Looking at getting a Discovery

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pandasdisco

Member
Posts
11
Location
Burton on Trent
Hi everyone, newbie here looking at possibly getting a Discovery and have a few questions....

What are they like to own? Obviously I understand most owners have them and love them but I mean costs for repairs etc. Is it a constant drain on money? Also my mechanical knowledge isn't great so would it be daft for me to get one?
The one I am looking at currently is a "P" reg 300tdi

Thanks in advance
 
Nigel-S said:
Goes with owning a landy, any landy.

Welcome to the forum, we're all a bit nuts but loads of help here if you take the plunge ;)
Click to expand...
Nice one mate, I am seriously debating it just don't know how the wife will react, our current car we have had since march and only spent on 2 tyres as I bought it knowing it needed them and then a battery as the other was old and I knew that too when I bought it. Other than that the only issue is the drivers window doesn't work and its reliable all the time just drinks diesel.
 
All cars need work from time to time. Disco's are no exception. But they are simple vehicles, so easy to work on yourself. I don't consider them unreliable, but the design of them makes them require more planned maintenance. People often think this makes them unreliable, but it doesn't.

If you don't want to work on them yourself, you'll have to pay someone.

The age of a Disco means they will likely require a few things doing from time to time. Also if you use them for towing or off roading, expect more maintenance. But it will depend on what sort of condition you get. A cheap tatty one will likely require more work. Sadly the body does rot on Disco1's. So welding is more common on them. But not guaranteed.
 
Do your Homework my friend, the 300/TD5 are certainly the cheapest to get bits for because theirs loads of scrappers about, and honestly that because of mainly rust etc, and persistent MOT failures, the engines are generally bullet proof if well maintained, the thing with a Landrover is always be prepared there the boy scouts of motoring, depending on what you want to spend, you'll get what you pay for I'm afraid, read the forums check for the places to look, don't be afraid to walk away. but the biggest bonus is there bloody great fun and loads of guys prepared to help a genuine landy owner. lastly open a post office account the wife doesn't know about and save what you can a week/month.
hope this helps.
Grez
 
300bhp/ton said:
All cars need work from time to time. Disco's are no exception. But they are simple vehicles, so easy to work on yourself. I don't consider them unreliable, but the design of them makes them require more planned maintenance. People often think this makes them unreliable, but it doesn't.

If you don't want to work on them yourself, you'll have to pay someone.

The age of a Disco means they will likely require a few things doing from time to time. Also if you use them for towing or off roading, expect more maintenance. But it will depend on what sort of condition you get. A cheap tatty one will likely require more work. Sadly the body does rot on Disco1's. So welding is more common on them. But not guaranteed.
Click to expand...

Grezzer said:
Do your Homework my friend, the 300/TD5 are certainly the cheapest to get bits for because theirs loads of scrappers about, and honestly that because of mainly rust etc, and persistent MOT failures, the engines are generally bullet proof if well maintained, the thing with a Landrover is always be prepared there the boy scouts of motoring, depending on what you want to spend, you'll get what you pay for I'm afraid, read the forums check for the places to look, don't be afraid to walk away. but the biggest bonus is there bloody great fun and loads of guys prepared to help a genuine landy owner. lastly open a post office account the wife doesn't know about and save what you can a week/month.
hope this helps.
Grez
Click to expand...

Thanks for the help!

I will do my homework some more I think before I do decide fully, as much as I want one I'd be gutted if I got a bad one as my car before last was a heap of s**t and constantly had problems whereas mine now has none. I don't mind spending some money here and there and would like to think with advice I could carry out most work anyway.

Here is the one I am interested in...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161789574686?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
 
If you can get a non rusty one (not easy) and keep on top of maintanence then you should be fine but there are alot of bad ones about (like all 20 year old cars)

Good luck
 
pandasdisco said:
Thanks for the help!

I will do my homework some more I think before I do decide fully, as much as I want one I'd be gutted if I got a bad one as my car before last was a heap of s**t and constantly had problems whereas mine now has none. I don't mind spending some money here and there and would like to think with advice I could carry out most work anyway.

Here is the one I am interested in...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161789574686?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
Click to expand...

I would beware, there's a UK speedo fitted in this vehicle therefore I'd take the reading as miles not kilometres.

The trouble with discoverys now is that it's had more than 1or 2 owners each spending less money and time on the vehicles upkeep hence the issues, but then who would on a vehicle costing £500-£800 on one?
 
chrisstdt said:
If you can get a non rusty one (not easy) and keep on top of maintanence then you should be fine but there are alot of bad ones about (like all 20 year old cars)

Good luck
Click to expand...
According to the current owner it flew through last MOT and only has surface rust on the sills. It has also been serviced every 12 months which is around 3000 miles from his usage.

discool said:
I would beware, there's a UK speedo fitted in this vehicle therefore I'd take the reading as miles not kilometres.

The trouble with discoverys now is that it's had more than 1or 2 owners each spending less money and time on the vehicles upkeep hence the issues, but then who would on a vehicle costing £500-£800 on one?
Click to expand...

I know what you mean, the value of the car isn't important to me and it wouldn't mean I would spend any less because of it. I have wanted a Landy since I was a boy and that means more to me I just cant afford to buy a really nice one.

Is that mileage high for the engine then?? Obviously I know its high but I know of diesels with plenty more than that still going strong.

Thanks again for the help everyone.
 
All discos advertised say theres not rust ! but you wont know till you look ,check the front arches ,sills ,boot floor ,rear cross member and chassis

From my experience open the back doors and check the top of the exposed wheel arch where it joins the door pillar ,likewise with the bottoms of all four door pillars where they meet the siils and lift the plastic trim that holds down the seal for the door to the boot

If you find anything even closley resembling rot in ANY of theses places then if you buy it you may aswell buy a welder too !!!
 
Dont underestimate how much of a pile of ****e it (probably will) may be under those ally body panels. If your not mechanically minded or rich, a more modern vehicle may suit better.​
 
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