Buying my first Discovery. What else to check?

Hi all,
I'm in the process of buying my first LR and after 2 weeks of seeing nothing but turkeys have finally found one that seems to fit the bill.
Originally I was looking to get an 03/04 facelift model for between 5-6k, but everyone I've seen over the past couple of weeks has been a turkey. If it wasn't rot, lack of documents, refusal to start or a raft of other problems I was about to give up hope. Until last night.

After coming back from seeing a 'low mileage' 03 plate Disco yesterday which had a price tag of 6.5k and finding a vehicle that had been left in the outdoors un-looked after for at least 18 months (perished wipers, moss starting to grow over the window seals etc. and a very aggressive and abusive car dealer who wouldn't even consider negotiating the price I was beginning to lose faith.

My main reasons for wanting a Discovery are space and fuel economy (really, they are quite good, especially compared to my Lexus RX300) and I love the interiors.
My kids are getting older (9 and 7) and we do a lot of outdoorsie stuff such as camping, festivals and bike riding and the older they are the more stuff we have to pack. Let's face it, anyone can be uncomfortable! And I only do 6000 miles per annum anyway as I cycle to work most days.

Anyhow, last night a new one came up on Autotrader just a few miles up the road from my house in Preston. It's a 51 plate manual XS with 120k on the clock. Now, I'm aware that as long as it has been maintained I shouldn't have much to worry about regarding the engine, so this morning I went to have a look..and WOW!
It's in amazing condition for its age and has only ever been used as a family car with no rust visible anywhere on the outside (some scratches due to age which is to be expected). The underside was in great shape (will get it weatherproofed if I buy it) and the engine bay was very clean. It also has lots of documentation and FSH, all done by a LR main dealer.
In the past couple of years it’s had:

• New Injector harness
• Clutch + slave cylinder
• Wheel bearings all done + various parts of the steering system
• New steering box
• + Lots of other ‘stuff’

I also had a good test drive which revealed the following points:

• All sunroofs inop (no buttons work)
• Orange ACE warning light on (dealer said he’d fix that) so it wallowed in corners a bit
• And no nasty smoke when starting or at high revs.
• All in all, a very nice drive.

Now, this is where I need some help. Basically, what may I have missed? With trade-in on my old car I’m looking at paying around 4k and I plan to spend a bit doing some preventative maintenance. Namely a ‘drop and change everything’ service including coolent and axels, new fuel pump (couldn’t see if it had been replaced in the past) and getting the sunroofs fixed and underside sealed.
I’m still wary of buying a 120k vehicle, but if someone can hold my hand and tell me it will all be fine provided steps are taken I’ll be a happy bunny.
Oh, and if anyone can give rough pricing for the service, fuel pump, underseal and a new sunroof controller it would be much appreciated.

Chris

That sort of mileage is not high, not really.

I don't know much about the TD5's apart from what you have already said (injector harness, ACE lights). I know the 3 amigo's is one issue which can cause a lot of sleepless nights, but it can be cured. The only other thing I know is chassis rust. The Discovery 1's had terrible body rust which was all but cured in the D2's, but where the chassis were generally good on the D1's, they can be terrible on a D2.

Leaking sunroof is another issue and this may be an indication as to why the one you saw doesn't open. Maybe they have been sealed shut?

As for fuel pump, is there a reason to change it? And if you are getting it from a garage, maybe get them to service it as part of the deal?

Hi m8 . You seem to be going about it all right so far . The sunroofs not working could be a sign of water getting into motors . These can be DIY taken out cleaned up and refitted . I've got a 51plate d2 . So I would take a close look for water in the cab as there are more than one or too places there leak from . Top of windscreen sunroofs , roof bars . And top of boot lid door .check for water marks in top corner off roof lining . And the carpets for damp . Also check the fuse box under driver side dash for water /rust . Would make shaw the srs light on dash is working and goes out on start up' has been known to be fiddled with . Under hood check ecu red plug for oil even it the loom has been done . Then just all normal oil nod water checks . Under the car really just check for chassis rust in the back end . Hope it works out

Check that all the warning lamps illuminate during the self test... some unscrupulous folks remove the bulbs!

Plug in diags if you can.

Check for water ingress at the front footwell corners, could lead to electrical issues in future (caused by poorly fitted windscreen, bulkhead issues, seam sealant degradation in the gutters).

Thanks everyone. My main concern is the cyclinder head problem. I couldn't find on the docs whether it had been replaced or not. Is that something to worry about on a 51 plate or had the problems been solved by then?
There does not appear to be any water damage inside the car and I could'nt feel any water in the footwells or see rust in the fuse box. Unfortunately I couldn't see on top if the sunroofs have been sealed or not.

