Is the Land Rover Discovery a Terrible Used Vehicle?

[@roverron7509]

Your LanRover specialist is screwing you because he knows that your preconceived notion that these cars are money pits don’t fall for it. The discovery 2 was one of the easiest vehicles to work on parts such as seals filters gaskets and other consumables are relatively inexpensive.

[@fernandoontiveros1677]

I agree. I did the head gasket and the brake issue. The only thing that I need is to fix the "3 amigos" symptom.

[@Phantom-darkness]

Yeah I’ve ripped down my entire rover engine recently. Head gaskets, front cover etc etc etc. Parts are cheap! Easy to work on.

[@jerroldshelton9367]

@Rover Ron: Frankly, I'm glad the things have a reputation for being money-pits. This is one of the reasons why they are so cheap on the second-hand market. I know at least a dozen people who own either the Range Rover Classic, a Discovery, or a Discovery II, and most have owned their vehicles from new. They don't seem to me to be any less reliable in the here and now than any other 15 to 30-something year old vehicle. The stuff that you actually need to work in order to get to your fly fishing or chukar hunting destination and get home again hasn't failed yet in any Land Rover I've ever gone into the middle of nowhere in or gone into the middle of nowhere with.

[@TempoMontages]

Bought an 02 for $1000 and did the head gasket and it's been solid

[@jerroldshelton9367]

@@TempoMontages That's the kind of deal I am looking for but I am kind of stuck on the 2004 model year because I want the ability to lock the center differential from the cabin.

[@silverfox4113]

Discovery 2 is pretty reliable and solid, especially the TD5 engine versions they are pretty much bullet proof. Like anything you have to keep the maintenance up.

[@bigjml]

Its a bit boring watching all the Land Rover bashing videos. When its fairly obvious the issue is your "Specialist" screwing you over. And you going along with it for views.

[@rvrnnr987]

I loved my Discos, and the 2004 was the best ever. I fixed the Three Amigos for $800, and that was the only thing that ever went bad on it in 6 years. There are a lot of vehicles that will need head gaskets at around 100k. And there are a lot of vehicles that will need a new window regulator, etc... at 145k or so. The problem with Rover is not that they break down, it is that people don't take care of them. They DO NEED proactive ownership. You can't take them for granted, but you can make them last forever. A few things: Running the premium fuel will improve your MPG and keep your engine temps a bit lower. 220 on the Scangauge (I had one too) is OK for that engine. If you see it consistently going above 220 while driving, you may need to do some work on the coolant system. If you go above 220, and it isn't coming down, you might need to turn off the AC and roll with the heat on to make sure you don't get hotter. But 220 is not too hot. Also, when you get the fault in the Three Amigos, this does not always mean something is broken. You might still have TC/ABS/HDC, it's just that the computer saw something happen that it couldn't account for -- a dirty sensor? A spinning wheel without it knowing why? You are also asking a lot of that engine with the low octane fuel, the big tires, and the high altitude. It simply will be slower.

[@brackipas]

I had a 105 series LC with live axles following me on a corrugated dirt road. My '96 Defender was comfortable doing 90km/he. I lost him and pulled over for him to catch up. He came around a bend after waiting for him for at least 5 mins. His headlight broke from its mount and was hanging by the wiring. Toyota has its issues as well. I know of some real horror stories about them over the last 25 years of offloading. Each to their own preference but usually the knockers have never owned the vehicle they put down. I'd say it was mostly due to jealousy.

[@YBWhooby]

I loved my 2003 Disco, but it was a shop queen for sure. "If there ain't any oil under 'em there ain't any oil in 'em" (Tow Mater)

[@Black70Fastback]

he said you NEED head gaskets. doesn't leak. doesn't smoke doesn't overheat... I used to be a mechanic. I couldn't, in good faith anyways, compete with these crooks. PS transfer leaks but otherwise works fine? "yeah, that will need a complete rebuild."

[@arbit3r]

Tbh if your taking the pain of removing the transfer case to repair a leak you might aswell rebuild it.

[@Black70Fastback]

@@arbit3r although it really depends on whats leaking. some repairs could be made with it in place but we are not privy to that information.

[@hedydd2]

@@arbit3r Why rebuild something that works fine and will probably still work fine for another 100,000 miles? If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[@arbit3r]

Well you could do that. You could also wait another 100,000 miles to change the timing belt and see how that goes. Depends how much you care about the vehicle and how dependent you are on it I suppose.

[@hedydd2]

@@arbit3r The Rover V8 does not have a timing belt but if it did, its replacement would be a part of routine maintenance. I change my Land Cruiser diesel's timing belt every 60,000 miles even though it is rated for over 100,000 miles. It had its third timing belt around 20,000 miles ago, which will see it through to being scrapped.

[@bjornr9801]

My local land rover dude was charging 2500 to change head gaskets so I just spent 200 and changed them myself

[@Ivan-od7bp]

How has ur rover held up looking to buy an 03 tomorrow ! So excited

[@alexdalton6215]

@@Ivan-od7bp how’s it going? I have an 03 and i love mine

[@Ivan-od7bp]

I love mine man put a 2 inch lift some wheels and tires I've been off roading so much it hasn't let me down glad I got it

[@ryandunne7558]

i dont understand why you would do headgaskets when there are currently no issues with them .... thats just silly

[@edinreviews]

I live in Scotland and have a TD5. Performance is leisurely, but economy is far better than the V8. The comfort and seating position are great, plus the two fold out rear seats give added practicality. Maybe a Land Cruiser would be more sensible, but sensible isn’t alway more fun👌🏻

[@Joe-rx7ht]

Why Land Rover? Because terrorists drive Toyota. 🖕

[@danieltubbs5422]

LandCruisers are just better.

