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Thread: Disco for a new driver

  1. #1

    Default Disco for a new driver

    Need some help from those with Disco experience. My daughter (and I) want a rover for her. Looking into an older Disco but I don't know much about them. Can some folks offer opinions on years that are known to have fewer issues than others? She will drive it to school (3 miles a day) and it would also be a third car for me and momma. Used mostly for school, dogs, and the beach. Thanks!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Aug 2011
    Location
    Midcoast Maine
    Posts
    52

    Default

    I had a 99 Disco II that got knocked into a river in a rock slide and everyone walked away without a scratch. The truck was totalled due to bent frame and rippled firewall. Before all that it was fairly reliable (for a Rover) the tough fixes were things like brake wiring wearing out and not letting the transmission out of park, that took about 2 weeks to figure out. But it never over heated, my wife loved driving it, the dog loved riding in it, and it was a lot easier to drive than my current Series III. But the Series is a lot easier to fix and wrench on in general, plus it has more character and you can find every major part to rebuild one, that may not be the case with Discos. Of course Discos have amenities like radios and door seals.
    I would probably just get one of each and call it a day.
    1973 Series III, 109, Ex-Mod
    1999 Discovery II, Cataclysmically Lost

  3. #3

    Default

    That certainly speaks well for the the 99 Discos. I like the plan of just getting one of each to meet all requirements. Sounds reasonable to me. Wonder what the bride with think.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Troy Michigan
    Posts
    332

    Default

    I got a DII I was thinking of selling as well.

    Steve
    71 IIa 88
    01 D2

  5. #5

    Default

    I had a friend roll her Ser II at 70mph (fell asleep) ended up in the woods really did a number on the truck all airbags went off, roof line shifted 1ft left, and 1ft back, blew out all the windows, she walked away without a scratch! A week later she got the ins check and bought another one. My daughter turns sixteen this summer, for her junior year she will be driving a Disco or P38 to school (certainly not mine though!), I'm also shopping an SE7 for my wife and little ones.

    Bear in mind I'm a mechanic, and I have a good friend who owns a LR independent shop too. Make sure if you can't do the work yourself find a trustworthy LR specialist who can look after her. Keep up on reg maintenance too.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2012
    Location
    Wardensville, WV
    Posts
    2

    Default

    I had the same thought and bought my 16 year old daughter a 2004 DII SE7. Her second day with her license a woman hydroplaned and hit her in the driver's side front tire. The Chevy Cavalier was totaled, deployed both air bags, and bounced off of the Rover and off of the road. My daughter had no where to go so she just stopped, the Rover didn't move an inch when it was hit. My wife and both daughters were in the vehicle and were just fine. The Rover had a $11,000 repair bill, mostly suspension related, and it's been fine ever since. I wanted my daughter to drive a tank, so I bought her a Rover.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Location
    Old Town, Maine
    Posts
    217

    Default

    The DIIs are a great truck and would recommend to anyone. My only concern would be cost of ownership...you can pick up a DII fairly cheap but if you yourself do not have some mechanical abilities and there is no trustworthy mechanic in you area that is familiar with LRs it can be extremely expensive. If you do decide to go with a DII don't make a hasty purchase. As I mentioned there are many cheap DIIs out there and most times there is a reason why they are cheap...the DIIs are notorious for head gasket problems, beware of anything that has the sweat smell of antifreeze or antifreeze spots underneath.

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