My better half is wanting to get a newer, more "reliable vehicle"(I know I know), but I have my dream Disco so I am doing my best to hold on to it forever. She (and I) is worried about it being an older vehicle and it being less than reliable as it ages.....and the fact that is a Land Rover. We're taking a 3000 mile road trip in May so that is a big factor because she is afraid the Disco will leave us stranded on the side of the road.

So rather than throwing a down payment at a new vehicle I'd like to throw that money at 'revamping' our Disco and turn the engine & drivetrain clock back a few years. I would have a mechanic do all of the work, as I don't have the time, tools or trust in myself to do the work and more importantly my wife would feel better with receipts We've got a great indie Rover mechanic in the area that I would trust taking parts to and having them do the work.

So my hypothetical question is:

If you had a $5000-ish budget for parts and labor (roughly equal to a down-payment on a new car), WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO YOUR AGING DISCO TO MAKE IT "LIKE NEW" AGAIN???

(Excluding Frankenstein Land Cruiser mods or diesel conversion )

Thanks guys!

 

Rebuild and resurface the heads, replace crankshaft, lifter and pushrods, new timing chain, rear main seal, new shocks and springs, replace any worn drive train or steering components, brakes, tires, replace all the fluids with synthetic, evacuate and refill the refrigerant.

 

you could sell yours and use that money plus the $5k to buy a low mileage '04...take your mods off and put them on the '04

 

I would go the other way and get a 1999 DI.

 

when were the HG's done? depending on when they were done and what else was done with them i would put a new CPS in, hose kit, thermostat, change all fluids to synthetic, plugs and wires, check the serp belt, check the rotoflex for wear, shocks, springs, brakes, brake lines and tires.

 

at first I was going to say get a D1 but an older vehicle is not going to make his wife feel more secure and that seems to be the major concern...also some of his mods will not fit on the D1

 

could just rent a car for the trip.unlimited miles one flat fee plus gas.

 

lipadj46 - thanks! I'll get all those parts priced out. The shocks/springs are ready to be replaced, so I'm thinking might as well get a lift

Nite - I do like the '04 idea, they are outrageously priced out here, and I'd love to get back in a DI, but that would get vetoed quick. Plus I'd like to keep my short bus

hilltoppersx - Don't know when the HG were done, but I'm assuming since I am at 121K with no cooling related issues that they were done at some point. I've checked my VIN with the dealer in WA that it was serviced at but they have no record of any major repair within the last 40K miles, so I'm assuming they would have been done when the truck was living in Denver. CPS noted, along with brake lines and rotoflex, thanks.

bmw zhp - Thought about the rental car idea, but I think it will be too memorable a trip (Zion N.P., Grand Canyon N.P., Yosemite N.P.) I would regret not having my own 4x4 there for the trails and photo ops. I'm very sentimental when it comes to my vehicles

Thanks for your input so far guys (and girls?), keep the ideas coming!

 

if you don't know when the HG were done i would get the block pressure tested to check for any new leaks that may have occured.

 

maybe just join AAA and pick up a satellite phone..that should give your wife some peace of mind.