[@danieltubbs5422]

@@Joe-rx7ht They value reliability in an unreliable world.

[@edinreviews]

Daniel Tubbs reliable doesn’t mean better. If it did we’d all be driving Corollas or Kias

[@danieltubbs5422]

@@edinreviews Absolutely true, but winding up Rover guys is good fun. Toyota and Land Rover took the Jeep formula and made it awesome better and gave it more personality. I would love to own a Land Rover but I would have to sell one of my LandCruisers and that will never happen.

[@TheDaltonmichaels]

put an aftermarket thermostat in with a lower opening temp , like a 180 or maybe a 160 degree thermostat , i would imagine it would help prevent head gasket failure as well as the overheating issues , especially in the summer.

[@llrick4244]

That engine's head gasket issue is caused by the mechanical design, considering it is a weak design even in the already weak open deck category, the vibration of the cylinder would kill the head gasket eventually no matter what just like a subaru boxer engine.

[@graemedernbach8090]

Hi ya,Just to weigh in a little,I have a 2000 disco TD5.Sorted out a lot of the usual issues.ie A>B>S module,air suspension delete,head gasket.I want to tell everyone that I thrash this truck every day that I drive it.It has proved to take it and some,i also do all my own repairs and try to remove any complicated electronic where possible and replace with a manual switching.I,m prepping the truck to cross the Alps along the old Roman road soon.

[@malcolmyoung7866]

Good man, Graeme...

[@Armandinho8]

X2

[@hartzland7658]

Why didn't you buy something without all that electrical shit on it? Oh yeah you don't get 70 series Crusiers over there. Good luck anyway.

[@hartzland7658]

@morton christie Full coil conversation is fantastic & bullet proof, thanks for your concern.

[@hartzland7658]

@morton christie You have no idea what I paid for my vehicle as I bought it used. As for improving it, thats my choice, unlike many who drive inferior, unreliable designs that are endless money pits to just keep them going. Probably much like what you drive! If you are old enough to do so. Now go & do your homework.

[@BuckeyeMCS]

seating position!!! Yes! favorite part of my D2 as well

[@Shamrockjason]

I've owned two of these vehicles and to be honest with you I had no trouble out of either one of them... of course I only own them for about 6 months at a time each. The shape of these are timeless, the design aspects are functional, the interior is comfortable, the ride comfortable, if only it had a straight front axle and a decent motor and trans it would be the ideal off-road vehicle.

[@connalmurray-cassel8716]

You dont buy a 5k offroader and expect not to work on it. Stop blasting expenses its old news. 8k for transfer rebuild and head gaskets yeah right. Was excited when you guys bought this car expecting you to cut the bs but obviously not. I love the constant use of old british vehicles like a 20 year old jeep doesnt have issues. Instead of spending 2.5k on a bumber high lift jack etc spend 2.5k on getting it mechanically sound then do your review. If you cant do the work yourself once again im unsure why youd buy a 15 yo car?

[@dontmesswiththeman]

Don’t go to a rip-off “specialist” mechanic that is used to working on Jags and Range Rovers for stuck up yuppies. Learn to do the work yourself and do proper diagnostics-they’re actually extremely simple vehicles.

[@tygajob7936]

My 1999 discovery 2 works perfectly and its a monster in off road

[@jerroldshelton9367]

tyga job: Yeah? I have no doubt that your '99 is a "monster in off-road." I can even believe the "works perfectly" part, too. But why bring this up here and screw things up for the rest of us that DON'T have a Discovery or Discovery II of our own yet? If you keep posting stuff like this, you might adversely impact the dirt cheap prices these things can be had for. ;)

[@tygajob7936]

Jerrold Shelton your comment is irrelevant, I am publishing what I personally think about my discovery. just for people to see that I like it. not for someone ignorant like you to comment on something that does not make sense. and yes, it cost me $ 800, which is too good for my first car.

[@jerroldshelton9367]

@@tygajob7936 I apologize if I offended you. That was NOT my intent. I think you misunderstood what I was getting at, but that's my problem as the communicator, not yours. I'm GLAD you seem to like your Discovery and frankly, I am envious because you've got something I've wanted for a long time now. What I was meaning to allude to is that their reputation for being unreliable, which I don't personally believe to be entirely fair, is what helps keep them affordable for guys like me who are in the market to buy one. That's all.... Note the ;) I know at least a dozen people who between them own classic Range Rover, Discovery, and Discovery II models. Most have owned their vehicles from new. They all love them . Having had the opportunity to drive many of them off-pavement on demanding trails, I like to think I understand why they like their Land Rover vehicles so much and I know why I want one and have for a long time now. I hope you enjoy your 1999 for years to come. I'm sure I would if it were mine.

[@steverogers9664]

@@tygajob7936 ha ha you totally missed his joke!!! He was alluding to Land Rovers are cheap because people think they're crap but they're not so we are able to get them cheap because people are afraid they're going to have to repair them. And by you saying yours is reliable you're driving up the price haha it was a very clever joke actually.

[@eliaspadilla876]

tyga job , also has a monster appetite for fuel !

[@jsmith469]

If you really loved your land rover, you would take care of that gasket problem. P.S. Stop commenting on how unreliable Land Rovers are......just enjoy owning one!!

[@zaccarmo5464]

British Atlantic has been my go to with my 2001 disco. They are hands down the best. With their help I replace my head gaskets myself and upgraded to studs instead of head bolts for only $500. Shipping is always fast and there isn't a question they can't answer.

