Learn Me... Land Rover Discovery

Let's assume Im going to buy one and you cant convince me otherwise, because I like them and Im super stubborn. Tell me what I should expect, what to look out for, and which is the best model? My main concern would be reliability (I know its gonna be poor), Is the Series 1 more reliable than the 2. Was the 3.9 available in the series 1 and is it any less prone to liner/gasket/cracked block issues.

I know they are bad guys. Ive made a bunch of money doing super basic repairs to them, but I love them, and I can DIY most things, but I dont have a large enough sample size to have a good feel for them except what I read on the old interwebz.

This is not the first time folks have wondered about this... Just linking these search results to hold you over 'til folks start posting. It's always a fun topic, no reason not to revisit it. :)

Thanks. I didnt try the Google.

I just used the in site search function and it was not very helpful. Give me some reading to do

3.9 or 4.0 for sure in those

One of them doesn't have a locking center diff but apparently the fix is just adding the switch from an earlier model. 

Buy an LR3, preferrably with the Ford V6. I'm not sure why the love for the Disco when the Ford made replacement was so much better in every way.

the Series 2 (Discovery2) from 2000 to 2003 didn't have a provision for locking the transfer case. 2000 through 2002 Rover had simply removed the mechanism from the high low shifter. in 2003 they removed the locking part from the transfer case completely. It was reinstated for 2004.

Series 1 Discos are basically Rangies in a smaller body. They share the chassis and drivetrain but not all the luxuries. Series 2 are still similar, but more luxurious while still being capable off road. Of the Series 2, the 2004 is the one to have.

Former '03 disco owner here. Bullet point thoughts:

They have lots of cool cred.  Wives like them and strangers tell you all about their experiences in one. They ride like a truck and do the tall centered solid axle wiggle over single side bumps. The body flexes an amazing amount (you can see all the sunroofs wiggle). The feel reasonably torquey and not slow. Corners pretty well with springs in the rear. Kinda short for a tow vehicle but they do alright. Big ground clearance with lots of articulation and real 4WD means they get through most stuff even with streetish tires. They get freaky with a mostly dead battery (mine turned on and blasted the radio and partied on its own while parked and off-I thought it was possessed). 

I bought mine cheap and found evidence of a quickie head gasket job before I got it. I drove it a few years and it overheated insanely bad when it popped a top radiator hose on the interstate while towing (no water means no temp gauge telling you its overheating). I did a quickie head gasket job myself and eventually sold it cheap when it developed a rod knock. 

I think I bought it for $3,500 and put tires on it, rebuilt the front axle, emu rear springs, drove it for a few years, quick head gasket job, rod knock, and sold it for $1,300.

You’re going to want to go ahead and cover 3/4 of the dash lights with electrical tape.

Also, personally, I’d stay under $2k if possible. “Nice” ones pop up around here for around $3500. While tempting, it’d also make it harder for me to walk away from when things go tits-up.

My $.02 YMMV

For what we use ours for, it’s a great $1500 vehicle. With the addition of a $1k set of mudders, it’s an absolute beast in 4-loco mode.

My whole experience was 10+ years ago so the prices were a bit higher then. I would definitely slide the price range downward from mine a few k like poop suggested if I were to do it now.

I loved the ones with the self leveling suspension. I think you could get it in 1998 or so.  I worked as a porter at a LR dealership in high school in the late 90s. One of the techs did a 180 in one coming off an off ramp and the thing didn’t lift a wheel. He had to change his shorts, but was pretty amazed by it. It was an unreal sensation when a vehicle that talk hardly had any body roll.

I like the idea of an LR3

https://grandrapids.craigslist.org/cto/d/cannonsburg-2002-land-rover-discovery/6874929610.html

What kind of sicko replaces a headliner on a truck that must have at least ten other nagging issues?

They are sexy. 

I almost pulled the trigger on one years ago. I sought out the same experience on a River forum, and told them my other consideration was a Grand Cherokee. They told me to get the Jeep unless I didn’t mind constantly working on it. I was surprised to hear that from a bunch of Rover junkies. 

akylekoz said:

https://grandrapids.craigslist.org/cto/d/cannonsburg-2002-land-rover-discovery/6874929610.html

What kind of sicko replaces a headliner on a truck that must have at least ten other nagging issues?

The same kind of sicko that buys one in the first place?