Whats up guys?

So, Im looking at a Dii. Im selling on my Audi A4 and getting back into a bigger offroad vehicle. Ive been reading up on everything on here, some great stuff. My main question is about the 03/04 model. Should I stay clear of them completely? Theyre certainly cheaper down here in Texas than other Dii's so Im curious about them. The ones ive been looking at all have about 100k on them.

Thanks,

Chris

 

an 04 will have a locking CDL

 

Look the bottom line is you really have to love the truck and be willing to put the money in.

Don't buy a Disco II hoping for a daily commuter right out of the box. You're gonna need stuff and stuff will go bad on them.

These trucks are getting up there in age and with age comes problems. If I was advising a noob on buying a Disco I would tell them to stay away unless they have always wanted one.

For me, I had always wanted a Land Rover. When I saw the Disco come out I wanted one BADLY! But at the time couldn't afford them new.

I have a 04 Disco II paid 3 grand for it and I have put double that into it so far. To me worth it. Others would have junked this truck by now.

If your gonna take the plunge. Shop around get one with low miles and as few owners as possible (Mine had 2). Also invest in a good therapist and have your head examined.

 

03's has a vin range that is a possibility for bad oil pump gear.
03 and o4 have 4.6 as opposed to 4.0. and as above 04 has cdl fitted (99.5-somewhere in later/mid 01 has a nippled transfer case that can easily be brought into the cabin for cdl engagement. outside of that its aesthetics (headlights, roof bars, etc)

 

Plan on a head gasket job probably soon. Cost should be $1-2k absolutely no more than that. I had both a 99 and an 04.For awhile both at the same time. The 99 seems to be more rugged than the 04 does. I added a Diff Lock shifter (it had the nipple on the xfer case)
The 04 is prettier and rides better . Both had HG jobs. If you daily drive it like I do. I plan on $2000 a year.(excluding tires) Some years are less some are more. they always need something.Depends how much offroad you do as to the maintenance and cost. The 04 hasn't been on a hard offroad trip before,so it doesn't need as much.

 

Talking Noob with 7 million questions. What's your next question after those - I may have the answer

Seriously, the 2003/4 with exception of the engine (which I know very little about) has little differences except they don't have a CDL but it can be retro fitted from another box and the chassis box plate is slightly thinner material, I'm told, an LR 'economy run' However, if the latter is not a myth it must also apply to the 2002 which was also a facelift D2.

I run a D2 2003 admittedly with a different engine, but it has been fairly good and reliable for 11 years old.

 

I thought "facelift" referenced the headlight and grill style change. Why is an '02 considered a facelift model?

 

This is good advice.

 

In some parts of the world, like the UK, they don't actually use model years, but the year of first registration, so you'll hear them called a 51 plate D2 or some such thing. What we call a 2003MY were available for sale in the UK in 2002. That's why when you see parts from the UK sometimes they say 1998-2004 D2, even though here there isn't a 1998 model year.

 

In the UK the 'facelift' model hit the salerooms and street in 2002. The only real way to verify the actual date of manufacture is on a plate under the hood. Mine was registered first April 2003 but in fact was manufactured in late 2002. I'm not sure whether this plate is attached to LR's in the US.

PS: Have you seen where they store new cars in the UK, usually in a muddy field for months and often the brakes, exhaust and suspension are covered in rust before it arrives in the showrooms. Some look decidedly secondhand when bought.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2014-0...ld-cars-go-die