[@AusMiner]

Didn't realize you couldn't get the tD5 in the States. Mine was a tD5 with a 5 speed manual box and coil springs only in the arse. The tD5 was far more common in Australia, though most of them were auto's with the airbags in the rear end. A great vehicle with a little bit of basic maintenance and servicing. Yes - they do have a few well known faults, but these are easily avoided if you know about them and take some simple precautionary measures. I sold mine a few years ago - the current owner is a friend of mine who still uses it as his daily driver in a building construction role. I replaced it with a diesel Discovery 4, which I still have. The 80 Series land Cruiser is by far a better vehicle than the 100 Series (I have had both). Unfortunately everything over your way seems to be petrol engined, whereas in Australia, large 4WD's are mostly diesel - a far better option. But I would still take a decent Discovery 2 over an 80 Series Toyota any day of the week.

[@BrentMB79]

We can't get any TD engines in the states

[@NikolajHansen]

1. Do you have any visible leaks? 2. Do you have water in the oil? 3. Do you have oil in the water? 4. Do a compression test. If all is no then your gaskets are fine. Used to have a d1. Basically same engine. It is perhaps the most bulletproof v8 ever made. Problems with the discos are the electrics and the air suspension. Especially the spider immobilizer unit drove me up the wall.

[@jamessanders6788]

That head gasket is the first thing you should have fixed if it was TRULY gone. I call B.S. on the mechanic saying the head gasket is gone.

[@Mmuriuki353j]

My 2001 TD5 D2 has been a wonderful car, with regular maintenance the only components that failed were the oil cooler and the propeller cv joints . This is after 17 years of ownership

[@chijen2010]

Weighs it down with metal bumpers and all sorts of heavy junk and then complains the 4.6 V8 is too slow. I have the base ‘03 S version (the lightest one by far) and it accelerates just fine. My others cars are a Porsche 911 and Ferrari Cali, so I do know what acceptable acceleration is.

[@technom3598]

Ummm... It's the friggin altitude.

[@williamegler8771]

Not talking about this truck in particular but why do people who purchase vehicles where premium fuel is recommended complain about the expense? Does the few dollars extra each fill up really crimp your budget that much....

[@davidweaber]

Saw it at the Denver Airport last week. It looked fine! Miss my D1. I bought it cheap and it was great. Moved on to an LR3 and it is equally good. Just an air compressor and a replacement of a plastic bit in the up cooling system.

[@brandonm6117]

Hey TFL, I would suggest trying AT-205 fluid. Its a stop-leak for oil systems. Ive used it about 10 times on different vehicles and it always works great. It refurbishes the seals and swells them back to normal on small leakes, and slows down major leaks. Its around $10 on Amazon. You guyz can do a video about it, and send people to to your affiliate link to buy it. I would try it on your transfer case, engine and trans, also it will do power steering.

[@grahameroberts8109]

Unreliable? How many times was that word spoken? You bought it for $5k. If you had bought a new car, the bank owns it and you still have to put fuel in. With the V8, what you save in purchase dollars pays for the extra fuel. Do the maths. EVERY vehicle becomes unreliable without proper maintenance. It’s time you stopped perpetuating the myth!

[@empirecases4128]

Nonsense, I have had 2 Discovery's from new and neither the 1996 discovery 1 or the 2002 discovery 2 had any reliability issues. I had a failed crank positioning failure at 170,000, a fan clutch get noisy at 190,000. I changed the oil once a year and changed diff oil every 3 years. Replaced the rotors with crossed drilled rotor at 175000 , and recently changed the water reserve because it cracked. 200,000 now and going strong. All considered it is in a lot better shape than other vehicles the same age.

[@davehoward6573]

Why is such a large engine so slow ? The Defender 110 with Td5 Engine pulls a 3 ton trailer at over 80 mph all day easily.

[@KLRCoop]

long after you stop calling your Disco 2 unreliable you will learn to actually think for yourself. While not a rocket ship they are easy to work on, plentiful parts, and after the first set of Head gaskets done right you will not have to do it again. To be honest yours might already have been done and you just dont know it.. In conclusion, nothing is like owning a Land Rover! good and bad.

[@nautilus1872]

Only thing wrong with this Discovery is the loose nut behind the wheel.

[@frednard1924]

So it’s either the absolute best asset you own, or absolute worst decision ever? I lost interest after that

[@DavidPruitt]

Just an FYI, Land Rover isn't the only one that does this with temp gauges. Most modern vehicles have temp gauges with this behavior. I've checked on few different cars and in most cases the gauge is in the middle over a huge range. It starts reading at about 130 and reaches the middle around 160. And once it hits the middle it sticks there from around 150 to around 250. If you think you're overheating you need a scan tool because the gauge is lying to you.

[@Dr.TJ_Eckleburg]

Yep. I have a Disco 2 and figured this out recently. When I first got it I was impressed that it held such a perfect temperature. I took the truck into a mechanic for a checkup and told him he didn't have to look at the cooling system because the gauge never really went past the middle mark, and he told me about how the gauge isn't really telling the whole story. Oops. Luckily things were still fine, but I'm glad I found out sooner rather than later. It does make me appreciate my old Mercedes though, with a temp gauge that gives extremely precise readings.

[@jr15wa]

Toyota LC is better in only 1 way..Resale!! Owned a 2005 Toyota LCruiser IFS 4.7ltr petrol..22ltrs/100km and made my kids puke if we drove for more than an hour..really bad geometry rear axle setup..(oh an under slung rear tyre cops puntures) Sold it in 2009, bought and still have 2ndhd 2003 Disco 2 Td5, 265000km and counting..

[@MarcinWojtczuk]

What about puking now in disco? Thats importand point to me.

[@spartanchirho]

It's a labor of love bro!! I still have and love my 2003 but it's no longer my DD. I can tell you love it too. The lift really slows it down and won't tow worth a crap, and mine is only a 2"lift. I wonder if it is high heat of the engine is what wears out the head gaskets so fast. Your analysis is exactly how I would describe mine that I've had for over 10 years. Wish you guys had been doing this when I lived there. Coulda had a lot of fun.

