Few ?'s about discovery II

[jp0863]

I have been slowly building a Suburban for quite some time. Recently I started thinking about downsizing. I have always liked the LR discovery, but don't know much about them.

How many people will fit inside? I have 4 kids, plus me.

What year is more desirable and why?

What problems should I be on the lookout for when looking at a purchase?

Thank's in advance for your replies, JP

 

[Power Wagon Okie]

This helps a lot...


http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/20219-The-ExPo-Guide-to-Land-Rovers

 

[dcwhybrew]

The link above will probably better answer your last two questions. As far as 4 kids, and yourself. Yes you can get five people in, but I am not sure how comfortable three are in the back seat. How big are your kids? Three adults can sit back in the back seat but it would be uncomfortable over extended periods. Some DIIs have a third row option, but the 3rd row isnt satisfactory for adult size people. The LR3's 3rd row will be comfortable for adults, and it is a bit wider. Three adults can sit more comfortably in the back seat of an LR3 than a DII. Go find a DII and sit it in. Rear leg room is better in an LR3 vs DII.

If you are going to have three in the back seat and leg room is an issue, look at P38 Range Rover (late 1995-2002). Range Rovers have better rear leg room. Same width though. However Range Rovers before 2003 bring on a whole set of other things to deal with.

 

[spikemd]

If you are going to have three in the back seat and leg room is an issue, look at P38 Range Rover (late 1995-2002). Range Rovers have better rear leg room. Same width though. However Range Rovers before 2003 bring on a whole set of other things to deal with.

I am a bit partial to the P38s, but that is because mine has been great. It is the same engine as the 03-04 DIIs as well as solid axles front and rear. The issues that most people are concerned with deal with the air suspension system, which is really not very complicated. Or you can take it out of the equation and convert to coils. There are a couple of common issues (heater o-rings, throttle body gasket leak, etc) but there are also many common issues on the disco. Overall interior is nicer IMHO in the P38 and definitely feels larger inside, but cargo space is actually a bit smaller due to the slope of the rear window. Stock with the air suspension intact, it is quite capable due to the extra clearance you get with the suspension.

But you will have issues with fitting four kids in any Rover, but the LR3 is your best option.

 

[jp0863]

Anyone have a pic of the 3rd row seating? Didn't even know they offered that as an option. The purchase of a discovery will be mostly for an offroad vehicle, and a little bit of kid transport. I have a crew cab truck for my everyday use, so the disco would be more of a spare/fun toy.

 

[jp0863]

I'm looking at 2000 to 2004 models, any year better than the other? Thank's for answering all my questions, couldn't find what I was looking for on the above link.

 

[454]

The '03 and '04 trucks seem to have an issue with porosity in the block. There is a lot of debate on the web about this. My choice? Steer clear of those years. And I write that as someone who formerly lusted after an '04 S.

Four kids will be tight; especially as they get older. I went from a two door '98 Tahoe to an '01 D2 and really noticed the change in available space.

Also, you will probably not realize any savings in fuel. My 4wd Tahoe got 15-19MPG; my D2 will get 13-16. Parts can be expensive. These trucks love preventative maintenance.

Since they've dropped in price a lot of folks who aren't prepared to handle the maintenance costs will pick one up and run it until something expensive breaks. The older Discos and Rangies are turning into cheap trucks. I picked up a '96 D1 for my wife for $1500. Soon I'll be into it for that amount just in normal wear-and-tear items.

If you get one in a year you'll either be completely in love with it, warts and all, or you'll want to set it on fire and walk away.

 

[jp0863]

Sounds like an honest opinion. I haven't really convinced myself to swap from the suburban yet. Hard to argue with a large vehicle when you have 4 kids, plus a can rebuild the whole thing and have $5000 total investment, including the dana 60/14 bolt, lift, etc.

 

[bigreen505]

How many people will fit inside? I have 4 kids, plus me.

Just walk away. I think a D2 is fine but tight for two, you might be able to squeeze in three if everyone packs light, but I can't see five being comfortable for more than day trips. A D2 is more than just a little smaller than a Suburban. I'm not sure how seriously you have looked at one, but you might try loading up your family for a test drive and see what you think. Also, I personally find the back seat of a D2 to be a pretty miserable place to spend a trip. It is hard to get in and out of, and raised seating position means you spend the trip starring at the headliner.

 

[jp0863]

Thanks for the info. Went for a drive today with just the 2 little ones. Not gonna be enough room... although cool as hell. I have to hand it to LR, when i leaned out the driver window, I could see both tires really well.. Solid job LR.

 

[454]

Sounds like an honest opinion. I haven't really convinced myself to swap from the suburban yet. Hard to argue with a large vehicle when you have 4 kids, plus a can rebuild the whole thing and have $5000 total investment, including the dana 60/14 bolt, lift, etc.

From time to time I consider getting rid of my D2 and getting a '99 4x4 Suburban. I grew up with Suburbans and I miss the space sometimes.

 

[dcwhybrew]

Thanks for the info. Went for a drive today with just the 2 little ones. Not gonna be enough room... although cool as hell. I have to hand it to LR, when i leaned out the driver window, I could see both tires really well.. Solid job LR.

Yes, Land Rover's seating position is very addictive. Once you drive a Land Rover (even the LR2s & Freelanders), you wont like driving anything else. Land Rover's view and seating position (except for the Disco's 3rd row) are fantastic.

 

[brushogger]

I just recently got rid of an '04 D2 due to block issues that appeared at 70k miles. It was perfect for my wife and I with 10 days worth of food and gear. I loved that truck, but the price to repair it correctly was going to be in the $4500- $5000 range, and I was still leery about the dependability. If someone could engineer a 4.3l Chevy v-6 swap and could correctly integrate all the electronics, I'd buy another. As it stands, I couldn't recommend it. These are amazing vehicles, with crap for an engine. LR made these for people who turn their vehicles every 3-4 years, and could afford to take the huge hit on resale value. They don't back their vehicles at all. There is a VIN range on the 03's that had misaligned dowels on the block to center the oil pump. Many of these literally had the oil pump go to pieces trashing the engine on low mileage (but out of warranty) trucks. LR even documented this in a service bulletin, but refused to do a recall. The Evoque is their new flagship product, so this tells you what kind of buyer they are aiming for and where there support is concentrated. If I bought another, it would have to be a pre-OBD2 D1 with another motor swapped in.