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Land Rover Discovery and Discovery II

1646567697097

Comments

  • discofundiscofun Member Posts: 26
    The reason for upgrading from the ’96 to the ’03 was that in the ’03 model year, Rover finally fixed the last remaining “issue” I had with the initial Disco I and subsequent Disco II models. That was engine power.

    Rover took the 4.6L power plant from the ’02 Range Rover and put it in the Disco boosting the HP to 217 hp from 188 hp. That’s not Indy Racing League material but, in my opinion, the Discos have suffered from a lack of power for city/highway driving until now. There is a noticeable difference between the models now.

    All of the other issues were minor inconveniences but were cleared in years between ’96 and ’03 – rear cargo area room increased, rear seat belt attach points anchored to the seats and thus lift clear of the floor when folding the seats forward, pull handle door releases on the outside, rear side and alpine window gaskets modified, rear self-leveling suspension available, remote fuel door opener, turn indicators on dash show left and right, better driver left foot-rest position, taller windshield for driver visibility, better thigh support on front seats, central locking switch for both front occupants, factory tinted glass, steering wheel mounted radio controls, more rear legroom with redesigned front seat-backs, better rear visibility with lower spare tire, and probably a few more.

    Since I am obviously fairly finicky about my vehicles based on the foregoing issues, I decided to take the plunge on the new ’03. There was nothing wrong with my ’96; basically I just wanted a new Disco with all the new bells and whistles.

    Many on this board that go off-road will tell you that the Disco I models are tops for that but I do not go off-road and so I do not need the center differential lock or better departure angle ability of the Disco I. CDL is back in ’04 though.

    As far as the rust is concerned, you will never get rid of it especially since it is in the location you mentioned. You can do superficial repairs on the surface but it will always lurk beneath and come through again and again.

    I could not really tell you a fair market price for a ’98 with 125K but Edmunds TMV service shows that a Texas based dark green ’98 Disco LE with 125K in clean condition should be about $12K in a private party transaction. What is she asking?

    You should look in detail at the differences between the original design and the Series II. That will be your guide as to what works best for you and what way to go.

    Good luck.
  • alattalatt Member Posts: 11
    Hi,

    Just recently purchased cert. pre-owned 2000 Disco II from LR dealer with 40k miles on it. So far I am happy with the truck and I enjoy driving every minute of it. I replaced a break lamp on my own and every now and then I had to recalibrate the digital compass on the rear view mirror. I have a question to all the Disco owners. I use premium gasoline every time I go to fill up gas ($2.10 per gal in NYC!!). Do I need to use products like STP Gas Treatment in the winter time?

    Thanks.
  • disco99disco99 Member Posts: 74
    congrats on your truck---you're certainly putting the right gas in there--but LR does not recommend the use of any fuel additives for your disco.
  • brandmarbrandmar Member Posts: 37
    Does anybody know if the LR extended warranty would cover lifters? I just bought my certified 2000 DII and hope this would be covered. Just wanted to know before I called the dealer.
  • miked03miked03 Member Posts: 21
    I recently had my '03 in for the 15k free service and it came back with a few problems, which have been resolved, but wanted to pass along.

    After the service was complete, the dealer told me they replaced the water pump. I noticed water in the garage, but I thought it was the climate control system (AC). They didn't do a great job in the replacement because I had to bring it back in to bleed the water line. We heard water swooshing around in front of the dash!

    I also noticed a squeaking sound on the driver side window, which I asked them to fix at the 15k service. Soon after, the window made a pop and it wasn't functioning properly. Turns out they had to replace the window assembly.

    It was an inconvenience to have to bring the Disco back in, but I called on a Monday morning and they said bring it in, we'll fix it right away. I was impressed with the fact that they were able to do the service in such short order, and it kind of made up for the fact that they didn't do a great job in the first place.

    After 15k we have had only these problems with our 14-month-old `03 Disco. Are these the kind of problems that have made some characterize it as an unreliable brand and brought down the Land Rover reliability reputation at JD Power? Not for me! Here is to another rough winter in New England and the boys in England who built the machine that will make it fun! Cheers!
  • jamiakmjamiakm Member Posts: 9
    Thanks so much for your detailed feed back, you answered a lot of questions for me.

