Land Rover Discovery and Discovery II

heyjewel · December 2003

Hello;

Am looking for a 5000lb tow vehicle with off road capabilities.

Saw and spoke to an owner who's selling a '99 Discovery' w/63K miles, V8 engine, good shape for $13.8K He claims it's been reliable - ABS problems and muffler mounts only stuff he could recall. Says he gets 16-18 mpg.

I understand from Edmunds there are 2 types of '99 discos - regular? and 'Series II'

Is there an obvious way to tell the difference?

Also, any comments on the value of this one and it's usefullness for my intended purposes?

TIA

nanuq · December 2003

You're talking about the Series I and Series II Discos. The earlier ones had shorter overhangs at the rear and the taillights are much lower on the bodywork. The Series II has a longer rear cargo area and the lights are way up there. The SI has a welded-on hitch receiver, the SII is bolted on. SI has (probably) Bosch electronics, as does the SII. Earlier SIs had Lucas. You'll see that clearly under the hood.

I've heard lots of positive stories about people towing with Discos but they have short wheelbases and you might find that spooky. They're very capable offroad, the SI probably being better depending on how "off" the road you go.

You can look for relative values on this site and at KBB.com to see if he's in the ballpark. It sounds like a pretty solid truck.

Regards, -Bob

nanuq · December 2003

Anyone want to join us? It will be a little below zero and the snow shouldn't be more than 3 or 4 feet deep where we're going. Last winter I had to break trail to get in there and the Disco did fine. I'll report back on Monday and tell how she did!

brucewheels · December 2003

I'm pretty sure the DII isn't rated for 5,000lbs in normal use. I seem to recall you can pull 6,000 in low range, but that the 'normal' number is lower than 5. I'd be happy to check my manual for you if nobody else here has the answer off the top of their heads.

brandmar · December 2003

Nanuq - When you say drive around town, what speed are you talking about? Not to be ignorant but I didn't know up to what speed you drive around in "3".

discofun · December 2003

These are the official limits for towing:

Unbraked Trailer (On or Off Road): 1650lb (750 kg)

Trailer with Brakes:
Off-Road: 2200lb (1000 kg)
On-Road (low range): 7700lb (3500 kg)
On-Road (high range): 5500lb (2500 kg)

Maximum tongue weight: 550 lb (250 kg)

I must say though that I used an unbraked trailer at about 5500lb and it was fine but kids, don't try this at home ;-)

tincup47 · December 2003

Your vehicle has quite a long warranty history. Not unusual for an early 99 model. I did see some expensive parts replaced, a steering column for example.Also an alternator and a radio. No major driveline problems though.

mnrover · December 2003

Yes - major electrical problems- and MAJOR work was done on it.. If someone has electrical problems with their D2's, please feel free to speak up. I went so far as to get the Regional Rep involved with this truck - So far so good no, they finally found the problem. Thank you again Tin Cup! Much appreciated and I look forward to more postings?

Josh

begado · December 2003

Hello,

I am considering purchasing a 1999 Disco ll as a second vehicle and like several others am intrigued at the thought of knowing something about the vehicle's history. The dealer selling it doesn't seem to know much about it and I would be interested to know if it has been serviced regularly? ........... where? ............ and if it has had any major problems/repairs?. So I guess this one is for "tincup" . Any information you could offer would be greatly appreciated.

SALTY1242XA226081

thank you ............. todd

ceitel · December 2003

i have also had STOPGO's problem... Land Rover dealership replaced my transmission & drive train at 6K miles... no noticeable difference... it happens when i am going up a slight incline between 30 & 40 MPH... very frustrating for a 40K$ vehicle...!!!

from talking with the dealer folks: Land Rover is aware of this (they have had quite a few 2003 Discos brought in with same complaint & there have been no service announcements addressing it!)...

i think it is a transmission problem & perhaps FORD is hoping everyone will go away & accept this crap...

if anyone figures out what the problem is -or- wants to go after FORD/Land Rover with formal complaint: please let me know (ceitel@us.ibm.com)...

hts666 · December 2003

Hello all,

I live in L.A. and I have a 2000(April) DiscoII that I'm trying to sell. It has 52k miles on it. It has dual sunrf, winter package, ACE, 6cd changer, silver/dark gray leather. It's extremely clean inside and out. And hasn't had any major problems.

