Hello,

I've never owned a Rover, but I am considering replacing my lovely 99 Buick Century with a 98 Rover Discovery. There are several on the market around me in the $2K range. Does this seem like a good idea? What are some common problems with this model? Im not as concerned about small things (radio, windows) as I am engine/frame issues. Any and all input would be greatly appreciated.

 

I cannot tell you what all to look for.

I do think you will really enjoy a Rover though. I love mine, had it about 2 months.

Even with the issues I have had.

I can tell you not to let yours run out of engine coolant....big problems if that happens.

Gas mileage could be an issue, I think 12-14 mpg is about standard...although not much different that a full size truck. You will need to run premium gas.

 

in the month or so i have owned my rover i have learned a very simple rule to follow,.

you get out of the rig what care you put into it. it is not a honda where you can get in and cold start and drive away everyday without ever checking the fluids and it will survive for 200k miles.

if you enjoy working on a truck and dont mind having to give a higher then normal maintenance vehicle the attention it needs then you will be fine.

 

Well get ready to spend more on gas, you Buick gets mid 20's to low 30's for MPG, the DI gets 12-14 in town and 16-18 expressway.
You MUST use premium gas.
Common problems with DI's are bad ABS sensors and modulator.
Cruise control not working.
Misfires.
Sunroofs not working.
ABS is to expensive to fix.
Cruise control is a easy DIY fix.
Misfires is because it needs a tune up.
Sunroofs too are expensive to fix, just leave them closed and dont worry about them.
If you buy one in the $2,000 range you will be buying one that needs lots of work.
If the leather is torn that is a good sign that the truck was not taken care of.
Go to www.atlanticbritish.com and read their "tech tips" page to help familarize yourself with the truck.

 

Thanks for the input guys, all very helpful. My Buick, currentlyonly gets 19mpg mixed, 21 mpg on good fill ups. But then again that's with regular. I live in the North east and all this snow had me thinking a $2000 Land Rover might be a good swap, as my car, although running strong probably only has 2-3 years left due to rust issues. Nevermind the $2000 in repairs it seems to have annually now. Tough to make the decision to jump from the known to the unknown.

 

The nice thing about a Rover is that the body will never rust, they are aluminum.
Remeber that a owners does not find his Rover, a Rover finds its owner.