Buying a 1998 Discovery 1 Tomorrow!!!!!!!

JeremyT101

Adventurer
Hey guys!

I found the score of a life time, and ironically it was only about 5km away from where I live. Its a 1998 Discovery 1, but its veryyy special. It only has 169,000km on it, thats right, KM. It was owned by an old rich woman for its entire life until it was bought by the PO one year ago. He's a rover nut, and he kept it extremely well maintained. The interior is immaculate. The seats hardly feel broken in. Every electrical bit works, the seats/sunroofs..ect you name it. I have looked up and down the car and there is very little, if any rust to be found. The guy knew all the possible rust spots on the Disco's and told me how he was dealing with all of it to keep it at bay. Oh, and did I mention it doesn't leak oil from underneath? The guy had the clean driveway to prove it. The guy wanted 4200$ so I took it. It has never been taken off road or abused in anyway. All it is going to need is front brake pads. The guy said I can get them from the local rover guy around here for 60$ and could put them on myself. Is that really possible? What say you guys?

I pick it up tomorrow, so do you have any questions that I should DEFINITELY be asking the guy. Such as service intervals..ect? There will be pictures, and hopefully a build thread as I get it ready for mine and my gf's 12000km journey across Canada.

Thanks guys!
 

JeremyT101

Adventurer
Today is the day!! I know it sounds quite embarassing, but I am SO anxious/nervous/excited. This is the second car I have ever bought, and the last one my dad helped me through the process. He said I'm old enough now (21) to get it figured out and make the decisions and do it myself. Also helps that I live in a different city now too. Have had a few sleepless nights due to the gf's school work and my anxiety about this, but I believe, or haha HOPE that I'm making the right decision. Will update later....
 

Scott Brady

Founder
You will really enjoy the Discovery, they are wonderful cars and quite easy to work on.

I would recommend keeping it as stock as possible for a while and just focus your attention on maintenance. I drove my 5-speed DI for nearly a year and a half before installing the first aftermarket accessory.

Best of luck!
 

I Leak Oil

Expedition Leader
Im assuming that you mean the first day, and the day that you sell it being the two most exciting days. I'm hoping thats not the case!

Just busting your chops! They're a lot of fun! I've had a few, still have my first. Perhaps someday you'll get a real Rover with leaf springs and all......
 

JeremyT101

Adventurer
Its now sitting in the driveway!!! AHHHHHHHHHHH. Im terrified. haha. I still have to go and get the safety inspection and e-test to get it registered here in Ontario, but that should all go smoothly. There is only one kind of glaring issue, the handle that controls the windshield wipers/spit juice on the side of the steering column is in the glovebox. Its all intact, just not attached. Ill have to get that figured out. Somehow, you can still turn on the wipers from a small push/pull kind of button deal down and to the left of the steering wheel. Just making some dinner now, and then pictures will follow! I hope that all I have to do is just take off the piece of plastic on the steering column and connect it up :S. We will see! Also the guy said the center diff lock worked when he bought it a year ago, but he hasn't tried it since. He said it might need some grease of some sort? I didn't try it, was going to figure that out first, what do you guys think? Is that a greased part?

Off to eat, pictures are forthcoming....
 

baja5337

Observer
The linkage for the tcase is known to seize if not used semi regularly. You should be able to take it off and free it up, lube it and put it back in
 

JeremyT101

Adventurer
Hum I see, well I think I'm really hoping that its not stuck in the locked 4H position, because if that is the case, I hope my T-case isn't eating itself as we speak and I'm going to need a new one. Its definitely stuck though, but I think there may be a light that comes on, on the dash to tell me that the T-case is in diff lock mode, which there definitely isn't. Is there anyway I would be able to check that? Also, I found out a few new things about the truck today. It wasn't one owner (not surprised), more like 3. Also, someone played with the wiring a bit around the steering column, so I will have to figure that out. Oh, and it DOES leak oil I found, though, I'm not sure where from. All the levels of all the fluids I could check from under the hood were within normal limits, so it could just be a 'rover thing'. Aside from these issues, the truck is solid. All the other power things work, now I just gotta get the wiper arm figured as I have the ability to turn the wipers on and off, just not the ability to spray the fluid, which could pose an issue on the highway.

Anyways, I was outside for 3 hours today, sorry for the delay in the pictures, we got a big snowstorm last night here! Here you guys go!

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Tell me what you guys think!
 

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