unless you're passion is working on cars and trucks do not buy one

 

Land Rovers can be reliable. If my front driveshaft wouldn't have failed I wouldn't have had anything to repair for over a 6ish months. No SES light or nothing for 6 months. That driveshaft failing though, killed me, a diff, t case, and, well, another driveshaft.


You can make it reliable, if your avid with maintenance, and will replace something BEFORE it breaks, and everything does tell you its about to break, especially on the Disco.


I love it though.

 

Run away and don't look back. The Bosch 4.0L and 4.6L have enough inherent problems without adding a supercharger into the mix. Do a search for 4.0L and 4.6L with the words head gasket, slipped sleeve, overheating, cooling jackets, ect. You'll have plenty to read that will help you to understand that these engines were a handful on their own without some hotrodder trying to turn a rolling brick s#@thouse into a NASCAR Winston Cup challenger.

My advice, is to find a clean 4.0L DII with as much of a full service history as possible. Find someone near you (Land Rover mechanic or at least someone who is very familiar with these trucks) that is willing to help inspect the truck for issues and be prepared in the knowledge that, even then, you will always be tinkering with something. New, from the factory, they need attention. Ten to fifteen years down the road they need even more.

 

Totally agree with Paul grant. I will tell you.. I bought my 4wd disco queen the first week of January this year. So far the only things that gave me slight headaches are the 4wd shift cable, and the dawn throttle body heater plate. I did however take lots of precautions the first 4 weeks of ownership. Other than that I.have been fighting a vibration that I may have finally figured out. Just have to make the repairs and see what happens.

If you are dead set on a disco2.. prepare yourself... it will keep you busy.

 

It's part of the allure of these trucks. Face it, there are people who actually enjoy fiddling with their vehicles. In this day when most of the maintenance has been made complicated by computers and such, for some, it's a joy to see if they can actually solve an issue they've been having with their Rover.

For most people, the thought of having to tinker is not something they feel they should have to do and I respect that opinion and will tell them a Rover is not something they should ever consider. It's odd that in order to own one of these beasts you truly have to be prepared. It's like owning an Alfa. When it runs, it's exquisite, for that brief moment. I think Jeremy Clarkson said you can't call yourself a motoring enthusiast if you haven't owned an Alfa. When it comes to 4x4's I think the same is true of Rovers.

 

Run like hell from this deal . ...... read the horror stories. A SC will only add more heat which is this motors downfall.
You want more reliable look at LR3s

 

I paid $1500 for an 01 SE7 with 111K. No head gasket work needed. But I have put about $1500 into it so far getting it up to snuff, including tires. I now have to get a PS pump and rear wiper motor (yes Paul Grant, ordering today). They can be constant pains if not paid attention to.

 

Lol Paul grant... I want am 80s gtv6. I'm also a glutton for punishment

 

I don't mind tinkering and problem solving. I enjoy working on cars for sure but am I going to be coming out of a ton of money. I guess that's my main concern. I did some more searching and found a bunch more d2's in great running shape for that same price. yeah that guy was asking way too much compared to some others I have found.

can someone tell me if an '03 or '04 would be better. did they change anything to improve them mechanically? I found a beautiful '03 with 89k that they say will need an oil pump asap. is that common? of all the Cadillacs I've had (about 20) I've never had to change an oil pump...c'mon UK you can't make an oil pump that will last the life of the car? needing an oil pump after 89k miles is pretty bad engineering if u ask me. I still love the truck though and want one. I think it's one of the coolest looking trucks on the road.

so like I said earlier: are '03 and '04 any better?
does an '03 with 89k needing an oil pump sound ok?

 

You need to do a bit more research.

Yes, oil pump failures are common on later rover V8 engines. Poor quality control on the later engine. You can get just the gears for $100 or you can get a whole front cover from England for $300.

I like the 2003-2004 better inside and out, but the older ones are much less likely to need an engine.