I have owned Landrovers since 1978 - 1xSeries2, 2xLR90TD, 1x110TD, 1xDiscoTD series 1, 1x1993 Range Rover.

The 110TD I bought new and had to fit a replacement engine at 55,000miles on my own money as it was out of warranty. The Range Rover I had continuous problems - rear tailgate never worked properly - would ping open when off road e.g. my farm driveway.

I have had Chevy's - 1x'99 1500, 2x3500's and a Dodge 1 ton. I have a 1997 Mercury Grand Marquis with 200,000 miles on it - never had any problems with any of them except the top/bottom suspension links on the Dodge - but I had towed horse trailers expansively off road!

Now my 2000 Disco 2 I have just bought seemed fine but the electrics were made by a chinese christmas light manufacturer so my ABS sensor needs replacing - not a 5 minute $30 job like on my Dodge but an overlay harness from the back to the front. Now the remote key will not unlock the doors. Changed the battery but no difference. Now I am afraid of disconnecting the main battery in case the radio locks up! No code in the book and the dealer wears a wooden leg, a tricorn hat and an eye patch!

Why on earth did I buy one of these problems on wheels - give me a Chevy any day!

 

Hey man sorry to hear about your frustrations. Truth is Land Rovers are not for everyone. You will be hard pressed to find a vehicle make and model that does not have its own share of mechanical mishaps, weather that be a domestic vehicle such as a Ford or Chevy, an exotic European vehicle such as a Audi, MINI, BMW, Saab or even a cheap Asian car.... they ALL have issues and Land Rover is no exception. I wonder though why you would even waste so much money of several Rovers if they are so horrible? Yes our Rovers have some horrors stories but they also have amazing tales of endurance and longivity.

My first Rover was a 1998 Discovery LE with 197k on the odometer. Was my first Rover, and I purchased it cheap locally. Never did any prior research never read reviews so I had no idea what I was getting myself into. The Disco was neglected by previous owners. Broken rear driveshaft, constant leak from power steering hoses and gearbox, really spongy breaks, mismatched bald tires and bad alignment, leaking fuel line, SRS/ABS/Check engine lights all on, engine misfires, leak in the exhaust, rust holes in the wheel wells, no headboard or headliner, automatic shifter components missing, leaky sunroofs, interior completely ravaged.....BUT one day I decided to take the Disco on a 754.98 mile (14+ hour trip) from Canaan NH to Allentown PA. No auto insurance, no extra cash for emergency. I was planning on trading the Disco for a old Mazda Miata. Long story short the deal was cancelled after we met so I had to drive the rig all the way back home. Ended up hitting a large pothole on the interstate in NY, drove through heavy rain and all in all the truck made the entire trip without breaking down or falling apart! Grant I had to refill the PS fluid at every fuel refill but nothing caught on fire (PS fluid was constantly leaking onto exhaust), tires did not give out, the broken rear driveshaft held despite a few chunks missing, engine did not die..... EVERYTHING on that old beat up Discovery held together and got my cousin and I back home in one piece! I am forever greatful for the sheer endurance that truck showed and I'm forever a enthusiest of Land Rover Discovery!

Different people have different tales, some good and some bad. We know the risks involved and we all know to well how expensive the rigs can cost at times, but that's part of what being a enthusiest is all about and we will continue to stick by our Rovers. If Rovers in general are complete utter pieces of **** then the Land Rover Enthusiest could not be as large as it is today!

Take your losses elsewhere because here we LOVE our Rovers.

Ford bought Land Rover and installed a ****ed up front and rear driveshaft, and failed to improve that old Rover V8 engine


GM bough Saab and ****ed up big with the 9-5 2.3 liter engines! Not to mention numerous other issues that plagued Saab

 

Exactly how I feel about my rovers. I could get in if right now a drive across country without worries.

 

FYI I bought my first LR over 40 years ago. Moving from sliding windows to roll up windows was a technology leap for Landrover. Their original strong points were ROBUST, RELIABLE, REPAIRABLE.

