You know, I'm not so sure. That was certainly one of my biggest complaints with my Discovery. I had almost all rubber components replaced during the first year...I couldn't keep leaks cleaned up off the garage floor. However, my dealer told me (and I have NO idea if this is true) that LR had changed suppliers because of many problems with leaks, that the new ones don't suffer from these problems, and that all replacement gaskets are from the new supplier. I CAN state that my LR has not leaked, not even one drop, in close to a year and a half! Again, I don't know if these will also disentegrate in another year or two like the original stuff, but I'm leak free for know. Hey KP, if it wasn't unique, everyone would have one...like a Ford?

I'M TORN!!!!!!!!!!

I just went back to www.selectmotors.com to check "it" out and I just really like those boxy lines!

Also on my list, that I haven't mentioned is the Acura SLX (Isuzu Trooper).

I'm driving everyone at work AND home crazy with this "next" purchase! But, I say, if I wasn't so passionate about cars, I wouldn't be checking EVERYTHING out!

Cars aren't JUST transportation...they're a personal statement of who you are and what you're about.

I'll be 40 in December and have always thought this way!

Kelly, Shaun is right on the money about this. People are always waving when you pass another owner in a LR product, and my local dealer holds get togethers about once a quarter that are free, and for the adventuresome test your and your vehicle's abilities. Most people who put down the LR probably had a bad experience, but they are widely used throughout the world in some very difficult situations...places other vehicles just won't do. So, I think you're right about your vehicle making a statement. Some will say that statement is "ARE YOU STUPID?", but others will see it like I think you do--this is a really tough 4x4, and although I might not do it, I could climb to the top of that mountain and you can't (you would be all those other 4x4s that are less capable). You might also appreciate the poster I saw in my LR dealer at last oil change. It's a nice looking Hummer 2, with the caption "The only time these things will go off road is when a suburban house wife backs one over the flower bed".:p If you don't overpay for it, get it and if you don't like it, sell the beast. You'll never know from others are telling you.

How many of you have gone to the web site and checked th Disco, that I'm considering, out? How does it look?

The web site is www.selectmotors.com.

I compared it to the newer body style...very few changes...mostly front and rear ends! PLEASE let me know what YOU think! Maybe I WILL just buy the damn thing and SHUT UP!!!

I've been told to only consider those Disco's which were lucky enough to get the BMW engine...2000 and newer! A noticable price difference!

Kelly, not sure what you mean by "get the BMW engine". All Discos in the US up to the 2003 model have always used the standard Rover V8, the same old aluminum block wonder created by Buick in 1963 or thereabouts, and sold to Rover about 5 years later when GM went in a different direction. The concurrent second generation Range Rovers offered the engine in 4.0 liter and 4.6 form, while the Disco always had the 182 hp. 4.0 version until it was exchanged for the 4.6 in 2003, a marketing move previously impossible because it would have crowded the high-end RR. The only BMW engine used in Land Rovers is the 4.4 liter BMW V8 used in the new generation Range Rover, the same engine used in the X5, 540i and 740i.

Someone may be telling you that after BMW took over Rover, their magical German touch improved quality on the existing Rover production lines. I suppose it's possible, Ford improved Jaguar quality significantly, but that usually happens as new designs and processes are introduced. The same people were making the same 4.0 V8 in 2000 on the same production lines using the same suppliers as they had been in 1999. I doubt there's any real difference due to corporate ownership. Anyway, the engines in Rovers aren't particularly unreliable, they just don't give much power for the displacement and fuel consumption (not surprising for a 40 year old design). The problem with Discos was always the electrics and the nickel-and-dime accessory assemblies, not the engine itself.

I put around 20,000 miles on a '97 Disco in Europe (admittedly with the turbodiesel engine), and my business partner leased a '99 as his company car here in the US for 3 years. The '99 was more reliable than the '97, but both were POS's in terms of reliability - always the little things.

BTW, as for LR's being used all over the world in difficult conditions, that was more true 40 years ago than it is today, when there were few alternatives and the Series 1 LR's were agricultural in nature and had no electrics to go wrong. Go to nasty areas today and you'll find Toyota Land Cruisers of various kinds, as well as Mitsubishi Pajero's (Montero in the U.S.) and Nissan Patrols (not sold here). The UN tends to send people to places you don't want to go - note that the white SUV's with the big UN letters are usually Toyotas. Never Land Rovers.

