Buying a used Discovery in 2020

[atomandeames]

Howdy folks!

Just as a foreword, I've spent a lot of time looking through this forum at similar threads regarding these trucks, but a lot of them are getting quite old and I really wanted to get some more recent opinions from people on this board. I'm going to ask questions specific to me, but I'm also hoping that this might be useful for other users who have recently felt the urge to own a truck with that iconic green oval. If this isn't the appropriate place for this thread please let me know and I'll delete it. Anyway, on with the post.

A bit about myself: I've been a loyal VW owner my entire life and get pretty involved in my vehicles. I'm mechanically inclined but not overly experienced (I'm happy doing routine maintenance on my vehicles and have tackled a few more complex repairs with some help but I still consider myself a relatively novice mechanic). This summer I spent some time overlanding with friends and enjoyed it far too much, however my VW Alltrack was ill-suited to the terrain out in New Mexico. As I'll be moving there this summer, I'm looking to swap my VW for something significantly more capable. I've considered a number of options but finally settled on a Land Rover Discovery. I wanted to consider all generations of this truck but, as 2020 is just a few days away and some of these trucks are approaching 20-30 years in age, I figured it would be interesting to look at them with fresh eyes. Based on everything that I've read, here's my takeaway on each generation:

Discovery 1 // From everything I've found, this is the Discovery in its purest form. The simple mechanical nature of these trucks has me captivated, but they're extremely difficult to come by and seem to fall into one of two categories: the well-preserved collector's piece and the wheeled and worn workhorse mere miles from the scrapyard. I've had trouble finding information on how these trucks are aging as they approach 30 years old and whether these are still rigs worth rehabilitating and running. I would love some insight here.

Discovery 2 // This appears to be one of the more controversial topics on any LR board. For some people the D2 is a reliable truck that doesn't deserve the reputation it has while others regard it as an accursed money pit. I've seen a number of these trucks with refurbished bodies and re-manufactured engines cropping up online for seemingly outrageous prices (>$15k) while there are a number of decent trucks around 100k miles between $5-7k. I'm aware of the possible issues with this truck (slipped liners, micro-fractured or corroded blocks, rusted frames, troubles with the coolant and head gaskets, etc) so the real question is how much more life do these trucks really have in them? And can you still build a solid rig out of these without investing a huge amount of money in them?

LR3 // Honestly, these trucks seem like the sweet spot right now. There's a lot of them just ticking over to 100-120k miles and the prices are hovering around $8-10k for a decent truck. The 4.4L V8 Jaguar engine seems to be reliable and other than a few issues (EAS, a tail gate that likes to self-disassemble, the truck devouring control arm bushings, and a few poor seals) these seem like a solid foundation for a reliable rig. Also, this appears to be the last LR truck that you can install aftermarket rear lockers in. The "high mileage LR3" thread has only bolstered my opinions on its reliability. I've seen a fair number of people say that these trucks don't have the same Land Rover charm as the older models. I would love to hear from people who have owned both the D1/D2 and the LR3.

LR4 // I'm going to selfishly limit these to just the 5.0L V8 models as those are the only ones in my price range. These are by far the newest trucks on the market and the only problems I've read about are the timing chain guides on the engine ($2.5-3k for this work from a reputable LR shop?). I don't love the fact that you have to put 30 mm spacers on this truck to fit 18" wheels as I'd worry this will cause the truck to eat wheel bearings regularly. However, I also don't like the idea of putting A/T tires on a 19"/20" rim. Other than those two points this seems like a very solid truck that's getting more and more affordable.

Are most of these summaries reasonable? Ideally I'd want to spend about $10-15k for the truck and whatever work it takes to get it into a workable state. It'll have to spend about 6 months to a year as a daily driver, but eventually I want to do a mild build (small lift, ~32" A/T tires, a few other tasteful mods) and relegate the truck to being used primarily on weekends or long trips. I like to work on my vehicles and don't mind a few quirks, but I also want them to be usable and really don't want to be stranded in the New Mexico or Colorado back country. I'm not in a rush to buy anything and I'm willing to travel to find a quality truck. I know a lot of this comes down to personal preference, and I'm most captivated by the LR3 and D2, but I want to try and leverage the experience on this board to make an informed decision.

TL;DR -- What generation Discovery would you buy today for an adventure rig?

