Land Rover Buying Advice
Range Rover ClassicNew Range Rover, 4.0SE, 4.6HSEDiscoveryDiscovery IIDefenderThings to look for in a Discovery
Most of the 1997-1999 Discoveries on the used market today are third-owner trucks. Most were leased for two to three years, bought by a second owner, and they are now offered to you. Many of these lease cars received little or no upkeep, and it shows. Avoid cars with sludge in the oil filler — an indication of insufficient oil changes.
Build quality of the 1996-7 Discoveries is the lowest of any modern Land Rover product. Avoid these years if possible.
Check the tie rod ends carefully, especially the one at the steering gear pitman arm. If they have any play they should be changed. These joints can fail without warning. For that reason if you are at 60,000 miles we suggest replacing any original pitman arm joints, and we’d change the other three also by 90,000. If the pitman arm joint falls off you’ll lose all steering control. We’ve seen several Rovers crash as a result of this failure.
These joints are under $40 each, and I suggest changing them all if their age is unknown. Sometimes the joints can’t be unscrewed from the rods, in which case a whole new rod will be needed.
1996 to 1998 4.0 engines are terrible oil leakers. These are the common leaks: cylinder head gaskets, intake gaskets, front seals, oil cooler lines, oil pans, rear main seals and valve cover gaskets. Updated repair parts are available. Always surface heads when you change head gaskets or you’ll be doing the job again in a year or two.
Head gaskets can leak both oil and coolant onto the round, especially in winter. Coolant leaks are also found on the intake, the hoses, and the water pump. After the water pump has been changed watch for oil or coolant leaks from the front cover – that gasket often fails after the stress of refitting the water pump.
Replacement of valve cover gaskets is a three-hour job. Replacement of the intake gaskets add three more hours. Replacement of head gaskets includes the first two jobs, and it’s nearer two full days of work.
You can change the oil pan gasket and the rear cross seals in a few hours, but a full rear main seal job is 10 hours or so, with removal of the transmission and transfer case for access.
Oil all the door hinges, and pay particular attention to the underside of the rear gate handle. If you don’t keep them oiled you’ll be paying to fix doors that don’t open one day. Flat rate mechanics seldom spend the 10-15 minutes it takes to do this unless asked, in our experience.
Rotate your original Michelin tires every 7500 miles. If you don’t do this you’ll get a sawtooth wear pattern on the insides of the front tires and within 30,000 miles your truck will sound like it has bad wheel bearings. To check for this wear run your hand around the inner circumference of the front tires. Go one way, then the other. You'll probably feel the saw teeth one way while the other will be smooth. Be sure to keep an 8-10PSI pressure differential in favor of the rear tires.
Don’t disconnect the battery unless absolutely necessary. Doing so often sets a fault code that put on the SRS light. It can only be cleared by a dealer or someone like us with the Autologic tester. Use jumpers and a battery saver when you swap batteries to prevent this hassle.
1996 and newer 4.0 engines are prone to develop carbon buildup on the exhaust valve stems. Symptoms are intermittent missing or staggering of the engine, usually on long drives and at high speed. Frequently a check engine light is seen with random misfire codes and specific cylinder misfire codes. Read my articles (Carbon Fouling#1, Carbon Fouling#2)* from American Rovers about fixing this problem. Repair is costly, generally over $2,000.
*You will need to have Acrobat Reader 
installed to read the above articles. Download it here if needed.
ABS lights that come on after replacing front brakes are often the result of sensors getting disturbed. Pull them out, reseat them, and if you're lucky the problem will go away. They are not positively retained like on most cars. Another common cause of ABS lights coming on is loose wheel bearings.
Cooling fans on 1996 and newer trucks are known for coming apart. They can send blades through the hood. Check yours carefully for damage.
Transfer case linkages on Discos are prone to freezing up from rust if not shifted regularly. If your truck still shifts into low range and lock — Great! Keep it that way by shifting every week or so. Otherwise you'll be into a 2-3 hours repair one day soon. Read how our CustomFind™ Service can buy you a Discovery.
Things to look for in a Discovery II
The Discovery II offers a number of enhancements over the 1994-1999 Discovery I models. If you can afford the price premium it's a far better vehicle.The high mounted tail lamps, a smoothed and streamlined nose, and an upgraded interior distinguish Disco II models. For the 2003 model year the Disco II got yet another nose redesign following the theme of the 2003 Range Rover. IN addition, the 4.6 liter engine was fitted. For road driving, the later Disco IIs are the best of the series, by far.
If you are into off-roading you may find the Disco II more limited in terms of accessories though that situation has improved in recent years. A Disco I remains the best choice for a serious off-roader at this time because it shares more underbody heritage with the Defender, but a Disco II, properly built, can be extremely capable.
On the highway and around town the Disco II is a hands-down winner over the previous model.
- Some Disco II improvements include:
- The forward facing third seat with headrests is far safer than the sideways seating arrangement of the Disco I. However, Disco II's equipped with this option are rare.
