Disco I/II/RRC VS. others for -$6000

[4n24wd]

OK, I've yet to make my purchase yet but please convince me a Solihull is for me ! I don't mind paying for repairs if there a bit costly but will a Disco be a good buy VS. say a Montero SR w/Rear locker or an older Yoat LC ? It will be a daily driver so I need longevity out of it too. I really love the looks and know there's ample aftermarket out there for these VS. the others but I know I DON:T WANT A HEEP, so I have eliminated 1 so far. How many miles can you expect on the original engine with good care ??? Thoughts ?

 

[syoung]

I've seen a lot of Rovers with about 200K on the clock and still running ok- you gotta pay your dues to get there though and give 'em what they need.
Yodas and especially Mitsu's are actually often more expensive to fix. Especially the unusual ones.
For $6K, you can probably score a nice Disco I soccer mom mobile with relatively low miles. $6K goes farther on an older RRC from what I've seen. I've been shopping in that same price range.

 

[4n24wd]

Damn your in LC ?! I work in Dulles and am trying to sell my car so I can get a 4x4 ASAP ! Do you go tou much now or just trying to get into it ? Have you found anything yet ?

 

[scot]

I just ended up with a D I that has 83k on the clock. Let me warn you now, there is a TON of crap in our area (herndon for me). I probably drove 15 discoveries and 4 range rovers, and the "good" ones had issues that were in the "might be REALLY bad" arena or were priced too high. The one I ended up with has a few things to correct, and the fluids really needed to be changed out, but was otherwise good for me.

Craigs list has some good stuff sometimes, as does autotrader. Unfortunately 6k is still going to be tough even from a private sale.

Scot

 

[Asolo3j]

Don't worry, they are out there and you can find the right one.... just depends on how long you want to shop. I was looking for the better part of a year and... finally on LRX I found my recent love. 1995 Dicso 1 with 98K by the original owner. I really wanted a 5 speed and that is what took the most time in finding the right one. The D1 was in Boston and I drove up there from Annapolis, MD to see it and test drive. A few little thigs like rear brake job, power steering hoses, a good tune up and fluid change should be all she needs. It is currently being worked on by Robisons Service in Springfield, MA (they ROCK!) and I hope to drive it down just after Turkey Day.

I bought it for $2500 from an great owner in Mass, he never took it off-road, he had his service done at the dealer for everything, but his family and new D2 gave him the opportunity to sell this one. By the time its all done... purchase price, service, MD tax, registration, first year of insurance, etc... I have my figures around $5000.

It's not going to be my primary vehicle so I hope to have lots of eyars and many miles of enjoyment out of this one. It's a prime example for some modification and some day it may become a full-on trail rig. For now, I couldn't be happier.

 

[4n24wd]

What's Craig's List all about ? How much did you pay for yours, year and so on ? Other than rust, visible damage and leaks what else did you look out for ?

 

[Asolo3j]

Good info on what to look for when buying a Land Rover.

http://www.robisonservice.com/servicedep/rover_advice1.asp

It helped me a lot and I still went with the Disco.

 

[4n24wd]

Cool man, thanks a lot. I still have a car to sell before I can get anything but regardless, researching never hurt I don' t think ? @!

 

[Asolo3j]

Reasearching was some fun all right... I read all I could, took notes about everything, jotted down where to find info about this and that, and bookmarked about 50 web sites.

Know what you want, know how much you have to spend on the car (including the little stuff that tends to add up) and remember that it's ok to walk away. If the seller wants to sell (even if it's a dealer) then he/she wont let you walk away.

 

[syoung]

I bought my D1 a couple years ago for $8K with 85K on it. It was a one-owner rig and had tons of historical info on the maintenance. Of course, it still wasn't maintained properly and it cost me a few bucks to get it right.
The most important thing is to NOT be in a hurry. There are some real diamonds in the rough out there and there are also a lot of great looking lemons.
A guy I know scored a 97 SE7 with 77K miles with proof of meticulous care for $4500 just because the front bumper and grille were bent and one headlamp was broken. Used headlamp, aftermarket bumper and Saudi grille and he was driving a sweet SE7 for $5500.
Personally, I think you get more bang for the buck in a RRC. You can get a nice RRC for $3K and have some $ to bring all the maintenance up to spec and mod it a bit with springs and rubber.