What's a realistic price I should expect for it. I've done the Edmunds and KBB value check and according to those reports I can get about 20-22k for it, but I just wanted to know if anybody has actual experience buying or selling this car.

stopgo1 · December 2003

Mine has been doing it since I picked it up. About a month ago, the dealership replaced the Mass Airflow Sensor to combat the problem. Since then, I have experienced the shudder only two times and those were in the two days following the change. SO, at least for now I am thinking/hoping that that may have been the culprit. However, due to the randomness of the issue I still have my doubts.

My warrantly expires in 13K miles and because of this issue I am seriously considering purchasing an extension. I will not declare it to be fixed until one full year passes without incident. I would like to see it function as expected for as long as it did not funtion as expected and I want to see it work through all seasons as I have always had a feeling that the weather conditions played a part in the failures.

Did your trucks computer contain any failure logs from your "shudders"? Mine did not which is why they have not repalced the transmission at this point. I am still waiting to hear from LRNA on this issue because since they replaced the Air Flow sensor it happened two times. IT is still very much an open issue to me.

Good luck with yours!

rkoesler · December 2003

I want to say good bye to all my LR friends for the past 5 years of "on-line friendship". I just traded my perfect 00 DII for a new Mercedes-Benz G500 (Gelaendewagen), my dream for about 24 years, but I already dearly miss my Discovery which was the best vehicle I've ever owned. If this Benz is half the car the DII was, I'll be happy.

The G does NOT have the comfort, ride, storage capacity, or "quirkiness" of the LR which make that vehicle so special. I'm almost certain that I'll be back to LR within 2 years, and I've only had the G two weeks. I should have kept the Rover as well.

On the other hand, the G is the best built, strongest, and most off-road capable vehicle available, period. It makes the LR, or any other 4x4 look like a tin can. And I've yet to find a place I can not go where my buddies in Hummers can (and I mean the original, forget the H2). The G will even go where Hummers get hung-up (at least until they get true diff locks).

Happy Rovering to you all, and merry Christmas..

nanuq · December 2003

It's been a hoot, sir and we'll be watching for your return! Thanks for all your input over the years!

You know, you could always buy an SI Disco as a dinghy for that "G" and have the best of both worlds. Slap some lockers on that bad boy and take your wife to town in comfort.

I personally would LOVE to see some action shots of you using that G500 as it was designed. Especially if they include a turtled Hummer.

Cheers!

nanuq · December 2003

I promised a follow-up from last weekend's campout. Sorry!

It only got to -5F so I can't beat my chest and talk about the Disco sparking right to life at minus-bazillion degrees. But we got into some nice deep snow and she just kept churning. I wanted to go down this one long trail in bumper deep snow but the other two trucks didn't want to chance it... a new Durango pickup and an early fullsize Blazer. So we parked and loaded up the sleds and hauled gear. We set up a nice camp in knee deep powder snow over a nice base, and built shelters. The boys had a great time and on the return trip, as always she lit right up and away we went... iced up on the inside from the humidity of sweaty scouts, but warm and mobile.

miked03 · December 2003

This past weekend, many of us New Englanders got hit with a few feet of snow. At just about the peak of the storm, and before the plows came around, I packed my family in the disco and headed out to what is usually the busiest restaurant in town. Low and behold, we were the only customers they had up to that point. There is just something special about New England, snow storms and a Land Rover!

tincup47 · December 2003

Looks very clean for a 99 MY. Has had the ABS modulator replaced.

tincup47 · December 2003

Sorry to hear about your problem. Has the retailer had one of the Field Service Engineers or Aftersales Market Managers in to check your vehicle out? While I can understand your frustration, I can assure you that Land Rover North America works very hard to identify issues and correct them. Sometimes this takes a while because the issue has to be duplicated, then narrowed down to a particular cause, then engineering has to develop a repair procedure and validate that it works. Sometimes there can be multiple causes for the same perceived symptoms. This often involves time consuming testing to resolve. Ford has done nothing to prevent Land Rover from attempting to satisfy it's customers, so this is definetly not a Ford related issue.

mnrover · December 2003

Good Morning-
I apologize, and this may have already been discussed in detail, but would someone be so kind as to recap what the shudder problem was? I have a 99 DII with 41k and I am getting hesitation when trying to merge into traffic (30 - 70 MPH). Seems to be happening more prevalent when the motor is in the higher RPMS. Thinking perhaps the MAF.. I have a K&N air filter maybe too much air turbulance is confusing the computer?? Seems as if the the "computer" is telling the tranny to shift but the tranny resists? Almost as if it it slipping.. Still under warranty. Any suggestions or similar experiences would be well appreciated. Thanks in advance.