- A Bosch engine management system and more Bosch electronics everywhere. The Bosch stuff replaces the less reliable British stuff.
- The engine is more powerful and the vehicle is more responsive to drive.
- The engine was redesigned to reduce leakage, and they were largely successful in this. Disco II models still leak, but nowhere near like their predecessors.
- The in-car entertainment is significantly upgraded.
- Disco II engines use the new GM Dex-Cool red antifreeze instead of the older green mix used in prior years.
- Production quality seems to be quite a bit better. The overall quality of the vehicle is considerably improved from their low point in 1996-7.
Weaknesses to watch for in looking at a used Disco II
- Most of the mechanical advice for the original Discovery still applies, plus…
- Radiators are prone to develop leaks, more so than previous Land Rover models.
- The idler pulleys on the belt drive become noisy and in extreme cases come apart.
- The ACE system, while substantially improving high speed handling, offers the possibility of service nightmares on high mile units.
- Disco II engines are prone to failure of the rocker shafts, resulting in engine raps. The steel cup comes loose inside the aluminum rocker.
- Many used Discoveries were lease vehicles, and many received little or no care. A truck that had the oil changed three times in 40,000 miles may cost substantial sums later in engine repairs. Check your service history before buying.
Read how our CustomFind™ Service can buy you a Discovery II.
Things to look for in a P38 Range Rover
P38 Range Rovers were introduced for the 1995 model year, when they were sold alongside the original Range Rover (renamed the Range Rover Classic) The P38 Rover was built through the 2002 model year, when it was replaced by the current generation of the full-size Range Rover.P38 Range Rovers come in 4.0SE and 4.6HSE versions. The 4.0 is the “base” version, though both are fully loaded in terms of luxury features. Here is what's different on a 4.6HSE (for the most part.) in the US market:
Seventeen-inch wheels with lower profile tires give markedly better handling at high speed.
The interior is a little plusher with things like off-color piping on the seats and more leather where the 4.0 used vinyl.
The bigger engine is noticeably more powerful. It's also more prone to block failure in 1997 units. 1998 and newer are OK.
The 4.6 models were painted in special colors to distinguish them from their 4.0 brothers.
If you drive a lot on fast highways you'll probably find a 4.6 quite a bit better. Off road, though, the 17-inch wheels are more easily damaged.
I strongly suggest you have new Rovers serviced only by shops with T4 or Autologic diagnostic systems. Various computers that are only accessible with these tools control almost all functions on this series truck. Shops that don't have the correct tools will waste hours and parts in diagnosis.
At 100,000 miles air bags will start going bad. Look for dry rot cracks at tops and bottoms. Symptoms of bad air bags are a vehicle that sags or goes flat overnight. Some people regard the air suspension as a very desirable feature on this model. Front air bags cost roughly $200 each to replace. Rear bags cost roughly $400 each to replace. Robison Service converts 1995-2001 Range Rovers to coil springs for $1,600 with new Bilstein shocks adding $500 to the tab (as of January 2008).
At this point, it’s a plus in the used car market if a Rover has been converted to coil springs. The hassle of the air suspension as the cars age and more pieces fail just isn’t worth it for most people. People who really want air suspension are probably better off in one of the current series Range Rovers or Sports.
Coolant leaks onto the passenger floor are almost always heater core o-rings, not the cores themselves. Robison Service can usually correct the problem in 2-4 hours.
1996 to 1998 4.0 engines are terrible oil leakers. These are the common leaks: cylinder head gaskets, intake gaskets, front seals, oil cooler lines, and valve cover gaskets. Updated repair parts are available. Always surface heads when you change head gaskets or you'll be doing the job again in a year or two.
Rotate your original Michelin tires every 7500 miles. If you don't do this you'll get a sawtooth wear pattern on the insides of the front tires and within 30,000 miles your truck will sound like it has bad wheel bearings. To check for this wear run your hand around the inner circumference of the front tires. Go one way, then the other. You'll probably feel the saw teeth one way while the other will be smooth.
Pre 1998 4.0 engines are prone to develop carbon buildup on the exhaust valve stems. Symptoms are intermittent missing or staggering of the engine, usually on long drives and at high speed. Frequently a check engine light is seen with random misfire codes and specific cylinder misfire codes. Read my articles (Carbon Fouling#1, Carbon Fouling#2) from American Rovers about fixing this problem. Repair is costly, generally over $2,000.
Avoid picking these trucks up on wheel free lifts. Doing so can separate an airbag or damage a sensor, both of which will require a visit to the shop. To remove tires jack up or lift under the axles.
1999 and newer trucks with Bosch electronics are much better than any previous Range Rover product. Oil leaks are reduced, engines have less valve trouble, they run better, etc.
Read how our CustomFind™ Service can buy you a New Range Rover.
