What to look for when buying a Rover?

[Alaska Mike]

Let's talk about my approach to moderation for a second, since you broached the subject. My last post did not end with a threat.

Watch the tone. Your contributions are welcome as long as you present them in a civil manner. Want to call me a poser? Fine, do it in a civil and adult manner. Please review the forum policies and try to follow them. If you don't like the way that this forum conducts itself, please refrain from visiting. Nobody is forcing you to be here.

It simply ended with a reminder to follow the forum's guidelines, as posted here:
http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2

You want a threat? How about failure to follow these guidelines will result in your posts being edited for content and/or your privileges to post here being revoked? And no, banning a member is not within my powers (nor would I want it to be). If another moderator finds my actions inappropriate, I fully expect them to call me on it. We rarely do anything unilaterally.

If you find the moderation here to be too heavy-handed, there are other forums where you can express yourself however you choose. Obviously you find something of value here, because you keep returning. Keep in mind that this is not YOUR forum. It's not MINE either. Expedition Portal is a privately-owned forum that we have the privilege (not right) to use. The exchange of information related to vehicle-dependent expeditions through reasoned discussion and respectful debate is the founding principal here.

Actually, I've been rather restrained compared to what my first reactions were. I tend to stop and think before I respond, and in a lot of cases I'll ask for a second opinion. I'll rarely censor technical content, unless it's obviously dangerous. I will delete personal attacks and other behavior that I feel violates forum policies or negatively impacts the forum. That's not a threat, that's a promise.

 

[Alaska Mike]

Mike you can have what ever opinion you like about rovers, but when you take a stronghand approach like you have in the rover section you do this forum a disservice and the rover community one as well. Your opinions are very contrary to what I have seen to say the least and I have owned a a D1,DII and a RRC as well as a constant flow of them through my driveway working on them for years. Hate to tell you cowboy I know these trucks much better then your research allows you to.

The fact is that if all you judge things by is consumer reports or jd powers then a rover looks unreliable because those numbers all come from casual owners that tend to ignore issues until they go catostrophic. My favorite rover quote is "it leaked and it leaked until the engine failed" clearly that guy was never meant to be a rover owner.

I maintain my truck very well and it dosent fail me off road or on long trips. I have been known to punish my truck and often that is a long way from home yet I have never been stranded by my truck. Now let's not forget what you get with a rover as well. I wheel with 2 land cruisers all the time, both have as big a lift as mine all the candy and bigger tires yet my disco wheels circles around them on a regular basis. So does that count for anything? The slightly smaller much lighter nimble disco just walks through stuff that stops the cruisers and leaves them laying against trees off camber. I think there is alot more to a truck then simple relaibilty numbers and that's what brought me to land rovers. If you don't get that part or can't accept that Mike maybe you shouldent moderate the land rover section? There are all kinds of other sections here and this site seems to have almost as many mods as posters maybe we can get a moderator with some rover passion

As a long-time Jeep owner, obviously I understand that Consumer Reports and similar outlets provide a very specific view of the vehicles they review. To them, a vehicle is simply a way to get from point A to point B, and 4 wheel drive is something used on snowy roads to get to the grocery store. However, the data they provide can be useful in judging the number and types of problems across brands and models- as long as you look beyond their particular editorial slant. A check engine light doesn't necessarily mean the engine is going to fall out, so you have to dig deeper to see what kinds of problems are being reported.

Obviously that's not the whole picture, as it completely ignores the specific capabilities of a platform or how the design/heritage of the platform affects the potential owner. It's up to that owner to decide how to weigh the various factors. If someone values reliability over all else, of course I'm going to steer them towards Toyota. They have the track record for reliability. They also have things like factory locking differentials and decent suspensions that make them solid expedition platforms.

Your experience with Discoveries and RRCs might differ from mine based on environment and terrain. A vehicle might last for decades in the desert, yet fall apart in a more wet environment. Cold and heat show different liabilities on different platforms. Just a guess on my part, since I have no idea where you are located. That's why respectful debate is encouraged here- nobody has the entire picture. What is true for me may not be true for you.