mnrover · December 2003

http://autoweek.com/cat_print.mv?content_code=02881991

disco99 · December 2003

Now I see why Nanuq makes such a big fuss about the white powder(snow.. of course)--my disco got a lot of dirty looks recently here on long island after our first storm---What a truck..I am glad I joined the club.
happy hovering to every body.

disco99 · December 2003

Dear sir,
would you please check the maintenance and service history on this 96 D1-92k for me at your most convenient time.saljy1242ta513695.
thanks

alatt · December 2003

All,

Recently, we had a lot of snow in NY area. I turned on my front wipers while there was snow the windshield. They struggled to move a few inches and then stopped. I cleaned all the snow off the windshield and tried again. However, the wipers failed to move. I tried the washer pumps. No fluids came out. Does that mean that the motor for the wipers is fried and need a replacement at the dealer?

Thanks.

kkone · December 2003

I need to get an alignment and some new tires for my Disco II. Can someone tell me what the proper alignment to ask for? Also, what are peoples experience with the Perelli Scorpion Zero tires as a replacement for the Goodyear Wrangler HP?

Kevin

rovermeornot · December 2003

hello to all: I have a 2001 LR Disc. SD and i've had a slew of problems with it since after a very bad accident. I now have to turn it in since my lease is up. I don't know what to do. should I lease a 2004 or go with a different Make (ie. BMW , Nissan PAthfinder Armada, Volvo SUV, or VW Toureg). HELP I'M RUNNING OUT OF TIME

xak1 · December 2003

Tincup - could you check out the history of my 2000 LR? The VIN is SALTY1549Y263562.

brandmar · December 2003

Coming home from work today some ice flew off this guy driving by me and hit my drivers side mirror. It cracked the housing and popped out the mirror. The mirror won't fit back in properly and I will probably have to replace the whole thing. Any idea of the cost to replace the drivers side mirror at the dealership?
Thanks.

russla · December 2003

Hello all,

I've been lurking a while, as I've been considering swapping my beater Jeep cherokee, for a 95 Disco, (I've recently found a candidate, and am starting to get jazzed about the switch)

The VIN is SALJN1240SA152958, and it's dark green, (my favorite for Land Rovers)

I'd be very thankful if anyone can provide any specific issues to be wary of on this model year, also, if there is any official LR record of maintenance, the dealer it sits out now, has no service history, only other than the Previous owner always took it to the dealer for service.

I already have plans for the cash from the jeep sale, (a truetrac, tires and OME springs) if this is a reasonable deal.

They are asking 7995, for it and it has 119k miles
I feel that's at least 2-3k too much, but that's the starting point anyway.

Best Regards in advance
Russla

jamiakm · December 2003

I recently found out that the 1998 Discovery I'm interested in purchasing has had problems with oil leaks. It appears that the oil changes were not done at exactly 3k miles maybe 3.5-4k miles.

My husband suspects the vehicle will be needing a valve job/heads changed since some of the maintenance records indicate this. How much could we expect to have to spend for this repair and can this cause the vehicle to have other problems down the road.

He's quite mechanically inclined but is not familiar with Land Rover vehicles. Any detailed advice on this problem would be appreciated.

Jamia

discoman · December 2003

The question to answer is whether it has any leaks NOW. It may have had some and they got repaired. Todays vehicles don't really require tha 3K oil change that the cars in the 60's and 70's needed or they were ruined for life. I have seen a vahicle go as far as 10K with synthetic oil and never have a problem. I usually start getting ready for an oil change around 3K and end up changing it somewhere between 3-4 K. Never had a vehicle of any sort (Even my Disco)need heads replaced or a valve job because of it. If your husband feels uncomfortable with the over 3K history, he can get a bottle of valve cleaner and also some Slick 50 and run them through a single oil change and then go back to his regualar schedule. He will also find that Land Rovers are some of the easiest vehicles in thew world to work on. I love it. Do everything myself. I can even send him a copy of my workshop manual on CD

Charlie

grips03 · December 2003

I'm thinking of getting a Disco as my Jeep is getting a little tired. tincup47 can you check these VINs out for me.

SALJY1249VA720507 - has had 3 owners since new, should one watch out for this?