Personally I'd be wary of buying a Disco from a dealer at the sort of money you want to pay. The benefits will be fairly low and you are paying over the odds of a decent private sale IMO. Service history and signs of the car being cared for are very important IMO.
Just be patient and wait for the right one to turn up, Keep checking the adverts and doing your research and you should be able to get a good one for £4k. If the fuel pump is working, leave it alone. What cylinder head issue are you referring to?

Must admit I was going to ask how much they were allowing for whatever you are trading in as 4k on its own would seem to be a reasonably "generous" amount to pay for a 51 plate - although am well aware that condition is far more important than a couple of years extra in "the tooth"

Hope you get a good one whatever happens and yes, 120k is nothing especially as you only intend doing around 6k a year

ClassikFan said:

Personally I'd be wary of buying a Disco from a dealer at the sort of money you want to pay. The benefits will be fairly low and you are paying over the odds of a decent private sale IMO. Service history and signs of the car being cared for are very important IMO.
Just be patient and wait for the right one to turn up, Keep checking the adverts and doing your research and you should be able to get a good one for £4k. If the fuel pump is working, leave it alone. What cylinder head issue are you referring to?

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According to Parkers it's bang on the nail price wise. I'm getting it for 4k as trade-in for my RX.
Condition wise, it is about as good as you can get for it's age. Really, you could have heard my jaw dropped when I stuck my head underneath! I'm going to get it sealed as soon as I can (if I get it).
As I said earier, my big concern in the cylinder head cracking problem.
Does anyone know if these were replaced under warranty, if so when, and where should I look in the documentation to see tis has been done, if at all.
if it hasn't been done, what are the odds of it occuring? I have read quite a few posts on various forums from people who have ended up with cracked cylinder heads, but what are the real odds, any advice?

I have a 51 plate ES model, just rolled over to 150k last week..
Had it 9 years
Wouldn't trade it for the world, htta said it has suffered it problems over the years.

Biggest problem (cost wise) was the ACE system, removed it never noticed a difference. I would say if you have the ACE light lit, this is the start of your problem. At that age of vehicle the ACE pipes unless replaced previously will be coming to the end of their life and are a fortune to replace. A full conversion kit costs around £300, they are cheaper alternatives.

Mine has a habit of eating SLS height sensors, usually replace the genuine ones every two years as they break often, cheap fix (£40).

Between 8,9 and 10 years old I had a few big bills and spent on average £1000 per year for maintenance and MOT.

This week I've had the tailgate sag and it will need replaced sooner than later.

That all said its paid for, I love it and wouldn't swap it for anything else even if I got three numbers in the lottery.

Yours does sound a little overpriced for its age but if its in good nick its worth what someone is willing to pay for.
You dont say your location, if you did someone local may have popped along with a fault code reader to read the stored codes which may not have been cleared, giving you a little bargaining power with the seller.

Good luck with your search

All as above really, also check for oil in ECU plug. A really good site here: D2BC.co.uk • Index page with lots of knowledgeable folk regarding all things D2,

Steve

biggeeeee said:

I have a 51 plate ES model, just rolled over to 150k last week..
Had it 9 years
Wouldn't trade it for the world, htta said it has suffered it problems over the years.

Biggest problem (cost wise) was the ACE system, removed it never noticed a difference. I would say if you have the ACE light lit, this is the start of your problem. At that age of vehicle the ACE pipes unless replaced previously will be coming to the end of their life and are a fortune to replace. A full conversion kit costs around £300, they are cheaper alternatives.

Mine has a habit of eating SLS height sensors, usually replace the genuine ones every two years as they break often, cheap fix (£40).

Between 8,9 and 10 years old I had a few big bills and spent on average £1000 per year for maintenance and MOT.

This week I've had the tailgate sag and it will need replaced sooner than later.

That all said its paid for, I love it and wouldn't swap it for anything else even if I got three numbers in the lottery.

Yours does sound a little overpriced for its age but if its in good nick its worth what someone is willing to pay for.
You dont say your location, if you did someone local may have popped along with a fault code reader to read the stored codes which may not have been cleared, giving you a little bargaining power with the seller.

Good luck with your search

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The dealer (a reputable dealer just north of Preston where I live) is dealing with the ACE issue before any sale takes place, but I would be interested to know how much a conversion kit would cost to fit as I can afford to buy one.
As regards ab ODB reader, i do have Torque Pro and an ODBII adaptor which has saved me a fortune on my RX in the past, I'll give it a scan next time I see it (does Torque Pro talk to Discos does anyokne know?).

Judging by the documentation I saw, all the major work was done between 2009-12 so it looks like various components go around that time, and this one has had these dealt with (it will come with a full 12 month warranty as well!), but I do have an amount set aside to deal with any issues that may arise.

