(hopefully) new Discovery owner!

Hi All,

I'm soon hoping to cross over forums from the Saab 900 Classic to the Discovery forum.

However, a small obstacle is that I have yet to purchase a Discovery!

Having said that, I'm looking at a few, and would like to know what I can expect to get for about £4000. A few 'must haves' are:-

Air con
4 doors
7 seats
Minimal/no rust
Good interior
Good overall condition
Above all, no defects that are going to cost me big money!

I'm not sure whether this is a tall order or not, but I guess you guys can give me some pointers as to what I should be looking for. Is there any particular model I should keep my eye open for? Any particular 'warning signs', as in "turbo whines just as it should", or gearbox crunches in 3rd only, as normal for Disco boxes" (I made these up )?

I'm looking at a couple on Ebay at the moment, which I have added links to below: -

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=017&item=270016505112&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=008&item=180016559542&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI....70016505112&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT&rd=1

The first one is sounding warning bells, but maybe I'm being over cautious.

What sort of price should I limit myself to on them?

Sorry for all these questions, but I guess you have to start somewhere!

I wouldn't buy any of those, unless i could go & check them over first. You'd be better off looking at the auto trader, online & get something local to you. Why not look at the FOR SALE section in here.

I did look at the FOR SALE section on this site, StevieB has a 200TDi for sale, and I have sent him a PM on it. I was looking for something a bit newer though, but maybe a 1993 model is OK? My main concern is reliability, so the older they get, the less reliable they are, like my memory, right?

Thanks for the quick reply!

Hi Tony,

Sorry to tell you - I have now sold my advertised 200Tdi.

My advice to you is to be patient. In your price range you will be looking at M to P reg (1994 - 96) vehicles with the odd R reg thrown in. You should not take the mileage as an accurate indicator of the state of the vehicle - discoverys with the right servicing will last forever! Look at as many as you can and drive them all. Walk away from any that can't give you a history. There are so many out there that a good one will definately turn up sooner or later. Read as much as you can about them and get to know them, there are plenty of forums online full of advice.

All the best.

Steve

Hi guys,

I am also in the same situation as Tony (was). I am looking at an M reg 1994 Disco, which has been here in Ireland for a couple of months. I like it and it drives well, price is a bit over €4k with 109k and huge amounts of paperwork. All the lights come on and go out on starting, althought hte ABS light stayed on for about a minute of driving then went out, never to return during the test drive. It will cost another €500 or so o register it over here.

My question is, how can I tell if it is a 200 or 300 series? I have the reg, is there a way of finding out this info?

My other half also went from a classic 900 to a Disco. A year later she's got another SAAB and is selling her Disco. Doesn't have air-con though.

Bit of a common denominator here, I am also coming from a Saab backgrond, although we are still keeping the Saab but getting rid of an old Audi A6 (96) for the disco

In reply to your question Dave, the M reg will almost certainly be a 300Tdi as the 200Tdi's were discontinued on the introduction of the 300Tdi in the spring of 1994 (the last of the L reg).

A simple way to identify the engine is to lift the bonnet and have a look. The 300Tdi will usually still have the black plastic cover over the engine but as you look at the engine from the front, the 300Tdi will have the dipstick just in front and to the right of the oil filler cap. Wheras on the 200Tdi it will be to the right of the engine in between the block and the air filter. The 300Tdi will also have its fusebox in the engine bay between the expansion tank and the wing - the fuses on the 200Tdi are in dash under the steering column.

If you have access to engine numbers then the 200Tdi's all began with '12L' followed by the serial number. The 3900Tdi's began with 17L, 18L, 19L, 20L, 21L or 22L depending on spec.

Hope this helps.

It was registered in mid August 94. Is there any difference in the interiors? When did the dashboards change (I have seen earlier ones with different ventilation controls and only two buttons either side of the main binnacle. The one I am looking at has the individual heat controls for each side and four buttons each side of the binnacle.

Not sure if this is the right place to ask but I would like to add a CD changer. The head unit in the one I am looking at seems original and says Discovery on the top irght hand corner of the unit. Can a changer be connected to this? Are they expensive?

Thanks for help to date

I used EBay to get an 'M' ES with Air con etc....

For £2000 with a brand new engine (12 month 12,000 mile covered)

Keep looking and store interesting ones in 'my eBay' you will see the same ones appearing over and over again. The one thing I don't like to see is a 'story' like the boat move listing.

I'm 99% sure that he wanted a Disco, found one but then when towing the boat found that the auto box got too hot with a trailer on (this is common on auto's). Now he needs to shift it! Seeing as it has a little off colour panels, I'd say he brought it as a dealer clearance at auction.

If you buy this one, it's probably had it's G/box oil boiled

I might also be talking ball cocks and it's the best Disco on earth!

What you don't say is what you want it for? If it's as a green lane or off roader, then cosmetics are not too much of a concern. Be prepared to see a rotten rear floor (You MUST 100% of the time lift the rear carpet and underlay, if they don't like it WALK AWAY, I got mine cheap because I looked under there, they ALL go there and it's a simple DIY repair if your not a total oxygen thief