Another question for you all about buying a Disco.....

[Mr.Grumpy]

"Holly crap! Will this guy ever shut up and buy a truck?"
OK, that one was rhetorical.
The real one is this:

For a totall NooB is it better to buy a lower mileage (81k) with no mods at all owned by a regular guy who thinks, "you know, Land Rovers are cool and every one will know that I'm rich because I have one" for $x

OR

is it better to buy one of the same year with less luxury features BUT has armorr, winch, rear-locker, onboard air spare wheels two sets of good tires no AC, busted sun roof and 135k miles that was owned by a "rover guy" for $x+500?

Heck, I have been punting these questions around for six months or so. I have been considering weatehr or not I want a LR of a Jeep. I have wondered if I can use a LR as a DD (because most of them are clearly trailer queen trail rigs) and what it is, exactly, that I want in a truck.

I have a gerneral plan that this truck will be used for 100k miles over the next four years and has to get me to work every day. Is 130k trail miles too far along to start? :banghead:

 

[jcs2179]

I bought mine from a soccer mom w/ 69K. Never off roaded before. No rust and overall in great condition. Needed some steering components, but for about $7K after all systems were rapired, it's been awesome. I've done all my mods ( more $$$$ :bigok: ) and I've loved the attention and time spent.

sometimes I see trucks here on D-web "all done up" for about $7K :banghead: and it makes you think...

I still don't regreat it. It's your call....if you are "still wondering between a Jeep or a Disco", this may not be your thing...Disco's are interactives, and that's what most of us like about them. Even I'm learning to do my own work on it, which if properly researched works out ok.

The question YOU really need to answer is "what am I gonna do with the truck?"...

as for the "most LR are trailer queen rigs" comment, I think you'll get a lot of opposition. The trailer queens are supper modded trucks that are no longer practical on the road....usually pulled by another LR:smilelol:....but they were initially street trucks that got modded and off roaded to death, then came back to life as a trail-only truck.

sorry I can't be more help, but LR's rule! we are all biased here :bs:

 

[SCSL]

Usually I would say get the street truck.

But if the difference is really only $500, get the one with all the mods.

Note: this is very general advice, not having seen either truck.

Best advice is have them both inspected by a good indy tech, or someone from your local Rover club who is familiar w/ Rovers.

 

[NW DISCO]

One advantage to doing all the build-up work yourself is then you know how it is done and works. That way if there is a problem you will have a better chance of being able to fix it yourself. Sometimes it is not a dirrect fix but a jerry rig setup to get you out of the hills. Understanding your vehicle because you modified it, makes taking care of it a whole lot easier.
On the other hand it can save a lot of money finding a rig that is allready built. Just make sure it has not beat on. Once you get it spend a lot time crawling over/under and checking out how everything is done. You do not want any supprises when you are miles from nowhere.
Not a definitive answer, but food for thought.

 

[robertf]

untainted is the way to go

The electrical systems on these trucks are already time bombs, do you want to have one that some redneck added 8 walmart lights/cb/stereo,etc to?

Mine was a lease vehicle and I'm still finding trace amounts of crap wiring for hands free phone and a cd changer (though it had a stock cd changer?)

 

[Mr.Grumpy]

Usually I would say get the street truck.

But if the difference is really only $500, get the one with all the mods.

Note: this is very general advice, not having seen either truck.

Best advice is have them both inspected by a good indy tech, or someone from your local Rover club who is familiar w/ Rovers.

That would be the guy selling the built one. You guys are as all over on this as I am any you guys KNOW about this stuff!!

 

[SCSL]

You guys are as all over on this as I am any you guys KNOW about this stuff!!

Huh???

 

[jcs2179]

"...You guys are as all over on this as I am..."

before you loose ALL interest and support, let me jump in and save you before you really say something that it'll cost you :

folks here are giving you their advise based on their personal experience. It's all over the place because you asked a huge general question...that being said, if you didn't want broad spectrum answers, you don't really need the advise.

I'm changing my answer already. I think you'd be better off with the Jeep. probably a better fit for you and your attitude towards LR....:seeya:

 

[tikicar]

If you plan to put on 25,000 miles a year. (figure that is over $4,000 a year in fuel at $2.50 a gallon and getting 15mpg) Then I say go with a well maintained stock truck with the lowest miles you can find. Well serviced is the key. Although I am new back to the board I have owned alot of rovers over the years. They have all been good trucks and have served me well. But you must maintain them. The reason I sold my last RRC was to save for our house. I knew I couldn't do what I wanted to it and did not want to be tempted so I sold it. That was 3 years ago. A good friend owns that one with about 180,000 on it still going strong and the motor has never been apart. Now I have had my 97 XD for about 2 months. It was not abused just in need of service and some minor neglect. I have spent about $2,000 on it getting it where I am happy driving it. It still has a tap in the motor so the heads will get pulled this summer. Lots of little things still need to be done but I can work on it myself overtime. I can tell you from the first drive even on worn tires with a badly leaking exhaust. I felt at home for the first time in three years. If you don't get this feeling then buy the jeep. Scott

 

[Mr.Grumpy]

Huh???