Things to look for in a Range Rover Classic
These are the original Land Rover product sold in America. Until 1995 they weren't called “Classics”. That designation arrived in 1995 when the "New Range Rover" or 4.0SE was introduced.
On 1993-1995 Rovers you must check the tie rod ends carefully, especially the one at the steering gear pitman arm. If they have any play they should be changed. These joints can fail without warning. For that reason if you are at 60,000 miles we suggest replacing any original pitman arm joints, and we'd change the other three also by 90,000. If the pitman arm joint falls off you'll lose all steering control. We've seen several Rovers crash as a result of this failure. Older trucks use a different pitman arm connection that is not prone to fall in the street. Even still, they should be checked and serviced if loose.
Most Range Rovers leak oil. These are the common Range Rover leaks: cylinder head gaskets, intake gaskets, front seals, oil cooler lines, oil pans, and valve cover gaskets. Always surface heads when you change head gaskets or you'll be doing the job again in a year or two. Gaskets made for the 1996 4.0 Disco can be used with minor modification. They are of a better design.
The air suspension on 1993-1995 Classics is very unreliable and costly to fix. Kits to convert to coil springs are readily available and easy to fit. Allow a day for the job. Repairs to this air suspension system can easily run $2,000 — making the conversion kit very attractive.
Oil all the door hinges, especially the external door hinges on 1987-1989 models. If you don't keep them oiled you'll be paying to fix doors that don't open one day. Dealers seldom spend the 10-15 minutes it takes to do this unless asked, in our experience.
Rotate your original Michelin tires every 7500 miles. If you don't do this you'll get a saw tooth wear pattern on the insides of the front tires and within 30,000 miles your truck will sound like it has bad wheel bearings. To check for this wear run your hand around the inner circumference of the front tires. Go one way, then the other. You'll probably feel the saw teeth one way while the other will be smooth.
The rear glass gates rust out every 5-6 years in the Northeast. Replacements are about $1,300. An aluminum frame and several steel aftermarket options are available at lower cost.
Classics are prone to corrosion. Look for rust holes in the floorboards in front, in the rocker sills, on the seams where the front fenders attach under the hood, and around the rear lamp housings. If you live where it snows, I strongly recommend WaxOyl.
Read how our CustomFind™ Service can buy you a Classic.
Things to look for in a Defender
There are three types of Defender on the market in the US: grey market trucks that have been privately imported; four-door 110 models that were imported by Land Rover North America (LRNA) in 1993, and two-door 90 models imported by LRNA in 1994, 1995 and 1997.
The number refers to wheelbase. A 90 has a 90-inch wheelbase, 110 is 110 inches. In other countries they sell 130-inch trucks also. In comparison, Range Rover Classics are 100-inch wheelbase.
Defenders are sold elsewhere in the world with a variety of diesel and gas engines. The Defenders imported by LRNA are all V8 powered. These vehicles were imported in small quantity because they did not fully conform to safety and emission rules. Import ceased in 1997 because extensive redesign would be required to certify them continued US sale. As a result, prices have risen all out of proportion to their place in the Land Rover product family. Nowhere else in the world does a D90 cost more than a 4.6 Range Rover of the same vintage.
My favorite Defenders are the white 110s. I've had several over the years. I sold my last one to Stuart Carpenter of Copley Motorcars in Boston three years ago. He still sends me photo Christmas cards of his dogs in the back of the thing.
The 110 models are quite rare, with only 500 being imported. All are white, with standard transmission and 3.9 litre V8 engine. Almost 2,000 of the smaller D90 models were sold here. All 1994 and many 1995 were soft-top units. The hardtop 1995 trucks had a removable (with difficulty) plastic hard top. 1997 trucks had either a soft top or a full metal (not easily removable) hardtop.
1994 and 1995 Defenders have standard transmissions with 3.9 liter V8 engines. 1997 Defenders have automatic transmissions with the 4.0 liter V8 engine. All in all, the power train in 1995 trucks is the best. Most 1994 and 1995 Defenders did not have air conditioning. Most 1997s did.
The original transmission fitted to 1994-5 Defenders was weak. Check for proper operation. In 1997 trucks the engines are prone to carbon fouling of the valves. All years are prone to oil leaks.
Watch for rust and corrosion on any Defender. Most of the external hardware is of mild steel. The bolts on things like the roll cage rust and are unsightly. I suggest stainless steel hardware, which can be ordered from Rovers North. If you own a Defender I strongly suggest that you have it treated with WaxOyl.
The other thing to watch for on Defenders is hard use. Many were fitted with lockers, big wheels, and used hard off road. These modifications strain the drive line heavily and as a result many are tired when offered for sale. If possible, buy a Defender that has not seen much off road use.
J E Robison Service Co Inc of Springfield, Massachusetts, is an independent business that specializes in the sale and service of used Land Rovers. We are not an authorized Land Rover dealership, we do not sell brand new Land Rovers and we are not otherwise affiliated with, originating from, sponsored by, or approved by Land Rover in any way.