SALJY12Y4WA749186

Also has anyone bought a Disco from NJ STATE AUTO AUCTION, if so what price was paid, the advertised price or less.

thanks, Dave

mnrover · December 2003

How easy is it to do a brake job on 99 Disco II? Any tips/suggestions would be well appreciated. Also, what type of pads and rotors have people had the best of luck with. Thank you

Josh

rmweller1 · December 2003

We're just tired of the lugging '94 GMC Suburban we've had since new, and have found a beautiful '96 Discovery (vin # SALJN1242TA199958) w/ 90k mi for just under $10k. Is this high mileage and price, or about right? What should we look out for? I pulled an AutoCheck on it, and it looks good there. How can I check Dealer records, etc.? What are the critical issues w/ this model/year? It looks great and drives wonderfully! But, I cannot afford a bad one. Any thoughts?? Thanks, all! Robert

alatt · December 2003

I am also thinking of trying out myself with my 2000 Disco coming Summer. Nanuq mentioned somewhere on this message board that it is not that hard. Check out the link below on tips from EE.

http://www.expeditionexchange.com/disco2brakes/

mnrover · December 2003

Many thanks for the website. Great info
Josh

disco99 · December 2003

just go back and read NANUQ'S posts. he's got the same model and he seems to love it.
good luck

stickyfilms · December 2003

I've got a '99 Series I discovery with 53K miles. Lately at the beginning of every journey (within the first mile) there will be a shudder in the brake pedal and sometimes a shuddering noise to accompany. It only lasts a few seconds and when you let up on the pedal and push it back in it goes away after a few pumps. Needless to say when it happens it doesn't brake very well. Then the ABS light usually comes on and stays on. My dealer says he'll have to do a diagnostic ($100) to find the culprit. Any ideas?

mnrover · December 2003

Being in MN, I worry about cold weather starts causing premature damage the motor. I use Amsoil 5w/20 during the Winter months. Has anyone had experience with this Z-Max or other additives? Z-Max claims to "soak into the metal" and allow for better cold starts and better MPG. Thanks
Josh

botat1 · December 2003

hi everyone,we are the proud owners of a disco 2,we would like to add fog lights to our vehicle and mount them on the brush guard,the dealer will install hellas with the factory harness and use the extra on and off switch on the car for about $800. i would like to do this myself ,how hard is it to install the harness and activating the switch,or should we just buy our own lights and use the harness that comes with them, where is the easiest way to access the cab with the wires?. any input would be great. thank you all

discoman · January 2004

The installation of Fog lights to your brush guard is not hard to do. It is so simple, that you can do it at home in about an hour if you know what you are doing, and two if you can follow directions. You can get the Fog lights at www.roverconnection.com or www.atlanticbritish.com. Both of them carry the Genuine Land Rover Safari 1000 Fog or Driving lights(Your choice). Rover connection is the better deal. They sell for about $170 apiece and around $120 for the FACTORY harness including the FACTORY switch. For a grand total of about $460 Plus S&H Atlantic British has more variety on the lights, but they don't have the factory harness.

Activating the existing switch isn't a science either. There is no trick to it. All you have to do is find out where it breaks out in the wiring system and connect to it. It's always better to use a factory harness because it is designed to plug directly into your LR's electrical system. Using any other harness could load down your system improperly if it isn't designed right. The Factory harness includes the relays and ballasting systems, and will guarantee no undue loading of they system.

Nanuq. I had a blast in the snow, and didn't have to use my chains once. I am looking forward to more powdery adventures.

For the person asking about the 96 Disco 1. I also have one, and it has 85K on it. By all means, the mileage yours has is more than OK. It means it probably hasn't been in the shop too much, and is fairly reliable. I would pick it up in a heartbeat. $10K is just a little bit high, but it all depends on the condition. I have noticed on KBB and Edmunds that the SD is actually worth more than the SE or SE-7 for that year. Surprising since it doesn't come with all the toys.

botat1 · January 2004

Thank you disco man,went to the web site ,and saw the safari 5000 fog lights,i also went to expeditionexchange.com/hella/ and took a look at the hella 4000 fog lights. At expeditionexchange.com/trd/index/htm ,there is a part on the article that points out that the lights on the tomb raider defender, make it look Mickey Mouse,they look like safari 5000.I care about performance more than looks,looks are no going to help you on the trail,I will look into the safari 5000,and the hella 4000,and use the factory harness.Thanks for the help. By the way i would take that defender even if it had a picture of Mickey on the hood!

swilly · January 2004

Hi All,

New to board and looking a purchasing my first Disco...2000 Series 2, 21600 miles on it for $18500. VIN # SALTY1546YA270761. Was wondering if there are any problems I should be aware of regarding 2000 Series 2 LU's? Does this look as good of a deal to you as it does to me? Appears to be in almost flawless condition...