    As far as price, when we last spoke about it she was asking $11,5K. From what you mentioned that sounds fair. Of course if she goes down more that would be fine. But either way it appears that I'm going to get a good deal. I will just have to contend with the small rust problem. It doesn't appear to be too extensive, but I will have it thoroughly check out before purchasing.

    I'm OK with not a lot of power, my last car was a 528e BMW, and it was a little sluggish too. Too much power in a car has gotten me into trouble in the past so that's not a problem for me.

    My hope is that I will be able to afford a used/clean Range in a few years. On my salary I don't think I'll ever be able to afford a new one. My 528e was 3 years old when I bought her, I drove her for 16 years, she has a new owner now and she's still riding smooth.

    Thanks again, the detailed info was much appreciated!

    Jamia
  • nanuqnanuq Member Posts: 765
    There are tons of great responses here today! Great answers, guys!

    Windows: my lift mechanism did the same thing... squeaking and then it broke. They replaced it for free under warranty.

    Water noises: Same here. If you drain the cooling system it is a pain to get all the air bubbles out. I never took mine back to get it fixed and the bubbles eventually worked out on their own.

    "Rust" at the rear side windows: Same here... it's a brown dusty fuzzy buildup and it's not rust. I'm not sure what it is... maybe airflow back there lets the stuff accumulate? It wipes right off. My alpine windows and rear sides don't leak.

    Premium fuel: This is important. The ECUs will detect preignition and they will retard the timing to protect the engine... and once it's backed off it will not advance again on its own. The power loss is noticeable. The OBDII Testbook is required to reset the timing back where the fun starts again (at least on the DI). STP is not necessary. Just buy gas with ethanol content and that will suck water out of your fuel system.

    Lifters: Discos are notorious for "reporting" lack of proper oil change maintenance by getting tappety in the lifters. If yours are doing it, consider a few frequent oil / filter changes with a strong detergent oil like a synthetic. That cleared my lifters when Anuqa was tapping when I first bought her. Now, no worries whatsoever.

    "Reliability" concerns: I think you're right, people see squeaks and a drop on the garage floor as grounds to scream LEMON and threaten litigation. All things considered these are very minor problems. I have several relatives and coworkers who experience MUCH more severe problems with their SUVs. Jeep Grand Cherokees blow transmissions and axles, Dodge Dakotas and Durangos do the same, my buddy's Toyota Sequoia blew the air conditioner module and pump and evaportator, all at 8,000 miles. My brother's Chevy needed the front A-arms, driveshaft and tie rod ends replaced at 10k miles. Meanwhile my Rover just keeps churning along.

    Cheers!
  • discofundiscofun Member Posts: 26
    I saw this posted on the H2 Hummer board and it will make any Disco owner smile. The H2 is coming down a rocky trail and blows a tie rod. I do not find happiness at the owners expense, it just makes me want to see a Disco come down that same hill and triumph.

    Apparently the video link was so popular, the site was overloaded and webmaster has asked visitors to download it vs. linking to it from so many sites. It is a big file at about 7MB.

    Go to:

    http://sajeeps.billmcgaw.com/

    Select VIDEOS on the top menu, then scroll to the H2 photo credit at the bottom.

    Any inputs on the mistakes made by the driver? Any Discos with the same blowout?
  • jamiakmjamiakm Member Posts: 9
    By the way, I went to the Land Rover dealer on yesterday and I looked around to see if I saw that "dusty-rusty" looking residue around the window seals on any other earlier model D1's and sure enough it was on all of them. He told me that in fact it's not rust at all, it is a substance that Land Rover put around the inside window seals so that the seals would not dry rot.

    He said they have since changed that design which is why the newer models don't have the thick seals around the rear side windows anymore, obviously another improvement Land Rover has made to the Disco.

    When I saw it on other D1's and got his explanation I felt quite relieved!