[@Predator27007]

$7500 for a 14 y.o 140k truck. Let's see. Go and spec a new/newer Jeep/Gwagon/Toyonissalexus with jacked springs, fancy winch, 7 seats, leather, a/c proper hi/lo range etc. Tell me the price. I have owned RR Classic 3.5 (no faults), RR 4.6 Vogue (no faults), Disco 300tdi (one transmission problem plus a few light bulbs) two Disco 300 V8 3.9 autos (bulbs, a few oil leaks and a window seal leak) Total of 400k miles driven. Just putting a different perspective. All trucks worked hard, in/off road, towing etc. Current '96 Disco bought for €2000. Rust free, a few oil leaks fixed, new springs/shocks. Came with full history, rear roof ladder, twin power sunhatches, "walnut trim" etc...all OEM options. Was fine, but I have fitted 4.6 Rpi tuned motor and 4.75 diffs, cos I wanted to. 22 y.o old truck, goes like a beast. Still get all the spares,so eternally repairable. Back to cost...here in England, 2013 Landcruiser 4.5 V8tdi, 50k miles with the entire ARB catalogue glued on..£55,k/$70k Gwagon, 2009, 5.5V8 AMG, lifted on big rubber, £72k 100k+miles. No warranty, but big costs if they go BOOM. Just a thought.....

[@ajkania36]

While watching this video I couldn't help but answer the call when I heard the ludicrous repair bills and such. But then I realized he is doing us Rover guys a service. While all our friends will use this video as a way to prove that our cars are inferior, regardless of how many times we have pulled them off the trails. Anyone who is looking to buy these cars will stay away, and let's be honest we are running out of good examples of these car. If people keep thinking they are money pits, that leaves plenty of cheap fish in the sea for us to choose from in the years to come!

[@lanj66]

3amigos check and keep Dry the harness Connector located under the coolant reservoir. You will need to lift the coolant tank to reach it. If the connector. Gets wet or corroded will trigger the 3amigos randomly. Also a bad wheel bearing. Mean a bearing with a minimum play will trigger that randomly.

[@amolinari9]

Sorry for so many separate comments. How rough was the fuel economy? My TD5 gets 20 mpg avg. which is poor for UK standards but after living in FL for over a decade I consider it awesome lol.

[@rsharney1111]

i bought a 300$ 2001 disco2, with 200k on the clock,it sat for a year in the Vegas sun and the PO hated maintenance. it is a fun build, turns out after injectors plugs, wires (290$) it wasn't close to tired or "blown" as everyone thought. About $5k overall in: Tf 3in lift(520), 32"tires/rims(800), crower 229 cam(250), timing chain kit(110), oil pump(100), O2 sensors(80) seals and gaskets[trans,motor, tcase](130), cats(500), rotors(200), shuttle valve(50), abs module(50), trans filter(12), water pump(78), 180deg thermostat(60), viscous fan, Tom woods(380), skid plates(650), hd steering rods(125), hd panhard(89), SS headers(229),TF 3deg radius arms(350). bunch of oils(???), bunch of shipping sooo much shipping(???) master cylinder(125), diy center dif lock switch($12), cps sensor(35), a shot of Freon(19). it has no warning lights and doesn't drip a drop of oil, blows cold air and when i do head gaskets, valves, arp studs and lifters for (800) then shes bullet proof at about 16mpg. for the truck to last this long, under those conditions, it certainly deserved a tune up. i did all the work myself thanks to the RAVE Manual and smoke breaks. im really impressed it doesn't smoke or rattle at all, the trans acts new too. really a great truck

[@snowbaordguru]

Check your throttle cable for slack. Could prevent the throttle body from opening all the way.

[@TheHamish757]

Not sure how a Land Cruiser is better in every way. Your discovery handles far better, quieter, is more comfortable and better off-road. The Land Cruiser is in reality no faster and if it breaks then the only reason anyone might even consider buying one is defunct. Tell this to someone right after they've blown their weak front diff in their 100 series.

[@amacca995]

You comparing Cruiser diffs to Rover diffs? Mate i own a D1 and have gone through quite a few centers. They are not strong at all! One of the weak points of the discos IMO. Axles centers and shafts are all weak and most people upgrade them.

[@hedydd2]

Early Land Cruiser 100 front diffs are quite weak….. in reverse gear. Treat the vehicle with respect in reverse and it will be fine. I've not know reasonably driven Discovery or RR Classic to have a diff problem but 2001 to 2005 Range Rovers with the BMW front diff were notorious for pinion shaft misalignment causing the pinion shaft to shear. Eventually they brought out a modification to sort this issue out but it took them far too long to do so.

[@dieselpower5303]

Well iv had land rovers for 22 years .. and yes land cruiser is by far the better vehicle in every way.. land rover should of been really should of been but it was built by lazy British people and tbh are absolute junk now a days .

[@wsmiller324]

The 98-99 100 series had a weaker 2 pinion front diff. 2000-2007 had a more robust 4 pinion front diff and you'd be hard pressed to find someone who broke one.

[@hedydd2]

@@wsmiller324 Yes, that's correct.

[@rickt.223]

I put a little money into my 2000 D2 SD and I LOVE it. It just turned 80,000 mi and looks and runs fantastic. I bought mine for $6K but the body and interior are exceptional and it had 75K when I got her.. Nice honest video. Thanks.

[@jake1797]

It seems like most of the main problems are things that can be prevented with maintenance. Other things are problems that won’t leave you stranded. If you keep up with the temp. then you can keep them on the road for a long time.

[@Acekg1911]

It's probably accelerating sluggish, because of the lower grade fuel.

