In the past 12 years I've owned a '98 Disco, '93 Rangie, '68 Series IIA, '95 Rangie, '97 Disco XD and '02 Rangie. Still own the last 2 on the list. They have all proven to be very reliable, a bit quirky at times, but none ever stranded me. A word of warning though, getting into Rovers is an addictive habit that few can kick. Be careful. Hopefully, we can welcome you to the brotherhood soon.
Reliability questions...
- Thread starter VertSaab
- Start date
adriatic04 said:learned that today when I picked up a new thermostat at dealer. I was asking a couple service guys and parts guy some questions pertaining to my situation. they looked at me like I was crazy, like what was someone doing picking up parts and trying to solve a problem on their own. sucks because I learn as I go, and without this board I feel like I have no one to ask questions and help teach me, so I come back here and post and wait
Yup, same here. The straw that broke the camel's back was when I called to ask them about a missing inspection plug in the oil sump/bell housing. The guy says, "well, I talked to a few techs and they say its not really important." I asked what happens when I fill the bell housing full of mud and water off-road and he just sort fo stuttered and stammered ended the conversation quickly.
With the help of Dweb and my dad, I feel like I can do pretty much anything that needs doing on my Disco. I just need to find someone that can teach me how to set up diffs...
Rovers suffer from an excess of personality.
You either like that in a vehicle, which makes you a contender for ownership, or you don't, which means you should consider a vehicle built in Japan -- where they seem to excel at building vehicles without personality.
Generally, I think Rovers are stout hearted beasts whose reliability in major components is at least comparable to other major manufacturers. I think, actually, better.
But I would not recommend them to any one who doesn't currently change their own oil and does at least occasional work on their own cars.
The reason is Rovers require a little more TLC than your average car. Plan on spending one Sunday morning a month (at least) topping off all the fluids. My D1 transfer case has leaked oil for the last 75,000 miles. Works great. Just needs a squirt now and again. The steering box on our RRC reliably drinks a gallon of ATF a year, and has for years. Rovers mark their territory: your garage and driveway will soon be covered a quilt work of oil stains.
The other reason you need to be a little handy is that it is the little things that drives some people out of Rover ownership. I've found that the major components -- engine, tranny, etc. are reliable and built well. The little things -- maybe not so much. For example, on my D1 I think I have replaced the window switches about nine times. There are only four switches. So each one has been replaced at least twice.
Each time, this set me back about 20 bucks for the switches and about five minutes for the time. Now, if I had to take it to the mechanic each time at $100 a trip, I'd have a thousand dollars invested in window switches and I would be unhappy.
Rovers have a multitude of issues like this, I've removed one door panel to fix a sticky and/or broken latch mechanism on one door about ten times. There is not a door on the vehicle that I have not had the panel off at one point or another.
Rovers are extremely quirky. I hit a bump once while carrying my inlaws from the airport and it turned the headlights off and the flashers on -- which didn't fix itself until I pulled over, turned the rig off and started it up again. Never had that problem again. Our RRC, about once a year, has the tachometer go completely haywire for about twenty minutes. Then it is fine for another year.
Any Rover owner will have dozens of stories like this. I've only had the D1 not start on me once -- but I've had the doors refuse to open about a thousand times (for various reasons).
I think most people visiting Discoweb do not consider such issues to be a burden, and maybe even find it an enjoyable (or at least amusing) part of ownership. But I had a mechanically inept friend who asked about buying a RRC advertised in our neighborhood and I told him that I thought he would not be able to afford to fix the little things that invariably would go wrong because he was not the type to get his hands dirty.
The Rovers are great vehicles in inclement weather and under adverse conditions. But if you are just expecting to walk up to the vehicle, turn the key and drive away -- each and every time -- well, you might be disappointed.
A final thought.
I tell people, "If you view the Rover as a hobby, you will be very happy. If you view it purely as transportation, you are probably destined to be disappointed."
Hope this helps (and maybe we'll see you out there!)
You either like that in a vehicle, which makes you a contender for ownership, or you don't, which means you should consider a vehicle built in Japan -- where they seem to excel at building vehicles without personality.
Generally, I think Rovers are stout hearted beasts whose reliability in major components is at least comparable to other major manufacturers. I think, actually, better.
But I would not recommend them to any one who doesn't currently change their own oil and does at least occasional work on their own cars.
