I want a land rover but....

wake

New member
Ok, I have a 4runner, ford e350 that's for sale, but I have always been interested in a LR. What scared me is the engine issues.
So without going through numerous forums looking for answers I hope someone will give the details of why I should buy a used LR. Oh I have a Volvo too that my wife drives.
The LR would be used on graveled forest service roads for off road use at the most. I have been planning a trip to Alaska but had to put it on the backburner for a couple more years. So address me on the following please.
1. Would you buy one with a engine that needs rebuilt or replacing? An estimate to repair would be nice too!!
2. Buy one with a engine already rebuilt or replaced?
3. Buy one with real service records?
I love this site and really do appreciate any feedback and answers and I do enjoy constructive criticism.
thanks in advance.
 

ArmyRover

Adventurer
1. Yes I would, but I'm mechanically inclined. An estimate depends on if you will be doing the work yourself or taking it to a shop.
2. Unless, I knew exactly what was done and by who I'm less inclined to go this route
3. A good service history goes a long way to giving that warm fuzzy feeling. You still need to do your due diligence though and if your not not mechanically inclined then have a pre-purchase inspection done at a reputable shop.

Oh and what the guy above me said
 

David Harris

Expedition Leader
Second everything said above, but I wouldn't buy a Rover without taking into account a head gasket job, unless I could verify that it had been done recently. Even then, a head gasket job is no guarantee that the engine doesn't have, or won't develop a slipped liner or cracked block sooner or later. I have two Rover engines sitting in my shop now with cracks behind a liner. I'll eventually send them out to have them top hatted, which should cure this forever. Then I'll rebuild them. The 4.6 is going in my D2 and the 4.0 will go in my Range Rover Classic. The great thing about Rovers is that you can buy them really cheap and then put the money saved into maintenance and rebuilding. When you're all said and done, it won't be less expensive than a newer model or different make, i.e. Toyota, but will be fully maintained and ready to go, whereas the others will still need more preventive maintenance on top of their higher buy-in price.

So to go back to your question, I would personally rather buy one really cheap that needed engine work and just rebuild the whole motor the right way with top hat liners while I'm at it, rather than constantly pulling it apart for more work. Case in point, I recently bought a very nice '99 D2 with what turned out to be a blown motor for 1300.00. When I finish the rebuild on the 4.6 I am putting in, I'll have a better than new truck for 6000.00. Much better than buying a running D2 for that money only to have the motor go on top of the higher price.

David
 
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pacopico

New member
If you are scared of engine issues (or you are not a mechanic type)...don't buy one.

If you are a mechanic, go ahead and buy one...they are easy to repair.

I bought a clean, high miles DI for cheap and drove 20k miles until the hg blew. Then I swapped in a 4.6 with low miles, and the top end rebuilt myself (new hg, skimmed heads, new timing chain, rockers, etc) for $2k total.

Overall into it less than a similar mileage 80 series cruiser, and with a "fresher" engine.

I could have rebuilt the 4.0 for +/- $3500 if I desired.

If you succumb to the sickness get a RRC/DI as they are the most basic to repair (less integrated electronic systems)
 

reds12t

Observer
I wanted to take the simple route and bought a high mileage DII that met points 2 and 3. Stacks of service records, and an HG and bearing job job done within the last 50k. It then proceeded to blow a head gasket within the first 1000 miles of ownership. I put faith in those service records, but upon diving into the project I found the quality of work that had been performed wasn't that great. In hindsight I should have went with one that needed a HG job and was in good shape otherwise, I could have saved some money.

