Should I buy Land Rover Discovery 2.5 (2003) as my new home?

stefi said:

Hello Landy community!
Here is a "young" Swiss woman who is new to the Land Rover Discovery world.

In a few months I want to leave everything and go on a long trip with an off-roader (nothing extreme) and I am more and more convinced to go on this adventure with a Discovery.
After months of searching I have finally found something. But the question is: Should I buy it or should I stay away from this offer?

Land Rover Discovery 2.5 (2003)
212'000 km
Diesel
Manual transmission
about 3'700 pounds (too cheap???)

I'm worried about the 212'000 km and I don't know the details of the vehicle.
Is a Discovery with so many km suitable for a long trip (Caucasus, Central Asia and Africa)?
To buy or not to buy? In Switzerland it is really hard to find anything with manual transmission.

Thanks for your opinion!
Best regards
Stefany

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Turboman said:

Welcome to LZ!

Td5 is probably one of the better Landrover diesels, and if it is well maintained, there is no reason it should not be reliable at that mileage.
If it hasn't been well maintained, it is likely to be trouble.
Then there is the question of rust. Check the rear chassis and wheel arches carefully. Use a small hammer. Give the suspension, brakes, and steering a good once over as well.

I wouldn't say that is terribly cheap for an 18 year old vehicle, or at least it wouldn't be in the UK. Maybe they cost more in Switzerland.

Bear in mind that auto trans is gentler on an engine and drive train than manual, and if that has been well maintained, there is no reason that should be less reliable either.

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Turboman said:

Welcome to LZ!

Td5 is probably one of the better Landrover diesels, and if it is well maintained, there is no reason it should not be reliable at that mileage.
If it hasn't been well maintained, it is likely to be trouble.
Then there is the question of rust. Check the rear chassis and wheel arches carefully. Use a small hammer. Give the suspension, brakes, and steering a good once over as well.

I wouldn't say that is terribly cheap for an 18 year old vehicle, or at least it wouldn't be in the UK. Maybe they cost more in Switzerland.

Bear in mind that auto trans is gentler on an engine and drive train than manual, and if that has been well maintained, there is no reason that should be less reliable either.

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Larry365 said:

Hi.

The mileage of the vehicle isn't an issue in my opinion. Do you have any service history for the vehicle? The price seems fine if it's it good condition and well serviced. Certainly not too cheap.

Get the vehicle checked by a professional. Make sure they have a good look for rust on the chassis.

This Discovery is one of the best vehicles for adventure. Plenty of space and comfortable. Fast enough when doing long stretches between destinations.

Once you've found the right Disco, go on some short trips into the Alps etc to really get to know it. You'll come across the issues whilst still close to home and know what improvements to make before venturing further.

I have a Discovery 2 for sale in Croatia (Zadar). It's UK registered though and right hand drive. Probably not right for you and might be very expensive to import into CH but thought I'd mention it anyway.

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Larry365 said:

Hi.

The mileage of the vehicle isn't an issue in my opinion. Do you have any service history for the vehicle? The price seems fine if it's it good condition and well serviced. Certainly not too cheap.

Get the vehicle checked by a professional. Make sure they have a good look for rust on the chassis.

This Discovery is one of the best vehicles for adventure. Plenty of space and comfortable. Fast enough when doing long stretches between destinations.

Once you've found the right Disco, go on some short trips into the Alps etc to really get to know it. You'll come across the issues whilst still close to home and know what improvements to make before venturing further.

I have a Discovery 2 for sale in Croatia (Zadar). It's UK registered though and right hand drive. Probably not right for you and might be very expensive to import into CH but thought I'd mention it anyway.

Click to expand...