| Author |
Message |
    
niall forbes (Forbesn)
| | Posted on Sunday, July 14, 2002 - 08:55 pm: | 
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As I mentioned on another thread, I just sold my '66 IIa and am now hunting for a Discovery to replace it. My budget will keep me down at the bottom of the market so I'm restricted to Series I Discos (probably what I'd get anyway). Anyway, tonight I was thinking over all the conflicting advice over what year to get etc and trying to figure out what I need to do to evaluate each vehicle that I look at. I read all the tech. articles and so I hear of the common problems but it always seems that whenever I checkout a car my mind goes blank and all I can think to do is check for obvious rust and try the power windows. I thought, to organise my thoughts, I should write down what I wanted to check before I looked at a truck, that way I'd have something to consult. Anyway, I started to write down what I knew about different years and what to check and, well, it was pretty sorry attempt. So what I want to do, is come up with a buyers guide or checklist that prospective buyers of Series I Discoveries can take with them when looking at a truck.
I figure you want to check for service history records. Rust in the door posts and floors. Leaks from sunroofs and alpine windows. Excessive fluid leaks (power steering). Christmas tree dash (warning lights). Bad transmission - different for manual and auto.
Maybe it needs to be separated into sections like:
Engine
Driveline
Body
Interior
etc.
What else? If we can get enough items to check on, I think we would have a very usefull checklist. I will write it up so Ho can post it in the tech section but I need info from those of you with experience. This will be of little use if it is not quite comprehensive. Also, please chime in with comments on what info you think should be included. |
Ron
| | Posted on Sunday, July 14, 2002 - 10:24 pm: |
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Most common faults:
Leaking cross seals (appears like a rear main leak) but it is "only" the cross seals which retain the rear main and can be changed without removing the motor or trans
Leaking intake/valve cover gaskets/head gaskets (all oil leaks)
Leaking t-case outputs
Leaking pinion seals
Valve issues
SRS faults (harness $$$$)
ABS faults (sensors $$$)
Sunroofs inop, leaking, noisey
Rust in alpines, rear quarters by doors
Inadequate maintaince of trans, swivels, driveshafts, diffs (also check for diff/u-joint wear ie clunk)
5 speeds are crap
Diff lock inop
Anyone care to add 
Ron |
Neal Glessner (Nealg)
| | Posted on Sunday, July 14, 2002 - 10:36 pm: |
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I have a 95 Disco, 108k miles w/ 5 speed and no problems yet. I don't agree with Ron that they are crap. I am very har on my truck. |
niall forbes (Forbesn)
| | Posted on Sunday, July 14, 2002 - 10:47 pm: |
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Neal, I think you are a rare case. It seems pretty well established that the 5-speeds normally don't hold up too well with the V8. You and I believe Gil (and probably a few others) have been lucky.
Ron, how do you check the SRS harness or the ABS sensors? How do you check for valve issues. How much oil on the ground is too much? The door jam by the latch on the rear doors (second row) can be bad for rust too, right? What about clunks in the auto? I know a lot of people say they've had clunks from day one, so how much is too much? How stiff are the locks, usually? I checked out a truck on friday and the rear door was totally inoperable. Obviously a problem, but are they generally stiff or just like any other car? |
Jay Hobbs (Jayxd)
| | Posted on Sunday, July 14, 2002 - 10:56 pm: |
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If you are comfortable with your own attempts at checking the vehicle over then I'd spend a whole lot of time on it, in it, under it, etc. I'm on my second Rover and wish I was more diligent in checking it out myself before I bought it. I purchased it from the shop that worked on my old RR exclusively so I figured they had looked it over and it was in good shape - wrong assumption. If found a few things which they fixed but there were some underlying problems which I'm now paying for. I'd spend the money if needed to have it looked at by someone who knows rovers. The list Ron made above is sadly true and I'm dealing, or already have dealt with, many of those things listed.
I've heard 94-95 are the ones to stay away from but at the same time I've seen people post that they have had little problems with their 94 or 95, so who knows. I think PO care and service is key on many issues and that can be a hard thing to see when looking aroung.
Good luck! |
Ron
| | Posted on Sunday, July 14, 2002 - 11:30 pm: |
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Any oil on the ground is too much (IMHO)
5 speeds are crap, Neal, you are lucky or actually know how to shift.
SRS will have an SRS light (make sure it comes on when first started ie make sure someone did not put the bulb out)
ABS sensors show up with either an ABS light or inappropriate activation of ABS (ie ABS activates when it should not)
Valve issues show up with check engine lights, flutter on accelleration or just lack of power. Really hard to pin down unless they get so bad as to bend one valve. Compression test with low numbers is a good indicator though.
Play/wear in the diffs is the major issue. Is the DS have not been lubed they will sieze/wear the u joints but mostly sloppy diffs are the cause. No good way to show but you can twist the DS and see.
Ron
PS I would like to add
VSS and clogged IACV (aka stepper motor)
Power window issues (window lift ECU and bad regulators) |
niall forbes (Forbesn)
| | Posted on Sunday, July 14, 2002 - 11:31 pm: |
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yeah, I agree Jay. Let's add another hot topic - mileage. How much is too much? When have people really started having problems? Or is it more of a constant battle rather than being hit at 200k or something. I know a lot of RR Classic guys well over 200k miles so I would assume the Disco should last just as long. |
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