    Jamia
  • jbagesjbages Member Posts: 1
    I've had the dealer correct this squeaking coming from some belt twice already. Its fixed then starts again in a few months, does anyone have a similar problem. Its so loud when idleing people stare at the truck. I'm taking it in next week to correct it once again.
  • alattalatt Member Posts: 11
    Hi,

    I am new to Discos and I have never driven a brand new Disco before. My cert pre owned Disco II has hard shocks, meaning I can feel all the bumps on the road. Also, the breaks are soft, meaning I have to put more effort into it than other SUVs. I used to own a Honda CRV and driven Passport. The ride comfort feels more luxury on those vehicles than Discos. My question is that are Disco IIs supposed to have hard shocks and soft breaks? Forgive me if I am using wrong terminology.
    Thanks again. Your suggestions have been helpful.
  • nanuqnanuq Member Posts: 765
    I tried to watch the video and didn't have the right decompressor so I just listened. No idea if he was doing something right or wrong... but bear in mind that the H2 is a takeoff of an existing Chevy design (Silverado?) and it's not purpose-built to be a serious offroader.

    Take a look at this picture. You can clearly see the tie rod ends are stock. Hmmmmmm... a little careful analysis tells me the driver was doing something wrong too, so apparently it's not limited to H2 owners!

    image
  • nanuqnanuq Member Posts: 765
    Rovers are purpose built to be offroading tools. Hence they have long-travel throttle and brake controls... you push them a long way to get a full "stroke" from the pedal and that provides you lots of room to modulate your pressures. For example it takes a stepladder and two small boys to the get the throttle all the way to the floor on my DI. But offroad I can easily dial in "just a smidgen more" throttle without breaking the tires loose in a nasty spot.

    Since Rovers eat brake pads it may be yours were replaced recently and someone didn't bleed the system right after doing so. That always contributes to mushy brakes. If you "pump" them coming to a stop do they do better? If so just bleed the air and all is well. Simple (messy) job.

    Suspension on Rovers is likewise a big part of their offroad prowess. It has to be soft enough and have enough travel to follow the contour of the terrain and keep the wheels planted. Stiffening up your suspension may improve ground clearance and look cool but you nearly always lose offroad capability... you lift a tire with open diffs and you're stuck. So then you go to lockers of some kind and you're set once more. Crawl under there and see if you have Rancho shocks? Those are common and some are adjustable. Stock shocks or "stockish" OME shocks should not be too stiff... but it will also not be soft and squishy. It won't feel like an SUV designed for road use and flying around corners.

    Now I gotta go play in the snow! YAHOO!!!

    (Steve: that is NOT an endorsement for another web site!) ;)
  • discofundiscofun Member Posts: 26
    Soon after buying my '96 Disco I (new in '96) I had a squealing kind of whirr from the engine compartment. It was noticeable at idle and was RPM dependent and made me quite an attraction at stop lights. The dealer determined the source to be the water pump and replaced it.

    Strangely enough though, soon thereafter the problem reoccurred and they traced it to the water pump again. I even went to the garage bay and listened to it with the “stethoscope” and sure enough, it was true. They replaced it a second time and the noise finally went away for good.

    Not sure if this is the same potential noise source as your problem since our model years are far apart but the basic engine has been pretty much consistent over the years.

    By the way, the regional Rover service guy was consulted on the situation and he was pretty baffled by the whole vent.

    As usual though, the warranty service and Rover support was outstanding.
  • want_a_discowant_a_disco Member Posts: 1
    Hi,

    Budget constraints may force me to buy a used 2003 S Disco. Has anyone had any experience installing the Jump Seats themselves? If yes, what was the level of effort required? Where did you buy them from? Cost?

    Thanks,
  • discofundiscofun Member Posts: 26
    Ouch!!

    Was that picture taken in Australia? Looks like he’s driving in the “land down under” ;-)

    Thanks nanuq.
  • discofundiscofun Member Posts: 26
    Although the Disco comes with very many common elements to allow the least cost in manufacturing between models (examples: all front seats pre-wired for heat, heated windshield wiring pre-installed, many left/right hand drive capable standards, etc.) I was told that one of the few things that are not possible to retrofit is the rear jump seats in the ’03 model year.