[@jacksonlewis4365]

and the 2000lbs of crap on it hurting weight and aerodynamics....

[@famus801]

Derkgphoto ya this guy is an idiot running low grade fuel

[@jcarry5214]

@@jacksonlewis4365 on an already underpowered power plant.

[@technom3598]

It's the altitude fellas

[@eddychap]

i have disco 2004 100% agree with it,leaks everywhere but still for a off road jeep still good even with all the repair .

[@Little_jake94]

I’ve owned a Discovery 2 TD5 facelift for nearly 3 years now it’s got 145k on the clock, I use it every day for towing, traveling round tight country lanes and across muddy fields on the farm. I bought it from the village i’m from for £2,500 stock, it’s had spotlights fitted front & rear, an Egr removal, BFG’s fitted on the original alloys since I’ve owned it. It’s only let me down once in the time I’ve owned it and that was because of a battery that crapped out on me. 40k of miles in and it roughly costs me £500 in maintenance a year, mots, oil changes, welding, tyres, miscellaneous parts and etc. You try and find a vehicle that’s this capable off-road, comfortable to drive long journeys, able to tow 3.5 tons the legal limit in the uk and be this reliable, a base model pickup truck without the luxuries would be a minimum of £380 a month on finance, without my discovery I’d of never of been able to start my business in agricultural sales moving machinery and parts around. Don’t get me wrong the sunroofs leaks, it’ can get rusty, it’s slow but I love it and it’s an extension of me. This truck will always be with me until the day I die, even if it catastrophically breaks it’ll be put in the barn until I can repair it, without this vehicle I wouldn’t be the person I am today.

[@woffordsoverlandjourneys8618]

Your truck is similar to my van needs work but still running strong

[@brodykent876]

I have owned two land rovers here in Colorado, including one of these discoveries. I highly advise staying away from the dealers, especially Land Rover Denver and Land Rover Flatirons! In my experience those two are typically not very honest, and also tend to do sub-par repair work. I started taking my Land Rovers to European Motor Cars in Fort Collins, and have been incredibly pleased. They fix the problem and only the problem, and I have finally broken the cycle of needing repairs to be done again about every 2-3 months with them.

[@pw2806]

Of course it's gonna be $8000+ if you go to a Land Rover specialist. Nothing you have listed there is so expensive to detract from such a great truck. 🙂

[@RandomInternetDog]

I had a Discovery 1 as a daily driver for seven years. It cost me ~$1,500/yr to operate. All work done myself, including head gasket job. Stay the hell away from the 4.6L engine, they're all flawed, ticking time bomb. I wouldn't recommend unless you just like working on Land Rovers.

[@alexdalton6215]

My 4.6 has been great. Driven 3,500 miles so far since I got it and haven’t had any issues with it

[@PillSharks]

You moan about MPGs yet you have a roof rack with the roof tent mounted on top! Then it's the acceleration, you've fitted bigger taller tyres which will gear the vehicle up! Then it's the old rubbish about reliability over the land Cruiser....I think I'm qualified to talk about this as we have owned our 2001 for 18 years and it's been a brilliant car, it's had problems but it's a vehicle! I know people who have owned Toyotas and they have problem just like anything else, massive oil consumption on some engines the D4D has problems with pistons cracking! Just google land cruiser problems and there's pages and pages just like Land Rover or any other car manufacturers! You are driving a vehicle which is 14 years old, things will go wrong after that time and miles but if I were you I'd be seriously thinking about finding another mechanic!! Just one last thing, my mates mother had a jeep Cherokee and it was the biggest money pit she's ever owned!

[@nucl3arfamily906]

True one of my buddies is a Land Cruiser enthusiast and yes, they can have plenty of issues as well. That reliability myth is just a myth. But they are cool none the less. Ive had older Broncos and Ramchargers, neither was any more reliable than the other but people will bag on the Dodge. They are all machines and the build quality on the major players are not miles ahead on any one vehicle over another.

[@Bread996]

He didn't "moan" about it. He said it's not great. Land Rover owners are so touchy!

[@hartzland7658]

@@nucl3arfamily906 Statistics prove which is more reliable & statistics don't favour badges. Toyota wins in every category!! Sorry but thats just the way it is!

[@danebrewer10]

@@Bread996 if you complain about any car marque or model, there are some people who'll lose their shit, there are those who don't

[@Bread996]

danebrewer10 very true. However among the online 4wd community the Land Rover owners are the worst in my experience. Which is why despite owning a Land Rover I avoid the forums.

[@krookdfinra]

i own a disco 1 and its actually fairly easy to work on. there are plenty of resources, certain parts are relatively expensive but if you get the rave manual it will basically tell you how to take the entire truck apart. with 2 guys a decent tool set and some specialized tools, such as a hub socket and fan clutch wrench, just about any mechanics grade kobalt tool set for under 300 bucks will fit just about every bolt on the discovery 1. the disco 2 i heard was more of a hassle to work on. but the discovery 1 honestly if you have the time and tools is pretty straight forward.

[@spencercorey7046]

Head gasket needed? Probably why the previous owner sold it. I bought my 4.0 99 Cherokee sport for 1500$ because the owners were told by a mechanic it needed a head gasket. The only real issue I noted on my long test drive was coolant leaking. Popped the hood saw the rubber hose had a couple cracks and told them I'd buy it right now BUT I didn't think it was the head gasket at all without any sweet smells, milky oil, or loss of coolant or overheating. 9000 miles later and 18$ in hoses later... No signs of head gasket failures and nothing found while changing the oil. You should share the information on this "mechanic".

[@robbennett]

Bought a disco 2 yesterday after looking for a month. Thanks to this video series.