Any help is greatly appreciated!!!!

scott

phill27 · January 2004

I've noticed my brakes becoming softer in the last few weeks. After checking them, I can tell they still have some life left. But I know I will need a new set soon. On my old sidekick, I could easily change them with replacements from the local parts store. More importantly, they carried a lifetime warranty... and free replacements! Does anyone have experience using non factory pads. Also, does anyone know about changing brake lines to braided steel for a firmer feel?
I am also looking at some new tires for the lady. I liked the Dunlop Rover AT. Is there a comparable tire for rover that will handle moderate off road/ yet be civilized on the highway? My local tire guy, is trying to sell me on the toyo open country. Anyone try these? I know I am not very happy with the michelin 4x4.
Thanks in advance for your help.

phill27 · January 2004

I can tell you that the price sounds great! I am driving 2000 disco II and was happy to spend very close to that.

jamiakm · January 2004

Sorry I'm just responding to YOUR response, I've been away for a while. I really appreciate the information and my husband and I would REALLY appreciate the CD. He is pretty mechanically inclined but his father is an airplane mechanic so I'm hoping that between the two of them we'll be able to maintain it ourselves to a large degree.

I have been getting sooo much flak from people about getting a Land Rover but on the other hand current Land Rover owners I've spoken with seem to be managing with out many problems.

I must say I have been on a real roller coaster ride about doing this, but each time I test drive it I get more and more hooked and have decided to just take a chance that it will work out. So this board will have to serve as a much needed support for me in this journey.

I will be happy to reimburse you for the CD & postage, my email address is jamiakm@msn.com. I will send the address to you via email.

Thanks Again,
Jamia

pewee · January 2004

To Jamiakn and others who wonder about the reliabiliy of the LR Discovery, I submit our latest long distance trip report. Over the holidays we drove from Denver to New Jersey for our middle son's wedding and Xmas. The Disco was loaded to the gills with our gear, gear belonging to our other kids who chose to fly, and a Mac G4 computer. A challenge to load all that stuff, but managed to make sure that we could see the road behind us out the back window. That alone would have been a challenge in other SUVs.

We drove approximately 3,900 miles, bringing our total mileage to 16,950, give or take, in a 2003 Disco SE. Only trips to the dealer so far have been for oil changes, which are covered under our purchase warranty. LR of Denver East did them on short notice and before they were due because they did not want us to be on the road when the mileage said that the changes were due.

We took the Disco on this trip because of the chance of running into tough winter weather conditions. Never happened, even up by Cleveland and Erie, where it always seems to snow. Not this time.

Driver and passenger comfort was supurb during the 4 days going and 3 days returning. We chalk it up to the large airy feeling of the front seat area, as well as to the very comfortable and supportive seats. The engine ran like a clock, but drank premium like a drunken sailor. We averaged only 15.5 mpg for the trip. Mind you, there was much driving at over 75 MPH, and much of that on the way home into a headwind.

We cannot speak for anyone else's Disco experience, but this is the third very long distance trip we have taken, the others being to Florida and the Pacific Northwest. The Disco has run flawlessly from the day we first drove it home. No list of problems, no return trips to the dealer, other than for oil changes. Well, my better half did insist that I have them reprogram such that the driving lights are on all the time at the last oil change.

During the same number of driven miles my 1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee had 1., an engine rebuild under warranty, and 2., the traditional replacement of front rotors and brake pads. I won't even go into all the other experiences we had with that Jeep.

So, if you can stand the quirky controls and hikeing up into the seats, you should love the Disco. And, I don't think anything stock can beat its off-road capabilities on the back roads and mountain passes here in Colorado.
Pewee.

jamiakm · January 2004

rowjimmy · January 2004

I have the SLS option on my Disco II and here is the problem...

Most of the Time (not all of the time) after I park the car the Right rear air shock loses all of its air. the disturbing probelm is that thsi does not happen ALL of the time so I cant figure out if I have a bad air shock (leaks) or if I have a problem with some sensor that will cost me big $$$$$

any help would be appreaited the dealer wants 160 out here in SF just to take a look!!!!!

willitbeokay · January 2004

I am a new owner to a 2004 Discovery. I could hear noise coming from the engine compartment whenever I take my foot off the gas pedal, regardless of the speed of the vehicle.

Is this normal?

peeete · January 2004

Hi

I am considering a 2003 Disco. I can buy low miles service loaners under $30k so it seems pretty good.

My concern is the cost of service, as I hear it costs a fortune. I also hear that getting an extended warranty is very tough and is very expensive.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Does LR offer one? the dealer was non-commital about it. Cost?

My other question is how tippy does the Disco seem on curves on the highway? It just seems so tall.

Thanks for your help

Land Rover Discovery and Discovery II

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