What to look for when buying

Hi all,im looking to get my fist ever Land Rover,a Discovery,for practicality,and a bit of comfort.
Reasons for buying,well,first and foremost,ive always wanted one,theyre big enough for all the family (5 of us),and we have a trailer tent we are going to use for holidays,i know a couple of people with caravans,and ive been told a Disco makes a good tow car.Also,in the event of a muddy camp site,i need to know i can get the trailer out again at home time.
So,im going to be spending about £4000 ish,have a preference for diesel than petrol,auto if possible.
With that in mind,is there any particular model you guys can recommend?
when it comes to buying,what problem areas should i be looking for?
TIA

For 4000 I would look for an early td5 auto.

Much better car for family life and a cracking engine. Look out for rust on any disco. Go in old clothes cos your gonna need to look underneath. Body rust is usually not a problem on d2, but chassis rust can be (d1 is opposite btw)

Crawl under and check out mainly the back end for crusty looking chassis. If you tap it and it still has a nice ring to it it's good metal - rust gives a dull clunk.

Otherwise it's oil leaks - all cars will leak oil, just it's good to find one that only leaks from the back of the engine - not the transfer case and axles aswell etc etc. All easily sortable except engine, but it's extra time/cost. Engine leaks are accepted unless particularly gushing out. Go for a drive and leave to stand, if it starts dripping its a reasonably bad leak (ok leaks don't actually drip off)

Other than that with a d2 just check it works. Expect saggy suspension, cheap fix though and expected. Check for no lights on dash and make sure mileage ain't flashing.

That's all I'd prob look for on d2, d1 is more difficult sometimes, but then why buy d1 when you've got 4000.

Cheers.

For reference we sold a 99T five seat td5 auto done 150k new MOT great condition early last year for 3995 with a warranty

ozzthemog said:

Hi all,im looking to get my fist ever Land Rover,a Discovery,for practicality,and a bit of comfort.
Reasons for buying,well,first and foremost,ive always wanted one,theyre big enough for all the family (5 of us),and we have a trailer tent we are going to use for holidays,i know a couple of people with caravans,and ive been told a Disco makes a good tow car.Also,in the event of a muddy camp site,i need to know i can get the trailer out again at home time.
So,im going to be spending about £4000 ish,have a preference for diesel than petrol,auto if possible.
With that in mind,is there any particular model you guys can recommend?
when it comes to buying,what problem areas should i be looking for?
TIA

Click to expand...

Sounds to me like what you want/need is a TD5auto 5 seater. Re trim levels the most basic is an E, then S, then GS, then XS, then ES as the top model all-singing, all dancing.

When test-driving the auto, listen very carefuly for any noises coming from the box. If there is a vibrating noise like a heatshield rattling it could be the Torque Converter flex plate breaking up. Also re the box, there is a mod becoming more popular for replacing the std TC with an Ashcroft modified one which is more heavy duty and works much better with the TD5 motor. I'm getting my pennies together to do this mod myself.

The TC should lock-up in both 3rd and 4th gear so verify on the road test. You will need to do at least 55mph in D, for it to operate in 4th. In 3rd it should come in at about 48mph.

Overall the TD5 auto is a very nice driving car, expect 25 to 30mpg depending on operating conditions and maintenance;


As there is more electronickery on D2's I would say it is imperative to include in your budget £250 for a diagnostic tool. To help you if you DIY or to stop you from being ripped of by crâppy no-knowledge garages.

Rust is not the major problem on D2's as it on on D1, but rust is a potential isssue on the rear chassis.

Check all electrical equipment to ensure it works, all windows, all door locks, both mirrors, central locking etc.

If th owner will allow, check for oil in the red plug on the engine ECU - it's not a big problem but a good negotiation point.

If it has got rear air suspension, make sure that the off-road height works properly.

Don't be at all surprised if you have to do a few things to get it running just right, in your first month or so of ownership. Irrespective of what the service history tells you, they are rarely looked after perfectly.

A good set of new tyres will transform the feel and ride of a D2, I would go for an AT tyre such as General Grabber AT² or Cooper Discoverer ST.

Hope that helps, I've had 4 now and they were all great cars, so find, testdrive, buy and enjoy.