| Author | Message | ||
     Jeremy Swanson (Jswanson) New Member Username: Jswanson Post Number: 1 Registered: 01-2004 |
I am currently looking to purchase a Discovery 1, most likely a '95-'97. I am going to look at one tomorrow (a 1995) and I am wanting to know specific things to look for to see if it has been "abused" off road. It has a 3 inch OME lift with 31" tires so it appears to me that the current owner is not the ideal "soccer mom." Any help you can provide would be great. | ||
| thom mathie (Muskyman) Senior Member Username: Muskyman Post Number: 539 Registered: 11-2002 |
i'd rather have one that was punished hard but kept up then one from a soccer mom that went 10k between oil changes. | ||
| Jeremy Swanson (Jswanson) New Member Username: Jswanson Post Number: 2 Registered: 01-2004 |
True, I was planning on checking records (whatever is available) and asking questions as far as regular maitenance. I believe most people who take their vehicle off road take better care of their vehicle than those who don't, I just want to know what signs show that the disco has been mistreated. | ||
| thom mathie (Muskyman) Senior Member Username: Muskyman Post Number: 542 Registered: 11-2002 |
take off the orange oil filler cap in the driver side valve cover. is it a burnt brownish orange color? if so it may not have had regular oil changes. is the steering gear caked with dirty road grime and oil? if so the steering pump may have been run low after the hoses leaked. | ||
| Richard Grayson III (Skaramunga) Member Username: Skaramunga Post Number: 45 Registered: 02-2003 |
discos are so cheap used now, i wouldnt go 95, i have 96 and it's 105,000 and strong. if you could find a 300 diesel youd be so much happier with gas milage, but needle in a haystack. anyway make sure the pigs well maintained and has all the options for the year and make. it always seems like the second i buy a used vehicle i see a much better deal two weeks later. i.e. i bought a 1996 disco SD for $16,500 the day after 9/11, then two weeks later all major car companies introduce 0% fin. anyway i see a 4.0 range (blacked out, all opts) for 16,5....just wait for the best deal man. | ||
| thom mathie (Muskyman) Senior Member Username: Muskyman Post Number: 543 Registered: 11-2002 |
i'd much rather have a 95 with a dizzy then a 96 with bad valves  | ||
| Richard Grayson III (Skaramunga) Member Username: Skaramunga Post Number: 46 Registered: 02-2003 |
man i'm trying to be helpful to a possible new disco owner...and ive heard the 95 has an unstable engine (car & buyer).anyway that comment is like saying my dick is bigger than yours, which it is. helpful(me) vs. prick(you) | ||
| CJ SZPILA (Crash05) Senior Member Username: Crash05 Post Number: 279 Registered: 11-2002 |
Check for rust around Alpine windows and in the rear door jams. Rust won't hurt reliabilty but it is expensive to fix right. | ||
| thom mathie (Muskyman) Senior Member Username: Muskyman Post Number: 544 Registered: 11-2002 |
richard GO SCREW YOURSELF!!! 94\95 disco's have very stable engines . 96/97 had valve problems. and if the oil wasent changed on regular intervals the valves might be a click away from a head job. you are trying to send him looking for a albatrose saying to go get a 300 oil burner. all my comments are right on IMHO so little dick richard grow up !! Jeremy I as well as a number of other people on this board prefer the 3.9 motor because it gives you some options. one being you can retard the spark and run 87 octane fuel. ignore Dick Greyson....a oil burner is darn near impossible to find and unless you are a true diesel enthusiast they have there own problems such as a timing belt that needs changing every 40k Thom | ||
| Rob Davison (Nosivad_bor) Dweb Lounge Member Username: Nosivad_bor Post Number: 1465 Registered: 02-2003 |
richard, chill out, you "heard some shit" and thom "knows some shit" sit back and learn rd | ||
| Brian Dickens (Bri) Senior Member Username: Bri Post Number: 971 Registered: 08-2002 |
It is easy to tell of the vehicle has been driven offroad hard. Get underneath and look for scratches, bent undersills/body parts. But as said, even if it has been offroad, if suspension and sterring components are straight and it is mechanically sound, you should be good. | ||
| marc olivares (Pugs) Senior Member Username: Pugs Post Number: 300 Registered: 12-2002 |
jeremy, check the center diff. lever, typically an unused center diff is difficult to engage and may need to be adjusted. this is a good thing so don't think of it as a problem. soccer moms typically don't lock the center diff in their grocery getters. marc | ||
| Alyssa Brown (Alyssa) Senior Member Username: Alyssa Post Number: 417 Registered: 01-2003 |
He's not going to find a diesel, people! He's in the U.S.! Calm down & play nice. | ||
| peter nova (Peter) Member Username: Peter Post Number: 75 Registered: 07-2003 |
I would get a cheap disco doesn�t matter what year and put in a 4.6, no worries after that. | ||
| Tony Zuniga (Tony23007) Member Username: Tony23007 Post Number: 244 Registered: 05-2003 |
Things to check on a 95 Disco. Check Air Conditioning system, drive it around until engine is at operating temperature and see if AC compressor cuts in and out, if it does Radiator might need some cleaning. Check the CDL, lock the diff and engage H to L, usually these parts are locked solid on a rig that has not bee used for extreme off road. Check for excessive Oil leaks and Power Steering leaks, all of these trucks have leaks, you don't want to buy one that has a really bad leak though!! Check exhaust rattles, Catalytic Coverter rattles, these parts are a bit expensive. Check all doors make sure they latch properly and finally check the seats, they tend to cave in and are somewhat of a hassle to get them fixed. Other than that do your normal checks, drive the car around for a while, test the alingment, test the brakes, make sure none of them are squealing. Normal things on these cars: Wind noise is not the best, they leak oil, have poor fuel economy, windows leak at carwash, everything rattles at one time or antoher (Buy double sided tape it helps with the rattles). Other than that if you like the car buy it, if you don't look for another they are fun to own. |
