Buying advice

Hi,

I'm looking to pick up a TD4 Auto, my wife has real problems with gear selection on my Disco TD5.

Anyhow, I went to look at a 2001 TD4 Auto today (GS spec), the vehicle is in really good condition, but I noticed significantly different wear between the rear tyres. Rear left was practically illegal (approx 1mm tread) and rear right had a good 5mm and matched both the fronts.

All were Wranglers so I figured it's probably a VCU issue. The car was blocked into a small area of the dealers (non LR) yard so all I could do was some tight turns forward and back...

I got some real groaning and creaking from the breaks - ideas on this, it was more than just rusted disks, they groaned every time they were applied/removed.

Didn't get any slip/judder from the drive train on full lock, but at one point whilst turning and moving forward there was a loud whine/vibration?

Anyhow, the vehicle is priced pretty low (perhaps because it's a lemon??) and I was thinking of lowballing the vendor/insisting on a tyre replacement, then fitting a new/recon VCU and disks/pads/calipers?

Should I just avoid it like the plague?

All depends how cheap you can get it & how the rest of it is. Really though you need a proper test drive so get them to clear space & get it out into the open or if they wont then walk away. Also do your reverse on full lock trick to see if it moves ok or not. My auto will happily reverse on tickover at full lock though it does go slower which is normal. If it won't move till you give it some revs then the vcu is well seized.

It moved fine in reverse, without having to thrash it.

Does that rule out VCU problems then? Bit concerned by that irregular wear and the odd noise. Anyhow, will pop back for a proper test drive.

Just re-read what you said, no it would not move on tickover, I deffo had to give it some gas to get it to reverse...

Ah well, found two more at a similar price on autotrader, will have a look at those.

Sounds like someone has been playing around with tyres - The VCU provides the power to the rear diff so could not cause greater tyre wear between sides unless the previous owner went round in circles all the time

Hmm, perhaps I misunderstood what someone else told me to look out for - 'irregular tyre wear'...

A good sign to look for on rear tyres is a pronounced ramp where the rear tyres are going faster than the rear and are being dragged round. Don't have any photos but you'll know it when you see it. If the VCU is over 70K and hasn't been changed then expect it to be duff. £250 for a recon. unit, simple job to change.

Ta.