Advice on adventure-ready 99 Discovery 2.

[Plains Drifter]

I'm ready to replace my family camping, fishing, exploring, trail rig.

I have a wife and 3 kids that will go with me in this rig. 15 year old, 6 year old, and a baby. Before we had the baby I had an XTerra for this purpose. It's been a great rig, but I need to fit 3 kids and gear now.

Before the X I had a 95 Pathfinder that I wheeled everywhere. I never did any modding to either vehicle other than t-bar crank and 31" AT tires. I had the 2nd timing belt change on the X now with 230k on it. Both Nissans have been rock solid and reliable with little other than normal maintenance.

I've always liked the look of Discos, and almost bought one when I got my X. I was living in Colorado then and test drove a few, but got scared away by all the poor reliability talk.

What do you all make of this description?


Fellow Rover Lovers,
I recently bought my teen a sweet 99 Disco ll. She just got her permit and it's a little big for her to handle this early in her driving career. We hate to sell it but it looks like we will need something else.
I've spent over $6k in the past 30 days on it.
Brand New: Head gaskets & bolts, Tailpipe & Muffler, Tires [Big Foot 275/16], Master Cylinder, Head Liner. Just installed fresh ACE cylinder assembly as well. Fully checked out and lubed. Has upgraded front drive shaft, ARB Bumper w/Winch. 112k miles. Very mechanically sound. Good interior, power windows/locks work, radio & cruise even still work.
I have some addition parts that I haven't installed yet [2x exterior A-Pillar trims, glove box cover, rear view mirror & windshield washer reservoir].
Had a creased DS door skin & cracked rear bumper cover. AC & Heat work great.
Over $10,000 invested.
Sacrifice for $5,300

Clear & Clean Title in Hand.

Also...


I have most of the recent receipts [heads, master cylinder, head liner].
The windshield washer reservoir needs installed - other than that, I would consider it road/trail ready.
Yes, I've drove over 300 miles on the highway/interstate.

Thanks guys!

 

[Plains Drifter]

I'll post a pic if I can figure out how.

It looks like NADA average trade is $1700, and clean retail is $3900. So he is asking well above that.

I've got a budget of about $7k for this truck, but it'd be great if I could get something south of that number. I don't have any space, or time, for a project and need something fairly turn-key. I don't mind a little wrenching and do my own routine stuff and belts hoses, etc. I don't do big maintenance like timing belt and stuff. Not much beyond a starter install, t-stat, etc.

Owner also says...

Other than crease in driver door, Good overall body. No rust.
Small dent on the top passenger rear roof.

Undercarriage very clean and only slight surface oxidation.


This rig is 13 hours from me so I can't easily go take a look. I'm in rural Nebraska and I'll have to travel to buy anything.

I took the train to Denver and drove my last rig home.

 

[Plains Drifter]

Also, I can't remember how much room there is in the back, and in those jump seats. I planned to put the 6 year old in a booster seat in the back. The baby and the 15 year old in the middle. Gear would go on top or on a hitch mount rack.

I do plan to take some long trips out west with the whole family in this rig.

 

[hks3sgte]

the Disco won't have much more room than your Nissan.

 

[Plains Drifter]

Thanks! I suppose I can live with that size. Just so I have room to buckle everyone in. In the X I can't put a teenager, a booster seat, and a rear facing infant seat all in the 2nd row.

 

[Ray_G]

It will work but will be tight for sure...and with that many folks in the passenger areas I am guessing you are going roof rack or trailer for all the stuff? (as the father of two daughters it always cracks me up when the four of us try to do something outdoors in the D1-or footprint of gear is 10x what mine is individually.

A little outside your budget but since it may come up here at some point anyway; an LR3 would be a better platform for your needs in all likelihood both in terms of fitting everyone in comfortably but perhaps more importantly I'd say long term reliability wise.

Just the $.02 of someone who skipped the Dii all of my rover life just b/c I don't want to deal with the head gasket issue, the porous block, or the thin frames. Many people on here have them or have had them and can immediately counter my perspective-but in the end I'd still stand by a 7 seater LR3 being worth the extra $$$.
r-
Ray

 

[Plains Drifter]

It will work but will be tight for sure...and with that many folks in the passenger areas I am guessing you are going roof rack or trailer for all the stuff? (as the father of two daughters it always cracks me up when the four of us try to do something outdoors in the D1-or footprint of gear is 10x what mine is individually.

A little outside your budget but since it may come up here at some point anyway; an LR3 would be a better platform for your needs in all likelihood both in terms of fitting everyone in comfortably but perhaps more importantly I'd say long term reliability wise.

