Hi all - new here but after reading many rover forums, this one seemed to be the most helpful and knowledgeable.

I am being given a 99 discovery 2 with 50k miles. I plan on using my Rover as a "fun" weekend car. The current owners have taken immaculate care of it (FL car, a/c garage, serviced by the dealer).

to get the car back to my home state of Connecticut I will have to drive about 1k miles. Can you guys give me any tips about what I should check before the drive and what I might want to do or check on when I get it back to my workshop in ct?

 

I'd check and change all fluids. Do a front end shake down. Check the belt condition. Watch the belt tensioner while running you don't want it bouncing all over.

If you have the means I'd get a Scan gauge to watch vital stats while driving. The factory temp gauge is a joke.

 

^ all good advice. I would also check all the cooling hoses. Make sure there are no leaks and all of the hoses don't feel "squishy".

As mentioned, buy an ultraguage so you can monitor the temperature. The last thing you want to do is overheat the vehicle and blow a head gasket.

In the future post in the discovery 2 section, you will get more responses.

 

change all the fluids, check belt and hoses and check the front drive shaft it is probably the one that came in it in 1999

 

How do I check the front drive shaft? The more i have read about this issue the more concerned I am about checking the front prop-shaft.

 

all you really can do is climb under the truck with a light and inspect the u-joints for any signs of rust in the joint caps or any excess movement. For $239 you might just want to take the 30-minutes to replace it before your trip, it will be one less thing to replace when you get home

 

just do as abran said !! don't waste your time changing fluids and driveshaft , the thing has 50,000 miles on it as was well maintained, it most likely has less mileage that the ones on this forum ... check oil and water and go home............ don't panic...

 

Just take it home and enjoy it, since it has been well maintained. You will develop and 'ear' for strange sounds, if you hear one check it out - but there is no need to be paranoid. I would suggest that once you have it at home you do a service. The factory service intervals are too far apart in my mind, but I spin my own wrenches and the costs for services at shorter intervals is not excessive. Yes, the original driveshaft will need to be replaced some time in the next 30,000 miles or so, sooner if you can afford it, flush the rad, change filters and fluids (engine oil, brake fluid, power steering fluid, ACE fluid, diffs, transfer case, etc.) yourself, change all filters, but it is not likely that any of these items will cause a complete catastrophic failure on your way home. Join the "bloody knuckles club" and learn to work on your own car! Get an OBD2 reader like a Hawkeye or Nanocom. Google is your friend, everything that can go wrong with a Disco 2 is covered somewhere. This forum is a WEALTH of info on your car. I do agree 100% with the recommendation on the temperature gauge, it is not reliable and the quickest way to financial disaster is overheating these gas engines. (I have a diesel, I like it better...)
By the way, try the turkey basting suction method for changing power steering and ACE fluids. No need to bleed the systems then. Find out what is meant by the "3 Amigos". Knowledge is strength, and when and if these things happen you won't freak out!!


You are talking about driving your car 1000 miles on paved roads, we drive ours across hundreds of kilometers across country where there are NO roads, and we do fine. If you want to find out what your car can really do, take it off the pavement!

 

no need to worry about the 16-year-old drive shaft that has never been greased, i'm sure its up for a 1000 mile trip.

 

so what you are saying is that this is a lie ? " The current owners have taken immaculate care of it (FL car, a/c garage, serviced by the dealer). "

so he must waste his time doing thing and panicking when he should be enjoying his ride home ........

yes . you sir. have the Boston Wrong mentally ..