One trick that paid off for me many times was to talk to used car managers at various dealers and tell them you're looking for a Disco or Rangie. If they take one on a trade that they would otherwise wholesale out- they can hook you up with a deal. I got a Grand Wagoneer that way- the wholesaler offered them $500 and I offered $750. I replaced the engine and brakes and resold it for $7500.

 

[p m]

Steve, can you sell my Cherokee?

 

[4n24wd]

Can't complain on that one ! I'm not too much a DIY fella as I'd like to be but I can turn a wrench a bit. What are some decent used sites I might find one at other than Autotrader and local papers ?

 

[nosivad_bor]

www.lrx.com

 

[syoung]

I've seen a couple of hi-mile Discos pass through Carmax... they sell 'em as "valueMax" which means high miles, but clean. That's where you find the soccer mom Discos- but you pay just about book for them. On the up-side, they'll slap a warranty on it for a few bucks... on the down-side, you pay some bucks.
Usually a good way to find one is to watch the lots of non-Rover dealers. Not the shady trailer on the side of the road with 12 cars kinda dealers, but the BIG dealers. If they take one on trade, they often just want to ditch them. Just watch out for rebuilt wrecks, flood victims, former rentals (there's a LOT of former rental Discos... don't even!).
Nice deals pop up here on DWeb too- there's a couple that sold here recently that I wish I would have jumped on. I've decided just to mod the Disco I have now and buy something different for a daily driver.

As for the Cherokee- they don't have the cult-like following that the Grand Wagoneer has. I like cult-like followings when they write me checks.

 

[Asolo3j]

http://www.lrx.com/
http://www.dap-inc.com/homeframe.htm
http://www.roversclub.org/
http://www.landroverclassified.com/

These are just a few. LRX is probably the best and after some really bad horror stories about EBAY, I refuse to even shop there.

You can also check out the dealer network. Go to a specific dealer's website and see their inventory. I found a couple that were contenders but I wanted a 5 speed and they looked at me like i was crazy. Most Land Rover clubs also havea aclassified section for their specific members, but if they are advertising in there then you problaby have seen it on another site too (like LRX).

 

[Asolo3j]

Make buddies with a dealer and tell him what you want, when one comes available have him shop for you. Give him a few bucks and they are usually happy. You can also look the auction route.

When dealers take a car in on trade they need to get rid of it within 90 days or the value will drop too much. They need quick turn-around! When you spot one with a dealer, make them aware you are interested, then wait to see what happens with it. Watch and keep our eyes on it to see how the market is reacting to it. It there is litle or no traffic on it, then the dealer only has price as an optin to make it more attractive. The dealer will drop his price or throw in a "warranty"... if still no action after 30-40 days then he is starting to think "how can I ditch this thing!" WHOLESALE is his next step at about 50-60 days. You have to act accordingly, but you can easily watch a car that has been around for say 50-60 days or so and then make a hell of a deal on it. The dealer will most likely take your offer because it will be better than him breaking even on the wholesale price. If he doesn't then walk away. Watch for a few more and stroll in with an even lower offer. He has to do it now or suffer a potential loss. The magic is in the timing.

I saw this senario work and a $12,000 BMW went for $6500 on day 75 of it being at the lot.

 

[p m]

Steve - too bad, they are all the same but better

 

[syoung]

oh- THAT cherokee... I thought you meant the little POS ones.
Nice. I prefer the G Wagoneer to a Disco actually.

 

[montoya]

craigslist.com

craig's list is like a free (except for job postings) ebay that started in the bay area. i've bought and sold all kinds of stuff on there from crap to my last two cars. great source if a good sized craigslist market has developed in your area. there can be lots of bs on there too, but overall a good source.