Oh, I ment nothing BAD by that at all!! I can't even pretend to be surprised and yes, I value every word of advice! I am thinking about buying one. You guys have bought one, or more! I guess that I wanted reasurance that getting the higher mileage truck was OK but, like some one said, doing the work yourself makes you understand how it all goes together better. I know that ALL of the truck that I am looking at, no matter the brand OR mileage are 10 years old or so. I'm sure that whatever I buy will need "things" over time. There is a dealership and, from what I have been told, a couple of good independant rover shops fairly close by. I plan on driving the truck a LOT, at least initially, and am not afraid of the costs in gas. What I AM afraid of is catastrofic failure. It seems more likely on the road in the modded truck and more likely in the woods in the stock truck. If a Jeep breaks there ae a LOT of parts around to fix it but I think that a Jeep might be more liekely to break in the first place!

 

[dave77]

What model of Jeep? I assume you are not thinking of driving 25K per year in a Wrangler. Personally, I'd get the one with lower miles and then add what you want. Great learning experience.

 

[Mr.Grumpy]

What model of Jeep? I assume you are not thinking of driving 25K per year in a Wrangler. Personally, I'd get the one with lower miles and then add what you want. Great learning experience.

Modded Disco = Wrangler (long term) both would eventualy need a UJC as back-up.
Stock DIsco = Cherokee (long term) Either would be expected to stand alone for four yeears.

Of course things change but that's the general thought.

 

[Rocky]

Buy the soccer mum truck

 

[jcs2179]

"Modded Disco = Wrangler"

:banghead:

 

[Mr.Grumpy]

"Modded Disco = Wrangler"

:banghead:

Only as far as weather or not I would expect it to stand up to use as a DD. Man, I rubbed you the wrong way. Sorry dude, I didn't meen it.

 

[DeMak]

I have a 92 Cherokee with about 76k and a 95 Disco 1 with 145k. The Jeeps came with several different motor/transmission combo's. Mine has the straight six/automatic, very solid combo. Both are good trucks.

Which is more comfortable for you to sit in? I know this is not a very technical question but if your going to sit in it for the next 100k, think about it. I find that my right foot is mashed up against the transmission housing in the Jeep. I sit up straighter in the Disco which is easier on my old back. See which fits YOU.

Check the frame on any truck you buy. Besides the normal check by a mechanic, I like to get the compression checked.

Sight unseen, I got to say that I'd lean towards the low mileage/no mods. Especially if your going to drive 100k on the road. I drive mine on logging roads in northern CA with no mods. I drive 600+ miles each way to northern CA on Interstate 5. I drive on mountain roads that aren't really wide enough for two cars to pass (Hwy 36). It will go MOST places, just be reasonable. Then you can put the mods you want as you need them.

Parts are not that hard to get. Don't let that stop you. I get parts from British Pacific, from an indie machanic, from autozone etc. and from dealerships. I broke down away from home once and a dealership I had never used overnight parts to me. I'm sure most of the indies like British Pacific would have also.

Doug

 

[jcs2179]

Only as far as weather or not I would expect it to stand up to use as a DD. Man, I rubbed you the wrong way. Sorry dude, I didn't meen it.

ok,ok...it's all good. :bigok:
I just think that you are driving yourself crazy with the decision. (wrangler aside, 'cause of lack of comfort) you'll find the same kinda deal on both brands. 4 doors, 5-7 ppl carrier, capable off roader, decent on hwy....how about a decent, newer little commuter car (good on gas, comfortable, low miles, less expensive), and a
half-and-half weekend warrior off- road truck. The you can work on it on weekends and if its down for any lengh of time while waiting for parts (or knowledge like me ) then you 'll still have a ride to work....
you are fine, sorry I was shitty before...I went through the same process, but I chose the D1 and it was the best thing I ever did (I had a 95 Grand Cherokke before too, 5.2 V8) nice truck, but this is way funner!

 

[C Ross]

Pull the trigger already...
Merry Christmas! Happy New Year!

Ross

 

[jacg123]

Had a Cherokee for a couple of years and it was great but after drooling over a Disco for years I decided to take the plung.. Best decission I have madein a long time, nothing rides and drives like a Disco!!!! Ok maybe a RR sport but those are way out of my price range... Settled on a 2003 and sure it's been in the shop a half dozen times but I wouldn't trade it now for anything else.... Go for the Disco and enjoy the ride.....

 

[Mr.Grumpy]

Thanks for all the advice guys! I know that I have madea bout fifty of these thrteads so far, but I am still recovering from a realy BAD car buying descision and if I wind up with a trud this time too I'll never get premision to buy any thing but small Japanese cars ever again! Then there's a thread like the resent one where some other guy asked about Disco vs. XJ and got a LOT of bad feed-back. I really like running these things by people who have gone before me and see wha they ahve to say. I think that by the end of the summer I will have a econo-box as well as a "toy" truck, but I am looking for something that won't need a million dollars of repairs between now and then and I AM going to want to play with my new toy for a bit before something breaks. I'm trying to read a lot about these trucks here and elsewhere and realy should just pull the trigger and be done with it. I like to compare each vehicle on it's own merits and want to find the "right" one.

Thanks for tolerating me!

Merry Christmas!

Ken