Tempted to but this Disco-Please Advise

Hi there,

I gave up on trying to resist the urge to buy a Discovery so I am considering the following vehicle:

- 2003 Disco TD 5
- 112, 000 Miles, 2 previous owners
- Not sure what trim it is but has no leather, has air suspension
- Its history is just stamps in book – doesn’t seem that a lot has been done to it apart from yearly oil changes. I am right in thinking that these have timing chain not belt? What major thing/s should have been done to it at this mileage?
- Nice and clean body panels
- Some light rust on wheel arches, not the crumbly type
- Does not seem to have any welding on chassis, sills seem ok, BUT parts of chassis are rusted. I tried scarping with a screwdriver and although flakes of rust fell out, there are no holes or anything.
- When I drove it: drives nice and smooth (smoother than my 1.6 Astra which is going) but the clutch felt so hard to press!! I had just driven for a couple of hours in the Astra before jumping in the Disco so I thought that this may be why. But I felt like I was making an effort to press the clutch pedal. Gears shifted OK, I once felt the 2ns gear crunch slightly.
- The guy wants 4K for it and I am tempted. But I tend to get a bit too enthusiastic so I would really appreciate some thoughts.
- Has newish tyres, does not appear to be leaking a lot of oil. Some evidence of oil under engine middle/passenger side.
- Ah yes, MOT and Service due next month!!!


Thanks a lot


Dave

Can only speak from my limited experience of buying a similar vehicle:

- yes the clutch is heavy and hard to push right down if you are short. I actually built the pedal up by 1/2" or so to help, its the way the car is!
- Mine had 144000 miles and after purchase needed £1600 for propshafts/clutch/flywheel etc, my guess is that the one you are looking at will be approaching this, just be prepared
- gearbox can be crunchy, just slow the changes down and get out of first ASAP
- My chassis has been welded at the back, but is solid as are the sills etc
- They all leak oil, mine was really bad but was cured along with the clutch
- Press the clutch down and hold it down for a while in gear - if it starts making a noise it will be gearbox out etc......
- Thankfully mine hasnt got aircon or air suspension - less to go wrong!

I paid £3000 for mine, more details here:

http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f8/my-disco-2-story-so-far-185898.html

Hope this at least gives you a comparison.......

maelstrom said:

Hi there,

I gave up on trying to resist the urge to buy a Discovery so I am considering the following vehicle:

- 2003 Disco TD 5
- 112, 000 Miles, 2 previous owners
- Not sure what trim it is but has no leather, has air suspension
- Its history is just stamps in book – doesn’t seem that a lot has been done to it apart from yearly oil changes. I am right in thinking that these have timing chain not belt? What major thing/s should have been done to it at this mileage?
- Nice and clean body panels
- Some light rust on wheel arches, not the crumbly type
- Does not seem to have any welding on chassis, sills seem ok, BUT parts of chassis are rusted. I tried scarping with a screwdriver and although flakes of rust fell out, there are no holes or anything.
- When I drove it: drives nice and smooth (smoother than my 1.6 Astra which is going) but the clutch felt so hard to press!! I had just driven for a couple of hours in the Astra before jumping in the Disco so I thought that this may be why. But I felt like I was making an effort to press the clutch pedal. Gears shifted OK, I once felt the 2ns gear crunch slightly.
- The guy wants 4K for it and I am tempted. But I tend to get a bit too enthusiastic so I would really appreciate some thoughts.
- Has newish tyres, does not appear to be leaking a lot of oil. Some evidence of oil under engine middle/passenger side.
- Ah yes, MOT and Service due next month!!!


Thanks a lot


Dave

Click to expand...

I'm no expert, I but I would try to get some more condidence in the mileage. Do HPI type searches cross-ref with the MOT milegeage these days? Perhaps phone the previous (ie before current) owner and ask?

Price sounds fair. I paid £5k last week of a late 01, but one owner and 78k miles and a serious tidy vehicle.

Do the sunroofs leak?

Only a month to go for the MOT, so get the owner to get a new one as part of the purchase deal. A service by an indi LR garage can cost £400-£500 or £800+ at a Land Rover main dealer if your not into DIY servicing.

This link will take u to a service sheet http://www.discovery2.co.uk/pdf_files/mclt022e.PDF

Thanks guys
v8nut, not sure what you mean about the mileage. Speaking about mileage, is this very high mileage for an 03 vehicle?

Also, what do you think about the chassis? As I said, it rusty, but flaky rather than totally corroded. What would I need to do to it when I get it. I do not have time to wirebrush and coat it myself. I am in Central Scotland - could I take it to a garage where they can clean it and waxoly it and what would be the rough cost?
Ah yes, the driver's side rear part under the wheel arch has totally corroded away, but this seems like an esay fix, yes? The rear step thing is also very badly corroded. Thanks

Dave

sounds a bit rusty to me, I had to scrap my year 2000 td5 due to a rotten chassis, the body is normally pretty good so if you have rust on that I would be very wary of the chassis, mine came away in great big flakes until there was nothing left to flake!!!

if it passes an mot it MAY be ok but I deffo wouldnt buy it with one month left on the mot, personally I would look at some more

HTH

I agree with ccrdave on the MOT issue. You have to ask yourself if he can get an MOT for just under £30 at halfords (with a discount) and he's selling the vehicle on, why not just put it through the test and then he'd be selling it with over a years MOT. My guess is that he knows somethings iffy - maybe it was submitted for a test and failed, hence selling it quick while it still has a month. I'd steer clear if I were you.

Does sound a bit rusty to me too as you describe it, has it been on a beach ? if so steer clear lol. Go and try a few more 1st and have a good look around them and research the common faults etc that will give you a better idea of what to expect.

Think with your head not your heart or you my regret it, I know what its like when you've had your heart set on something and all week your waiting to view/collect and have practically decided before seeing it that its coming home with you but please remember fools rush in, and dont take the sellers word either, I once had a Bolton Disco owner promise me "as a family man I wouldnt let you drive all the way back to Wales with those kids if the brakes were iffy, its just a light" which actually turned out to be over reacting ABS VERY dodgy! I was more trusting back then.

If you do decide on this one def get a Mot on it as part of the deal, if the seller is reluctant walk away there are plenty more. Check that all warning lights come on and go off as they should (3 amigos etc), its the rear chassis that seems to rot on disco 2s, Always a gamble playing Disco Roulette Beware there are good and bad examples out there so know exactly what your looking for 1st or it could cause you and your wallet no end or grief.

During ownership do you plan on doing any of the work needed yourself or letting a garage? If its the latter a Disco may not be for you, they are needy beasts! Hope this helps.

you can go on a gov web site and check all past mot`s. at least since they became computerised. this will show up mileages and any fails and advisories.

Thanks a lot guys. Am seeing another one today. Same year, 70K, one owner, but £6,500!! It does not appear to have a tow bar, are these welded or bolted onto the chassis?

Thanks again

bolted

maelstrom said:

Thanks a lot guys. Am seeing another one today. Same year, 70K, one owner, but £6,500!! It does not appear to have a tow bar, are these welded or bolted onto the chassis?

Thanks again

Click to expand...

They are bolted on. If I may suggest, if you need to install one get a Dixon-Bate adjustable one - they are the mutts nutts because you can alter the towball height - they are about £100 from Paddocks and take an hour to fit yourself easy job.

Land Rover Discovery 2 Towing Parts | Paddock


Then you'll need an electrics kit - search ebay I picked one up for £30 and they just plug into the cars existing wiring. There is a socket behind the offside tail light. Take you 10mins at most to do.

Thanks for that