| Author | Message | ||
     Jason Wagner (Wagnerjc) New Member Username: Wagnerjc Post Number: 25 Registered: 03-2002 |
Hey All, I'm about to finally take the leap. I've been test driving 2 different DII's. They are the following: 2001 DII: Jump Seats, Cold Weather Pkg, ACE, SLS, Tow Pkg, 18" wheels, Sunroofs, CD Changer, Leather, factory brush bar, 2 years factory warranty left, 29,000 Miles, prettier paint job. Priced at about $23,500. 2000 DII: Jump Seats, Cold Weather Pkg, Tow Pkg, SLS, Premium Sound Pkg (CD changer), Sunroofs, Leather, factory brush bar, 5 mos. Manuf. warranty, ugly platinum paint, 32,000 Miles. Prices at about $20,000. They are being sold by a neighbor of mine that owns a dealership. He states that he is losing money on the 2001 (says he paid $25,000 for it as a trade-in). I need help with a few issues. Do they seem like fair deals to you folks? Is the 2001 a GREAT deal or not? I really never wanted ACE or 18" wheels; will it (ACE) be a hassle maintenance-wise? How much to make my next set of wheels 16" with new tires? I plan to do some moderate off-roading with it stock and eventually mod it with a basic lift kit, bumper, winch, and roof rack over time. Will ACE be something that I hate even more when I start modding? My wife really likes the thought of 2 more years of factory warranty. Is it worth the price difference just for that? I'm most concerned with having ACE and hating it (noise etc.), having to pump extra money to maintain it, or having touble with mods due to it. Please help. Thanks for all of your great advice over the past years. I am days away from my first Rover. SUUHWEET!!! | ||
| michael burt (Mikeyb) Senior Member Username: Mikeyb Post Number: 254 Registered: 03-2002 |
i have an 01 DII with ACE...purchased new, had the dealer swap the 18's for 16's before i even left the floor. mounted now are 265-75-16's. i would not worry about the noise, after a while you will not notice it hidden behind all the squeeks and rattles, the noise from any roof rack and the MT's roaring away on the road. i have an OME 3" HD lift that was no problem installing (actually, i hear that at really slow speeds, the ACE setup is looser than a non-ACE car with sway bars attached. my only ACE problem was a pump that lost a seal. and yes, that was a problem. but overall i am happy with mine and have had no trouble with mods. will you like it? hell if i know...are the cars listed good deals? maybe, i dunno...those are two things i leave for you to decide...good luck, though. | ||
| Bill Butt (Azbutter) New Member Username: Azbutter Post Number: 2 Registered: 06-2003 |
The 2001 is a good price with all the options. No way he took it in for $25K but he should probably be selling it for that or a little more. ACE is not all that bad but it depends on how seriouos your going to get. Fi you do a lot of street driving then ACE makes the turns and corners nice. As far as noise, Rovers are noisy as hell anyhow - especially when you get moving fast. You'll be able to hear the ACE but it is not all that bad. Take the 18's - you can always buy 16's or trade - plenty of people will make the deal with you (me included). There are usually plenty of 16" for sale on discoweb anyhow. As far as maintenence on ACE - have not had any yet on a 2000 DII (other than standard stuff they do at the dealer). | ||
| Alyssa Brown (Alyssa) Member Username: Alyssa Post Number: 135 Registered: 01-2003 |
Jason, I think the 2001 is a great deal, and that's the one I would choose. When a Land Rover is still under warranty, there are only a few things you have to check for: cosmetic condition, brakes (both pads and rotors), tires, windshield wipers, and cracked lenses. Make sure the 30k was done (it is moderately expensive). What I would do is to schedule an appointment with the dealer for a "used car check." We charge an hour labor, and give you a list of what is wrong. That way you can see if there are any problems you would have to pay for. Make SURE it was not in an accident. Carefully examine for any "orange peel" in the paint or misaligned pieces. Make sure the jump seats operate smoothly. Get a carfax...they now show most accident reports. By the time you get to 2001, several improvements were made to the PPK system that made it less noisy. I got used to the noise. IF, however, you enjoy a really quiet ride, the noise will most likely bother you forever. ACE *does* give you much better wheel travel than a non-ACE truck. It was designed to improve both on-road ride AND off-road ability. If you are truly concerned about the reliability of the system, purchase a Land Rover Assured extended warranty. That way, it's not on you if it breaks. Overall, an ACE truck drives much more comfortably than a non-ACE truck. The 18"s? Well, they look nice. | ||
| Mike M (Mikem) New Member Username: Mikem Post Number: 23 Registered: 02-2003 |
18" wheels are a liability offroad...have the dealer swap them unless you can sell them for more than the price of a set of 16's. ACE gives you better articulation than stock springs or SLS, but it is more complex and goes against the KISS principle. I have a 99 DII with SLS. | ||
| Jason Wagner (Wagnerjc) New Member Username: Wagnerjc Post Number: 26 Registered: 03-2002 |