    The three-point seat belt mechanisms, head restraints, overhead liner design, and floor mounts, to name a few, are all specific to the (H)S(E)-7 models.
  • blockislandguyblockislandguy Member Posts: 336
    Nanuk, in your reference to Rancho shocks I realize that you were just trying to determine if they were the adjustable ones and if so were they cranked all the way up to cause the hard riding condition. But, what do you think about Ranchos? Some of the motorheads I bump into think that Rancho is mostly about the cosmetics (red paint job, rubber booties, etc.) and prefer Trailmaster or, the perhaps overpriced, Bilsteins.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Send some of that white yahoo stuff down this way will ya? (not down below 3,000 feet though <g>).

    Steve, Host
  • stopgostopgo Member Posts: 16
    So my Land Rover dealership, based on the advice of a tech at LRNA, replaced the Mass Air Flow Sensor this past Tuesday. They were quick, in at 7:30am, picked her up at noon.

    On the way back to work I thought that I had felt the same "shuddering" but was on some bumpy roads and couldn't be certain. Yesterday, Wednesday, I stayed home sick with the flu but had to take my kids to school, it's a 10 mile round trip. In those 10 miles the "shudder" happened 4 times.

    I called the dealership back and let them know. I'm waiting to hear back from them. This morning LRNA customer satisfaction called and I let them know as well.

    Back to square 1. Not sure what they'll come up with next. If it's not the transmission the other things I can think of are bad spark plug wres, bad spark plugs, fuel injectors(not likely though).

    I still think the tranny is the culprit though.
  • nanuqnanuq Member Posts: 765
    SNOW SNOW SNOW SNOW SNOW SNOW SNOW SNOW SNOW!!!!

    We're getting a nice scatter here, and I've been out playing. I got home last night with the underside caked in snow and pulled into the garage. Curious this morning to realize I have no floor drains in the garage of our new home so there was Lake Disco out there. But all is well, a little sweeping cleared it out into the drive. Where it froze. On the hill.

    TIME TO GET OUT THE SKIS!! (making lemonaid here)
  • nanuqnanuq Member Posts: 765
    I've never really liked Ranchos... in my not so humble opinion they make up for lack of quality by cool graphics. Which is why you see them on lifted Chevys all the time (backhanded swipe).
    But my baby brudder has them and he seems to like 'em. They ARE adjustable, but will they last? I'd rather spend the money on Old Man Emu and know they're good for the long haul.

    I put jump seats in back of my DI and it wasn't too bad at all. I imagine the DII is far more complex. It took about 2 hours per seat. I got aftermarket seatbelts and I was REALLY careful making the cuts in the panels and they came out nice. No rattles. They do cut down on useable space in back, but I can still get 2 mtn bikes in there with the jump seats folded up.
  • tincup47tincup47 Member Posts: 1,508
    LRNA actually made kits to add jumpseats to the DI. The side facing aspect of those seats made it easier to add. There is so much interior trim and other parts necessary that make this much more expensive. There was also issues with rear suspension, generally 7 seat vehicles had SLS originally.
  • nanuqnanuq Member Posts: 765
    I was pretty nervous cutting into my side panels but I was darn careful and placed the openings right. Then I cleaned them up and they look nice though not "stock". I did buy the Torx fasteners and spacers and dished washers from the kit... as well as a couple of the brackets and the large bolts that go into the chassis.

    I think I spent $175 at a wrecker for the seats, another $90 for fasteners and belts and miscellaneous... presto! 7 seats.
  • paulhuangpaulhuang Member Posts: 62
    Hi All,
    I am looking to buy a pre-owned Discovery II (for the cost savings). Many of them seem to come in the seven seat configuration. Is it difficult (everything is possible right?) to remove them? Will it look like something is missing (i.e. holes in panels)? I do not need the two extra seats and would like all the cargo room I can get.
    Thank you!
    Paul
  • nanuqnanuq Member Posts: 765
    While I can't speak about the DII specifically if I remove the jump seats in my DI there are two little pairs of "ears" sticking out thru the side panel near the bottom, to which the lower linkages attach. Likewise there are two holes at the top into which bolts fit. It's pretty unobtrusive.