At the end of the day, it's an an amazing condition and meets my criteria where some people mistake serviceing for maintanance without realising they are two seperate things and this has had both.

Oh, and if anyone know somewhare that can do a 01 Disco ECU remap for a resonable price in Lancashire please feel free to share!

Silly amount to pay for a 2001 disco. Love it when a car is described as "thousands recently spent, no expense spared" - means it's a unreliable money pit.

You can get a perfectly good D2 for half that money privately, if you need a warranty they can be picked up for a few hundred quid.

And besides, disco's aren't supposed to have every everything working, it's part if their charm!

ok if 4k is total price then thats a little better but you sound like you know your stuff pretty well so why are you buying from a dealer?! also I assume there is no way you can sell your RX privately then as you will be losing at least £1500 doing things that way round, prob nearer 2k.

and never EVER trust parkers price guides lol - glasses are the only ones that are in any way realistic - dealers will only tell you to look at parkers when it suits them, and rubbish them when it doesnt! trust me, ive bought a LOT of cars (50+) so have a fair idea when it comes to pricing them

Im not knocking the car you have found and will wish you luck if you decide to go with it, but there are cheaper ways of doing things - I havent part ex'd a car for at least my last 30 purchsses at a guess, prob more!

BonesIII said:

ok if 4k is total price then thats a little better but you sound like you know your stuff pretty well so why are you buying from a dealer?! also I assume there is no way you can sell your RX privately then as you will be losing at least £1500 doing things that way round, prob nearer 2k.

and never EVER trust parkers price guides lol - glasses are the only ones that are in any way realistic - dealers will only tell you to look at parkers when it suits them, and rubbish them when it doesnt! trust me, ive bought a LOT of cars (50+) so have a fair idea when it comes to pricing them

Im not knocking the car you have found and will wish you luck if you decide to go with it, but there are cheaper ways of doing things - I havent part ex'd a car for at least my last 30 purchses at a guess, prob more!

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The answer is quite simple. I've been driving around looking for a few weeks now and almost every Disco I've seen is a pup.
Whether it's been in an absolute state or had no documentation, paper trail or serviceing ('I've looked after it myself') and I've found bugger all oil/coolant in it. Oh and crawling underneath reveals a whole raft of various fluids escaping into the earth.
One thing I've found out is that those with good Discos tend to keep hold of them
This one is in top-notch condition for it's age and is gleaming inside and out with a FSH and repairs from LR. Everything that has gone wrong and replaced was something that was to be expected for its age anyway.

I have quite a mechanical background, and whilst not immune to a bargain and a great beliver in you get what you pay for. When buying something technical I do like to know what kind of a starting point I have. I'll bet almost everyone here does take care of their vehicles, especially as it will be (I suspect) their hobby too, however those I've seen (many in the past weeks) have made me choose this one. So please provide some advice (I'll need it), but please respect my choice (I already have several offers in my PM's from members offering to sell me theirs) as it's to be a family car and needed to be in a better condition inside than many out there.
I'll post pics should everything turn out fine and you'll see why I was happy to get this one.

No worries mate, I do completely respect your choice of vehicle - especially after looking at so many - that was never the issue - I just hate seeing people getting ripped off on p'exing

Looking forward to seeing it buddy

I remember the freelander having a propensity for problems with cylinder heads but not the Disco's. I must have missed that problem. I know that my 03 TD5 will be with me for as long as I can keep it going so I can understand your comments about people holding on to the good ones! I wish you luck with the one you have found, it seems like you like it so go for it!

Oh, and I think it may only come with one key. What would be the cheapest option for getting a spare key setup?
My Lexus was a right rip-off with them only available from main dealers. Not cheap!

Toprulesman said:

I remember the freelander having a propensity for problems with cylinder heads but not the Disco's. I must have missed that problem. I know that my 03 TD5 will be with me for as long as I can keep it going so I can understand your comments about people holding on to the good ones! I wish you luck with the one you have found, it seems like you like it so go for it!

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Hmm. I've seen plenty of threads on other LR forums where Disco 2 owners are complaining of fuel in teh sump and expensive repairs due to cracked heads. It would be a releif to be told this was a myth or certainly not as endemic as I was led to belive.

Hmm. Best I start posting new threads about seperate issues!

DosBox said:

Hmm. I've seen plenty of threads on other LR forums where Disco 2 owners are complaining of fuel in teh sump and expensive repairs due to cracked heads. It would be a releif to be told this was a myth or certainly not as endemic as I was led to belive.

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I reckon a lot of those are due to the owners levering injectors out incorrectly when changing the washers and o-rings and cracking the seats...