 

[Victory_Overland]

LR3 // Honestly, these trucks seem like the sweet spot right now. There's a lot of them just ticking over to 100-120k miles and the prices are hovering around $8-10k for a decent truck. The 4.4L V8 Jaguar engine seems to be reliable and other than a few issues (EAS, a tail gate that likes to self-disassemble, the truck devouring control arm bushings, and a few poor seals) these seem like a solid foundation for a reliable rig. Also, this appears to be the last LR truck that you can install aftermarket rear lockers in. The "high mileage LR3" thread has only bolstered my opinions on its reliability. I've seen a fair number of people say that these trucks don't have the same Land Rover charm as the older models. I would love to hear from people who have owned both the D1/D2 and the LR3.

Are most of these summaries reasonable? Ideally I'd want to spend about $10-15k for the truck and whatever work it takes to get it into a workable state. It'll have to spend about 6 months to a year as a daily driver, but eventually I want to do a mild build (small lift, ~32" A/T tires, a few other tasteful mods) and relegate the truck to being used primarily on weekends or long trips. I like to work on my vehicles and don't mind a few quirks, but I also want them to be usable and really don't want to be stranded in the New Mexico or Colorado back country. I'm not in a rush to buy anything and I'm willing to travel to find a quality truck. I know a lot of this comes down to personal preference, and I'm most captivated by the LR3 and D2, but I want to try and leverage the experience on this board to make an informed decision.

TL;DR -- What generation Discovery would you buy today for an adventure rig?

Since my only true experience is with an LR3, I'll give you "MY" opinion.

First things first; I own an 08 LR3, purchased in 2013 as the second owner with 67k (estimated by memory) mileage on it and now have 125k on it. It has been the most reliable vehicle I have ever owned. I previously had a 2013 Ford Explorer Sport (Brand New) and Ford had to buy it back from me due to all of the electrical/software issues. I believe that buy-back was an anomaly, however, research tells me many people to include my brother have had all kinds of problems on that year (first year new Gen) Explorer. I downgraded by year from a 2013 brand new to used LR3 with excellent dealer service record and have an almost zero problems with my LR3.

With that said, LR3 are no different than any other vehicle around 100k mileage; expect many of the normal wear parts to be worn out around this mileage so if they have not been service/replaced, you are going to be doing this stuff soon. On that note, USE OEM or Genuine LR parts only to the maximum extent possible. The difference is, LR3's are more expensive to maintain than other vehicles due to LR parts cost AND they are more complicated (EAS, electrical, etc.). Keep this in mind considering all vehicle accessories and suspension usually need service/replacement around this 100k mileage, LR are no different outside of cost and the more time you spend off-road, the more time/money you can expect in service/replacement cost/time.

Mileage/Cost:
100k truck at whatever year is probably a really good mileage; all of this depends only on the service record and care of the vehicle from the previous owners. Cost is relative for the market you are buying in. I have seen really good Rovers go for much cheaper and I have seen really sh!tty Rovers go for way more. Can't really help you there because there are tons for sale in SoCal area for around $5-7k which I would buy because I know how to work on them and fix them fairly cheap assuming the engine guts are in order. Again, present and future maintenance time/cost are relative to the PAST maintenance schedule/history per factory LR routine service/maintenance recommendations.

My LR3 issues:

First off, buy a GAP Diagnostics GAP Tool for your modern ROVER if you purchase an LR3/4; it'll be your best investment in every sense of self-diagnostic/maintenance. The cost upfront, pays for itself in the first use.

****The maintenance extent of my build page started with a crash; my build page is NOT the norm for an LR3 in any sense. With that said, I did every engine accessory bearing/idlers, etc., belts, and coolant hoses prior to 100k and recommend you do this at 100k as well as they are not that expensive and fairly easy to do in your garage versus the trail.

Below are what I would consider "normal" maintenance issues for my 08 LR3.

1) EAS Problem:
EAS fault/fail due to aftermarket tail light bulbs burning out causing shorts to drop the EAS. From my research, the filements are horizontal on the aftermarket so when they burn out, it shorts the other filament and causes a suspension fault.
Solution:
I only use factory LR bulbs; ZERO issues since. I also upgraded to Sylvania LED bulbs last year and have had zero problems with EAS or anything else related to electrical.

2) EAS Problem
Front EAS valve started leaking at 110k (estimated) mileage causing the from suspension (both sides) to sag overnight.
Solution:
Rebuilt the EAS valves with kits from British Parts from Utah and it was extremely easy. I have a link on my build thread and also created a thread for this process so I would not fear this issue one bit; especially considering the hight mileage.

