Hi. I am looking into buying a used Landrover discovery 2002 (just over 40k miles) model and want to get some input from people who own / have owned / have fixed the car.

How reliable are the LR's. I did some research and it seems many people are complaining about the reliability of the vehicle and expensive maintenance costs.

If the LR 2002 model has certain known problems, what are they and how much does it cost to repair? I'm going to buy it from a private seller, and any pros / cons, what to watch out for, etc you can comment on the car would be helpful and appreciated in making the decision to buy it.
X431 IDiag

 

no particular problems with an 02, but i would have a prepurchase inspection done

 

A lot of people sell because they are tied of working on it or paying for repairs. That is why this website is so popular and active. If you don't have a 2nd vehicle, somewhat extensive budget, or like making automotive repairs then you could end up regretting the purchase of a 13-year old Disccovery. You don't have to do a lot of research as some critics dubbed this vehicle the "most unreliable car in the world."

But we love them because we are LR guys. If you have to ask, it's probably not for you

 

As far as the "EXEMPT" on the mileage, the DMV in most states put that on the title records if the vehicle is over 10 years of age.

 

the biggest risk in buying a D2 is having an engine with a slipped liner. The tooling was getting near the end of the useful life and if the engine is overheated the steel cylinder liners can slip out of place. They were simply press fit to start. A slipped liner CAN be pinned, but it is not a great way to begin.

Other than that they aren't much different than a D1.

 

As reliable as you wanna make it.