out by now.


Basically you are buying a 14 year old truck, I don't care who made it, Ford GM, Dodge, Land Rover, Nissan, Toyota etc. They will have issues they are old.

Keep the maintenance up ,be proactive and baring age related failures you can not foresee a Disco should be a solid truck.

 

All of my LR’s have extremely reliable & WAY better than my 01 Xterra SE 4x4!! It all depends on how it was maintained & who it was driven by. I’d take any of my LR’s across the USA on a road trip with just a typical fluid level check, pack my tools, and my spare parts kit (do that in no matter what I’m driving & always have).

The keep it under 200F is kinda online forum BS. Yes by all means install the 180F thermostat, but DO NOT freak out when you see temps in the 200-212F range. These vehicles made it this long on 195F thermostats (I find a D2 almost daily still running the original 195F thermostat!!), and they ran 200-225F for many many years. The engines are programmed to be more efficient with emissions at a higher temp. Running lower than 188F all the time is going to result in poor gas mileage, and your engine is going to be running way rich. Now days 188-212F is the acceptable temp range IMHO.

Do swap over to green coolant vs dexcool/hoat coolant, I say bypass the coolant system weak link aka Throttle Body Heater Plate as you run a much higher risk of loosing coolant slowly over time & BOOM bye bye engine. If you live in Alaska maybe keep it, but the online myths of frozen throttle bodies due to a bypassed TBH plate is extremely rare & no one to date has actually properly recorded one sticking with proof to back their story. I believe from first hand experience most sticking TB’s are from old & worn throttle cables, or from TB Plates being dirty on the lip & causing them to stick closed or at WOT.

LR’s are awesome vehicles, they’re reliable (if you get a good one), fun, and truly unique. I wouldn’t own 5 D2’s & an LR3 if I couldn’t drive them at any time to anywhere.

Things to check:

Front Driveshaft
Rear frame rot
Wet front carpet on either side (clogged AC drains)
Stained/wet headliner (leaky sunroofs)
Extremely hard coolant hoses while running (exhaust gases in coolant)
check all electronic equipment locks, windows, sunroofs, lights
check 4wd hi/n/low engagement, test HDC
if it has the 3 amigo’s don’t run it’s not hard to fix/diagnose