The reason is Rovers require a little more TLC than your average car. Plan on spending one Sunday morning a month (at least) topping off all the fluids. My D1 transfer case has leaked oil for the last 75,000 miles. Works great. Just needs a squirt now and again. The steering box on our RRC reliably drinks a gallon of ATF a year, and has for years. Rovers mark their territory: your garage and driveway will soon be covered a quilt work of oil stains.
The other reason you need to be a little handy is that it is the little things that drives some people out of Rover ownership. I've found that the major components -- engine, tranny, etc. are reliable and built well. The little things -- maybe not so much. For example, on my D1 I think I have replaced the window switches about nine times. There are only four switches. So each one has been replaced at least twice.
Each time, this set me back about 20 bucks for the switches and about five minutes for the time. Now, if I had to take it to the mechanic each time at $100 a trip, I'd have a thousand dollars invested in window switches and I would be unhappy.
Rovers have a multitude of issues like this, I've removed one door panel to fix a sticky and/or broken latch mechanism on one door about ten times. There is not a door on the vehicle that I have not had the panel off at one point or another.
Rovers are extremely quirky. I hit a bump once while carrying my inlaws from the airport and it turned the headlights off and the flashers on -- which didn't fix itself until I pulled over, turned the rig off and started it up again. Never had that problem again. Our RRC, about once a year, has the tachometer go completely haywire for about twenty minutes. Then it is fine for another year.
Any Rover owner will have dozens of stories like this. I've only had the D1 not start on me once -- but I've had the doors refuse to open about a thousand times (for various reasons).
I think most people visiting Discoweb do not consider such issues to be a burden, and maybe even find it an enjoyable (or at least amusing) part of ownership. But I had a mechanically inept friend who asked about buying a RRC advertised in our neighborhood and I told him that I thought he would not be able to afford to fix the little things that invariably would go wrong because he was not the type to get his hands dirty.
The Rovers are great vehicles in inclement weather and under adverse conditions. But if you are just expecting to walk up to the vehicle, turn the key and drive away -- each and every time -- well, you might be disappointed.
A final thought.
I tell people, "If you view the Rover as a hobby, you will be very happy. If you view it purely as transportation, you are probably destined to be disappointed."
Hope this helps (and maybe we'll see you out there!)
I never had door or window trouble in my 96 DI except for a failed regulator around 100k or so. It's had the starter replaced though and the shifter linkage. Mine rusted out in many places though - too bad they didn't do 12 yr corrosion warranties back then
ptschram
Well-known member
lionvt said:
When my wife worked in the shop, she'd regularly tell people that they DID NOT NEED a Land Rover, but if they wanted one, we' find one for them.
If you need transportation, buy a Toyota. If you want to join a cult filled with mainly really cool people, buy a Rover (or 20 or 30 in my case, quit your job, open a business and just try to hang on)!
BTW-I can help anyone interested in earning a small fortune in Land Rovers-but, it takes a large fortune to get started.
ptschram said:
I see this posted here quite a bit and I've got to disagree... toyota trucks of the same vintage as the D1 or RRC are not any more reliable. I wheel with quite a few toyota folk, and the 22r/re might be the most overlooked unreliable engine ever made. The cam journals in the heads are bearingless and pretty much unrebuildable, the blocks never seem to fire on all 4 cylinders, the fuel injection is even more archaic than 14cux, and the stock birfields are not really any better than rover junk. Even people I know who daily drive 2wd toy trucks never seem to run properly, so I don't think its an abuse thing. Only the fzj80 is worth comparing to a rover. I'll give you that, its probably a more reliable vehicle.
Now if you are talking about a toyota car thats another discussion.
I've bought my 2001 d2 stock never offroad soccer moms with 80,000 miles on it for 4,500 here in oc so. cal. Bought it last year, as a hobby and as a back-up for my fzj80, and full-size Chevy blazer. So far, what I have done to it was to replace all 4 02 sensors plugs and wires, purge surge solenoid valve(check engine light were on when I purchased it, and fixed it all by me)and also, purchased an obd2 scanner(it's a must with these trucks) to be on check. Overall, very happy with my D2! as long as all the preventive maintenance and baselines are taking care of, it will take care of you.In my opinion, the D2 are as solid in comparison to the fzj80, but the fzj80 would be more reliable.
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