this is great forum you guys have here!!!!
what should i look at ?
what problems did they have?
had over heating problem but they said it was fixed?
i am a older vw guy but need a family car really like they the LR discovery
looks like you can get the most lux for the less amount money
does the 02 have the same issues as the 03 with the oil pressure and frt drive shaft or is that an 03 thing
and thanks for listening

 

The major problem about overheating and "fixed" is that unless they have receipts for a head gasket job it most likely was "cured" by a bottle or two of mechanic-in-a-jar "stopz leekz." This may show up as stuff floating in the coolant, etc. There is a chemical test you can buy at the auto parts store to test for products of combustion in the coolant. There are a number of things that can make them overheat, but the end result of neglect of these things is usually warped heads and head gasket leak, a $300 parts problem, plus $200 for having the heads planed, plus labor (total $1500 and up depending on shop you go to). That could be the major reason the truck is for sale.

In the tech section of the Discovery 1 forum is a seies of articles covering differences between Dsco 1 & 2, things to look for, etc. This is a partial copy of that info (author SPIKE):

The Discovery series II (DII) ran from 1999.5-2004.
The 2003 and 2004 model years have the 4.6L V8.
1999.5-early 2001 have the CDL as well as the 2004.
The DII also came in three trim levels and all had the 7 passenger option.
The 2003 has potential oil pump problems and the only fix is a new engine.
Common DII problems are as follows.
Power windows not working due to bad window regulators, easy fix.
Power door locks not working due to bad lock actuators, easy fix.
The cranks shaft sensor (CKS) going bad.
The throttle body heater plate leaking, easy fix.
Head gaskets going bad, change your coolant every 2 years and you can help avoid this.
The front driveshaft MUST be rebuilt using greasable u-joints, if you dont you WILL be buying a new transmission. ($7,000)
The "3 amigos", that is the Hill Decent Control (HDC), ABS and TractionControl (TC) lights all being on at the same time.
The Self Leveling Suspension (SLS) going flat.
The Secondary Air Injection (SAI) pump can be noisy, clean the air filter to it every 6 months.
The Active Cornering Enhancement (ACE) is very reliable and a good option.

All model years require premium gas, you can expect 12-14 MPG in the city and 16-18 MPG on the expressway.
www.roverlandparts.com is a good used parts supplier.
www.atlanticbritish.com is a great new parts supplier.
Go to AtlanticBritish and find the "tech tips" page and read up on them, print the pages that pertain to you, like "how to reset the HVAC from C* to F*"

Do your research.
www.edmunds.com
www.NADA.com
www.KBB.com
Testdrive many, dont buy the first one that you come across.

 

dude said he had the water pump replaced going to look at it tonight
will put some updates in after i see it
is there any thing i should look for 2 second owner off lease
please advise iam very interested

 

Look for all of the conditions noted above.

Why did he have the water pump replaced? Was the truck overheated?

If the owner says it wasn't overheated and the head gaskets haven't been replaced, check the fluids, take it for a good long test drive and then (if it doesn't overheat on the test drive) check the fluids again to see what the oil looks like and whether it has used any coolant.

Since this is your first Rover, even if everything checks out OK and you still want the truck, then you still need to get it to a good independent Rover mechanic for a pre-purchase inspection.