[dlikes]

Hey guys! I've decided to sell my BMW 3 series and UPGRADE to a Discovery 2 this week! We have a 2005 LR3 that we love, and I am really excited to make a disco my new daily driver. I'm just looking for a heads up on what to look out for before I pull the trigger. In my area there are 2 2002 Discovery 2's for sale. Both have 140,000ish miles and look to be in great shape inside and out. Anything I should absolutely check before I hand over the cash? I am no stranger to working on vehicles, I live and work on a farm and have been wrenching on stuff for years, so general maintenance stuff (pumps, sensors, modules, etc) is no problem. Also, 1 has a 3 month or 3000 mile warranty and costs $4000, and the other has a 3 year or 36,000 mile warranty and costs $5000. I am pouring over all the stickies now to get an idea, but any critical info would be much appreciated. Also, what are the must have mods to start with?

Thanks!

 

[MRussell]

When you go to get it, start it and have it warm up. Listen carefully when it's cold and then when it's hot. When it's hot and you here. Ticking, it might have a slipped liner. Not near as many has the problem up to 2002 so I wouldn't worry about it. Also check brakes and linkages. Like parking brake, transmission, and transfer case.


Mike Russell
Age 18
2003 discovery se
Lover of Rovers

 

[Bosnian Discovery]

1. Don't put too much stock in those "warranties". No dealer or underwriter in his right mind would warranty a 12-year-old car with 140,000 miles, particularly one with spotty reliability like a Land Rover. Read the fine print.

2. Prices are way too high - especially with that mileage. You can get a '99-'02 with sub-100K miles for under $4,000 in most markets. You should be able to get a decent '04 for $5,000. There's no excuse for going to a dealer to buy a 2002.

3. Look for service records. The more the better. If none are available then bite the bullet and have an independent LR shop carry out a full pre-purchase inspection. Shouldn't be more than $100 and it'll save you a lot of headaches.

4. It's good that you're mechanical 'cause you'll need it. The cars aren't terribly difficult to work on but parts are pricey and failures will be more common at your mileage. Below are some of the issues you'll likely be dealing with if they haven't been done already. Keep in mind that 140K on a Land Rover isn't like 140K on a Honda - that's a fair bit of miles and it will require a fair bit of maintenance.

- Plugs/Wires
- Head Gaskets
- Cooling System (thermostat, hoses, expansion tank&cap, fan clutch)
- Brake system (ABS module fix, bleed fluid, rebuild calipers)
- Suspension Bushings
- Drive Shafts
- Steering (Ball joints/Tie rod/Drag link/Steering gear box/PS pump)
- Suspension (Shocks/Springs)
- Sensors (O2, Crank, MAF)
- Oil Pump

I'm not trying to scare you away but I just want you to realize that if you intend to daily a D2 you'll need to stay on top of maintenance because small problems can lead to big problems in a hurry. My D2 had half the mileage of yours when bought it (115K now) and I've already had to do all of the maintenance I listed above and a whole lot more.

 

[nelson845]

Other than the head gaskets and oil pump, that list Bosnian put up is/should be common maintenance on any car with that mileage.