Despite everything I've said I actually like the things, at least Range Rovers. Someday I'll pick up a '95 Classic County LWB with the air suspension replaced by springs, you can get a nice one for $8-10k these days. I came close to buying our company car, a 2000 RR with 24,000 miles that we sold on ebay last December when the boss got tired of it. It was the top-of-the-line 4.6HSE, purchased new in mid-2000 for $72k and in perfect condition, and we got $29k for it 30 months later and only one bid. Now that's serious depreciation.

If you like these beasts, by all means go for it, but keep your eyes open.

RS, thanks for the heads-up regarding the timing chain. I haven't checked the chain yet but I'd imagine that with only 105K miles, it has a little bit of life left in it. At what mileage did your customer change it at? Also, amazingly, I haven't had to recharge the A/C yet; it's been blowing cold since new without any attention.

Kelly, stay away from the Trooper/SLX. I tried a friend's Trooper two years ago and it was pretty bad (I thought). It had a pretty rough motor, a ton of rattles, and I think I heard about problems with tipping and rolling over.

Alex

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1983 300D (parked for four years)
2012 VW Sportwagen TDI Manual
2001 Miata SE
1962 Chevrolet Corvair Rampside

Shhhhh....don't want the British Army, Danish Army, many fire departments, police departments, and assorted other military and para-military units to hear. They might all run out and buy white toy-otas to replace their off-road vehicles.

Darrell, the British Army has their own equivalent of "Buy American", as do many of their fire, police, etc. units (interestingly, there's a lot of ex-military LR's available over there for a song...too bad we can't import them). The Danes - hell, who can explain the Danes? I'm also sure there are a number of countries that take LR's as part of a military aid package from the UK, or something similar (we probably encourage export sales of Humvees the same way).

I'm not saying you can't find them anywhere in the "wild"...but they are pretty hard to find. I've still got an issue of Britain's Car magazine sitting around somewhere where the writers went on a safari in, I believe, Kenya, where the guides told the writers that nobody bought LR's anymore in their part of Africa, as they were just too unreliable compared to the Toyotas. The British writers weren't amused. People who actually have to make a living from their vehicles in difficult parts of the world these days generally buy Japanese.

If you are willing to live with a quirky vehicle that is intensive in it's need for care and feeding, buy the LR.

If you want bullet-proof and want an SUV, buy a Toyota 4-Runner, Land Cruiser, or Nissan Pathfinder. Those three are the most reliable, given any year or price.

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John Shellenberg
1998 C230 "Black Betty" 240K

http://img31.exs.cx/img31/4050/tophat6.gif

What about the Jeep Grand Charokee?

They're pretty popular in my neck of the woods, and they have developed a reputation for being absolute junk. I'm sure there are good examples, but they might be tough to find. Though, resale values are pretty sad making it a possible good used buy, but you'll need a good sized budget for on-going repairs. Transfer-cases, electronics, engine leaks, etc. seem to be common problems.

I'd buy an old Bronco two door, take the top off, put a 351 grunt motor in the bay, and have some fun.

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John Shellenberg
1998 C230 "Black Betty" 240K

http://img31.exs.cx/img31/4050/tophat6.gif

EVERYTHING is steering toward the Ford product... Expedition/Excursion.

O.K. Kelly, go ahead and buy the Ford. It (or Toyota, or Nissan, etc. etc.) will be very reliable, cheaper to operate, take you anywhere most sane people want to go, and so on. Still, every time you see a RR or LR, you'll think, cool SUV, maybe I should have...

I personally prefer the GM products (tahoe / yukon / suburban), but there is nothing wrong with the Ford products.

They are built on Ford truck platforms, and they have a fine reputation.

I wouldn't buy the Excursion. They are beasts. Ride terrible. Way too big. Terrible gas mileage. Ford is going to stop selling them soon....

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Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

THANKS Darrell!!!!!!

Do YOU think that 1997 LR Disco w/61K miles will be fine? It does look "fine"!!!