My ability to moderate a section is not affected in the least by whether or not you think I'm a Land Rover enthusiast. I'm not exactly sure what that entails, and if that title really holds any real value for me. I was given guidelines to follow as a moderator, and I try to stick to them to the best of my abilities.

 

[Christophe Noel]

It's a shame almost all Rover threads have to go downhill so quickly. Just an observation - Those who remain stedfast in their assertion that Rovers are reliable seem to be genuine "Roverphiles." As such, those guys tend to know how to select, maintain, and repair their Rovers as needed. So, perhaps the reliability issue is primarily a concern for guys like me on my first Rover. I'm continually learning what it takes to keep my Rover rolling. It's ridiculous the amount of time, money and headache it takes, but the more I know, the more "reliable" my rig gets.


At any rate, my personal experience has shown my Disco has cost more to keep rolling than any other vehicle I've ever owned, and by a massive margin.

Just the other day, a friend moving to Alaska asked if I thought a Disco would make a good rig to take to Alaska. Having lived in Alaska and having found challenges getting my Rover fixed here in Arizona and even at the dealer in Scottsdale, I confidently suggested he NOT buy a Rover. There simply aren't enough knowledgeable repair options in some areas. I shudder at the thought of being in remote Alaska trying to find someone with scanner to read my funky ABS codes. Aye. That said, nearly every shop in Alaska (and most areas around the globe) can work on a variety of rigs like my previous Tacoma, Jeep, etc. That is a consideration. I love my Rover dearly, but when my wife and I discuss returning to Alaska, I know the old girl won't be coming with. The Rover that is.

Everyone will have different opinions about reliability and how they value any particular rig. Why that's fodder for a grudge match is beyond me.

 

[Christophe Noel]

I happen to know George13cux and have wheeled and wrenched with him a number of times. Also have rescued a few wheelers in peril with him. That's the part about the wheeling lifestyle that gets lost on the web.

George may in fact be a real prince in person. I'm not doubting that. I don't even doubt he really does know his stuff with regard to Land Rover vehicles. If his true personality is lost on the web, that might be of his own doing and not just an erroneous interpretation by this forum.

Again, he might be one of those guys I'd share a beer with, but he hasn't presented himself as such a swell feller. In fact, he's trended towards confrontational and condescending. Some people have split personalities and are great in person and not so much online.

I do think it's great you spoke up to point out that he's a positive member of the off road community. That helps keep everything in perspective.

 

[Geo14cux]

I guess that was civil and adult!
Think what you like I have thick skin. Ya Ya & a thick head!:wings:
Consumer Reports really? You have to be kidding? Well I am out this thread & let people with no real world give advice. Rock On! Have fun Be safe!

 

[Alaska Mike]

I guess that was civil and adult!
Think what you like I have thick skin. Ya Ya & a thick head!:wings:

Actually, I thought that was very generous. He was giving you the benefit of the doubt.

Consumer Reports really? You have to be kidding?

Really. Consumer Reports is a perfectly valid resource, put in proper context. As valid to me as you are, put into proper context. You're just a internet personality to me, with your own set of likes and prejudices... just like Consumer Reports. How I weigh each opinion is up to me.

Well I am out this thread & let people with no real world give advice. Rock On! Have fun Be safe!

Thanks for the heads up.

 

[Roverhound]

Just curious. Do the other vehicle forums have an influx of non-owners knocking the specific vehicles in that particular forum?
Do they have moderators that aren't enthusiasts of that particular marque?
Maybe we need an actual Rover owner as a moderator.

 

[Alaska Mike]

Flounder, Pangaea, gjackson, Andrew Walcker, Connie, MuddyMudskipper, Scott Brady, and I all own Land Rovers of various vintages. Probably a couple other moderators as well, but you get the point.

But then again, we don't qualify as enthusiasts.