[@ericalbrecht4161]

Great video. This is the last of the Camel Trophy Land Rovers and will always be the classic outlander along with the Defender. Keep up with the PM on these vehicles and they will go several hundred thousand miles. I own a Disco 2 and Disco 3 and do my own maintenance and the parts are relatively cheap and still available. This is one truck I will miss when it is gone.

[@branchclan6112]

I purchased a 2004 D2 in 2022 for $35k. It had 84,000 miles on it, new head gasket and drive shaft. Immaculate interior. New a/t tires, safari rack, led lights, ladder, OEM brush guard, sprayed frame for rust. Chawton white paint. Beautiful! It was maintained well, but I’ve had a heck of a time with the power steering system. Replaced everything including steering gear. All good now. I put on a new water pump, radiator, engine front cover, transfer case seal, pinion seals. I’ve put $10,000 in it - so $45,000 total. I’m fortunate that I can afford it, and have been happy to invest in a vehicle I absolutely love. It’s a journey!

[@josem6929]

@20:55 the moment is here the LC200 is yours. He said it back then.

[@Refriedbeans83]

Head gaskets should last much longer, with this engine (it's been this way since it was a Buick fireball 215 in the 60's) YOU MUST have the heads skimmed and absolutely correctly torqued, same with the oil pan. Ask me how I know.

[@PEGuyMadison]

Just a heads up I purchased a 2002 disco with 145k miles on it for $4500 eight years ago and now it has 200k miles on it, sure it has issues but zero major repairs. I think the head gaskets are ok, but the cylinder sleeves are leaking coolant.. so we just keep an eye on it. For now its a "ranged" vehicle, we only take it within about 350 miles of the house. I have handed it off to our daughter who now has the COOLEST truck in the high school parking lot.. even with all the expensive cars the rich kids bring to school. I have moved on to a 2008 Range Rover HSE, which is just as nice as the disco but maybe a bit too nice and has a better engine with the Jaguar V8. I still love the disco, but good ones are getting hard to find. Have fun!

[@NickyDoyle]

You can tighten the steering easily with a screw on the top of the steering box small turns on the screw. Definitely worth it and easy fix

[@lonelyfarmer]

The old tech push-rod v8 on this Rover develops quite a bit of torque while in the low RPM range. Ideal for off-roading. It is not meant to impress anyone with straight line acceleration.

[@craigdavidson2278]

Have a freelander 1.8 (Europe specifications) as my DD, had all the problems sorted (gasket etc) now a very capable vehicle. Also have a series 2a and a series 3....owning these is like any relationship, it takes commitment, work and compromise.....plus a set of spammers. Owning a land rover is OK if you are a realist....i love them

[@bernardhossmoto]

I had a Freelander 1 as well, great AWD, great seating position, brake and clutch problems. Lots of stuff on the dash not working (clock, AC,...).

[@DAJANEM99]

I have a 2004 Disco II that’s been in hibernation in my garage. The body on mine is in pretty good condition, interior needs a little work with a few trim pieces that need to be replaced as well as two seat belts, go figure. I have a massive exhaust leak at the manifold, I will most likely need head gaskets but I start it often and the motor is strong. I took care of the darn 3 amigos but they are back and I need a new master cylinder and a few others things to bring it back to it’s former glory. I’m pretty sure I was the 2nd owner and I bought it with around 30k miles. I’m debating on fixing it up myself and replacing the small things I can do. I seen a few of these similar to mine but all sorted out selling for over $10k and nice examples selling for close to $20k. I had no idea this truck would ever increase in value. I feel like it would be a waste to sell it cheap without fixing the things that needs to be fixed. Time will tell. I live near Chicago so it’s cold this time of year and I can only stand so much of the kerosene smell from the torpedo.

[@cbasshd6382]

If y'all buy the nanocom it's great to have yes it's like $400 and comes from across the pond. But you can check and see every code and use to check the SLS and the 3 amigos

[@cbasshd6382]

I can't put reg gas I HAVE to put the premium cuz if I put reg gas my D2 will run like shit. But my fuel pump went out so I replace just the pump not the whole thing. I put a chevy 5.7 vortec fuel pump and it does great. If y'all wanna ask me any question feel free to inbox.

[@barje.waffles5461]

Nanocom has been a great investment.

[@steverogers9664]

Or an icarsoft i930 scanner for $119 US!!

[@tonysurface1]

Great video Tommy. I felt like I was in the passenger seat riding with you. Colorado is so beautiful.

[@stuartd8695]

I really enjoyed the good camera work and also enjoyed the chat, it was different, relaxed and the LR Discovery 2 is a good vehicle. Tows superbly, holds the road well, I had a TD5, sold it 7 years ago and it was superb but I was tempted to try Jeep Cherokee 2.8 CRD, well made chassis but terrible handling, tail of the Jeep is always out sliding. Huge regret selling my TD5 Discovery 2, held the road with its all wheel drive. Keep up the good videos, it felt as though I was driving your Discovery 2, well done.

[@C8sorbs]

Your XJ was, and still is, a better buy.

[@thesouringgentleman]

I had one with lockers front and rear with a couple inches of lift. Best off road rig I've ever owned. It cost me $14,000 in repairs, total, and I sold it for $4,000. Still, an incredible vehicle.

[@kingjnr2677]

I have a 1995 2 door land rover discovery 1 300tdi and they are so cheap and reliable with the right upgrades and servicing. Definitely have to be handy with the tools, parts are really cheap even over here in Australia.

[@davep2103]

I spent a couple years in Iceland in the 1970s. The three most common vehicles I saw were the VW beetle, the EMB Ford Bronco and the land rover which littered the countryside. The folks up there at that time seemed to like them because they certainly owned many of them. The old Toyota Land Cruiser was just not a vehicle for snow and cold. A friend owned one but it did not like winter conditions.

