Advice sought re. 'End of life' Discovery2

MJI said:

I think modern cars are a lot more likely to cause problems than slightly older ones.

CANBUS no thanks
DPFs no thanks
Dual clutch gearboxes, huge bills waiting
ALL cars require servicing

Main thing is bought new, maintened regardless of cost, in your case run until it goes bang

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Ouch!

derwendolly said:

Ouch!

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Yes, I think Diesel with all the junk on is a total time bomb and wait until all those VAG gear boxes start to go

Ill be honest, If it is as well maintained as it seems, and doesn't cause you any trouble, I would keep it

Earl said:

Ill be honest, If it is as well maintained as it seems, and doesn't cause you any trouble, I would keep it

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I fully understand this BUT knowing that the inner front wing is beginning to corrode and the back door starting to do the same, and being personally incapable if doing anything about this whilst it is still 'beginning' - except pay for the welding - I am aware that this is just the start of trouble. It won't get better as it gets even older and I will just be continuing to pay out more and more. If I was a capable d-I-yer then it would be a different matter. As I am no longer a 'spring chicken' and there is going to come a time in the not too distant future when my hand will be forced, I think I would like to get more use out of a newer car before I am too old and decrepit to enjoy it.

Im not sure a disco sport is the way to go, lot of money for an updated freelander, not actually read anyhting good about them, maybe a freelander 2 as meant to be decent cars?

Canbus on vehicles isnt really an issue, what is the issue is the wiring on all new cars and trucks is way to thin a gauge and the slightest thing can make it break.
Dont forget many modern vehicles have more than one can network.

lynall said:

Im not sure a disco sport is the way to go, lot of money for an updated freelander, not actually read anyhting good about them, maybe a freelander 2 as meant to be decent cars?

Canbus on vehicles isnt really an issue, what is the issue is the wiring on all new cars and trucks is way to thin a gauge and the slightest thing can make it break.
Dont forget many modern vehicles have more than one can network.

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So what is your suggestion for the 'way to go'?

Your original question was what to do with the disco - well, as you have said, the pennies are not really an issue for you, so what does it matter? Stick it on ebay for a penny starting bid, and its done.

Whats the problem with that?

julianf said:

Your original question was what to do with the disco - well, as you have said, the pennies are not really an issue for you, so what does it matter? Stick it on ebay for a penny starting bid, and its done.
Whats the problem with that?

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Nothing at all wrong with that! But I am grateful for all suggestions from people who have more knowledge than me - about everything to do with cars!!

derwendolly said:

So what is your suggestion for the 'way to go'?

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That is the 20 million dollar question!
Apart from 4 normal cars I have always run land rovers, I am a mech so the repairs are not the end of the world, I currently run a D3 for the last 3.5 years and its been a bloody good car, miminal work/spend in fact the least money I have ever spent running any land rover product as a daily! would I recommend one to anybody? er no as theres always a few posts on the D3 forum where the broken car has financially broken the owner! to be fair thers always some back story to the car ie it was cheap/a dog/had issues etc.
Wife is on her 3rd audi 3.0 tdi and again all been good motors, I have heard and read the smaller engined audis arent so good and some have silly gearboxes.

Wife says i should get a newer disco, but as I said to her what will a newer 20/25k D4 do that the 6 maybe 8k D3 wont?

I have always wanted to try bangernomics, ie buy an old ish car and run it on a shoestring, stick it in for mot if it passes, give it an oil change as a treat and run it for another year, then when it dies get another and repeat.

My mum has just bought a Freelander 1 2.0d on a 2003 plate, I reckon shes mad, but she thinks its the best thing since sliced bread, and it cost her all of 850 quid! now 850 quid aint pocket change but if you get 2 years motoring thats a bargain and the thing will still have a value for parts at the end of its life.

kevstar said:

No problem

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Just a few facts for you to digest!

2/5/18 Fuel injector harness £27.82 +VAT +Labour
17/04/18 Radiator £104 +VAT +Labour
Alternator plus belt £146.81 +VAT +Labour
21/02/18 Water Pump £136.35 +VAT +Labour
Power Steering Pump Assembly £205.32 +VAT +Labour
PS pump to reservoir Pipe £64.68 +VAT +Labour
8/08/17 Rear Step £201.00 +VAT +Labour
11/08/17 New Varta battery
(replacement under warranty) FREE
02/05/17 ACE Pipes (7) £1005 +VAT +Labour
24/03/17 Cross Member £110.28 +VAT +Labour
17/03/16 O/S/F Bearing £427.76 +VAT +Labour
Brake Disc £40.77 +VAT +Labour
8/4/14 4 Full wheel refurbs. £240.00 +VAT +Labour
27/03/13 Full Chassis Replacement £1982
Work to fit above and all advisable parts. £3464 TOTAL COST £5434
(I asked for anything that could be worth replacing at this time, be done)

And this is just the main parts since the re-chassis. All servicing fluids, sundries were extra! Now you can see why the service record file is so thick!!

