Thread: New to Disco2 - what do I need to know?

I think there are some amazing bargains out there right now with plenty of Disco's nearly being given away, so no need to buy a vehicle that sounds like it already might have some issues. Mind you most secondhand 4x4's will have some issues and each brand has its strengths and weaknesses, not just Landys.

I am fairly new to Land Rovers myself (less then one year of ownership) though I got caught by the bug big tme and now own both a D2a daily driver and a D1 for weekend playing.

The funny thing is everyone says to only buy a vehicle with a good proven service history preferably with the work done by a Dealer or large recognised workshop. The only thing is once you buy one of these vehicles and you decide to keep either a Dealer or the larger more recognised workshops doing the work then you will watch your bank balance depreciate reasonably quickly.

I had the big 120k service done by a very recognised Land Rover workshop in Canberra, it cost three arms and two legs for what was really just changing all the oils and fluids. I would never go back once I found out a few of things they didn't do that they should have for what was a huge amount of money.

Since then I have found a Land Rover mechanic with a small business (through recommendation from a member of this website) that is not only affordabel but provides an excellent service and will listen to you when you ask questions.
The point I'm trying to make is as far as service historys go which ultimately can effect resale values the big recognised workshop in Canberra would be better accepted on the service history then the small business. But in real life the small operator can often be worth their weight in gold once you find a good one.

Good luck with the Disco, one with ACE is the go if possible, D2's are a very good thing and exceptional value for money, but yes like all Land Rovers they do cost money to keep going properly.

Find a good mechanic to look after your Disco that you can trust and doesn't cost the world and chances are your Land Rover experience will be a good one.

cheers,
Terry

Hi Mate,
Seeing the 3 amigo's while on a test drive is not a good sign, but was it just the TC light, because on some road surfaces the TC can be quite sensitive and will light up momentarily. Oil leaks are fairly common it just depends on how bad, my V8 is oily around the sump but never leaves stains on the driveway. If you are buying through a dealer make sure they repair any problems before you take the keys, a simple fault could be expensive to fix. Check front prop shaft around the uni joints as these require replacing/rebuilding, especially if they do not have greaseable uni's, also check rear rubber coupling. These are just a few items that are common failures.
Cheers Matt

[quote=DM74;1236855]Hi guys,

I posted in another section on whether to go for Rangie or Disco, and the conservative side of me won and hopefully by the end of the week a 2001 ES Disco will be in the garage.
As suggested by a member, I drove one with ACE and what I thought was going to be a bit of a gimmic in a short test drive felt AWESOME. Cant' wait to bring it home!

Three specific things -
I'm pretty sure the three Amigo lights came on during a test drive, but I was told the battery was dead and it wouldn't be an issue. Truth or rubbish?

This is rubbish. Have it fixed as a condition of sale.

A reasonable amount of oil was covering the front of the gearbox housing, leaking from the engine or seals I guess? Not enough to drip on the ground though I think? Is oily weeping and drips a common thing on these in this area?

Depends on Kms but the 2 TD5s in my driveway are dry front to back.

Anyone know about these Dealer warranties offered these days?
Are they worth the paper they are printed on?
I noticed already with a purchase price of $500 or $600, you still have an excess of $200 and max payout of $1000. No electricals except for alt, starter motor, no suspension, no heads, no radiator. Just really major engine, gearbox and diffs. What do yooz think!

Read the fine print and suggest a scenario that you have read on the forums to the warranty provider. Most of these warranties are useless, but there are a couple that are OK. Only you will be able to decide if it is good for you.

all the best