[@owenprince4823]

Glass line the inside of the motor now before any problems and it will keep the head gaskets from blowing out. Only liquid glass works do to this. It is not just gunk that you dump in the rad. You must flush with water until no antifreeze is left. Only an the liquid glass to water and let it seal all the gaskets by letting it idle for half and hour. Then drain the water and let it sit over night open to the air to let the liquid glass harden. That will give a thin glass hard coating to protect the head gaskets. Put the antifreeze back in and your good for two or three years. I have done this to cars and trucks that were leaking antifreeze and overheating and it worked every time. It is best to do this with the stat out so do this when you change your thermostat.

[@chrismuffett6683]

I just want to know how big of tires you are running

[@canadiangamer6210]

they looked like 31's to me

[@brack1936]

I'm currently loving my second V8 Discovery 1 on petrol and LPG. Since ten years ago I've owned two Land Rovers and I simply won't go with anything else. The only issue I have is the fuel range and since Australian society has screwed LPG making it harder to get, I can't travel around the country as easily anymore. My next Land Rover will be a diesel but until then it's $500 hatchbacks! An interesting thing to consider is that when I had my last Hyundai Excel, it cost me $9/100km (on fuel) while the Land Rover cost me $15/100km. That's due to the price of petrol compared to the price of LPG.

[@egooooooooo]

What engine does that disco have?

[@LandCruiser1958]

I had the vacuum leak issue also and fixed it by replacing the gas cap. The original gas caps had a defect.

[@nucl3arfamily906]

Thanks for that update Tommy. We have been bitten by the LR bug. But due to the massive drop in value they have as new, we plan on trading in our Disco Sport and leasing the new Defender next year, instead of buying, which means we gotta keep the miles down so I’m thinking about getting a Disco II just for the very reasons you stated in the video. Not a daily driver by any means, just something to have some fun in and absorb some occasional run around miles. There’s just a a certain je ne sais quoi about them. However, after owning many, many vehicles over the years, I feel any over optimistic reliability myths of one brand over the other on a 15+ year old vehicle...is just that...a myth. Good luck with this one and keep the videos coming.

[@DarrenCoull]

Really should use at least a semi-premium fuel - my 4.0 Disco 2 hates the cheap unleaded, even pings under acceleration when cold. E10 is a little better, but I find it even more gutless than the 91 unleaded. I tend to use 95 day-to-day and rarely use 98. Replace the MAF sensor (Genuine only!) & the O2 sensors and the fuel consumption will be a little better and it'll feel a little more perky with acceleration and pulls up hills better too.

[@xmonger]

I love your videos on older vehicles. This Land Rover looks and performs great! Personally, I would have liked to see you guys get a 03 or 04 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland with the 4.7HO. Way more than just "OK".

[@jsm99]

How the heck did they get this for less than 6 grand?! What was it listed for originally?

[@sugarnads]

Btw with the single reverse light, its common for european cars to have one light works even tho both appear to be present. They wire up whichever side is right for the market it is sold in. Hence why theres no wiring there behind one side.

[@DerrickNedzelMtnBike]

I drive a 2004 Disco 2, 170k miles, I regularly tow a 3000 pound trailer over Ike Tunnel, Vail and Kenosha passes. My head gaskets don't leak and on a hot day going up I-70 with the trailer the engine temperature is perfectly normal - exactly where it is without load. Of course any alloy block engine can develop leaks if it is overheated - Landrover, GM, Audi, etc, I am sure you guys know that as well as anyone. If yours is leaking at 140k, generally my experience with trucks in our club with this engine is the engine was overheated and needs a rebuild. if you said it's over 200k miles, then i would consider normal wear, but you aren't there yet. This engine is fundamentally a GM small block, and while it typically may not last as long as a cast iron block small block, 200k engine life is pretty common. As with buying any used car, US, Italian, German, Japanese etc, previous maintenance is the most critical factor. You didn't mention having any service history for this truck - so unfortunately I think you got one with a history of being overheated and so needs the rebuild much earlier than is typical for this engine. Sorry you had this issue, but when you buy any used car without a service history, you can get surprised.

[@Pickens14Prodz]

Forget that little brush. Use a push broom to clean off your vehicle when snow is that deep.

[@MrNickjberry]

$400 on a rear bumper but left the head gaskets? Jeez guys.

[@stephenpagett2848]

@ TheSlim Obviously didn't need the head gaskets!!

[@peaceonearth1898]

It is true. If you cannot fix some of the basic stuff yourself, the L/R dealers will eat you alive. I own a 2000 Discovery 2. At 75K miles started to overheat and losing coolant. L/R dealer tells me it needs a head gasket (approx. $4,000) after studying the issue and consulting friends, it turned out to be the water pump gasket. Fixed it @ $200. Another funny (and not so funny) situation, the hose that carries coolant from the reservoir to the intake manifold started leaking at 90K miles.. Dealer asked $400 to replace it. I replaced it with an aftermarket hose @ $4.00. The after market hose lasted 10 years and 120K miles. It busted again and I replaced again @4.50. My beloved D2 has 220K miles. Only now the "3 amigos" visited us on the dash board. This time I took it to the dealer and they estimated the repair @ $1,400. So far all is normal. I did not expect anything less. But here is the funny part: I did not agree to fix the "3 amigos" When I drove the L/R out of the dealer, I noticed fresh coolant leaked on the driveway. I looked under the hood and noticed someone replaced the thin coolant hose (from the reservoir to the manifold) with an original one. I looked in the paperwork no mention of such service. I went inside and asked the service estimator who replaced that hose ? He said "we noticed it was not an original and we decided to replace it. No charge" Same dealership 10 years ago asked $400 for the same work. L/R should scrutinize their dealers and keep an eye on them if they want to increase sales and keep owners loyal to the marque.

