Hi. I've been a long time lurker on this forum and finally have saved up some cash for a car. I'm a teenager and would love to buy a Classic. I have a real passion for Land Rovers and they're the only cars I have known -- my mother, father, and uncle all have Discos. How is a Classic going to compare (maintenance wise) to a Disco? Do I have to be concerned about buying a low mileage example -- I've talked with the local Rover dealer and they said you have to be weary of low mileage Rovers because most have sat without being used so seals have broken, etc. They always say these vehicles are "meant to be driven". Is there any truth to this? Am I setting my self up for issues buying one with 50k miles? I'm thinking of purchasing a manual.. is this a huge mistake? I'm probably going to be purchasing an 80's one or early 90's model because I've heard the 95's have very year specific parts unlike the other Rovers (hoping to cut maintenance costs a tad). Although I love Rovers, I am not intending to off-road and will use this beast solely for transportation to and from school. I realize Rovers are not the cheapest endeavor and would just like some comments on maintenance costs (how comparable is it to a Disco, do they charge you more then a Disco usually, what should I be looking for when hunting for a Classic (of course any vehicle I buy would be checked by a qualified mechanic before taking the plunge), etc). Thanks in advance for your help!

 

Alot of the repair costs tend to be the labor (except for a few very pricey parts)...how mechanically inclined are you? Any older vehicle will need some TLC to keep it running!

 

Do you know of a local independent Land Rover mechanic that can work on it if you have problems or are you planning to use the dealership? I would suggest searching your area for someone who can work on the older Roversfirst before you actually buy one b/c if the closest mechanic is 90 miles away, this may seriously inconvenience you and Land Rover mechanics are few and far between. If you use the dealer for repairs, theywill empty your piggybankfaster than you can wink. If you have to rely on the dealership, you may be in for a rude awakening as far as costs go. Plan on $90 to over $125/hour labor rate + parts that are probably 50% to 100% more expensive than parts for American cars. Also, in my opinion, low mileage or higher mileage, an older (80s or early 90s) Range Rover will need some work most likely unless you manage to find one that has been stored in a controlled climate garage and babied like none other. But if you end up getting one and you want to work on it yourself, I think this forum could be a great resource at diagnosing your problems. I believe the moderator of this forum is an expert mechanic on these vehicles so he could walk you through repairs. Good luck and let us know what you end up getting.

Pads Fan

 

Definitely look for a mechanic before buying. I'm amazingly lucky here in Raleigh because not only is there a dealership (Land Rover of Cary, NC), but there are not one, but 2 independent Land Rover service shops, complete with the Rovacom diagnostic system and all the other good stuff (First Class Automotive, and Discovery Automotive). Discovery Automotive's owner is a LR Master Tech!

These two shops have saved me thousands in repairs over the dealership, and they don't have the 2 week wait period!

Check out RangeRovers.net for a list of independent service shops that have gotten good feed back from users.

I don't know where in Washington you are, but theres 2 shops listed for WA..give em a call!

 

I'm in the Seattle area so there are 3 local LR places: Bellevue, Tacoma, and Biggs. If anyone knows of any others, please let me know. I would not be taking my car to the dealer most likely. You can't walk out of there without spending $1k+. I was looking at a RR that was imported before 87' and the mechanic I talked to said it would be near-impossible to locate parts. I'm thinking a RR might be more costly then a Disco to maintain and where I'm at in life, there is no reason I need a RR. Any Land Rover is a luxury, not a necessity! I do know Rovers have some problems (I was driving a Disco when the alternator went out after being replaced by the dealer) but I think they do get a worse rap then they really should get. As long as you keep up with regular service intervals, you should be good to go. I'm either going to be purchasing a Disco (I won't touch a Freelander) or Scion xB. I'd love the Land Rover but I'm looking for a low-mileage and well maintained example which are few and far between. We have both a D1 and D2 in our family (both purchased new) and would like your take on which is a more reliable vehicle. I know the D2s have more electronics which means more things could go wrong but what is the overall belief about these two? I'd prefer the D1 due to the smaller size -- I was comparing my parent's vehicles today and drove both and the D2 feels so much larger and more difficult to manipulate. I'd specifically want a D1 98 due to it being the last year so it should be the most reliable. Both my parent's vehicles have been extremely reliable and have had no major issues to notes -- granted, they keep up on maintenance. I'm really trying to figure out if whether or not a D1 or D2 is going to set me farther back on repairs, maintenance, and the like!