Looking at Discovery 2's...what should I be prepared for??

[Jamooche]

A DII is best with only minor modification. If it comes to the point that a totally different engine and axles are needed then its really time for a different base vehicle.

Only in North America do guys overbuild DII's. everywhere else if you want a serious LR you build a Defender or chop up an old Rangie/Disco I into a bobtail or trayback.

Great statement. I totally agree. 32s, mild lift, some protection, a winch, and lockers can get you most places.

 

[superbuickguy]

You can't play the brand new JK Rubicon +' bolt on's R us' card and then claim you can build a rock'in DII for peanuts out of the junkyard as the same costs can equally apply to either vehicle. I could build a JK out the boneyard or a DII out of a catalogue. The main cost difference is the newest DII is ten years old and the JK is still a current model.

A DII is best with only minor modification. If it comes to the point that a totally different engine and axles are needed then its really time for a different base vehicle.

Only in North America do guys overbuild DII's. everywhere else if you want a serious LR you build a Defender or chop up an old Rangie/Disco I into a bobtail or trayback.

If you can keep it light you don't need an uber powerful engine and indestructible axles.







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Anything earlier in Jeep than JK, and you have to do the same modifications - problem is, if you like creature comforts (like A/C) and hate death-wobble that you have to re-engineer the entire vehicle. Start with the base material you like, anything can be built.

It's hard to generalize about need - if you're in the bottomless mud of the south, or the rocks of the west overbuilding is required because it's a long walk home if you don't build it right. Lighter is better to a point, but if lighter was always better we'd be driving scaffolding (aka tube buggies) 4x4s everywhere.

And I'd start a war with England to get a D90.... just sayin' :bike_rider:

 

[pugslyyy]

It's hard to generalize about need - if you're in the bottomless mud of the south, or the rocks of the west overbuilding is required because it's a long walk home if you don't build it right. Lighter is better to a point, but if lighter was always better we'd be driving scaffolding (aka tube buggies) 4x4s everywhere.

Heh - that made me laugh. I remember riding with a friend in his tube buggy having a great time. I actually remember thinking "one of these would be fun"... and then it started to rain and I hopped back in Range Rover.

 

[Christophe Noel]

I'll just toss my personal experience into the mix. These vehicles are RIFE with problems and anyone who says otherwise is flat out dishonest or delusional. My 2002, possibly the worst financial decision of my life, was the worst year for the DII as it didn't have a center locking diff. In the five short years I owned it, I endured the following:

- Blown head gasket $1500
- failed water pump $600
- leaking steering pump $550
- Right Rear wheel speed sensor failed $250
- Right Front wheel speed sensor failed $250
- Mass Air Flow sensor failed $400
- ABS module failed $1800 (smoking good deal)
- Window regulator $175
- Driver's seat motor failed $250

On top of this, I replaced the brakes at 34,000 miles because the OEM brakes sucked. I replaced the 18" wheels with 16" wheels. My headliner started to sag at year 6 of its new purchase date.

It's simply not adequate advice for anyone to tell you to simply stay ahead of the required maintenance of these vehicles. I am a loving steward of all of my things, but there was no possible way to avoid all of the failings on my DII without simply rebuilding the damn thing from the get go.

Loved the vehicle. Would never buy another one in a million years. By the way, every repair I suffered was really nothing unusual for the vehicle. Mine was just unique in the fact it suffered nearly every common failure.


.....oops....almost forgot:

- Replaced both drive shafts $750

 

[pugslyyy]

I'll just toss my personal experience into the mix. These vehicles are RIFE with problems and anyone who says otherwise is flat out dishonest or delusional. My 2002, possibly the worst financial decision of my life, was the worst year for the DII as it didn't have a center locking diff. In the five short years I owned it, I endured the following:

- Blown head gasket $1500
- failed water pump $600
- leaking steering pump $550
- Right Rear wheel speed sensor failed $250
- Right Front wheel speed sensor failed $250
- Mass Air Flow sensor failed $400
- ABS module failed $1800 (smoking good deal)
- Window electronics $175
- Driver's seat motor failed $250

On top of this, I replaced the brakes at 34,000 miles because the OEM brakes sucked. I replaced the 18" wheels with 16" wheels. My headliner started to sag at year 6 of its new purchase date.

It's simply not adequate advice for anyone to tell you to simply stay ahead of the required maintenance of these vehicles. I am a loving steward of all of my things, but there was no possible way to avoid all of the failings on my DII without simply rebuilding the damn thing from the get go.

Loved the vehicle. Would never buy another one in a million years. By the way, every repair I suffered was really nothing unusual for the vehicle. Mine was just unique in the fact it suffered nearly every common failure.

Wow, hopefully you used up all the bad luck you had stored up on that one.

I agree that the '02 was not the best year - but your truck must have been the first one they built on the Monday morning after a bank holiday weekend.

 

[Christophe Noel]

Wow, hopefully you used up all the bad luck you had stored up on that one.

I agree that the '02 was not the best year - but your truck must have been the first one they built on the Monday morning after a bank holiday weekend.

No kidding. I would have thought mine was just a poorly treated lease, but it actually came with a host of maintenance records. The previous owner did car for the vehicle very well as best I could tell. I bought it for $11,000 in '05. Put at least $5,000 in it to keep it going. Sold it for $4,000 because it had warning lights galore indicating another round of cash infusions. When I sold it, I even told the new owner, "this truck is going to bleed you dry." He thought he had scored the deal of a lifetime. A fool and his money.....

