LAND ROVER DISCOVERY 4x4 1998‑2004

I have owned my Landy for 16 months now, having bought it to get to and from work in bad weather conditions. As it happened, last winter wasn't so bad, so I didn't get chance to really try it in the snow covered Gloucestershire hills.

I was a little nervous of buying the V8 Petrol version, due to the fuel costs, but since I only travel about 10 miles a day, I took a flyer and bought a used Disco 2 for very little money (less than £6K). My mother has a 2.5 diesel, but I find that a bit sluggish and you'll pay about £2K more for that engine option - that's a lot of trips to the garage! You do get a lot of car for this price, despite the petrol costs. I took it to a LR main dealer, once I'd bought it, to give it a thorough going over and it came out very well, with just a few minor issues to address.

I would advise that you find a non-dealer LR specialist to undertake repairs and regular maintenance, as LR Dealer prices are just plain silly. Do insist on genuine parts though.

I had owned a Series 3 prior to this one and although the driving experience is very different, it still gives me that special & undefinable Land Rover feeling when at the wheel. It's comfortable, mechanically bullet-proof and practical. The V8 is very smooth and has not given me a moments worry - the oil is still a golden colour, even after 6K miles.

Any other repair issues (bodywork, interior trim, light lenses etc.) are more than adequately taken care of by a plentiful supply from specialist LR breakers yards, where you can buy a virtually new full leather interior and carpets for less than £300.00. As an example. I found 4 new window sills (mine were just a bit rusty) for £20.00 each at a local yard, where a new one from LR was £120.00 + VAT!

And there lies the beauty of Landy ownership; If you have a set of spanners, they are still built 'meccano' style and even a mechanically inept buffoon like me can replace most parts with ease. Then there is the cars personality; I've driven and owned a lot of cars in my time, but never enjoyed them like a Land Rover - Be warned, you might just fall in love!

Reading the reviews, you either hate them, or love them.

I purchase mine in Jan2011 with 53k on the clock,with full service history.

Mileage to date 61k.

Problems. very little. sunroofs leaked , problem now solved, having cleared drain tubes/new seal, and re sealed units to roof.

Plus rear caliper sticking, new one fitted.

Mpg 28/30 with lower road tax, unlike disc 3(06) onwards

Comfort is fantastic,whilst being a solid/go anywhere vehicle, as i live in Snowdonia.

Before you buy, ensure it has FSH, and running/service costs can be ok, whilst using independant garages.

I LOVE IT

My partner says i suffer from OCD,Over Cleaning Disorder, but a vehicle like this, warrants TLC

I've had one of these for 7 years. Its been worked really hard in that time. yes its require repairs but i reackon nothing more thna other vehicles.

These do have a few foibles, leaking sunroofs for one, but if you need something that will really pull heavy trailers (like my 14ft triple axle) then these are hard to beat.

If you you just fancy a large 4x4 as a lifestyle vehicle thne you're best sticking to something much lighter.

Remember that most of the so called SUV's are really just cars with big wheels and raised suspension. If you only need to drive on road and need 40mpg, that's fine.

Its a case of horses for courses.

If you need to tow anything or to go off road then Land Rover leads to field - few other 4x4's can pull 3.5 tonne legally. Few others are real 4x4's, Land Rovers are permanent 4x4 so when it get slippery you don't need to stop and engage 4 wheel drive because its already there.

Yes they will need some repairs, but parts for these Discoverys are a fraction of the cost of The foreign equivalents. The country is full of good independent specialists who are a lot cheaper than then main dealers.

Mine - its still going strong with 205,000 on the clock and still on its original clutch despite all the towing.

Very cheap to run on LPG and having 2 gas tanks only have to re fuel every 400 miles!!!, easily worked on by any mechanic and Landrover parts always available & sencibly priced. Roomy for children and adults front and rear. No longer good for our family as we need a pick-up for extra space in the rear. Has ACE system fitted so it corners and handles lovely even in the snow & ice. Automatic which is an easy comfortable drive and has sports mode button for the faster roads & motorways.

