| Author |
Message |
    
Bob
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 17, 2002 - 10:42 pm: | 
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Looking into buying my first Discovery (96 SD w/ 65k). Can anybody tell me appx yearly costs to keep this fine vehicle in tip top shape. I was told by the current owner that the brakes need attention ( pads, rotors and cleaning sensors) and that the dealer wanted $ 1400 while and independent garage wanted $ 800. I think thats a bit too much . Any input would be appreciated. Thanks |
ErikS
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 17, 2002 - 11:23 pm: |
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Well, I bought a 96 SD last august with 70k(luckily with an extended warranty) and since then:
transfercase input seal:$650
head gasket seals:$1100
power steering box:$675
rear main seal:$900
look on warranty adjusters face:priceless
I think I kind of got a lemon so don't let that scare you. That could be the extreme end of a yearly cost. |
Ron
| | Posted on Thursday, April 18, 2002 - 01:02 am: |
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humm
96 disco, would be cheaper to lease a new porsche
lol
Ron
no I am not kidding |
Jason Vance (Jason)
| | Posted on Thursday, April 18, 2002 - 02:48 am: |
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For a complete brake replacement, check out Atlantic British (www.roverparts.com). The have two brake kits for the Disco, one with a full set of discs, pads, and seals to perform the brake job for less than $400, and the other has upgraded discs (and pads?), which are cross-drilled, slotted (and vented?) for under $600.
These are the cost of the parts needed to perform the brake job; the indi shop want $800, then they are probably charging you for about 8 hours of labor, especially when their cost on the brake parts are at the most the same as what Atlantic British is selling them for...probably less.
Go figure, the dealer wants nearly twice that, which is more money in their pocket, less in your bank account, and the dealer will be a bitch to deal with if they screw up the job and you need them to fix their mistakes.
Advice, if you can turn a wrench, do the brakes yourself. If you can afford to pay the labor (hey, it may not be worth your time for the money saved; I'm a college student, so it is ALWAYS WORTH MY TIME!!!!), then go with the indi shop...it doesn't sound like their estimate is too far off from the expected parts and labor. |
mateu
| | Posted on Friday, April 19, 2002 - 11:09 pm: |
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You don't have to give the dealer a dime, you can do 90% of the repair. I bought a 96 SD in Dec last year with 53k. It's at almost 58k now, and I've upgraded various components. I had zero mechanical experience and I swapped out all the every 30k service stuff and I put in a whole new suspension. I have all the components for rebuilding the brakes sitting in the closet for the day I hit the 60k mark. You can get parts so much cheaper than Atlanic British or Rovers North. www.discountrovers.com can get you almost anything you can think of for lots less than the bigger vendors. roverconnection.com has some good buys too. And of course, for offroad upgrades, expeditionexchange.com offers great advice and great prices. If I thought that I would ever take my car to the dealer to have it fixed, I wouldn't have bought it. The largest expense to me to do all this myself was buying tools, but once you have what you need, they pay for themselves.
Hope that helps. |
Ron
| | Posted on Saturday, April 20, 2002 - 03:07 am: |
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Dude - you only have 5k on it! wait until it need valves or tranny or T-case work and see if you want to DIY then.
I like my answer better.
Buy a later truck if you can afford it.
Ron |
Andy Nichols
| | Posted on Saturday, April 20, 2002 - 01:37 pm: |
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It's true some of the larger drive train components are a b*tch to handle, but everything else is relatively simple for someone with mechanical aptitude and a good tool kit. I have working my way round my 1995 RRC and everything is straightforward. It just takes time - that's what you're paying someone for!! I agree that BritAtlantic have the best delas and their brake pads (mintex) are better than LR, too.
Just depends if you bite your nails or not (all that grease and stuff.....) |
Leslie N. Bright (Leslie)
| | Posted on Saturday, April 20, 2002 - 05:28 pm: |
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I'm w/ Ron on this..... '99 Disco, has ~20k on it when I got it; over 81k on it now in less than 2 years.
Oil & filter, plugs and wires, brakepads and rotors, grease, serpentine belt, hoses, etc.... Simple maintenence, did it all myself, not bad.
But.... but....
Power-steering leak, and it isn't a hose; it will need a valve job in the near-future; and, I was lazy, so I never changed the tranny filter, nor the diffs' fluids...  So, there are expensive fixes pending on it....
Anyway, it's one thing to fiddle on the Series, it's another to keep a Disco in top shape... yes, you can do it yourself, or at least the smaller chores, but the parts aren't give-away items....
Regardless, good luck on your choice....
-L |
Ron
| | Posted on Sunday, April 21, 2002 - 05:41 am: |
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You really think you need valves leslie?
Tranny filter is not too bad, especially on a southern truck. Diff fluid is a 10minute job tops. Even easier than on a series.
Also as far as the PS leak. Put a LITTLE atf stop leak in it and it will be good for a couple more years. Been working on alyssa's for over a year now.
Ron |
Leslie N. Bright (Leslie)
| | Posted on Sunday, April 21, 2002 - 10:03 pm: |
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LOL....
Nah, the tranny, it's probably not too bad, but... diff fluid, too.... I've been using the stop-leak stuff for a year, still leaks....
Yeah, I'm pretty sure on the valves, it's also got an antifreeze off the top of the block at the back, too.... 
But.... uh.....
-L |
Ron
| | Posted on Monday, April 22, 2002 - 05:39 am: |
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uh . . . should a bought that porsche
Not too hard to get the heads off.
Did you use PS stop leak or ATF stop leak? PS stop leak is worthless. The ATF stop leak worked wonders for me.
Ron |
Leslie N. Bright (Leslie)
| | Posted on Monday, April 22, 2002 - 08:16 am: |
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Uh, or a WRX.....
Nah, I've pulled heads on my Cheep before, I wouldn't have thought that the Rover was worse, I mean, comparing the AMC 360 block to a Buick block originating from the same era.....
You've got incoming mail.....
-L |
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