I don't know about the other guys, but I can find something to dislike about just about every vehicle. I can also find something to like about them. Same with people.

Well, I'm off to work on my Rover...

 

[ExplorerExplorer]

Wow, what a heated thread... Well, our deal fell through, I guess... I'm looking for another truck, but I did something bad... I test drove a Discovery, and I'm in love... I see why you guys love this truck so much... So, I've decided I am going to get a Discovery, and I'll keep it until it's just impossibly difficult to keep repairing it, and find something else, but I plan on keeping it for at least a good 10-15 years... I just wish I could find one with a 5-speed around here...

 

[stevenmd]

Wow, what a heated thread... Well, our deal fell through, I guess... I'm looking for another truck, but I did something bad... I test drove a Discovery, and I'm in love... I see why you guys love this truck so much... So, I've decided I am going to get a Discovery, and I'll keep it until it's just impossibly difficult to keep repairing it, and find something else, but I plan on keeping it for at least a good 10-15 years... I just wish I could find one with a 5-speed around here...

TN has a great rover club. Join up, meet people. You'll make friends with people that will work on your truck for beer.

 

[timmy!!!!!!!]

I am in tnrovers. And we don't bite at all

 

[ExplorerExplorer]

TN has a great rover club. Join up, meet people. You'll make friends with people that will work on your truck for beer.

I like that idea, Rovers + Beer... What better idea?

 

[Green96D1]

Wow, what a heated thread... Well, our deal fell through, I guess... I'm looking for another truck, but I did something bad... I test drove a Discovery, and I'm in love... I see why you guys love this truck so much... So, I've decided I am going to get a Discovery, and I'll keep it until it's just impossibly difficult to keep repairing it, and find something else, but I plan on keeping it for at least a good 10-15 years... I just wish I could find one with a 5-speed around here...

good job Bro. I feel you on the 5-speed.

I also did something bad too when I got one 4 years ago.

guess I'm just going to have to stay bad haha:victory:

 

[timmy!!!!!!!]

The 5 speed is cool for awhile but the novelty wore off for me. In fact I don't thunk I have met a single discovery owner that has liked there 5spd well except Justin from lucky8. An automatic is so much easier to deal with in the long run. Trust me my first disco was an auto and then I bought my 97 and while it was cool I eventually hated it on the trails so I bought a 99 to replace it. The 97 is still sitting in my driveway waiting for me to finish fixing it up. Oh and try and find a disco that hasn't been used as a submarine I dunked my 97 a lot and my 99 the PO dunked it whichgave both trucks a fast idle that resulted in me replacing the ecu on the 99. I still haven't gotten around to replacing the ecu in the 97 to fix it either.

 

[ExplorerExplorer]

The 5 speed is cool for awhile but the novelty wore off for me. In fact I don't thunk I have met a single discovery owner that has liked there 5spd well except Justin from lucky8. An automatic is so much easier to deal with in the long run. Trust me my first disco was an auto and then I bought my 97 and while it was cool I eventually hated it on the trails so I bought a 99 to replace it. The 97 is still sitting in my driveway waiting for me to finish fixing it up. Oh and try and find a disco that hasn't been used as a submarine I dunked my 97 a lot and my 99 the PO dunked it whichgave both trucks a fast idle that resulted in me replacing the ecu on the 99. I still haven't gotten around to replacing the ecu in the 97 to fix it either.

Is there something wrong with the Disco 5-speed, or is it just having to use the clutch on the trail? My current truck is a 5-speed, and the Bronco II I had was a 5-speed, so I'm used to using the clutch on trails, not like I do much rock crawling and whatnot... I'd rather get a auto truck that's taken care of, than a 5-speed truck that's not, though... About the dunking part... I'm sure I will end up dunking it at some point... I was thinking, would it be possible to wax/epoxy pot, the electronics? That way even if they got dunked, you wouldn't have to worry about the actual circuit board being trashed... Any ideas?