Guys,
I finally decided to purchase a 2003 Land Rover Discovery II SE. The truck currently has 103k miles on it. Preferably I would like to buy a 2002 Disco since they have the 4.0L engine supposedly w/less problems. Before I buy the 03, I need to know what to "inspect" in order to confirm that the truck has been properly and routinely maintained throughout the years. My city does not have any private Rover shops that I can get it inspected, just the main dealer. Without proper maintenance, these vehicles will have problems down the road which is why I am asking you guys for help. Thanks!

-Spencer

 

Well, take it for a test drive around a neighborhood or something where the roads may not be good. Listen for a springy sound coming from the wheel wells as you hit bumps--could suggest bad coils/suspension.

Then take it out on highway speeds, listen for noises. A high pitched whining sound can be normal at around 70mph. The t/case uses gears instead of a chain, which can whine.

Have the dealer shift the car into low gear, drive a little bit, and then switch back to high without any issues. Some problems with this are super easy to fix, some are a pain.

After your test drive, park the car and leave it running. Pop the hood, listen for the rocker arms making a chicka chicka chicka noise. If it's too loud, the rocker arms may be going out. Look for oil in the engine compartment. Oil leaks are pretty much commonplace and unavoidable with these engines, but you'll want to check the ground beneath the engine and make sure the leaks aren't severe. Could be a sign of a serious problem.

That's all I can think of to check. I'm kind of a noob at this, but these are all the things I wish I would have checked more closely when I bought my truck.

 

bring a scan tool with you.

 

+1 for this!

 

look for water marks on headliner to see if there are any leaks and have a good amount of extra cash for things that need to fixed after buying one.

 

Look for a pot of gold.

 

after all that... pull the dipstick, make sure oil, looks like oil. then crawl under check out frame and all for rust.

 

Check the LR service history and ensure all the recalls have been attended to. Also check the sunroof(s) for leaks into the headlining. If possible put the truck on a ramp after taking it for a run and look closely at any leaks of oil from the engine, gearbox, tx gearbox and axles. Check underneath for corrosion and general condition. Even at 103K miles a cared for truck should be clean and tidy under the hood and underbody which is a sign it's been cared for.

 

+2 - Preferable a scan tool with the additional ability to test servos, dash idiot lights, read sensors with live data (i.e. ABS sensors, coolant temp., O2's, Diag. codes, etc.) and test the various motors (i.e. ABS Pump, Wipers, Sunroofs (if equipped), washer jets, windows, and condenser fan).

The Hawkeye would be great tool to take with you and to own. Ours has paid for itself 3X over with diagnostics, code resets, reseting adaptive values and testing electronics.

2003 Discovery 134K

 

If you're looking at a 2003, you might want to look for an '04 instead. '03 didn't come with CDL(and can only be added by swapping in a locking transfer case + linkage).