3) Alternator
Three (3) alternator since I've owned it.
Solution:
I say three because I use aftermarket lifetime warrantied Ultima alternators because they are less than half the cost of a Genuine Denso replacement; almost 1/3 to be honest and can't justify the cost of a Denso when I WANT a spare on my shelf/trail kit. I can do an alternator in less than 45 min start/finish and keep a new spare in the vehicle in a cubby so my money is on this replacement plan I've had in place since purchase of the vehicle.

4) AC Compressor
Replaced my AC Compressor around 100k due to bearings wearing out.
Solution:
Used a Genuine LR from British Parts of Utah.

5) Normal Steering/Suspension Maintenance
I replaced my suspension components around 100k mileage if I remember right. Considering I do a fair amount of off-highway driving AND the vehicle at the time was a daily driver; I consider this to be pretty damn good for Upper and Lower Control Arms, tie rods, and bushings; I did front CV boots and grease repack at the same time. I used Genuine RRS components on the front and have YET to have to perform any suspension or alignment component replacements on the rear at 125k mileage (parts on the shelf). I consider this to be pretty reliable and well above any other vehicle I have owned in the past and those vehicles didn't spend anywhere close to the amount of time my LR3 has off-road.

That's all I can think of right now. Change your oil and change ALL of your fluids routinely off LR schedules OR more dependent on your usage requirements.

 

[nwoods]

There are some coolant pipe issues you might want to research with regards the LR3 also. And I'm sure you already have heard about the bushings and the cd player that will eat your CD's. There are plenty of aftermarket input options for using your phone as the audio source, so that's an easy fix. Clean your sunroof drain tubes by blowing compressed air through them periodically. Other than that, they are pretty solid, and fairly easy to work on. Brakes, fluids, consumable items are simple procedures. They drive terrific on and offroad, they are compact on the exterior and enormous on the interior. One of the most versatile vehicles you will ever own. Oh - make sure to get the heated windshield (cold weather package), its like magic.

 

[badm0t0rfinger]

I like D2s but I'm also a glutton for pain.

 

[gbarba]

I was recently in the same position and for me it ultimately came down to either a Discovery I or an LR3. In the end, the 3 won out because of space, creature comforts and more modern refinement, but I probably would have loved a DI in a different way. If you're looking at DIs, it may be worth looking into any LR clubs in your area – maybe someone has a gem you could convince them to part with.

To me the LR4's plushier interior and potential timing chain issues didn't justify the extra cost, so the 3 really seemed like the sweet spot. I've had mine for 8 months (and 11k miles) with no issues. Maintenance-wise these forums are super helpful but it sounds like you're already aware of the weak points and have done your homework. It may be a modern "soulless" Land Rover in some people's eyes, but it puts a big smile on my face and rides great on and off the pavement.

 

[soflorovers]

I've personally had (2) D2's and (2) LR3's; my family has had 20+ D1, D2, LR3, LR4 and RRS'. My D2's were both 100k mile examples and my LR3's have been polar opposites at 15k and 170k respectively. I'd take a 170k mile LR3 over a 100k mile D2 any day of the week. The only reason I'd pick a D2 over an LR3 is because they ooze charm. If you're looking for a tool, get an LR3. If you're looking to add a little spice to your vehicle ownership history, go for the D2.

In my experience, a D2 will be significantly more expensive to maintain than an LR3, however they are easier to work on yourself if that's something you're willing to do - much simpler vehicles. In terms of manufacturing and refinement, an LR3 is far superior. Most LR3 ownership stories are about strict maintenance schedules and replacement of general consumable items (and some that aren't "normal" for a Toyota but we've come to accept from an LR3), whereas most D2 ownership stories read like a bad craigslist add: "Good body, good interior, needs motor. Blown headgasket. First $500 cash takes it"

 

[Ray_G]

Your commentary is pretty solid and illustrative of an 'eyes wide open' entry into the cult that is owning a Land Rover.

I have both a D1 and an LR3 so I'll chime in on that and try not to cover too much ground that others here have done well in describing.

If I had to choose between the two, in order to explore NM and the surrounding areas, I'd go LR3. Your rationale hits the why; simply put the LR3 may be the most reliable Rover that sits at a sweet spot with the drive train, ability, functionality, etc. It's heavy, and the ground clearance can be troublesome (get used to getting a wheel off the ground) but the folks out west where you are seem to make the most of the traction aids, with or without lockers, without the debilitating mud/weight related issues we face here on the east coast.

