I currently own a 2001 LR Disco II SE with ~90k miles. It is the best auto I've ever had the pleasure of owning. What you guys preach is entirely true - if you just keep up the maintenance it will never fail you. This is the only problem free auto I've ever had and I absolutely love it. However, I am going through a divorce and after crunching my budget numbers every way I can I just don't see how I can afford the maintenance and upkeep on my beloved D2. I've been going back and forth on this for a few months now because I really don't want to give it up but I know financially I will put myself in a bind if I don't sell it or trade before it needs something done that I can't afford. I'd also be doing a disservice to my D2 if I were to start putting things off so I could save money to eventually fix it. It's in great condition and that's the way it should be.

I'm looking for advice from you guys, because (I'm a forum lurker, just popping in daily and reading) I've never encountered any group of people who knows more about Land Rovers than on this forum. I have found a 2005 Freelander within my price range, in excellent condition. My question is, can anyone tell me what to expect in ownership costs with the Freelander vs my current Disco? I'd love to continue owning a Land Rover even if I have to give up my Disco, but I obviously don't want to make a foolish decision if the Freelander could very well be as expensive in maintenance as my Disco. I appreciate any and all input. Thanks in advance.

 

..... Sorry for your circumstances. Now let's talk about keeping your Rover. It is a 2001 and sounds like it is in good shape.

Are you making any payments on it now?

Would you be making payments on that Freelander or any other vehicle you might get?

 

I have no idea on the cost associated with a freelander I can only assume though that there is not as large a used parts market and DIY expertise out there. Maybe since it is closer to a car then it has higher reliability with less maintenance. You may be better of with a used subaru or something though.

Sorry to hear about your divorce some advice from someone who has been there, get a lawyer, pay the money and get out. Don't let your ex get to you, my ex took my dog in the divorce and I just bought another. You can always buy another disco afterwards.

 

I've only had it 2 years and it was in good shape when I got it, then I had the front drive shaft rebuilt based on advice from this forum, new tires in Sep 08, new brakes on the front, new plugs-n-wires in Oct 08, and just fixed a leaky valve cover a few months before the divorce started...I am still making payments on it but they're next to nothing and I'm keeping my options for cars within a range that will be at minimum a lateral move payment wise so I won't increase that, thus undoing any savings I might be able to get in gas and maintenance costs. I've actually thought about a used Subaru but they are surprisingly hard to come by in this area.

 

+1 for the front drive shaft rebuild. Do you have any coolant or oil leaks? is your check engine light on? the only thing i would worry about would be the head gaskets. you can do that job yourself when the time comes if it does that will save you loads of cash. I would stay away from the freelander if possible. I know what its like to lose a Landy i lost my D1 a few years back because I lost both of my jobs within a month. Now I have my D2 and am struggling after divorce. But all my major work is done so I'm just keeping up. Best of luck!

 

No leaks - I had a leaking valve cover but just had that fixed a few months back. When I had the front brakes & rotors done I was told the back looked good for now and would probably last another year or there about...and that was a little more than 6 months ago. I seriously have no money saved right now. Divorce and moving and everything that comes along with it has bled me dry. It's going to take me a while to build up any kind of financial cushion again and if anything were to happen to my D2 in the meantime, I would be 100% f*cked.

I can do the very small things myself but I am not mechanically inclined and have no tools. Well, I do have a tire gauge but I don't exactly consider that a tool. Oh, and the jack that came with my D2 under the hood. Those complile my entire collection of auto tools. My dad would happily perform whatever necessary work for me but he lives 2+ hours away and that's a lot to ask of him being that he has a job, and spends every waking second working on the farm and with his horses. I, quite literally, am as $$$ un-prepared as humanly possible for any unexpected needs that might arise for my D2. If I can find something that isn't so expensive to maintain I'd have a much better shot at staying afloat right now. And if I had any mechanical skills to speak of I would absolutely be keeping my D2 because it's generally not the parts that are so incredibly expensive. It's paying someone who can do the work according to what they decide their labor is worth. And I'm not knocking any LR mechanics for wanting to charge decently for what they do, I'm just admitting I can't afford it in the foreseeable future.

 

Sorry to hear about your situation. That sucks. I think we all agree that finding a way to keep the Disco (even if it is a D2) would be the best. However, I understand worrying about an expensive repair and not having the money to fix it. If you were able to work on the truck yourself then obviously this would not be an issue.

I personally would stay away from the Freelander/LR2. They're nothing but rebadged Ford Escapes (I think that's the name) with a few minor upgrades. You'll still be dealing with expensive Rover parts so that won't put you any further ahead from where you are now.

 

Thanks - I was kind of guessing that sticking with a Land Rover of some sort was wishful thinking on my part but I thought I'd give it a whirl and ask you guys.

 

you can look for a series 3 88" with a 4 cyl diesel engine. that will save you some money on gas and it will be prone to alot less as long as the frame is in descent shape.

 

Tools can be gotten cheap if you pick and choose from harbor freight. I've probably spent about $400 all together on tools and this includes a 3 ton floor jack and a 300lb torque wrench. These have gotten me through a head gasket job, full suspension install, brakes, hub, tune ups, oil changes etc. Before this spring I knew zero about wrenching. Now I'm pretty good. Just keep asking questions.