Personally, having spent that kind of money on it in the not too distant past, I’d be keeping it. You’re never going to recoup that level of spending.
The biggest risk to a D2 seems to be the chassis and you’ve probably got another 10, 15 or maybe even 20 years before you need to start worrying about that now.
Even if the engine completely blows then a second hand replacement can be had for a few hundred...
It seems to me not so much about the keep/replace question. It’s more about the “how do I get to/from the garage if I have a problem with it?”
Is it the kind of garage that you can talk to and say “I’ve spent a lot here over the years and live in the middle of nowhere, can we make some sort of arrangement to ensure a loan car when I need to bring it in or at least transport home and collection when it’s ready?

The other thing is I’m I don’t know ‘how mature’ you are (not that that makes much difference these days, if you’ve looked after yourself as much as you have the disco then you may have many more happy years to go...) and therefore are we looking at wanting trouble free motoring for 5, 10 or 20 years...?

In short, having spent that money to sort all the issues that you have, I’d get it welded up and stick with it.

derwendolly said:

Just a few facts for you to digest!

2/5/18 Fuel injector harness £27.82 +VAT +Labour
17/04/18 Radiator £104 +VAT +Labour
Alternator plus belt £146.81 +VAT +Labour
21/02/18 Water Pump £136.35 +VAT +Labour
Power Steering Pump Assembly £205.32 +VAT +Labour
PS pump to reservoir Pipe £64.68 +VAT +Labour
8/08/17 Rear Step £201.00 +VAT +Labour
11/08/17 New Varta battery
(replacement under warranty) FREE
02/05/17 ACE Pipes (7) £1005 +VAT +Labour
24/03/17 Cross Member £110.28 +VAT +Labour
17/03/16 O/S/F Bearing £427.76 +VAT +Labour
Brake Disc £40.77 +VAT +Labour
8/4/14 4 Full wheel refurbs. £240.00 +VAT +Labour
27/03/13 Full Chassis Replacement £1982
Work to fit above and all advisable parts. £3464 TOTAL COST £5434
(I asked for anything that could be worth replacing at this time, be done)

And this is just the main parts since the re-chassis. All servicing fluids, sundries were extra! Now you can see why the service record file is so thick!!

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Its a labour of love alright but maintenance is a killer if you cant manage it yourself, garage prices will
only go up & its getting harder to find a garage that actually has pride in there work again with reasonable
costs. You have spent a small fortune on it with the intension of keeping it, bloody rust is a killer for land rovers !!
looking forward to seeing some pictures though

My ha'pence worth ... I reckon the D2 would be worth, horrible as it might seem, in reality about 2 -2.5k, maybe less!

The 'best 2000 year TD5 I found sold at 2995, but at half the mileage which is what many 'car drivers' look at before the actual condition .... No others came closer than 2.5k .. and many were less than 1k ....

If it were me, I'd keep it, but I'd like to think I could keep it running without garage costs. Garage costs are likely to increase as it gets older.

If I couldn't do the garage costs I'd look more closely at a D3 or D4 and carefully check the condition and paperwork with it, get a HPI and an AA check, or ask your local mechanic to visit it and check it with you and take advantage of any warranty you can get from the seller. Having said that, do you need such a big car, or do you just want one? Just a thought ...

Spot1 said:

The other thing is I’m I don’t know ‘how mature’ you are (not that that makes much difference these days, if you’ve looked after yourself as much as you have the disco then you may have many more happy years to go...) and therefore are we looking at wanting trouble free motoring for 5, 10 or 20 years...?.

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I'm an active 75 year old now and want to have the rest of my driving years in a reliable, trouble-free and comfortable car. I live rurally up in the hills so need a car with some 'substance' to withstand the conditions thrown at it, especially during the winter. Me and a wee car do not sit comfortably together!!
P.S. I have a non-driving and mechanically speaking, useless husband and two very active, young and hairy outdoor loving dogs.

Paul D said:

My ha'pence worth ... I reckon the D2 would be worth, horrible as it might seem, in reality about 2 -2.5k, maybe less!

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My financial expectations are not high, it is, after all, an 18 year old car that has done good service for me and I have tried to look after it in return. My own hope would be to sell it to someone who could use it as a runner or would make good use of all its 'bits'. I just find it hard to think of it going to the scrapyard.

Like I said above find a FL2 and give it a test drive.
When I had my D2 my mate bought a new FL1 (2006) and when I had a spin I was surprised just how much like the D2 it was to drive.

lynall said:

Like I said above find a FL2 and give it a test drive.
When I had my D2 my mate bought a new FL1 (2006) and when I had a spin I was surprised just how much like the D2 it was to drive.

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I have been looking for a suitable one in this area. Will keep trying.

Tbh is it really end of life, having spent all that on it why not get the inner wings replaced, its not as big a job as having the chassis done!

Rodeo Joe said:

Tbh is it really end of life, having spent all that on it why not get the inner wings replaced, its not as big a job as having the chassis done!

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If I was twenty years younger, I would. It is my only means of transport and public transport is just non-existent and I have reached the point when I no longer want to be spending on an old vehicle whose life, even after the next repair, is limited. The limit could be extended by an enthusiastic DIYer but, sadly, not me now.

I know they are as dull as ditchwater, but what about any of the kia/ hyundai 4x4 products with their really long warranties?