The real cost of owning a old Discovery or similar

blue_monkey_2

I really want a discovery or something similar. We live rural and with the amount of pot holes we have, I might as well be off road. I have to go out of my way to avoid the country roads at the moment and so really have thought about getting a 4x4 - would be useful in bad weather too as I'll not be stuck in the village.

It'll be an old one, say P reg - would I be buying a money pit? Are they reliable trusty workhorses that the seem? My husband says it would be but I'd really like one to chug around the lanes in.

I wondered what the real cost of driving one was, are they expensive to run? I can;t get the prices off of Parkers, the vehicle is too old.

Thanks

david29dpo

My brother in law has just sold his P reg due to rust, other than than he never had any problems with it. Not to bad on diesel either.

Hintza

My sister has had an N Reg Discovery since new and it was taken off the road a year ago. Rust was becoming a big problem along with various other mechanical faults.

If I was looking for a very old 4x4 I would be looking first at a Defender (much simpler than a Disco) but you have to decide of you could live with it especially in the winter.

My other thought would be an old landcruiser.

If I was still struggling I might extend my search to an Isuzu or Shogun.

Lirin

The early Discos had a massive problem with rust- LR's had a slight problem where the chassis rusts to the panels. Used to be bad enough on some of the Series III models. They are fantastic, though- lovely workhorses and don't die easily.
Not overly expensive to run, unless you're ragging it. Bit more than a car, obviously, but I've had Dad's out and it's not too thirsty. Parts can be dreadful to find- pricewise anyway. Massive variation in pricing, LR themselves extremely high for things like brakes, clutches, etc. Can be sourced much cheaper elsewhere- worthwhile joining one of the owners clubs, there's always a breaker on them!
Their support is wonderful though- have had good help from them.
My dad rallies Landrovers, and I was taught in one- interesting early driving lesson. Always wanted a Series II 90.... Lovely looking!
The original mapping can be a little off from Landrover- we've had a few remapped as the original was not terribly good. Disco's have way more electrics in them, and can be slightly trickier to work with than older models.
They are good, and def recommend buying one- very sensible if you live rurally, as they don't die.....

Strider590

blue_monkey wrote: »

I really want a discovery or something similar. We live rural and with the amount of pot holes we have, I might as well be off road. I have to go out of my way to avoid the country roads at the moment and so really have thought about getting a 4x4

I didn't know 4x4's where designed to go over potholes, I thought they were for loose soil and mud......
Somehow having 4 wheel drive has a miracle effect on the tyre's, wheels and suspension to make them immune to damage.

Someone call the myth busters, we have another believer here!


http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/224610/Pothole-could-have-killed-us



Far better off with a small car that can scoot around them, than trying to go at them head on as if some some twisted automotive version of dodgy 1990's TV show "Gladiators".

Lirin

In all fairness, 4x4's are only useful if you know how to drive them. (No offense to the OP, none meant).
During the icy stretch, when our motorway had quite a bit of snow and ice, 4x4's would fly past me doing maybe around 80mph.... A few miles later on down, they'd be in the hedge, had a minor accident.... Luckily never saw any that looked too serious.
4x4's aren't a ticket to accident-free driving, they can cope in some conditions better than a car, but there are limitations....

gilbert_and_sullivan

For the age of vehicle you are thinking of, you might better off finding a Landcruiser Colorado, if you can manage with a 2 door 5 seater then you'll pick them up quite cheaply now, and it will be quite a compact size, the 5 door isn't massive but will be more expensive.

Not only will it be streets ahead of the LR for reliability, unbreakability and rust resistance, it will aslo come with a proper 3 litre Diesel which will pull a house down, and will be a pleasure to drive, the auto is a lovely box, effortless, but will be slightly heavier on fuel than a manual...if it's been previously serviced and looked after it will last years.

Check insurance before you buy anything, been some serious increases this year.

Edit.
Costs to run, any 4x4 that weighs 2 tons and shaped like a brick will be heavy on fuel, think a maximum of 30mpg for normal running with a usual figure of 25 to 27 for day to day short runs.
I bet someone will be along in a minute who averages 40 mpg out of his 2 ton brick, cruising at 80mph everywhere..;)

Strider590

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

I bet someone will be along in a minute who averages 40 mpg out of his 2 ton brick, cruising at 80mph everywhere..;)

44.9mph everywhere, in dark/fog/snow only drive on sidelights and take it out of gear for down hills.... 90mpg!!!!

Flying-High_2

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

For the age of vehicle you are thinking of, you might better off finding a Landcruiser Colorado, if you can manage with a 2 door 5 seater then you'll pick them up quite cheaply now, and it will be quite a compact size, the 5 door isn't massive but will be more expensive.

Not only will it be streets ahead of the LR for reliability, unbreakability and rust resistance, it will aslo come with a proper 3 litre Diesel which will pull a house down, and will be a pleasure to drive, the auto is a lovely box, effortless, but will be slightly heavier on fuel than a manual...if it's been previously serviced and looked after it will last years.

Check insurance before you buy anything, been some serious increases this year.

Edit.
Costs to run, any 4x4 that weighs 2 tons and shaped like a brick will be heavy on fuel, think a maximum of 30mpg for normal running with a usual figure of 25 to 27 for day to day short runs.
I bet someone will be along in a minute who averages 40 mpg out of his 2 ton brick, cruising at 80mph everywhere..;)

Have the Colorados sank in price to that of Discovery then?... I know which one I'd have.

I agree the Colorados a great piece of kit and will better a P plate Disco hands down.....

With the LandRover theres a whole load of decent clued up parts specialists that'll supply cheap OE or pattern parts to keep it rolling.

I had a 300TDI Commercial a few years back and that did what was expected of it Carting crap about and towing....noisy as !!!! and quite Agricultural feeling... 20-30mpg depending on what it was doing... Tyres were £100 corner.. BFG ATs. Servicing costs wern't that high due to self servicing and cheap OE bits from specialist parts suppliers... Was starting to rot nicely under the load cover when it was swapped for Hilux.

gilbert_and_sullivan

Flying-High wrote: »

Have the Colorados sank in price to that of Discovery then?... I know which one I'd have.

Indeed you are quite right, the OP isn't going to get a LC for the price of a LR, but the first of the likely problems...injection pump, gearbox or similar that rears it's head will wipe out any savings.

I like the Disco meself, but i know people who have had them, and RR Vogues of various years, and the repair bills and things that have gone wrong one after another have to be seen to be believed.

Had a CSK Rangie many years ago, rust was the big one, luckily those early ones were very simple so mechanically easy to fix, but there was always something needed fixing.

blue_monkey_2

Argh, keep losing my messgae.

OK, so I am not saying they are immune from potholes but most of the potholes around here are in the cut in's as the lanes are small and I am sick of knocking the skirt of my new car on them. Smaller cars are not always better as, if there is nowhere to go, then down the pothole you have to go at times!! If am using the lanes then I want an old car. I would like a big car.

However, I did forget about the cost of parts - which probably explains why non-runners are selling for so much on eBay.

I did look for a Defender but they sell for a fortune, probably because we live rural, and it's out of my budget.

I need to use this car for carrying the dogs around but I'll also be using it for running aruond for work too. If I go and see clients I'll go in my own car, but for general running around and for getting the dogs I want something older. Yes, I need a car for the dogs. They are getting my new car dirty, LOL!!