I drove Airportables in the Royal Marines and we had 109s fitted with over 1 ton of extras plus 50cal m/guns front and rear (like the SAS Pink Panthers but in camo). You could go anywhere. I had a TD Disco bought new in 92. Roof windows leaked but not a lot to go wrong. The Disco 2 I bought was a mistake - poorly built and cheap parts - except when you need to replace them. The fittings are really poor quality if you cannot see that I guess love is blind. However this Disco, generically, would not tackle any of the challenges my previous LRs have walked over.

 

I have had only 1 LR, my current D2. I can confirm it is REPAIRABLE, I do it all the time

 

Granted, the only Rover I've ever owned is my 2001 Disco II, but I have owned my fair amount of other off roaders. I owned a 1979 Chevy 3/4 ton 4x4 pickup that had, by all reports, a robust, repairable, reliable drivetrain. Small block 350, SM465 4-speed, NP205 transfer case, and factory 3/4 ton axles. That truck was the most unreliable, money-sucking pile of junk I ever owned. And once it got off road, It was about as useless as a Buick with mud tires.
I also owned several Nissan pickups. Not one of which ever actually stopped leaking or having electrical problems despite the millions of futile hours I spent trying to stop them. And they were marginally better off road.
To my surprise, my Disco II, touted as "the most unreliable vehicle in the world", is the only car I've owned that I've trusted to venture more than 40 miles outside of town. It has been the most consistently reliable (knock on wood) car I've owned. I admit, there are bits of it that aren't quite Audi/BMW quality, but I love my Rover to death, and it doesn't let me down. As for it's off road ability, well... I went out playing the other day with a couple friends. One has a Jeep XJ on 35" mud terrains. The other has an original Grand Cherokee with a 400hp Chevy 350 and 37" mud terrains. And my nearly stock little Disco II, on 30" BFG Rugged Terrains, would go more places. With greater ease.

Now I don't know how an older Rover would stack up to this. But I have to say my Disco II is my favorite 4x4 I've ever owned. One I have no plans to ever sell.

 

For me, an off-roader needs to be field repairable with as little as possible that can fail and leave you stranded or less maneuverable. In my personal experience and opinion that means there's been a steady decline in Land Rovers over the years in that regard. Yes, the newer ones may be more capable. But only as long as all the electrickery is working.
My '95 Disco is the last model year I'd likely ever buy (particularly after owning the '97). I don't even like the the electric fuel solenoid on my 300Tdi, there's no reason for it over a cable operated one like on my diesel Air Portable. It just means when it fails you have to stall the engine to stop it.

 

exactly why i carry a toolbox of electrician tools, sensors, a few ecu's, amigo, and enough wire to rewire the truck in my D2. my classic has a set of wrenches and a set of screwdrivers.

 

I regret selling my RVF - NC35.....I may never be able to find another one. Such a rare bird.....I am an idiot.....

 

Nd
2012 - 1978 = 34 didn't you say over 40 years ago? Just checking you got your numbers off by a bit there feller.


This is not my first land rover either c.c.b, I have owned several myself and when going far from home I take the necessary tools and parts to make any repairs I need to. Regardless of all that we have no category for being negative and none of us want to hear it. We are here to help each other out and steer the new members in the right direction and help/guide them in the right path for repairs.


Its to bad with all your knowledge of these wonderful trucks that you did not get a pre purchase inspection and spent money on a neglected truck. Its just to bad, and you started off on the wrong foot if your looking for sympathy, no body here twisted your arm or pressured you into buying that particular truck. Its your bad and the person who sold you a lemons bad. My truck has never been stuck, it has taking me everywhere I wanted to go. So to say your truck is a turd that's okay. But to say they all are is a very ignorant comment. I load my truck to the Max and pull a trailer all over the place. Still going forward with out any major problems. I agree with one thing you said about some of the fittings be a pain but the right tools and some know how you can get the job done.