Thanks for the feedback. I'm going to try to get the 2001 Disco to the dealer before purchase, swap out the 18" wheels for 16", and work on the price. I really appreciate the help, and look forward to any more comments. | ||
| Bill Butt (Azbutter) New Member Username: Azbutter Post Number: 3 Registered: 06-2003 |
I think you should keep the 18's and if you have trouble, sell them or swap out for the 16's later. You can probably get more after the sale than the dealer will give you. How serious will you get off-roading? The 18's will probably do fine unless you get aggressive. I am keeping both and swapping out for the 16's when off-roading will be challenging. The real challenge is convincing your wife to keep 2 sets of tires!!! | ||
| Alyssa Brown (Alyssa) Member Username: Alyssa Post Number: 139 Registered: 01-2003 |
I agree with Bill. I highly doubt the dealer will swap the wheels for you. If you notice, Michael bought his car brand new. Swapping brand new wheels is one thing. Used ones? Doubtful. You can buy a set of steel wheels, fit them with agressive off-road tires, and keep your 18"s with goodyears for the rest of the time when you aren't off-road. Or you could buy so many wheels and tires that your basement looks like a tire store, like me and Ron.  | ||
| Jason Wagner (Wagnerjc) New Member Username: Wagnerjc Post Number: 27 Registered: 03-2002 |
So it looks like I'll probably go with the 2001. Turns out that its an SE7 with all of the above options. As far as I can see it truly is too good to pass up. I'm still trying to figure out the wheels. Alyssa, Do you think that I should really push for the 30K maintanance. If my neighbor is being honest, he is already losing money to me on the sale, while I assume that he more than made it up on the vehicle it was traded for. He also let me test drive it for a week. While I was test driving it, I noticed that the rear wiper blade was missing. It put a nice arcing scratch in rear windshield when used. I took it to the dealer to replace the wiper blade myself. Is there any way to buff the scratch out? Should I ask to have the rear window replaced before the sale? What would it cost me to have it replaced? What is this worth in bargaining leverage? the 2001 is right at the absolute limit of what I can reasonably afford right now, so I need to cut the cost wherever possible. Thanks a ton! | ||
| michael burt (Mikeyb) Senior Member Username: Mikeyb Post Number: 256 Registered: 03-2002 |
i would keep the 18's for driving around...i think the ACE works better with 55 series tires. get some cheap wheels (look on the BB sale section, you might be suprised) and like alyssa, open a used tire store in the garage! if your neighbor is really "losing money" on the sale, i don't think anything except the truck being on fire will give you much more barganing leverage. i am not sure about buffing the rear window, i would not care about it, personally...but i doubt you will be able get it replaced. mike | ||
| Bill Butt (Azbutter) New Member Username: Azbutter Post Number: 4 Registered: 06-2003 |
If I recall in a conversation, I think the rear window is about $700 - that's retail though... Maybe you should stick with it and get full glass coverage from your insurance guy (front window is $800 since you'll have the cold weather package). Check that - must get full coverage or you'll probably be sorry. These things are rock magnets with their high profile and they never seem to miss (kinda like the broad side of a barn...). Anyhow, you never know when some rock might accidentally, in some freak way, jump up an break that rear window...accidentally of course... | ||
| Alyssa Brown (Alyssa) Member Username: Alyssa Post Number: 147 Registered: 01-2003 |
The scratch can be buffed out, check for a company called Novus. I wasn't suggesting you try to get the price down any more, I was just preparing you for additional costs you may incur very soon. I was also letting you know important things to look for when picking a good used car. When you aren't buying a car from a dealer, you may pay less initially, but there are other costs that show up later. That car is such a deal, though, that even if you need to replace all four tires, brakes, and rotors, and all the wipers, you still would be paying considerably less than at the dealer. At that price, I absolutely believe he's losing money on the sale. We (although we are a dealer, and the car would be certified), would retail that car for $27,900-$28,900, no problem. | ||
| Jason Wagner (Wagnerjc) New Member Username: Wagnerjc Post Number: 29 Registered: 03-2002 |
Thanks a ton All. Now I just need to get my wife to agree to $50 a month in payments, and finalize things. | ||
| Tony Zuniga (Tony23007) Member Username: Tony23007 Post Number: 98 Registered: 05-2003 |
Alyssa a quick question is it true that most dealers have fixed prices?? Just wondering!!! | ||
| Al Oliveira (Offroaddisco) Senior Member Username: Offroaddisco Post Number: 1389 Registered: 04-2002 |
Jason, Get the 2000 unless you know for sure that the 2001 has the CDL nipple. Early 2001's had 'em but late 2001's didn't. If you plan on going off road I wouldn't buy a D2 without the option of going with a CDL. |
