Three primary variables affect D2 values:
1. Mileage - the only thing you cannot change.
2. Frame rust - very difficult to find a shop to change it and it is a 48 hr job at $200+/hr
3. Paint - third most expensive item to replace.

FL market tends to be very good for D2's and very rarely have frame rust, especially central FL trucks (bought one myself from Orlando with excellent paint, interior, and zero frame rust).

Truck seems ok, but depending on your needs I would look for lower miles, better frame.

 

It seems like you have made your mind. I’ll tell you this, do not buy it, if you have spent so much time learning and searching for a D2 why in heaven are you landing on such a high mileage specimen? You also don’t know whether rust will be a problem or not.

you will need another $3k-5k ( DIY-Ing it) to get the truck where you need it before having your family on it (inline temp, radiator, expansion tank, spark plugs, coils, brakes, drive shafts, diff maintenance, fuel pump, injectors cleaning, and the list never ends!) and the amount of time you will have to invest is considerable, after 6 months you will put so much on it, why would you risk it with an engine that is statistically prone to fail?

I would rather pass on it and find one closer 100k.

 

Thanks for your input! I am giving it more consideration due to the rust. So the seller told me that he had someone take care of the rust and it’s nothing to worry about now but I will admit, when I looked underneath I just looked for holes or rusted spots and couldn’t see any. It was sprayed over but they could be hiding something?

And yeah like you said, I can’t change the mileage which is already very high. The paint however, is in great condition.

I appreciate your feedback! I haven’t made my mind up at all, I know I’m buying a Discovery 2 for my next car but I’m not settled. I’m simply excited for ownership is all lol. I will say this, the lower mileage D2’s down here are in pretty bad shape. Like I found one with 120k miles on it but no service history, rusted out to hell underneath, and the interior was falling apart. So I’m not forsaking lower mileage ones for the hell of it. If I could find a lower mileage one in good shape with a service history like the one I found, I’d be happy to buy that! And I’d feel much better about it.
As for maintenance that you mentioned, my priorities at first would be inline thermostat and drive shaft. Brakes were just done and other maintenance items you mentioned need to be done to any vehicle I buy and keep up with. I put a list, not all encompassing, of the service that’s already been done it, if you wanna check that out. But all that being said, I am still looking constantly for a better option hahaha so I hear what you’re saying!

 

So I just found one with 116k on it. Florida truck. Virtually no rust underneath. It’s a 2004 BUT it doesn’t really have any service history. The owner tells me he changed the oil regularly and the front brakes were done like 10k ago he also says he added a lower temp thermostat but it’s the original head gasket, original driveshaft, original everything else lol it also has the 3 amigo lights on. Paint is faded but it’s vinyl wrapped.

Is that the wiser choice to you?

 

It all comes down to your personal objectives and the relative value. Many prefer the aesthetics of the facelifted trucks, I do not prefer them and the headlights are really bad about yellowing and the engines are much worse about cracked blocks and slipped liners than say the early 99-00 trucks. The 04 does come with the CDL but retrofitting is not that hard nor expensive even if the truck did not come with a locking tcase. The 04 roof bars are mostly non-functional but I use by 00's with the factory extensions and cross bars all the time.

If it was me and I was going to buy a truck to keep for a long time I would look for the lowest mileage 01 or earlier I could find, preferably a garage queen with good paint (they do exist, I have bought several, two out of FL). Service history is great but almost everything is going to have had multiple owners at this point and you might not get much. Also almost everything will have close to or over 100k on it but depending on previous owners might have had some significant history. The market is all over the place, with good starting points as low as $1500 if they need work to upwards of $20k+ fully restored. Depends if you want to do lots of work yourself or you prefer to get one that has been well loved and improved. We occasionally have members here selling trucks as well as facebook groups and there are some relative bargains on Cars and Bids. For others who might be interested I will have two going to BAT in the next two months, one with only 52k original miles. Good luck in your search!!

 

215 is ok that’s oem thermostat ranges all the way up to 230

 

Two sides:


1) $5.500,00 is a good price for the BUYER. The seller upgraded and customized . The seller probably maintained the car. These cars can push over 200K if these forums are followed. These cars are going up in value. $5,500,00 is a good deal.


2) No way in hell I'm selling my Rover for $5,500,00. Im in Rover for $40,000,00 in cash many long years and thousands of hours. The only way I would sell for $5,500,00 is if there is something wrong with the engine. You said the temps were 215F. Thats not normal.. the seller has a flowkool pump and aluminum coolant tank , probably alum connectors .. WAXOL on the frame and all these other things .. so they know what they are doing.. , at 215F ..and T-stat is on 53K ....53k since T-stat last replaced.

A good owner is gonna replace the T-stat sooner than 53k miles. It would be a no for me. With this mileage.. I would be worried about a failing engine. T-Stat is the first thing any newbie replaces ...not waiting 53k..... Why would the seller allow the temps to stay up at 215F and not replace the T-Stat for 53k miles? ... On a good engine I got 180s temps on a $100 radiator and 180 T-stat ... in South Florida summer humidity.

 

I agree that higher mileage can have an impact on value, but I also think a survivor with that mileage has been sorted out and cared for. This means someone liked it. And it looks like you have some of the records to prove it. You can't neglect and beat a Disco to nearly 200k like a Land Cruiser.

 

I think that $5K is a little steep for a truck with 170k+ miles on it and 23 years old, unless it has significant perks, like a lift, good (bigger) tires, other extras, etc. With these trucks it is also important WHO you are buying from. What they have done to it. Etc. Having said that, I got mine 2 years ago, it's an '03 and it had already 200k miles one it, but it seemed like it has been serviced. In fact, it looked like the head gasket has already been done. I did pay considerably less than $5k for it, though.
HIGHLY RECOMEND installing an in-line thermostat. I do believe it saved my engine at least once. There is a dude and web site with a kit, it really IS an improvement. That's like the FIRST mod that I would do. I also have the Three Amigos and I kind of made friends with them. Minor work here and there. People who say that you must invest another several thousand to have this and that done are probably people that want their old truck be like new from the dealership. This is not the first LR Disco 2 that I own. The previous one I got at 100k miles and it was like 5 years old at the time. Haven't done any work to it except for brakes, rotors and calipers in the front, that was mostly it. On this one, 2 years into ownership... replaced brake master cylinder, and some things I can't even remember at this point. Pads, brake fluid. Mostly just changing oil and other fluids. Yes, the in-line thermostat, also flushed coolant, and air filter and small things of that nature. Don't fix it if it ain't broken. But these vehicles are a lottery, you never know.

 

$5k isn’t steep for a D2 in good condition. The mileage isn’t low, but nor is it terribly high.