Blew a head gasket on my 04 Discovery. Due to severe financial constraints my only option was a DIY fix. Got some good advice on here (thanks again), but did not have anywhere to work on the truck so I had to sell the Disco. I did not realize how much I liked that truck until it was gone (true with a lot of things I guess). I now have a garage in which to work on cars and I am looking to replace the Disco.

I realize this is a "how high is up" type question and the answer is "it depends" but I will ask it anyway. Am I looking at an immediate engine rebuild if I buy anything with over 100k? Other than the engine and transmission, is there another "big ticket item" to watch out for with a high mileage 04 Disco?

Thanks

 

To the best of my knowledge no. Engine is the worst thing and once you take care of that (IE: rebuild or replacement) then your pretty good in terms of major $$$$ repairs. But check both the front and rear driveshafts. The front shaft is notorious for failing and putting a hole in the drive train. Problem is that the genuine front shaft is not fully freaseable and does not have a grease nipple in one of the u-joints. Either get it rebuilt or buy a Great Basin aftermarket front driveshaft (which is fully greaseable and high quality from what I hear). The rear shaft has a rubber coupling device which have been known to fail over time so check the condition of that. Make sure the ABS system and wheel hubs are in good shape, inspect all the hoses/lines/cables connected at each wheel hub for damages (replace if needed). Use Rotella oil and do frequent oil changes and you should be a happy camper. Sure there will be minor things here and there (leaky sunroof or blown out speaker) but she will treat you good. Also make sure the battery is is tip top shape.

Good luck.

 

BUY IT BACK.
Offer the guy $500 more to get it back.
It will work.

 

The more miles the better, things go bad around a certain mileage, get past that mileage and those things have been replaced, so it is almost as good as new.

 

TRIARII, thanks for the input. I have heard about the issues with the driveshaft which in turn takes out the transmission.

Jfall, I seriously considered looking the guy up and trying to buying it back, but I sold it about 8 months ago to a guy in another state. So I am afraid they are both long gone by now.

 

There are plenty of 2003-2004 Discovery 2's out there. People are finally trading them in or selling them in favor or:
A: A fuel efficient vehicle
or
B: A Land Rover Discovery 3 or Discovery 4 hehe

So browse around craigslist. Be patient and you will find the right Disco for you. Thats how I found my Disco.

 

No worries.
I would pay $2,000 for one with a blown head gasket and fix it.

If you want a 2004, ouch, that will cost more.
The headlights alone are worth it I guess as they have an updated look

What is unbelievable is the price difference between
a 2002 Range Rover

and

a 2003 Range Rover.

New body style in 2003.

 

I bought a D1 with 170K+. I see plenty of D1 and D2 in boneyard, miles marked on them, some less than 120K. So poor maintenance, and igoring real engine temp because of the "pretend" heat gauge can lead to an early demise.

 

Or you could save a few hundred dollars and buy a front prop shaft from lr2001silver his drive shafts are also a very "high quality" and fully serviceable with no bad reviews or balance issues. You will save money and get the great quality you expect. Just ask around!

 

I really want an 04. However, I have a possible lead on a 03 HSE7. I have not had a chance to look at it in person yet. Did the 03 HSE have the air bag suspension as a standard feature? If so any advice on the SLS?