By Herk Papadakis (Hpapad01) on Thursday, October 11, 2001 - 03:59 am: Edit

Hello everyone. I am new to this board & new to the LR period. I have the opportunity to buy a 97 Disco SE with 56K miles. The body, paint & interior are in excellent condition. But I am more concern with the mechanics.

Here is the VIN number SALJY1247VA722871. Also the price is $16,200 and it is from a very good friend who is an independent dealer. This is the first LR he has bought for a customer of his, but he cannot provide the financing. So I was at the lot & start looking at it. I have being driving it for 4 days & everything is working.

Thank you

By Leslie N. Bright (Leslie) on Thursday, October 11, 2001 - 04:39 am: Edit

Check to see if you can get a history on it's maintenance... a LR dealer can tell you (there are some here, so they might pipe in automatically here).

Might want to have a LR dealer look it over, or find a mechanic who knows Rovers. Your location?

Sounds like a good deal, if it has a clean history.

Good luck,

-L

By Herk Papadakis (Hpapad01) on Thursday, October 11, 2001 - 11:59 am: Edit

Thank you Leslie,

Here is the history:

08/24/01 - 55792K
Heated O2 sensor rear RH RENE
Sensor, Heated Oxygen (H02S)
Transfer Box Line Fault
Set Idle Speed, Mil Illuminate
Fuse
Fuse, 20A Auto
OBD Drive Cycle 'C'
Trace Shorted Wire to H02

07/20/01 - 54258K
Water Pump - Renew
Water Pump
Anti-Freeze

05/29/01 - 54108K
Fuel Pump Replace
Pump, Fuel
Olive-Fuel Feed Pipe to HOS
Union Nut-Fuel Feed Pipe to
Pump, Fuel

05/29/01
Stifner/2Guide Rail Per 76169
Guide Assembly Sunroof
Nut, for Sunroof Glass

05/29/01
Switch EL OP Seat Replace
Plate Switch Cover

05/29/01
Head Gaskets-Both-Repl-w/AC
Gasket Set, engine Top End
Bolt, Head use w/Err7217 Gasket
Gasket, Exhaust Manofold to PI
Valley End Clamps
Engine oil/Dye
Perform oil dye test
Oil

05/29/01
Alternator - Replace
Generator, 100AMP 96MY on
Test Charging System

03/28/01 - 50320K
Door Glass Regulator-FT-Each
Regulator-Front RH
Stud, Door Casing, Discovery

03/28/01
Rear Seat Bely-Center

03/13/01 - 48000K
Belt, Seat Double Buckle Righ

01/08/01 - 44105K
Fuel Filler CAp Split RIN
Install Filler Neck Split RIN

04/10/00 - 37180K
Cruise Button
Fresh Air Solenoid Relay
Bulb & Holder Orange
Tail Door rattles
Tailgate Assy ADJ to striker

04/10/00
Secure w/strip driv side door
Drain tube sunroof frt replace

08/30/99 - 31439K
Steering feels very loose
Panhard Rod Bushes
CK & Adjust FRNT Wheel Align
Bush, Rubber Panharh Rod

07/08/99 - 29576K
30000 Mile Service
Heated 02 sensor rear RH Rene
Sensor, Heated Oxygen (h02s)
Diag w/test book

02/11/99 - 25395K
Drive cycle 'A' see w96-008
ECM Prom 4.0 RR, Replace H857
Fuel Level Measument not A/

12/29/98 - 24835K
22500 Mile Service

12/29/98
Oil pressure switch-replace
Switch, oil pressure kit
Rocker Covers both renew

05/05/98 - 16204K
Oil Seal Timing Cover-Renew
Front Crankshaft Seal
15000 Mile Service
Electrical system cruise test
throttle act link adj
diag cruise operation
control unit, vacumn-cruise co
SrS link lead
Installed SRS Link Lead D488


Sorry for the long post. But what do you think after all these records. Does it make sence to buy it with extended warranty for about $1,500 for the warranty for 3-Years or 36,000 miles?

Again thank you all for your help.

By Eric N (Grnrvr) on Thursday, October 11, 2001 - 12:15 pm: Edit

You can get a 10 year 100,000 mile warrenty for that price through a non-LR company if you want an extended warrenty.

By Herk Papadakis (Hpapad01) on Thursday, October 11, 2001 - 12:29 pm: Edit

Actually this is not through a LR dealer. Do you have any names or were to look for it?

By Leslie N. Bright (Leslie) on Thursday, October 11, 2001 - 12:46 pm: Edit

Not a bad history, just a bunch of the niggling little things.... I'd suggest following Eric's suggestion on getting a good warranty for this vehicle, though...

(I'll probably regret saying this, but) My '99 Disco, now with 67k on the odometer, has never been to a dealer since it left the showroom (Better go "knock-on-wood" on all of that dash-trim!!!) I'm doing the maintenance myself... there've been lots of the little things, too, but they're small and easy fixes (so far!).

