13th Jan 2007, 07:13
Thanx for the advice, I was just looking at one and it seemed in pretty good condition, but I thinki'll lean towards a different suv now.
And by the way, curse words ARE appropriate when they convey the feeling of the author toward the subject. in this case, had the author used anything besides "POS", he may not expressed his dislike of the vehicle accurately. so you can shove that dictionary "you know where".
12th Feb 2007, 00:56
I have owned my Discovery for 8 years, It's a 1997 Model with all the SE features.
I have covered 289,000k and my only expense was a battery.tyres, horn wiring and a radiator cap.
I've given the vehicle absolute hell and pushed it hard. Lots of desert work and many hours in river crossings or following creek beds. I'm a gold miner.
Great vehicle... but you have to drive them hard.
10th Apr 2007, 17:28
I purchased my 1997 Discovery SE approximately one year ago. Within the past year I have had to replace the Transfer Case, Radiator, Short Block, Heads, Brakes, Camshaft...etc. I have committed myself to restoring this vehicle. I have to say though, the restoration has come in over 5 figures in price.
I still love the truck, however, I curse the previous owner. ALL of my restoration projects could have been avoided had the previous owner changed the oil and performed the scheduled maintenance.
16th May 2007, 22:11
I've owned a few Land Rovers over the past thirty years. I bought them because I wanted them to work in difficult terrain. That's what they do best. Poor build quality has afflicted some models, but overall I've found them to be machines designed and built by great engineers. Maintaining a scheduled service regime simply pays respect to your wallet and the fact that they work hard. I find comments about faulty CD players and dash switches a little irritating. This is a vehicle that is meant to get you into and out of places very few others would even look at. My Discovery 1997 TDi automatic is a great Land Rover. I've contributed to that because I pay attention to details of maintenance and servicing, no matter how minor. The rewards are substantial.
24th May 2008, 23:42
I have the same model in Australia.
It is a fantastic vehicle and has not missed a beat.
Does not leak oil, unlike my old Jaguars, and has the best seating position I've ever seen.
However, there are good ones and bad ones, I guess it's the luck of the draw.
30th Mar 2010, 15:40
I own a 1997 Land Rover Discovery. I have had to do some work to it because of the previous owner didn't. I love the vehicle and will continue to fix it. It runs strong and is a great vehicle.
8th Jun 2010, 19:59
I also have the exact same model in Australia.
Apart from tyres, battery, and a water pump seal leak, it has been a fantastic vehicle.
The starter motor solenoid went recently, but the vehicle is old.
It is the most comfortable vehicle to drive on long trips, that you can get.
I use mine for towing, quite a lot.
I had a "Unichip" fitted to the motor and the transformation is staggering! Fuel consumption is better for more torque and power.
19th Aug 2010, 22:53
I have a 1997 Discovery that I bought used in very good condition. I have about 80,000 miles on it. I use it in pretty extreme conditions in the desert and mountains. I tow an offroad tent trailer.
I once drove this vehicle up a relentlessly steep jeep trail to over 12,000 ft. elevation to a no-name lake.
I have never had any problems with this vehicle. The key is to stay away from the dealership. Most people are probably replacing things that don't need replacing. After offroading, check under the vehicle - the wheel speed sensors can simply come disconnected - plug them back in. This is not a Honda Accord - you need to be more involved with your vehicle maintenance on offroad vehicles. It really helps to read the manual.
24th Sep 2010, 13:50
I am also looking into buying a 1997 Land Rover. I love the body style and truly need an SUV that's not too expensive. Thank you all for letting me know the possible down falls and some positives that come along with this vehicle. I am looking forward to purchasing it.
15th Nov 2010, 01:41
Run em hard and do your maintenance. You will receive nothing but enjoyment from it for years. Don't drive around town or on hills in overdrive. It's a beast, push it up to 3500 RPMs going up a 40 degree hill and see how much it lags around. Mine tears up hills with no sweat and has 140000 miles. I love Land Rovers!
6th Jun 2006, 14:50
I feel that the original post is an accurate representation of the overall quality of the Land Rover Discovery. Mine was similarly afflicted and ended up costing me a ton of money. I replaced it with a Toyota and have so far had no problems.
Now if the large oil stain left by the Land Rover would disappear from my driveway I would be happy.