Just the $.02 of someone who skipped the Dii all of my rover life just b/c I don't want to deal with the head gasket issue, the porous block, or the thin frames. Many people on here have them or have had them and can immediately counter my perspective-but in the end I'd still stand by a 7 seater LR3 being worth the extra $$$.
r-
Ray

Thanks for that. Sounds like solid, unbiased advice.

I think a Disco is just not the right rig for me, at this time.

 

[cruisertom]

Funny I started to read the description and realized I also was looking at that one. I grew up in Colorado and have lived in the midwest for about ten years now. If you are going to travel that distance for a vehicle GO THE OTHER DIRECTION! Everything out this way is rusty! The frames, door bottoms etc are all way more rusty than anything out your direction. The reason is no salt. Do yourself a favor and buy something around Denver. Less rust, everything unbolts and can be reused. I don't know how many gallons of rust penetrate and bolts I have had to torch out or break off to do most anything on the underside of any vehicle from the midwest. They may be alittle cheaper out this way but spend the extra money for something out west.

 

[Plains Drifter]

Funny I started to read the description and realized I also was looking at that one. I grew up in Colorado and have lived in the midwest for about ten years now. If you are going to travel that distance for a vehicle GO THE OTHER DIRECTION! Everything out this way is rusty! The frames, door bottoms etc are all way more rusty than anything out your direction. The reason is no salt. Do yourself a favor and buy something around Denver. Less rust, everything unbolts and can be reused. I don't know how many gallons of rust penetrate and bolts I have had to torch out or break off to do most anything on the underside of any vehicle from the midwest. They may be alittle cheaper out this way but spend the extra money for something out west.

Oh yeah! I've searched the Denver area pretty good. That's where I bought my X, took the train there and drove it back.

That one in Illinois just caught my eye cause it looked like a lot of the big stuff had been done already.

 

[454]

A D2 will be tight with five people. An LR3 will have more room and the prices are often sub-$10k.

 

[Plains Drifter]

A D2 will be tight with five people. An LR3 will have more room and the prices are often sub-$10k.

Thanks.

I think I've decided to go Toyota. I've got a thread going about the Sequoia, that ones on my radar now.

 

[Maddmatt]

Good Choice - as a long time Toyota fan - and a current owner of both an Xterra and a DiscoII - there is no more room in the Disco than the X - possibly less. With three kids you have to have 3 real rows, Sequoia is a great choice.

 

[kcabpilot]

Agreed the Toyota is a better choice for your situation. The Discovery, whether a I or a II, has a 100 inch wheelbase. The D2 has six inches more in the boot than a D1 but up front it's the same space. The Toyota has nearly two feet more in both wheelbase and overall length.

 

[99Discovery]

D2 is wider than the D1, even though they share wheelbases. I can fit my family of 3 easily inside my D2 without rear jump seats. This includes a combination of boosters, infant seats and car seats. You do need to use these boosters though:

They are not only cheap, but narrow and extremely comfortable. I got the idea from my BIL who required them to fit the narrow rear of a TJ:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Harmony-Dreamtime-Deluxe-Comfort-Booster-Car-Seat-Blue/48859748

If I use the same seat setup and swap them into my Hummer H3 (112" wheelbase), the kids have easier entry/egress than the D2, but it is MUCH MUCH harder to buckle them up because the H3 is much narrower in the cab, similar to my old ZJ before that (narrower than the D2).

That said, if the OP can afford Sequoias, he should be looking at LR3s too. It's a completely different class size-wise, and at least in Utah the LR3 is significantly cheaper than any Toyota (which demands a premium based off of the name).

 

[DiscoDavis]

That said, if the OP can afford Sequoias, he should be looking at LR3s too. It's a completely different class size-wise, and at least in Utah the LR3 is significantly cheaper than any Toyota (which demands a premium based off of the name).

Yeah if the budget bumps up a bit LR3's are a contender. Excellent vehicle. Good crash results if you google that Audi that hit a G4 Discovery 3 head-on in ZA. Only front passenger injured in a 120+ kph? crash. I do wonder about that new IIHS test, the small overlap impact... Fuel economy isn't terrible in stock form below 65mph. Redonkulous off road magic tricks from the TC computer. Great visibility, great driving position, great daily.

Best thing about them is still the fact that all 5 rear seats fold flat into the floor. Thing of beauty, that one.

EDIT: found that crash thread (here)

Apparently the Audi's speedo was jammed on 280km/h.