As far as an estimate, I did a complete upgrade and overhaul on mine. Aside from some sensors and electronics, I replaced just about everything. All new rubber, head studs, cam, 4.6L upgrade, rebuilt ps pump, HD fan clutch, HD engine mounts, rebuilt oil pump, new hardware, the list goes on. Only thing I didn't do was top hat liners, I felt the expesne wasnt worth it since slipped liners aren't incredibly common. Part of me wishes I did for the added security, so I recommend looking into it for yourself. I exceeded the cost of my $3900 truck on the engine build, but I feel secure in knowing that I have a reliable and powerful engine that will give me years of service(knock on wood). And, with the exception of a crankshaft position sensor, has proved to be reliable enough to commute 70 miles a day in Seattle rush hour.

On the other end of the spectrum, my brother is doing a basic HG job on his DII right now, head studs, seal kit, new hoses and belt, should come in under $700 and provide years of reliable service.
 

I Leak Oil

Expedition Leader
You buy and drive a rover because you like them and want to. If you try to convince yourself that you're doing it for any other reason you will be disappointed. Keep researching as you've been doing and go into one eyes WIDE open. They aren't that bad...
 

wake

New member
actually i like the range rover model the best. Is it basically the same engine found in the discoveries??
thanks again I appriciate all the replies.
 

Scott Brady

Founder
Ok, I have a 4runner

Owning an older Land Rover is kind of like playing golf. Once in a while, everything works perfect and the result it complete magic. The rest of the time you spend frustrated, throwing things, spending tons of money and drinking beer.
 

David Harris

Expedition Leader
Owning an older Land Rover is kind of like playing golf. Once in a while, everything works perfect and the result it complete magic. The rest of the time you spend frustrated, throwing things, spending tons of money and drinking beer.

Honestly, people say older Rovers break down all the time, but this is partially perception and outright myth in my opinion, having owned several now. I haven't had much experience with the D2 since I just bought it broken and haven't fixed it yet, but my two D1's and the RRC have all been reliable except for basic maintenance like hoses, brakes, exhaust, etc, which you would have to do on any older truck. The only actual breakdowns I have had were when the fuel pump went on all three, and the transmission on the RRC lost reverse. These were all 15-20 year old trucks with the original fuel pumps and failed at anywhere from 130-160,000 miles. Other than that, they have always gotten me there, several cross country trips included. So, I cant really say that my Rover experience backs up the general pronouncement that they are unreliable.

I know you have had a failed fuel pump on your D1, Scott, but what other breakdowns have you had?

David
 

Scott Brady

Founder
Honestly, people say older Rovers break down all the time, but this is partially perception and outright myth in my opinion, having owned several now.

They do have issues all the time, although usually small and admittedly rarely leave you stranded. We have tons of Rovers and love them all, but I am eyes-wide-open to their shortcomings. He have a Defender currently without a heater, RRC classic that just ate a fuel pump and then ate the relay, and then just killed the ABS pump, and this was all without leaving the parking lot! My Disco ate a fuel pump (its second since new) then a water pump at 85,000 miles. Window regulators with regularity. Then the calamity that was Ralph the Series IIa. I had a Discovery II that was such a lemon I was afraid to take it to the grocery store. In only 18,000 miles we had it to the dealership eight times for major failures. This picture is the printout of service done to that one truck in 1.5 years.
Disco_II.jpg

In contrast, I drove a 1977 FJ40 for six years from 1998 to 2003 and never had a single failure, and all on a 30 year old truck with 170,000 miles.

It is completely possible to make an old Land Rover reliable, but it takes some serious work and investment. I absolutely love my little Discovery, but I am incredibly anal about predictive and preventative maintenance, spending thousands each year staying ahead of known failure modes.

I just believe it is really important to buy an older Rover with full knowledge of their limitations and that you must invest time and money in their reliability. They are fantastic vehicles and such a pleasure to drive, and they were built for the stuff we love doing. I believe it is worth the effort.

Having said all this, the newer Land Rovers are really, really good and quite reliable. I have a MKIII Range Rover with 60,000 miles on it and NOTHING has gone wrong - a perfect car.
 

ZG

Busy Fly Fishing
hahaha that print out is great... you find out how much you've spent in ounces of gold
 

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