That said, I'd never get rid of my D1. It's funny b/c 10 years ago similiar debates were raging among folks regarding RRC/D1/D90/D110/Dii's and such. Ultimately the D1 has stood the test of time well I think, not quite with the legacy of the RRC (but also doesn't have the decade and a half of preceding tenure). How does a 30 year old, well maintained (and hand built) D1 hold up? Well in 2015 I drove mine to/from WI from VA with no issues. Maintaining one begets reliability.

Some quick thoughts:

Utility day to day: LR3 > D1
Comfort: LR3 > > D1
Speed: LR3 >> D1
Looks: toss up, one is iconic, the other is decent enough when built but isn't iconic (yet). I think we have to say D1 > LR3
Field maintenance: D1 > LR3 (if something goes bad, you can limp out easier in a D1)
Durability: D1 > LR3 (will it take protracted pounding)

r-
Ray

 

[catmann]

I had to give up my D2 in favor of an LR3 due to its chronic need to small fixes and my lack of time to do them (and my Indy shop is 35 min away and takes a week to do anything). I like the D2 better because of the way if felt driving it, but honestly, the LR3 is a better vehicle mechanically. That said, despite the way the LR3 feels more solid and seems more reliable, when I check the actually cash spent, I am averaging $240/mo over 6 years of ownership, including tires, brakes, etc. and that is using an Indy shop and me doing a few oddball jobs myself. This actually is the same as the D2 was over 3 years of ownership, so in the end it has been a wash for me.

 

[badm0t0rfinger]

I will elaborate a bit since a lot of people are touching on the differences between older D1/D2s and the newer LRs. I've owned both D1 and a D2 (and a RRC, for context) and the D2 was by far and away my favorite, but also my most problematic.

The D1 was my first purchase and it really introduced me to the pain joy of Land Rover ownership, however most of its maintenance was because it was a 13 year old car at that point. Other than putting in a new power steering pump and rod ends on the front to clean up some slop I cant think of any huge repair bills. It was super stout and perhaps because I was a 20 year old kid I beat the hell out of it and it took most everything I did to it without hesitation. It really felt comparable to an older 4Runner. It was more of the fabled Land Rover stoutness that I had heard rumors about. All in I think I spent about 4000 on the initial purchase, about 1000 on sprucing it up immediately after about 300 dollars a year after that for the 2 and a half years I owned it. Ended up selling it for just about 4800.

Immediately following I purchased a D2. It was a basket case from day one. The air suspension failed almost immediately so I threw on a lift kit with coils all around. Came back from a deployment to find the headliner had lost all integrity due to the humidity at the storage unit. So I pulled that down painted it up so it didn't look like total trash. Did a few upgrades, bumpers, winches, the normal overland chic stuff. Then the fun really began, the head gasket blew... the first time. So I had that fixed by a shop (actually became really good friends with the owner, I'm sure there is a joke there) and it lasted about 2 years before the whole block cracked. So after mulling over a bunch of different options (diesel, LS, etc) I ended up replacing the engine with the exact same thing. At this point I had enough of this car, I wanted out. It was like a bad girlfriend. So I ended up selling it for about 10 grand after putting probably the same amount into it.

... I miss it though. I really really loved that truck. It always got looks and comments. It was something else. I've owned plenty of flashier cars (Ford Raptor, Modified RX8, Mercedes 300td with a hole in the hood for a giant ass turbo) but its the only car that I moved on from that I occasionally look for it on craigslist . I would buy it up now in an instant. Sure I have wayyyy more disposable cash for something stupid like a D2 now, but I don't regret owning that car. It put in a smile on my face when it worked. The driving position felt amazing, I really liked driving it. All that being said its not actually a car I'd recommend. Its kind of like a bad movie that you happen to really enjoy, deep down you know its trash.

And as an aside my RRC literally had no issues. The paint was toast but that was because it had lived in Arizona and then Hawaii. I bought it and sold it for roughly the same price and during my ownership it really only cost me gas, oil and insurance.

 

[soflorovers]

I will elaborate a bit since a lot of people are touching on the differences between older D1/D2s and the newer LRs. I've owned both D1 and a D2 (and a RRC, for context) and the D2 was by far and away my favorite, but also my most problematic.

The D1 was my first purchase and it really introduced me to the pain joy of Land Rover ownership, however most of its maintenance was because it was a 13 year old car at that point. Other than putting in a new power steering pump and rod ends on the front to clean up some slop I cant think of any huge repair bills. It was super stout and perhaps because I was a 20 year old kid I beat this **** out of it and it took most everything I did to it without hesitation. It really felt comparable to an older 4Runner. It was more of the fabled Land Rover stoutness that I had heard rumors about. All in I think I spent about 4000 on the initial purchase, about 1000 on sprucing it up immediately after about 300 dollars a year after that for the 2 and a half years I owned it. Ended up selling it for just about 4800.