I had initial concerns when I bought it in September 2010. Had all sorts of difficulties. Suspension computer problem, seized rear brakes, both of which required roadside recovery, then electrical components started to be problematic. Front electric sunroof and rear nearside window stopped functioning .. new motors required. However since February 2011, all has been well. The car is a pleasure to drive and is comforatble for long distances. I live in a rather remote village and the car suits the roads including 'off-road' when necessary. When I bought it, it had covered 96000 miles. It has now done 111000 and it runs very sweetly. In terms of economy, the road tax remains in the lower band (£245), unlike the new Discoveries( I can't quite understand why this should be, but I shan't complain! ) and the fuel economy is the best I could achieve from a Discovery being around 32 miles to the gallon every time I fill up. A lot of my driving is rural ,between 40 and 50 mph, but I don't drive it aggressively. I also tow a trailer frequently and occasionally a caravan and I need to remind myself that the caravan is there, because there is very little impact on the torque of the car. The only real negative for me is that people in the village where I stay call it a 'truck', because it's a 7 seater, but it's a great workhorse. Perhaps I shouldn't say this, since I may tempt fate, but it has been entirely reliable since all the initial teething problems were sorted out and I truly enjoy driving it.

I'd always wanted this vehicle but only recently managed to find one at the right price. It's loaded with gadgets that are useful, comfort is superb. It drives like nothing I've ever driven before. This one has the ACE system which increases road holding in corners and I think is a must on this vehicle. No roll at all in corners! Don't think about it...........buy it

I have always wanted a Discovery & a few months ago, much to my wifes opposal, I finally bought a Disco2 with only 55k miles.

BIG MISTAKE!!!

Loads of problems so far, and reading throught the various owners forums around on the Internet, I fear there are loads more to come.

The general excuse for every problem seems to be "It's a Land Rover", what utter rubbish.

All this is such a pity as the car could be really good if it were not for a new problem every few days.

They say that if you have a Land Rover you are never stuck for something to do, HOW RIGHT THEY ARE.

So I fear my wife was correct and I am now looking for a replacement Shogun, XTrail, Rav4 or similar.

Have had the discovery for four years, and had no major issues, Central locking went a little funny but a £30 replacement part put that right. The car is used daily and is a great tow car, Fuel costs are like all others on the increase but average is 28mpg which is not bad considering the size and weight of her.Will be changing her for a new version later this year, having had two different makes of 4X4 in the past I will be sticking with Landrover again.

A great drive, armchair comfort, great road performer considering its size, weight and height. Brilliant for long journeys - I did 300+ miles regularly. Snow, mud, ice, and towing no problem, as one might expect.

Insurance ridiculous considering its age and average performance - it's definitely worth shopping around as there are big variations.

Reliability not good. Problems (mostly electronic) with ABS/Hill descent control/traction control. The (auto) gearbox position sensing switch failed, and to fix it there was no other possibility except to buy a genuine LR part for seriously stupid money. Also beware the TD5 engine especially if chipped - there is a design fault which allows big temperature variations between cylinders even in a warmed-up engine, which in turn warps the exhaust manifold, which can cause all sorts of other problems. (Try a web search for TD5 replacement exhaust manifolds to find out how popular these are!)

I have owned the Discovery for 6 years and covered 90,000 miles. It has been very reliable and it is a spacious family vehicle. It has proved ideal for towing my 24' caravan and horse trailer. Even on standard road tyres it deals with muddy fields and snow with no problem. Having leather seats it can be kept clean even when it is used for transporting horse tack, feed, bedding, dogs etc. Downsides - running costs, tax is ok as it is a 2004 model (lower tax than the 2006 model or later), diesel averages 27mpg (includes 20 mile daily commute in city traffic), servicing averages around £250 per year at LR independent specialist. Also slower drive and noiser than a modern car. However for me the capabilities outweigh the costs and disadvantages. Would I buy another? - definetley YES.