    The DII is doubtless different, but really the jump seats on mine, when folded, don't take up that much room. They just fit into the "map pocket" recesses at the rear sides and are pretty flush to the sides. But if you need an extra inch of room to get something rigid like a mtn bike in there, the room is taken.

    One plus, you could probably advertize those jump seats and get a pretty penny for them. I paid $175 the pair and I've seen them for $200 apiece sans linkage.

    One plus, the seats make "shelves" in back and provide access to lower level stuff meanwhile letting you stack more in there. For example I can load the back with packs and then put stoves and water bottles beneath the seats. Opening the rear hatch, I can pull out a stove without unloading all the packs.
  • miked03miked03 Member Posts: 21
    That's belt - not belts, as far as I know there is only one in the Disco!

    After I had the water pump replaced in my 2003 the belt squeaked like mad the first start of the day. Brought it in and the dealer promptly adjusted it! they said the squeak was caused by small fragments of rubber that wore off?
  • miked03miked03 Member Posts: 21
    The dealer I purchased my 2003 S will sometimes sell a version of the S with the jump seats installed. I believe they do it themselves because the call it the "Milford Edition". I just wish they had one when I was bought mine. It would be nice to have capacity for 7 when needed.
  • smarticussmarticus Member Posts: 37
    A squeaking belt is a common irritation with a Discovery and is remarkably difficult to permanently fix. The best solution I have seen is to use an aerosol spray on furniture polish that has a wax base (but at a light blend - nothing too thick). Spray a very small amount of that onto the inside edge of the belt whilst the engine is running and the squeaking will instantly disappear and stay away for about 1,000 miles before the same treatment is needed again.
  • discomandiscoman Member Posts: 110
    Here is a bit of advice for those of you who have had, or will have problems with the cruise control. I had a problem with mine, and traced it to a rotting vacuum tube between the unit under the dash that controls the gas pedal, and the unit that controls the throttle body itself. They hoses tend to dry rot, and once a vacuum leak is there the system won't operate. Good news is LR built in a lot of slack in the hoses, so it's no big deal to trim off a couple inches and re-attach the hose. I have, so far seen this in three other 96-98 disco's as well as my own. One guy paid LR $250 to diagnose and correct this. Another I caught yesterday and helped the guy out.
  • alattalatt Member Posts: 11
    I have OEM 16" Alloy Wheel, 5 Spoke rim tires. What should be the correct tire pressure for front and rear wheels?
    Thanks.
  • greatheartgreatheart Member Posts: 1
    I have just come back from test driving a discoII 2002 with 26000kms on it. When I asked the dealer about the reliability of this model he hedged.
    Can anyone tell me about the 2002 models? Is there anything I should be wary of? I really liked the truck and would love to make an offer. I will be using it for highway driving and off road in muddy conditions.

    thanks!
  • tincup47tincup47 Member Posts: 1,508
    The 2003 and 2004 S versions of the Discovery do have the 7 seat package as a factory option. It is not necessary to buy an SE or HSE to get it.
  • nanuqnanuq Member Posts: 765
    The factory calls for 28 front and 38 rear, I believe. Your driver side doorjamb should list that with recommended tire sizes.

    As for DII reliability, I would trust that Disco over any other SUV you could buy. You may have the odd minor annoyance but the hard parts (drivetrain, chassis, suspension, etc.) are built to last. Almost every other truck or SUV in my personal experience has driveline trouble, sooner rather than later. Those are EXPENSIVE problems, and you just won't have those with a Rover.

    You'll find the old stories about Rover unreliability are, 99% of the time, just that... stories. See if the salesman or service manager can pull up the vehicle's service history by VIN. They have the capability and it will reveal that specific truck's life until now.

    Cheers!
  • nanuqnanuq Member Posts: 765
    Still want some of the white stuff? We're at -10F here in town, windchill about -25. Just a little north of here (I can see it out my window) it's -54F with 112mph winds. At 18,000 elevation. Just a tad nippy.

