I think you have similar used vehicle issues as any other used vehicle out there. There are examples that have been overused and undermaintained as well as some sweet examples that are still nearly showroom perfect. The Rover V8 engine is long proven american technology refined to a degree where it can give years of trouble free operation — provided it is maintained properly.
Check to see if there are any accident declarations, check for a owners manual with preventive maintenance, servicing and service bulletins up tp date. There are quite a few used Discos out there — currently 30 on buysell.com, so its worth being picky.
You should take a close look at the one that Don Macdonald has for sale in the for sale section of the forum as I haven't seen very many as clean as that one.
Also, run any prospective trucks past Keith Robinson or one of the other mechanics found in the Supporters section of the website. They can give you an idea of what to anticipate in terms of repairs.
My personal preference is the Discovery II, but Discovery I's are likely to be better off-road, cheaper, and also have the added bonus of the locking centre diff. I just like the Disco II style a bit better, but I'm biased cuz thats what I own.
Good luck in your search.
Dave
used discovery good vehicle or not?
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PaulC
It looks like Dave has summed it up nicely. As an owner of a 98 Discovery, that gets a some trail use it has been by far one of the more reliable vehicals I have owned given the kind of use (not to be confused with abuse) it sees on a pretty regular basis. I have owned a couple of GM P/U’s & purchased a shiny new 01 4Runner which lasted less than a year with me.
I would suggest that you consider as new as possible such as a 97 to 99.5 Discovery series 1 or 99.5 & newer Discovery series 2. If you by the 94/95 era Discovery check the Catalytic converters. They can be very expensive to replace & pretty much wipe out any “barginâ€
I would suggest that you consider as new as possible such as a 97 to 99.5 Discovery series 1 or 99.5 & newer Discovery series 2. If you by the 94/95 era Discovery check the Catalytic converters. They can be very expensive to replace & pretty much wipe out any “barginâ€
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PaulC
The Automatic transmissions like most of the Discovery’s drive train are pretty much bullet proof, provided they have received a minimal amount of maintenance. I’m not sure where you are located and as Dave B mentioned consider having the vehicle checked by one of the shops located on our “Supportersâ€