Hi all, NooB to the forum so please excuse any ignorance. Ok, here's my story. I wanna changemycar in a few months, and wanted to get one of my 'Dream Vehicles' this time around. The Discovery is my dream SUV, and honestly I think it's the best looking SUV period (hope I don't offend anyone). The only thing detering me from getting oneare the horror stories I've read from reviews in regards to reliabilty and fuel consumption.I would love to get it, but ifI have to spend all my time and $$$at the pump and fixing,it's not worth it to me. So can you'llgive some feedback on these areas. Don't know if this helps, but I'm not a racer, I'm easy on the acclerator. I've only had one SUV before, and it was terrible on gas, a third of my pay went on it weekly, and i lived only a 20 minute drive away from work, and didn't drive around much. Don't wanna go through that again. Also, when buying, what amount of Km should I stay under? Theoldest model I'm looking at is the 1999, and all of the models available are gas. Any and all your help and feedback is welcomed and appreciated. Thanx.......

 

First of all if you are buying any SUV and you are worried about fuel economy the get you the Ford Escape Hybrid. No matter what SUV you get you are not going to get much over 20mpgs. I have 3 Land Rovers 2 are Discos. They both serve different puposes, however they are both daily drivers. The 95 gets at best 16mpg, but more like 13 avg. My 01 will get around 16.5 average but will get 18.5 on the highway. These are not sports cars and quick acceleration you will suck down the gas.
The years that are the best? You will get several opinions, however most like the '99 Series 1 and 2. This is the year that was the beginning of the series 2 about mid year. When you get into the '00 and '01 there are a few more electronic functions vs the older models, and a few more options.

Maintenance will cost a little more on the LR, and it is a must. You must burn premium gas, so the price at the pump just went up. So if you are worried about costs and up keep, this may not be the vehicle for you. If you are looking for something that you can go just about anywhere off road, and places that other off road vehicles can't go, then you will learn how to work on them your self to some extent, and save some of the money that you would pay the shop.

As for the miles on the vehicle, I don't know how to calculate to km, however for a 99, if you can find one with 85,000 miles that would probably be very good. These will go a lot of miles some here have them over 150,000 miles and have not done major work.

Check the rest of the forum to see some of the issues, but like anything this is a mechinical vehicle, and anything can break at any time.

Good Luck

 

Kool, thanx for the honest feedback. It'll be mainly for cruising around though, just put some rims on it and I'm good. I know it's one of the best offroad vehicles, but I'm not into that ... If anyone would like to add anything, it's welcomed......

 

These things suck back gas something fierce. They are a mid-size SUV, but drink gas like a full size. Don't kid yourself, there is just no escaping that.

I think in your case you'd be better of with a Freelander. Look at the 2004-5. I think they look great, and get milage in the 20's. Quite capable off road, but not quite a Disco.

The only reason to get a Disco is if you want supreme off-road capability, and you have a thing for Land Rover's brand.

 

You know I just drove my 03 disco from twinfalls to boise Idaho about a 151 miles from ther to here. I gassed up and only put 8 gal in 151 Div 8 = 18.875 wow that cool I also faced on that trip heavy winds and lot and lot and lot of snow!!!

 

For "just cruising around" expect 12 -14 mpg.
Also realize you MUST use premium (91+, 93 if you can get it)
These trucks are GREAT and definitely turn heads.
You MUST keep up with maintenance,
it's got the turning radius of School bus.
But I wouldn't trade mine for anything.
Most folks in this forum use their trucks for offroad,
while I appreciate you want to put "rims" on it,
be mindful, the rim selection for these truck is VERY limited!

I agree the Discovery is the best looking SUV out there, but it has it's flaws. That being said, I wouldn't trade mine for anything.

 

Someone way smarter than me said this about dreams: "The dream was always running ahead of me. To catch up, to live for a moment in unison with it, that was the miracle."

Anything worth having you work at all the time. From vehicles to relationships. If you're passionate about something, things like gas prices, paying extra for parts and routine maintenance doesn't affect you the way it does others. You WANT to take care of it more than you did previous vehicles. It just so happens this vehicle demands the attention a little more, therefore it's a perfect example of a symbiotic relationship...of sorts..

If you don't dream you lose the excitement of "possibility". Besides dreaming is a part of planning if you really think about it. Go drive some Disco's Radik, get a feel for them. And buy one. Face it, you're already "planning" on it.

-W

 

If you get a disco just to cruise, you might not like it as much as a freelander. When it comes to gas the freelander is better, and its more of a cruise car. The disco is tough and guzzels like no other, but at the same time, you look amazing in it! You will want to take care of it, its just something about the truck that makes you want to keep it perfect. When it comes to rims, even though I would never "throw some" on mine, you might have to make some mods to make the fancy ones fit, there is one here locally and there is NO WAY he just put them on with the regular rover set up. Be prepared to spend up to $1000 when you first buy, some rovers need the kinks worked out at first, but once you get over that hump you should be in good shape.

Good luck and ask us before you buy! We can tell you if its a junker or a bad deal!

 

"just to cruize around in"? Why don't you just get a honda with a phart can exhaust and goofy wheels like the rest of the kids. "Cool" rims and low profile tires on a SUV look like tennis shoes with a tuxedo...goofy! If you have to worry about the gas milage then you can't afford it. If you can afford the wheels and tires then you can afford the gass.

 

I don't think this is a solution at all. If like me, that guy fell in love with the Disco, it probably has to do with the looks of it, the fact that they are a pretty rare sight on the road, and the prestige associated with the Land Rover name. And if I canquote the words ofa well respected canadian automotive specialist group; 'the freelander is, excuse our expression, too cheap to deserve the Land Rover name'. With this said, that thing looks like a rebadged ford escape. So if someone was attracted to a Discovery, I don't think that steering him or her in the freelander's direction, is a viable option.


And to tell someone to get a honda civic if he's worried about the fuel consumption because he couldn't afford a Discovery, is steering this forum in the Discoweb's direction, and I don't think that a person needs to be told that. This line of thinking might have had its place 10 years ago when the price of gas was half what it is right now, but knowing that you only get about 9-11 m.p.g in the winter and 12-13 m.p.g in the summer, renders the fuel consumption to have a budget of its own.

I'm lucky in the way that my disco is fully paid for, and is absolutely up to date maintenance wise ( after spending close to 6 grands within the last year), but I'll tell you that its fuel guzzling has me thinking twice about keeping it. Especially knowing that the price of gas is suppose to go up by some 30% within the coming years, its getting ridiculous.

I'll keep it for now to get my money's worth because after spending what I just did, it'd be stupid of me to not enjoy the vehicle. But I really wish that I would have gotten it some 10 years ago instead of 1and live that realised dream of owning a Disco to the fullest. I probably would have beenready to move on right now and get something more economical.

With this said, if I had a loan to pay on it, on top of the maintenance upkeep and the gas !!!!! I simply wouldn't own one. It's not that I couldn't afford it, its just that I'm smarter than that with my money. There's a limit of foolishness to living a dream.

Darover