Thread: disco owners need deep pockets T. or F.

False! You just need years of experience, a well-equipped home workshop and lots of patience and spare time. Hardly anything really.

Nah, not true (for me anyhow). Spend less time under the bonnet than I did on my 82 Rangie which was possessed by the Lucas gremlins and consumed fuel like it had a hole in the tank. My disco has 320,000km on it now, runs on the smell of an oily rag(300tdi of course) and is the most reliable car I've ever owned. I service it myself and have done since I bought it 11 yrs ago. I don't spend a lot of time on it, I only service it when I have to, every 10,000km oil/filters (Frantz bypass filter 2,500km, because it's a dirty diesel). Diffs G/box 40,000km (I use synthetic, last couple of years) good coolant 2yrs (used to do every 12mths but just lazy now) valves 20,000km, timing belt @100,000, yeah I know every one says you must change it at 60,000 but I've never had trouble in 300,000km, you just use the revised tension. So just the usual really, in fact it is far cheaper to service than wife's Astra, although she takes it to a mechanic.

In my opinion, Range Rover Classics and Discovery Is are "enthusiasts vehicles".

I think if you aren't prepared to do your own maintenance and repairs then they will cost you a small fortune at a mechanic.

well said BigJon

One of the big problems if you take it to your local mechanic is the cost of parts.

Here is one example. As you can see I live at Tatura which is near Shepparton. When my power steering pump failed I went and saw a power steering specialist in Shepp. He quoted me $600 for a new pump.

Now, had I taken the Disco to a local mechanic he more than likely would have gone to the same bloke and got a pump for $600 and charged me $700 plus labour.

Being a retired mechanic and knowing where to source parts I got a brand new pump delivered to my door from Melb for $220. This was a none genuine pump but I could have got a genuine one for $250.

I doubt you could get a new one for a Pootrol or a Toymota anywhere nere $220/$250.

Dave.

Originally Posted by BigJon

In my opinion, Range Rover Classics and Discovery Is are "enthusiasts vehicles".

I think if you aren't prepared to do your own maintenance and repairs then they will cost you a small fortune at a mechanic.

I do agree with you but then again buying a 20 year old vehicle and expecting it to run trouble free is living in a dream world.The biggest advantage they have is that they aren't full of rust like similar aged jap vehicles. Pat

Originally Posted by PAT303

I do agree with you but then again buying a 20 year old vehicle and expecting it to run trouble free is living in a dream world.The biggest advantage they have is that they aren't full of rust like similar aged jap vehicles. Pat

this is very true, being on a pension and all, and unlike those that have eagles for bosses we have to live on a sparrows fart and can only afford a 20 year old vehicle with all there faults, I am lucky I can do of my own maintenance, I just need to source cheap parts.

Other than general servicing I have had to spend very little on reliability issues. Everything else that has cost me money has been due to wear and tear from off roading. I did put a new engine in mine in January 2009 but that was my fault not the cars, the heater core sprung a leak (well i guess it sort of was the cars, but regular checking would have drawn my attention to the issue and saved the engine) and it overheated.

Since September 2004 i have had to replace a water pump, get the injector pump recondition and replace the fuel lift pump which can be avoided.

The main so called reliability issues that people whinge about are often due to the odd design flaw which is are very cheap to rectify and prevent happening again of because they are worked on by people who have no idea.

For example I have had many owners say to me they are sick of replacing the fuel lift pump cause it breaks all the time. What causes the breakage of the pump is the fact that the line from the fuel filter housing to the pump itself is made of hard plastic and is to short. As the motor moves under load the fitting has pressure put on it from side to side and the fitting breaks and leaks. Pull the line off, got to a auto parts store buy a length of rubber fuel line that is 5cm longer, cut the plastic fittings off and hook the rubber one on with hose clamps (I am talking diesel engines here of course). Problem solved, no more "reliability issues".

Just do your homework and buy one that has been maintained, if you get one that needs some TLC budget accordingly, do your homework on here and fix the problems properly, many mechanics who dont understand them patch the symptoms and dont fix the cause so it keeps coming back and then people get this belief that they are unreliable when they arent.

Matt