    ;)
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    So I heard Nanuq. Guess you'll have to bike faster to stay warm :-). Bogus has 17 inches so there's hope for us too!

    I don't remember ever seeing such a wide disparity in recommended tire pressures between front and rear tires as there is for that Disco. 10 pounds seems like a big difference.

    Steve, Host
  • paulhuangpaulhuang Member Posts: 62
  • nanuqnanuq Member Posts: 765
    I agree, and it sure feels funny to drive one with the tires set like that. I kept mine like that per recommendation for the first, oh, 3 days I owned it. I suppose it minimizes the tendency for the front tires to stick in an emergency maneuver and potentially roll the truck... sometimes understeer can be your friend.

    I went ahead and set my tires at 34 all around, then 38 all around, and got better mileage and never saw any adverse reactions. But I also don't drive the beast like an Indy car either.

    Now I'm running Nokian tyres (I know it's silly, but I am required to spell it like that... it was part of the paperwork when I bought them) and I keep them inflated to 55psi. The top rating is 85psi and they work great right where they are.

    Going camping this weekend! Wahoo!!!
  • mrtoad3mrtoad3 Member Posts: 68
    I just had some Bridgestone Blizzaks LM-22 XL size 255/55/18's installed on my '01 Disco II. They are very supple tires and handle quite well considering the softer silica compound meant to help with ice and snow. Very nice ride compared to the harsh Goodyear Wranglers. I will keep all posted regarding snow/ice maneuverablity after it snows this weekend. I hope they are as good as the reviews say they are. Especially for the $. I almost got the Pirelli S/T's but they got poorer reviews for snow traction which is very important to me. Nokians can't be obtained in the 18" sizes.:( Later.
  • alattalatt Member Posts: 11
    Thanks Nanuq. You have been a great help and others too for answering questions from Disco newbie. If I keep front 34 and rear 38 psi, I should not have a problem? And how often should I rotate my tires?
  • nanuqnanuq Member Posts: 765
    The factory recommends (at least for the DI) rotating front to back on the same side every 5k miles. That's also a good time to check your brake pads! If you have a fullsize spare then you can put it into the rotation too and extend all the tires' lives.

    The factory does a lot of testing to come up with their inflation numbers. You'll be safe with what they publish, but in my humble opinion you'd be fine at 34/38 too. A good check is to go for a nice fast drive then jump out and feel your tires. If they feel hot then chances are they're flexing too much and are underinflated. You'll also start to see wear patterns at the tread edges and not in the middle. Conversely you'll see wear in the middle and not at the edges (and they'll be nice and cool) if they're overinflated.

    Hope this helps!
  • kbowenkbowen Member Posts: 58
    My son has a 2002 Freelander with 16K miles on it. While his wife was driving, she suddenly heard a roaring metallic noise. She took it to Land Rover and they told her the brake pads were so badly worn that they had "ate" into the rotors; that both the front rotors and brake pads had to be replaced at a cost of $600.00 plus. She is adamant that the pads never made any type of squeaking noise to indicate they were low; that the noise came on suddenly. Also 16K seems just a little premature for total pad/rotor failure. My 2001 DII has 37K and the pads are only 1/2 worn. I believe I read somewhere that there is an issue with defective rotors on some Land Rover products. Do you, or any of the other readers, have any info or suggestions?
  • nanuqnanuq Member Posts: 765
    I believe her... when my pads go, they just GO with no warning. I have had the same thing happen (sheepishly admitting not watching my pads close enough here). You hit the brakes and think HOLY SMOKES WHAT IS THAT?!! Sometimes though, it's just a little gravel in the caliper. Try reversing and it comes right out.

    From wearing my pads to a nubbin, I've wound up with some concentric grooves in the rotors. I just bought new pads, put 'em in, bled the brakes, and drove it. I let the pads take a good long time to "bed in" to match the contours of the small grooves, and in a couple days my brakes were good as new. The grooves polished right up to a high gloss.

