purchasing land rover advice

Thinking of purchasing a land rover and would appreciate any advice. Vehicle will be used for a daily driver as well as off road and hope to be able to pitch a bed roll in the back occasionally.

The only thing I won't compromise on is a manual transmission. I have to have a stick. Looking to spend around 6000 or less.

What model can I expect to get in that price range? Is standard transmission available? Reliability? Are certain models/year more prone to problems? Is there an inherent problem with this particular vehicle?

I've never driven a land rover-just think it would fit my requirements. Comments and suggestions appreciated.

I have a jeep wrangler so I don't have expectations of sports car performance.

Thanks for you help.

Grace

edit: suggestions for other vehicles?

The best advice I have heard is buy a broken one and put $4k into it making it right instead of buying a $4k one and having to put $4k into it.

$6k will buy you a lot of Rover.

I'd recommend you drive one, then start looking at what years will fit your price point.

I'm pretty sure my experiences with my 1967 model aren't going to be applicable.

Depends a lot where you are.

Out here, $6k either buys you a 90s Discovery or a 90s Range Rover, very occasionally you'll find a Series Landrover for that money but I don't think you'd want to drive one of those on a daily basis, especially in the condition they seem to be in. I doubt you can get a Defender for that - I certainly haven't seen one for that sort of money.

Neither a Range Rover nor a Discovery have enough space in the back for a bed unless you're short enough to have to look up to the Seven Dwarves. Oh, and those only come with the Rover V8, which has a deserved reputation for out-drinking the Aussie rugby team on tour while producing no power whatsoever. IIRC they're also not available with a standard trans in the US; Europe is different, you could get Turbodiesels in both and a lot of the TD Discos come with a manual.

Let's just say that they have a very 'British' reputation for reliability, so you better know one end of a spanner from the other. Series Land Rovers are also very good at composting themselves, which is often hidden by the fact that the outer sheet metal is actually aluminium. Same goes for the Range Rovers and Discoverys, they're slightly more durable but you'll still have to check for rust pretty much everywhere. Put it this way - out here, cars don't rust much. The '95 GMC Sierra I have is more or less rust free, but before buying that I looked at a Range Rover that wasn't much older. That one had a bunch of very well ventilated chassis parts.

Nevertheless, after owning a crappy Range Rover in the UK and occasionally trying to buy a half-decent Discovery there, I still have a hankering for a Discovery. Even thought I know better.

I own a 99 Disco II. I swapped the rear air ride for slightly stiffer springs and put 275/45/19 take off tires from some newer German Ute on newer Land Rover wheels. It is a blast to drive. I really really like it. It corners rather well, accelerates just fine, stops reasonably well and tows the lightweight loads I occasionally pull. My very rare offroad use usually involves needing ground clearance not traction so my mostly street oriented wheel and tire setup is fine for my use. The interior is pretty nice with thick leather and suede door panels. The paint seems to be holding up well with the headlights and the plastic fender arches being the only things showing their age. It is a conversation starting vehicle which is something you won't get in your average sport ute. I paid $3,500 a few years ago for it when it had about 125k miles on it.

Since Ive owned it I have rebuilt the front driveshaft, replaced the head gaskets, replaced the water pump, and replaced most of the coolant hoses and thermostat. It needs window regulators for both front windows, something in the steering system replaced (slight play), probably a rear driveshaft, a wheel speed sensor, and most likely a engine refresh (overheated baaaaad when I popped a hose due to the head gasket). It also has a funky problem that if you let the battery get low the radio will come on all by itself even if the car is off.

So basically: the cooling system is a wear item, the driveshafts are wear items, the head gaskets last around 120k, the window regulators are wear items, the wheel sensors are wear items, and the ABS module is a wear item. If you find one with anywhere near 120k miles on it check if all of those have been done. Be aware many of the 2003 motors had a manufacturing defect which grenaded motors. Oh yeah-air suspension is a wear item and the right side horn button seems to break its spring and cause it to be hypersensitive. I have become very good at pretending it wasn't me who honked the horn at 90 year old lady walking across the crosswalk after my jacket sleeve accidentally brushes the button.

I get 11mpg in town and about 15mpg on the highway.

I've driven one once, and it was not a very enjoyable experience. That car is not built for comfort or convenience. And it's new British...so probably not terribly reliable, either.

Based on my customer's experiences with anything ending in "Rover"...

I'd love to have an early '70s 3-door Range Rover. One of the original models, before they became bloated and luxurious.

My folks' used to have a '96 TDi Disco, which I drove occasionally. Though I understand the USA didn't get any diesel models. Which is a shame, 'cos theirs was almost totally reliable - except for a few electrical niggles, and a broken driveshaft.

I have managed about 100 trouble ridden miles in 12 months in my 97 Range Rover, but I still love her...but then I'm an odd duck

BTW count em...... 7 computers

Funny... the Series II 3 door is almost exactly the same length as a 1st gen Isuzu Amigo. And both have a separate chassis. That adds much more modern suspension and steering. Once that's done, any Isuzu V6 with either automatic or manual tranny is just a salvage yard away...

^^^ Don't put ideas like that in my head

I love me Disco. But I don't know if I would daily drive one. I am still determined to get an ex-British military Defender into the US.

grace wrote: The only thing I won't compromise on is a manual transmission.

They are luxury vehicles, which by nature are automatics.

They are fairly hardcore offroad vehicles, which by nature are automatics (very easy to fry a clutch doing technical offroading)

I think Sonic (a friend and member of this web board) once said it best--"there are two types of Range Rovers--those that are on fire and those that are about to be on fire"

They aren't consistently at the bottom of the JD Powers list for nothing.

Why a Land/Range Rover?

I would love me a series one landy.. with a TDI

I too am attracted to Land Rovers for some reason...

mad_machine, do you mean a Series I or a Discovery "series 1"? If it's the former, I'd recommend a Series II. They're a lot easier to get parts for, and a 200TDi will just about drop in.

not a discovery.

I may look into a series II then

Series II or IIa, to be precise. They're the mostest famous of the lot, the National Geographic Land Rover if you will. I believe the 200TDi even bolts up to the stock trans. It's something I've been nudging around in my brain for a while.

I'm very attracted to range rovers for some reason, but terrified to actually buy one lol
Think I'll probably buy another trooper to be safe, really loved my trooper.
lol

Keith wrote: Series II or IIa, to be precise. They're the mostest famous of the lot, the National Geographic Land Rover if you will. I believe the 200TDi even bolts up to the stock trans. It's something I've been nudging around in my brain for a while.

yes.. that is about what I would want.. something very "landrover" and simple.

I have seen US market Discos with a manual transmission. Had a chance to buy one, quite used.

Never really regretted walking away.

thanks for your input. no land rover for me. can you suggest something else that might work for me?

Maybe an FJ60 Land Cruiser, but they're going to be hard to find and/or grotty for that sort of money.

What about the domestic stuff like Broncos, Blazers or Suburbans?

What do you want to do? Off-road? Kiddies? SUV? British fetish?

I put 140,000 on my 4-Runner 5 speed V-6. Rusty but no worries. It sits ignored for months and then I ask it to drive 2000 miles to tow a dead car home.

Dan

Edit:

Grace, your profile doesn't say where you are; rust, parts availability etc. may be a concern for whatever you buy dependant on location.