I've not been on for a while and I've recently had my D2 Serviced (6 monthly at a LR specialist). Another clean bill of health. So I thought it maybe useful to comment of the ownership across the last 32 months..
The car is a 2001 D2 V8, stock, having done about 20k since bought, now at 96k's. Used almost every day for a 10k trip and longer bush /road trips, which it has really earn't it's stripes on some tracks.
Below is a list of jobs done on the car mainly in the first 4-6 months of ownership coming to around $8k in bills across the whole time, noting most of this is labour, as I rely on a LR Specialist to do 80% of the work.
In the first few months, I wanted to cure a coolant weep and oil leak. So between the specialist and my father a retired mechanic visiting from the UK we did the following :-
ENGINE
- MAF - which broke on day 1 but the seller covered the cost. I clean the MAF every 6 months with spray or after a very dusty trip.
- Head Gasket's / Heads serviced etc (Which were fine when removed but we had got pretty close doing other gaskets, so we just carried on) Free labor from dad! :-)
- Timing Cover Gasket
- New spark plugs
- Mangacore High Temp Competition HT lead set.
- Front Crank Case Oil Seal
- New Water Pump and Gasket
- Idle Pulley
- Serpentine Belt
- Valley Gasket
- Rocker Cover Gaskets
- Throttle Body Heater Bypass
- Radiator Removed, rodded and serviced
- New top Hose
- New Bottom Hose
- New Thermostat
- Sump Gasket
- Engine Mounts
This was the largest amount of work and where most of the cost went but also was enjoyable when it was dad and I doing the work. He can't do everything, as he don't live here all the time and he's 70!.
DRIVELINE
- Brass filler caps for the diffs and oil's changed
- Transmission Service with new filter kit
- Replaced front tail shaft with new greasable cardon unit. It was hard to tell how much was life was left in the old one. I still have it lying around.
SUSPENSION
- SLS had a slow leak, so as we don't tow, I converted to springs. Not as smooth and quite bouncy over big speed bumps but otherwise all standard.
BREAKS
- All new pads 15k ago
- Master Cylinder Kit - We noticed a weep on a road trip. It was very obvious due to the dust there. It may have been weeping for month but we took no chances and used our NRMA Premium cover to get the car sent home and took a free hire car. So little distruption and the consequences could have been worst so I took no chances. Overkill maybe not sure...
TYRES
- 4 x BF Goodrich All Terrain - (excellent product)
INTERIOR
- Headlining Re-cover DIY job
- Electric Mirror Switch - burnt out as some kind soul driving broke my mirror and the lens was stuck down in one place. Still broken, it goes left to right not up and down! GRRRRR.
EXTERIOR
- Acyrilic Lens Covers to avoid stone impact.
- Front fog lamp plastic bezel, as I knocked one off when hitting a rock.
Otherwise the car has had a service with fully synthetic 5w 40 oil as used by the specialist every 6 months, once going out to 8 months.
I have been very fussy in the early stages of ownership and my car looks beautiful and new! Drive's amazing. The family love it. Perhaps I went too fussy and overspent? im not sure.
Meanwhile, my wife's car 2007 Nissan X Trail has served us well for 5 years but we have spent $6k on that too over the time. Excluding the $2k warranty fix for the aircon system fail. And there are still a few bits to do, some dodgy switches etc. Noting it’s 8 years old not 13!.
Hoping the Disco keeps on going strong! A photo of my car on the Cave to Cave NSW trip made into the 25 Years Of Discovery Book, which is on the LR website.. I have attached a copy which has some loverly photo's...
Last edited by Robgw; 22nd July 2014 at 10:11 PM.
Reason: spelling
That's very interesting to compare to my own experiences.
Had mine for 3 years and now 280k and slightly less mileage over those 3 years than you. Predominantly short journeys but horrendous roads.
Had quiet a bit of work done before it left the UK for PNG and not dismilar to yours.
Spent about $4000 prepping in the UK and since being here about another $1500, excluding service kits/oil and alike. The main thing I watch is the cooling system. Service myself.
I love it and despite a close call, has not let us down. Preventative maintainance is what has paid off for us here and I fear if I sell it and the new owner does not take heed, then it will let them down quite quickly.
One can hope and prey now for a maintenance fee period as long as possible!
I have a colleague at work who runs a 14 year old Volvo. He would get $2000 for it but costs him 3-4k a year to keep on the road. He rather do that than spend $70k on a new one!..
Guess now a lot of D2 owners are now in the same boat with the used prices coming down so much..
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