    If the grooves are pretty bad, I'd say yeah... replace the rotors. But if they're minor I'd drive it. But do pay attention to the minimum rotor thickness. You do NOT want a rotor to come apart while you're driving.

    I bet your son gets half the pad life that you do for good reason. *wink* My pads last about 15-18k miles and I drive pretty reasonably.

    I'm still on my original rotors at 84k miles... I haven't heard of overly soft or flawed rotors.
  • kkonekkone Member Posts: 61
    I have a 2003 Disco. I want to get a set of chains for my truck. Can someone tell me if Land Rover requires chains to meet the SAE CLASS "S" for restricted clearance requirements? I see two versions available 4.5MM and 3.8MM "S".
    http://www.tirechain.com/P255-55R-18.htm
    Kevin
  • cwdavis4cwdavis4 Member Posts: 13
    I have actually removed the jump seats in my '03 Disco. I like the extra room in the back without the "storage bins" that normally takes their place. If you purchase some rear cargo nets, you can place a cooler or other misc items nicely in the holes. Cosmetically it looks fine &#150; when you remove the seats, there is a &#145;H&#146; shape hole in the rear panels where the seats are suppose to latch up to. If it really bothers me, I might place a piece of black leather over it.

    Installing jump seats, really isn&#146;t that bad either. LR actually has instructions on the RAVE CD on how to install them. The main items needed are the two seats, rear panels, and the mounting brackets onto the floor. You should be able to make the conversion in less than a day. If you purchase the items thru LR you will pay a few thousand dollars but I have seen these for sell on ebay on discoweb.org for $1000 or so.

    Hope this helps.
  • phill27phill27 Member Posts: 31
    I am driving a 2000 dII and am looking at towing a light trailer. I have come across 2 very different prices. I can spend $220 for the LR package or shell out $65 for a trailer shop to do the work.. Is there truly this much of a difference? Can someone talk me out the trailer shop ($65) deal? Other than, " you pay for what you get"... what is there? Do I need to worry about compatibility etc?
  • paulhuangpaulhuang Member Posts: 62
    Thank you cwdavis4 regarding DiscoII jump sets.

    It sounds like removing them is actually not too difficult and nets a good amount of storage space. I can then not worry about excluding seven-seaters when I look at used DIIs.

    Thank you.
  • discofundiscofun Member Posts: 26
    I have towed cars and trailers with my old Disco I for over 3,000 miles and the Disco never skipped a beat. I was pretty darn close to the 5,500 lb. limit for high range towing too and it handled the mountains of Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia without a hitch - pun intended ;-)

    I used the dealer kit for my hitch but you can really go with the $65 shop special. The Rover wiring kit attempts to translate the bizarre European wiring methodology into US wiring and then the dealer had to add a non-Rover adapter to convert from the Euro converted line to the U-Haul standard (yup, pretty unusual). Bottom line was that the wiring looked like Rube Goldberg did it even when I had the Rover dealer install it.

    Just make sure your shop supplied hitch has the correct drop so that your trailer rides on an even keel and make sure the shop tightens the ball with a torque wrench to the recommended torque. Don&#146;t want that trailer flying away!

    Have fun.
  • cwdavis4cwdavis4 Member Posts: 13
    Hey Paul, I would definitely not rule out any D2 7 seaters because of the extra seats. If fact, the exact color / options combo that I wanted only came in a HSE7 model. Since the LR dealership couldn't find a non-7 model, I made them not charge me for the price difference or I wasn&#146;t going to get the Disco.

    If you feel uncomfortable removing the seats, tell the dealership that they will have to remove them for free as well. Can you them put them in your garage for future use or sell them for $1K or so.

    Good luck.
  • rowjimmyrowjimmy Member Posts: 5
    I have a Disco II with the rear fog lights, and I have (2) questions:

    1. what lights in the rear are supposed to come on? On mine the left side turn signal lite is lighted and on the right side the red light next to the turn signal is lighted?

    2. Is this correct for the rear fog lights and has anyone ever used this option on there disco?

    thanks for any help....
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