Thread: Thinking about buying my first Disco...

Others will be better than me on this, but I've been looking recently for insurance purposes and the market value of a Discovery 1 is pretty damn low these days...like the top end of market value is around about $4k.

That's not including any extras, and those values are crap, but it's always a starting point.

That's super low kms, great find, and depending on what kind of extras are on it will determine the price in a big way.

Let us know exactly what the car comes with, maybe a link to an ad for the car online? Once seeing that stuff people here will be able to give you a great idea of what things are reasonably worth.

Auto or manual?

Thanks for the replies guys, I should have added in my original post its an Auto.

I've now had the chance to take it for a test drive, thoughts and observations;

- It's a 300Tdi, engine seems relatively smooth, a little low on power compared to my 2.2L Puma Defender. Auto gearbox gives smooth, quick changes;

- The body and chassis are free of rust to my best inspection, bumpers and other black plastics are tired, interior isn't in quite the condition I first though, the roof lining is drooping and a few of the plastics are loose;

- Apart from a rear cargo barrier there are no obvious extras;

- The Air Con problem seems a bit more serious, the ventilation fan didn't even work and when I left it switched on for a few minutes it started to let out smoke smelling of dead electrics;

- The rear electric windows are dead (maybe just a fuse? didn't investigate further);

- If it had central locking its now dead;

- Standard radio cassette deck is dead.

I don't think the car is advertised online, I took some pics though and will try to upload them.

If you can get it for around 1K it would be a good buy, windows will just be a dry solder joint but the electric smell may be a bit more serious.

Has the timing belt been replaced/updated ? and has the P gasket been renewed ?

For a twenty plus year old D1 at 95K Km they may still be original . If so pleasurable driving may be short lived. Would STRONGLY recommend that both these issues are sorted otherwise very expensive pain will be just around the corner.

For a vehicle of this age anything made of rubber will be suspect from window seals to oil cooler lines to radiator and turbo hoses and suspension rubber. If all are still original you'll have a lot rubber replacement for reliable pain free motoring, not a big deal and generally fairly easily and cheaply fixed, especially if you do it yourself.

I'm not trying to 'rain on your parade' here but going in with open eyes is less painful in the wash up.

Deano

True Deano but then i have never touched my P gasket in 10 years of ownership , i do check it when servicing though.
Timing belt would be more important as it may not have had the updated kit fitted.

Thanks for the replies everyone. Pictures finally attached.

Deano, I don't feel that you were raining on my parade I would be buying this car as a project and wanted an honest opinion of what I'm in for.

It's being offered for $3700, with the advice everyone has offered I think I would be willing to take a risk if I could get it for $2000 and if I can talk them down to less then even better.

does it say Aug 94 build? i thought 300tdi only started coming in on the later 95 models? or was 94 the change over year.

as mentioned. first thing to find out with if timing belt has been done. as it would be due now. that will set you back about 1k. also depends on what they find when they take cover off. whislt everything is off they may think of doing water pump gasket p gasket the side of the timing cover. thats just my way of doing things. i pull something apart and end up doing 10 jobs instead of 1 as i think whilst im here i may as well.

very minimal would be to do timing belt and if has not been done then can almost guarantee that you have the old style of pulley, which you need to make sure whoever does the belt replaces with the newer fixed version. the old one was missing a lip where the belts could actually slip of and kill your engine.

change that black expansion bottle too. probably original. known to crack and lose coolant and kill your head. replace it with heavy duty one. they used to make an opaque coloured one but now they make the HD ones in opaque, translucent and black. id recommend getting an engine saver or a coolant level sensor of some kind.

check for rust under windscreen seals and alpine window seals. also, if you can, lift the carpet up at the front footwells. at the least on the passenger side. check the floor for rust and/or coolant. also check for clear water. clear water suggests the windscreen is leaking. coolant would suggest your heater matrix is leaking. rust would suggest its been happening for a while or has happened in the past.