 

[superbuickguy]

No kidding. I would have thought mine was just a poorly treated lease, but it actually came with a host of maintenance records. The previous owner did car for the vehicle very well as best I could tell. I bought it for $11,000 in '05. Put at least $5,000 in it to keep it going. Sold it for $4,000 because it had warning lights galore indicating another round of cash infusions. When I sold it, I even told the new owner, "this truck is going to bleed you dry." He thought he had scored the deal of a lifetime. A fool and his money.....

good list for the uninformed - it's also why I bought my 2000 D2 for $1,500. the guy loved the LR, but just as he tried to sell it the three amigos popped up, then he started smelling anti-freeze... He was unhappy with my offer, and sadly for him, the motor didn't have a blown head gasket or bad water pump - simply a leaking intake manifold gasket (simply...lol, it's a pain to change). Though, I took a couple chances - most notable - buying a used ABS module for $125 delivered that worked as mother Land Rover intended. I also am fixing the motor issues with a diesel - and selling the old motor to someone with that laundry list of problems for decent money.

 

[XJLI]

DI > DII

more parts, cheaper parts, less to break.

 

[roverandom]

I agree you need to be pretty hardcore to wheel a buggy in bad weather and if you are going to beat on your rig then you will need to substantially upgrade the vital parts, but no mass produced vehicle is up to that.

All I'm saying is if you need huge axles and powerful V8 then starting with a DII is not the way to go. You can run into the law of diminishing returns pretty fast when building a dedicated trail rig. Especially when you start with a vehicle that has none of the needed HD parts.

It's your own government that's to blame for your lack of a utility LR. Apparently Defenders are far too unsafe for Americans???


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[roverandom]

I'll just toss my personal experience into the mix. These vehicles are RIFE with problems and anyone who says otherwise is flat out dishonest or delusional. My 2002, possibly the worst financial decision of my life, was the worst year for the DII as it didn't have a center locking diff. In the five short years I owned it, I endured the following:

- Blown head gasket $1500
- failed water pump $600
- leaking steering pump $550
- Right Rear wheel speed sensor failed $250
- Right Front wheel speed sensor failed $250
- Mass Air Flow sensor failed $400
- ABS module failed $1800 (smoking good deal)
- Window regulator $175
- Driver's seat motor failed $250

On top of this, I replaced the brakes at 34,000 miles because the OEM brakes sucked. I replaced the 18" wheels with 16" wheels. My headliner started to sag at year 6 of its new purchase date.

It's simply not adequate advice for anyone to tell you to simply stay ahead of the required maintenance of these vehicles. I am a loving steward of all of my things, but there was no possible way to avoid all of the failings on my DII without simply rebuilding the damn thing from the get go.

Loved the vehicle. Would never buy another one in a million years. By the way, every repair I suffered was really nothing unusual for the vehicle. Mine was just unique in the fact it suffered nearly every common failure.


.....oops....almost forgot:

- Replaced both drive shafts $750

This is the reason Land Rover dropped the "Discovery" nameplate in North America in favour of the LR3 moniker for the new unit in 2005. Discovery just has too many poor reliability reviews.


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[Christophe Noel]

For me, the deal breaker was a simple trip from Prescott, AZ to Durango, CO. Just days prior to departure my washer fluid pump failed. Then, the infamous Three Amigos lights came on. I didn't have the confidence to drive that pile of crap a mere 400 miles on pavement. This being a nine year old Rover with under 80,000 miles on it. I didn't think it would make it, even after spending THOUSANDS of dollars on repairs and maintenance.

By contrast, I drove THIS pile of crap from AZ to AK to Mexico on one singular 30,000 mile trip with not ONE mechanical issue outside of a worn CV joint. The world's ugliest, junkiest, $3,000 Ford Explorer proved far more reliable than a DII that sold for a criminal $48,000 and within ten years had a value of NEGATIVE, $2700.

 

[cnutco]

Look at the Mitsubishi Montero too! Great price and very reliable. These will do all you are looking for and much more as is stock.

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[roverandom]

I had a 1993 Isuzu Trooper once, without a doubt it was the best made vehicle I've ever owned or worked on. I wish I could say LR's of the same vintage were half as well put together.


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[Daryl]

Be prepared for a new engine. My 2003 had an entire engine replacement at under 20K miles. I didn't even have to argue with Land Rover because they had done it so often with other customers. Went to Land Cruiser after... 90K and not a single problem since.

You do realize you didn't have to argue because there was a recall due to improper block machining for the oil pump dowels in 2003, right?

I'm not saying the other years around '03 were problem free - far from it. But what you are describing is an actual recall campaign from a VIN range in a single year.

 

[da10A]

Drove jeeps for 20 years. Fell in love with Discoveries in the mid90s and got a 2000 Series 2 in 2006. Low mileage (45000 miles), special edition the vehicle that to this date, I was the proudest to drive for it made me feel like a thousand bucks.

However, radiator, all 5 door actuators, cv joints, damn rear air suspension(bags and pump), sunroofs, head gaskets twice!!!! Etc... Etc....Man after 4 years and $9000.00, I just couldn't take it anymore. And except for the head gaskets, I did it all myself.

Just when I thought that I was done since I practically rebuilt the thing from bumper to bumper, things that had been fixed 2-3 years before would start breaking again.... So it had to go.

As proud as it made me feel, I found myself anxious behind the wheel all the time, since I was wondering what would be next to break.

I had done all my research and chose the vehicle carefully, knowing all about LR Discos reputation. I foolishly hoped to be the exception to the rule, but was darn wrong.

Sold it in 2010. Nowadays, I drive a Jeep JKU Rubicon 10th anniversary. Cost lotsa money, but Rovers thought me a few things. Some dreams should remain dreams, and peace of mind is priceless.