Best o' luck.....

-L

By Herk Papadakis (Hpapad01) on Thursday, October 11, 2001 - 01:31 pm: Edit

Does anybody have any additional info on third party warranty?

By Eric N (Grnrvr) on Thursday, October 11, 2001 - 03:06 pm: Edit

DO some searches using the search feature.. I found it on this site in one of the post. That and I will see if I still have the info when I get home. Don't have that stuff here at work

By Herk Papadakis (Hpapad01) on Thursday, October 11, 2001 - 03:25 pm: Edit

I will start with the search. Thanks for all your help. The loan is approved and I am on my way.

By Tate on Thursday, October 11, 2001 - 05:07 pm: Edit

Leslie,
Do yourself a favor and go in once a year for the "corrosion inspection." That way, when your alpine windows and door jambs start bubbling, it's easier to get them to pay. :-) Body shop work is dang expensive!

By Leslie N. Bright (Leslie) on Thursday, October 11, 2001 - 08:03 pm: Edit

I'll be out of extended corrosion warranty mileage-wise w/in the coming year (maybe w/in this year even), and it's not showing anything corrosion-wise yet....


-L

By nightfever on Friday, October 12, 2001 - 12:47 am: Edit

Don't ya just love a Rover's Rap Sheet!!! Some would call them "habitual violators!"

By Herk Papadakis (Hpapad01) on Friday, October 12, 2001 - 11:53 am: Edit

Since you guys are so helpful, I would like to ask a couple more questions.

Looking at the existing history, what else to you think I may need to replace in the near future?

Also, moving the stick from high to low and locking the diff, should be a smooth procedure? In this Disco it feels very tight moving it. In fact I had to move the auto stick from neutral to drive and then back to neutral a couple of times before I was able to move to the low or locking the diff and then back to high.

Is there a tool kit provided with the 97 Disco from LR?

Again thank you

-H

By KJ on Friday, October 12, 2001 - 12:22 pm: Edit

Herk,

Going on memory here (dangerous prospect!), but I think some folks have had good luck with the extended warranty from http://www.roverguy.com Good luck, it sounds like the extended warranty is a good use of one's dollars.

Karen

By Eric N (Grnrvr) on Friday, October 12, 2001 - 12:29 pm: Edit

Yup... THat's where I got my extended warrenty from.. Thanks Karen.. I was having problems remembering that..

Herk, when you switch from 4hi to 4low you want to have the disco in neutral and you want to be coasting a little 1-6mph when you do the shifting. This will make it easier to shift into low and back out. Also, the more you do it the easier it gets. If you don't use it though it will get harder and harder and may start sticking on you. I try to use mine at least twice a month. To lock the diff you can just move it to the left no matter what gear your in but, don't do that on the street or any hard surface where one wheel can't slip a little. If you do you may not be able to unlock it again with out having to go in reverse for a while or jacking up the whole truck.

By Herk Papadakis (Hpapad01) on Friday, October 12, 2001 - 04:33 pm: Edit

OK,

I have the quote from the roverguy.com for the warranty. Everything looks good so here goes another $1,575.00 for 3/36. I guess it will be money well spend anyway, the said spend money for the economy, so here I go...

One more question: I hear a squckie noise from the steering when I turn left or right even in small increments. It does not do it all the time, but it very noticeable when it does. Any idea where is coming from? It sounds from th top part of the steering, or maybe I am hearing things.

- H

By Discosaurus (Discosaurus) on Friday, October 12, 2001 - 04:39 pm: Edit

The steering shaft is rubbing on the bulkhead (firewall).

"They All Do That"

BTW - a lot of the things that break have already been fixed on that truck. Alternator, water pump, fuel pump, leaky heads...

Sounds like a good deal...

keith
discosaurus

By Discosaurus (Discosaurus) on Friday, October 12, 2001 - 04:40 pm: Edit

Oh...no, no tool kit - just a lug wrench and cheater bar packed with the load bars for the roof "rack". The jack is in the engine bay, in front of the air filter.

k
d

By Yo!adrian (Adrian) on Friday, October 12, 2001 - 04:48 pm: Edit

Herk, my Disco does the exact same thing. Are you by chance in a cold climate area? The reason I ask is because mine only does it in the winter. I simply shoot some WD-40 in the steering column, and it magically disappears.

By Herk Papadakis (Hpapad01) on Friday, October 12, 2001 - 08:55 pm: Edit

Adrian,

I am in Charlotte, NC. The weather is around 69 to 80 degrees, so cold weather should not be a problem. Actually, I can hear it more during the hottest part of the day like 3:00PM. I guess I will try some WD-40 and see what happens. It is just a little annoying to listen. My other car is a Lexus LS-400 and maybe I am use to complete silence in the cabin. However, do not get me wrong, I love the Disco.