Immediately following I purchased a D2. It was a basket case from day one. The air suspension failed almost immediately so I threw on a lift kit with coils all around. Came back from a deployment to find the headliner had lost all integrity due to the humidity at the storage unit. So I pulled that down painted it up so it didn't look like total trash. Did a few upgrades, bumpers, winches, the normal overland chic stuff. Then the fun really began, the head gasket blew... the first time. So I had that fixed by a shop (actually became really good friends with the owner, I'm sure there is a joke there) and it lasted about 2 years before the whole block cracked. So after mulling over a bunch of different options (diesel, LS, etc) I ended up replacing the engine with the exact same thing. At this point I had enough of this car, I wanted out. It was like a bad girlfriend. So I ended up selling it for about 10 grand after putting probably the same amount into it.

... I miss it though. I really really loved that truck. It always got looks and comments. It was something else. I've owned plenty of flashier cars (Ford Raptor, Modified RX8, Mercedes 300td with a hole in the hood for a giant ass turbo) but its the only car that I moved on from that I occasionally look for it on craigslist . I would buy it up now in an instant. Sure I have wayyyy more disposable cash for something stupid like a D2 now, but I don't regret owning that car. It put in a smile on my face when it worked. The driving position felt amazing, I really liked driving it. All that being said its not actually a car I'd recommend. Its kind of like a bad movie that you happen to really enjoy, deep down you know its trash.

And as an aside my RRC literally had no issues. The paint was toast but that was because it had lived in Arizona and then Hawaii. I bought it and sold it for roughly the same price and during my ownership it really only cost me gas, oil and insurance.

Perfectly said. Related, I've been following your page on IG for what seems to be well over 5 years. I remember that black D2 of yours as a great looking rig. It was exactly what I would've built my black 2003 into...had it not died from head gasket failure ?

 

[badm0t0rfinger]

Perfectly said. Related, I've been following your page on IG for what seems to be well over 5 years. I remember that black D2 of yours as a great looking rig. It was exactly what I would've built my black 2003 into...had it not died from head gasket failure ?

I feel like dedicated D2 owners are all oddballs. I get the appeal of having a nicely done up RRC or Defender/Series and most people would put up with the issues for the status you know? A D2 has none of that.

Thanks man, I appreciate it. You're not the first person to say my build was one of the best or that they wanted their to be like mine. I was really proud of it. I think I've been on IG for about 6 or 7 years so you're and OG. I haven't been active as much since I've been a ton more busy. I think I actually made my IG while in the hospital after I got injured so I had nothing but time back them.

 

[REDROVER]

Discovery 2 is one of the land rovers famous vehicles that created the problem for them that they can’t get out,
Vehicle was so bad in North America, they were scared to use discovery name again, models after the Discovery 2 called LR3 then LR4

You can buy one for 500 bucks, does that tell you enough?

D1 is pretty good,
Lr3 is even better
Lr4 is even better than those.

 

[crystalclear]

i have owned all 4 models - currently have an lr4

get a lr3 - it may lack a little charm, but there are enough boltons now to give it some

 

[rgallant]

I looked at both an LR3 and D2, and ended up with a D2. It had 240000 Km on it and was reasonably well looked after.
The biggest issue is the engine, the same basic engine as a D1/RRC but bored out and set to run hot for emissions. It is honestly my only concern, everything else has been good.
But at 16+ years old stuff will start to fail that is just the way it is.

After 2 years my only major expense was a rear engine seal, not a driveway kind of job. Mine at least runs cool and has had not any other engine related problems. But I am very OCD on maintenance.

But if I had to do it again I would lean more to the LR3. I have seen and followed a few them on club runs and they do very well, and with new tire options should be more capable. That has been the biggest problem up here limited tire choice, which creates problems in clay based mud, and packed snow it is simply a traction problem.

 

[Victory_Overland]

i have owned all 4 models - currently have an lr4

get a lr3 - it may lack a little charm, but there are enough boltons now to give it some

If lack of charm means more utility and less bling; I'll take my LR3 all day! lol. On a serious note, LR4 is really a gem compared to LR3 when it comes to comfort and quality; but the LR3 IMO is all utility and in design factor between the two and I love it for that.

IMO, if the LR3 came with a V8, coils, and 17" wheels with all the fixes of the 08-09 models, it would have been the best all around Rover they built. Oh, and put the alternator on top damn-it! lol