[@agilchrist73]

You should convert to a TD5 diesel, mine has done 180,000 miles and is a daily driver. Everything works and parts are cheap, they are like women, just lavish attention on them and all is fine

[@OverlandTT]

At 30mph why are the RPM so high? Great video Tommy - I love this stuff you're doing.

[@Hawkertempest1]

Get rid of the roof rack and the tent to reduce weight and drag and run high octane fuel and watch the fuel consumption improve and the acceleration leap ahead. I have a 1999 TD5 Disco 2 5spd manual with High Performance Intercooler, Turbo Remap and Turbo Booster Kit. It will eat a Disco 2 V8. I can get almost 1,000 kms out of a tank of fuel due to the massive torque, hence I don't need to drop from 5th gear very often, even when overtaking. It has done 330,000 kms now and still running strong, 2" OME Lift, OME Nitrocharger Shocks, Centre Diff Lock, ARB Sahara Bar, Full Under Armour, Winch and my every day driver.

[@tonykennedy9811]

Since selling my 1955 series 1 (biggest mistake ever) and moving from the UK to the US I’ve been very reluctant to buy another Land Rover here due to the supposedly high maintenance costs. But I’m beginning to think that it’s not actually that expensive if you do your own maintenance. Good video and looking forward to watching more of your content 👍

[@bt4b4]

When that engine goes out, through a LS2 Chevy engine into it. Won’t have to worry about breaking down, plus more power ! Just saying. Peacefrom510 .

[@cbasshd6382]

But it'll cost $10k. I own a 03 D2 but mine is the 4.6 Bosch

[@bt4b4]

And how much are head gaskets every 70k miles ? Also the fear of breaking down in the middle of nowhere. 10k seems like a piece of mind.

[@cbasshd6382]

Well if u do ur work and if u shop at lucky8 for sone parts they are cheaper then the auto parts. www.lucky8llc.com/collections/head-gasket-kits-2/t-discovery-ii+ac1-engine+ac2-head-gasket-kits

[@jerroldshelton9367]

Or, you could just put flanged liners in the Rover 4.6 and re-assemble the thing correctly and not have to worry about it breaking down in what's left of my lifetime. Just saying......

[@curtmaas68]

@@cbasshd6382 It will NOT cost 10k... You can buy a whole car with an LS 2 for that!

[@warrendejager1273]

from south africa. i have just completed the 10 eco passes challenge, which include the 5 highest passes in the country in my 2002 disco 2 td5 auto.... 7 days given 4 days taken... tough as railway nails

[@Bigjobrob]

Your ability to review the Land Rover while driving around is impressive. This rig continues to prove all the people wrong. Great find. If you're ever looking to review another hidden gem, you should get a Mitsubishi Montero. I know you've mentioned them before as a possibility. I picked up a 2003 last year and have been more than impressed. One of the coolest things about the Montero is the online community. Great group of people always willing to help. It's unlike any other group I've been a part of. I'd love to see your groups thoughts on the platform.

[@snowbaordguru]

Be cool to see you mount an additional auxiliary radiator and fan. Maybe somewhere up front protected by a removable shroud until the off-roading begins. Can-Am style on the hood mabye? :)

[@stevenreeves1394]

I have a 2003 Disco which I purchased in 2009 with 30K miles. I now have over 150K miles and I have to say my experience has been AWESOME for what it is. Sure some electrical stuff goes bad. I've had the Three Amigos - the issue usually has to do with a bad g-sensor that affects the traction control module (which in turn affects downhill decent and ABS). A few years ago my Land Rover Specialist (Expedition Autoworks in Minneapolis) found a replacement g-sensor which saved me from replacing the entire unit. but so what - I drove without ABS for 4 years in MN winters. I'm rambling ... sorry. A lot of the "fixes" you mentioned are cosmetic. You bough lights, bumpers, and a hi-lift when in fact you should be looking at your transfer case and head gasket. If you keep up with the mechanicals you will find that at their core these are VERY reliable off road. The transmission will go forever if you take care of it. Engines rebuilds are pretty cheap now so you don't need to worry about sinking money into other expensive bits like bumpers, winches, tents etc. And all of the problems you are likely to see now are well known, understood, predictable etc. This means you can PLAN AHEAD. Go ahead and drive the snot out of this thing. There is truly no other comparable vehicle on the road. Its not a Jeep Wrangler. But it also didn't cost you $40K.

[@GoCeltics734]

8000? maybe after the mechanic added his "sucker-a-mile-away" tax. My mechanic did the head gaskets for 1,200 all in on my 04 D2, and you can wither rebuild the xfer case yourself or get a used one, both scenarios are no more than $500.

[@Refriedbeans83]

Also, put midgrade in it, really put it under load or put your foot into it with regular unleaded in it and look at spark advance on that "scan tool" of yours and you'll realize it's very upset. Premium is by Brit standards (RON) and it equates to about 89 octane (r+m)

[@jr15wa]

Agreed herein Australia..Standard is 91..Pulp 95 and HPulp 98!.. supposed to be 91 min

[@neilmason298]

@@jr15wa 93 ron is Standard unleaded in UK and 95 is super unleaded....

[@theschmize1050]

I daily drive a disco 2

[@murhapuro86]

Got rid of my D2, randomly appearing 3 amigos killing the TC and HDC got me stuck so many times and almost killing me once.

[@darynpeel8542]

Let’s be clear about the main problem with the 1999-2004 Disco’s..... all of the chassis rot due to poor quality steel. I would still have 2 on the road still if they used be better chassis material.

[@jakubfrancisci8677]

Disco 2 is not leaking.He is just marking its territory.