I am looking at a 2004 Discovery after work today. The guy said it was an SE with 38,000 miles. Said that it needed brake pads and new tires. I asked and he said that it didn't have heated seats, air suspension, and no cruise control. He is asking $13,800 for it. He said that he has had all service done at the local dealership.

I don't know much about Land Rovers, I mostly owned Jeeps. I know a lot of people like to bash on them about their reliability. So what's the deal? Looking in the forums, it seems like some people have bad ones, some never have problems. What should I look for when I check it out?

 

I'll take a stab and try to help out, being relatively new to LRs myself.

Even though the mileage is low and the year is right, I still think you're over paying. In this economic climate for gas guzzling behemoths. They're more of a luxury than a necessity. Edmunds.com has them at $12,500 or so with a private sale. But I think that's inflated due to reasons that I listed above.

It doesn't have cruise control? I'd double check that if I were you. Even my base model has that. From what I've read, the lack of an air suspension is a blessing. Most folks end up taking that out, anyway.

As for reliability...

LRs are not Toyotas. You won't get by with beating it up and neglecting it on a daily basis for years on end. Sooner or later, especially if the previous owner was negligent, things break. However, they usually fail along predictable lines.

For instance, ABS/Traction Control/ Hill Decent Lamps (known around these parts as the "Three Amigos" tends to crop up. Also expect check engine lights around the 50-60k mark due to spark plug wires going bad. Wiper motors, window switches, and neutral safety (WXYZ) switch problems are also common. I've had all of these issues and my Disco has yet to reach 60k. Probably the most serious issue that you shouldn't have to deal with is failed oil pumps. That issue was mostly limited to 2003 models.

Normally, folks would look at the expense of having the dealer resolve these issues ($3000 or so for some ABS problems) and give up. However, this forum and others is full of folks willing to help out. Provided you're willing to get dirty and have the facilities to do the work yourself, you'll save a lot of money and get confidence in your ability to fix further problems should they crop up.

All that being said, when my Rover is running with no problems (most of the time), it is without a doubt one of the finest vehicles I've ever owned. It's solid, rides well, and offers confidence inspiring performance both offroad and on. So, speaking for myself, I'm willing to tolerate it's modest shortcomings.

I hope that someone else chimes with their POV.

Good luck.

 

04's are the best year for discos. but that guy is asking too much. where in ny are you? if it is out of the city then that is way 2 much for city miles on that truck. tell him you want $800 off for new tires and $500 off for new pads and rotors. Not to mention you will need to do the headgaskets if they go in another 40k or so ($3,000 at a dealer or ~$400 if you do it yourself) and the front drive shaft will need to be rebuilt another $200. I think $9,500 is more fitting.

 

All SE's should have cruise and heated seats standard. Look at the switches on the dash. Does one look like a dual line down a highway? It's on the right of the steering wheel, below the wiper switches. In the center of the steering wheel are there set and res buttons? If so it has cruise.
On the center consul where the window switches are, are ther 7 buttons? If two have pictures of seats, then it has heated seats. Does not mean either is working though!
Look under the rear wheels, if you see springs, then it does not have the SLS. If you see a large rubber looking bladder, the it does have the air suspension.
I agree, the '04 is the best model year for the D2, but price way too high. Think about $10K would be fair.

 

Also went from Jeep ( 20 years of owning YJs,XJs,TJs) to The discovery.

On the negative part, Rovers reliability doesn't even come close to Jeeps. As an example, Had been to the garage more in the first years of Rover ownership than all 20 years of Jeeps combine.

On the positive part, Jeep don't come close as far as panache and personality.

I doubt an SE would be without cruise control and SLS, unless it was taken out ( which is a good thing).

Good luck and don't forget that it is a purebred that needs at least weekly check-ups.

 

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Ok, found out a little more on this truck.

It is the Discovery S model.

All work was done at the dealership. I have reviewed all of the paperwork that the previous owner let me check out. Seems like nothing major has been wrong with it. Mostly just the regular check ups, and replacing the windshield wiper blades, etc.

The only two things that I noticed were the headliner was falling down, which was replaced, and the horn intermittently went off, and it said "replaced spring"

So if this is an "S" model, then there is no leather? I thought the seats were leather, but when I looked it up, it said the S has vinyl seats. Perhaps the vinyl looked like leather? Also, standard specs on an S model lists cruise, but I don't think it had it. It definitely didn't have the heated seats.

Also, the guy said that he had the sunroofs put in, but aren't dual sunroofs standard?

I agree with most of you guys, $13,800 is too much. Speccing this out at Edmunds says $11,500 for private party, and KBB says $8600 for good, and $9225 for Excellent.

He said the dealer offered him $10,500 on trade....

I'm not too sure what I want to do. Seems like the bare bones model.

 

For an '04 in that condition with that options packet I would offer $10k and see what he says. I would not pay more.

 

i tell him 9,500. putting sunroofs in?.... id like to see that not leak.

 

Funny this is on here considering my recent purchase. Saturday afternoon (Oct 10) I went down to Georgia from Indiana to pick up a '04 SE Discovery. It had 50,000 miles on it, leather, dual sun roofs, hill decent, heated seats, stock radio with 6 disc changer, and all service was done at the dealer. I paid $13,500 out the door for mine. It might have been a touch high, but the NADA guide value, which most banks look at as far as loan value, listed the truck right at $15,000.

Meltdowndave in the first reply to your post mentioned the "three amigos." I'll be damned if on Sunday night, the very next night after buying the truck, this happened to me. Right now, the warning lights are intermitent, but it sounds like it could be a permanent thing if I dont address it soon. You can search on this forum and/or google to find info on the three amigo thing.

I second that this forum just flat out rocks. If you can wrench at all, info is here and PLENTY of people willing to help, even down to personal phone calls.