Hey guys, I'm new on here.
I have a disco 2 which I have owned for a couple of years now, great car. Although I have been hankering for a Range Rover 2.5 D, there is a lovely 2001 with 70k on the clock near me. Can anyone tell me what to look out for??
I know my discos but Rangies are uncharted territory for me, on average less reliable or more reliable than disco 2 TD5? Any similarities?
Opinions?...

service history, eas suspension air bags, that mileage is feck all they is usually very good lumps.

Need a fair bit of TLC to keep them going, it will probaly need new airsprings if they haven't been done. Check the suspension goes up and down on the button, that all heater functions work and the engine starts OK when hot. Just for starters.

Tris707 said:

Hey guys, I'm new on here.
I have a disco 2 which I have owned for a couple of years now, great car. Although I have been hankering for a Range Rover 2.5 D, there is a lovely 2001 with 70k on the clock near me. Can anyone tell me what to look out for??
I know my discos but Rangies are uncharted territory for me, on average less reliable or more reliable than disco 2 TD5? Any similarities?
Opinions?...

Click to expand...

Welcome!

Mother-in-law used to have a Disco 2 TD5, and I have a P38. Personally, I would say the P38 is a better car, but probably less reliable. What would you use it for? Off-road (or a combination) you'd be better off with the Disco. On-road, go for the P38.

As for problems, I have a list of current "issues" that nicely fits onto a side of A4. However, main ones with P38 seem to be air suspension, electrics and HEVAC. As Datatek said, diesel has a problem with hot starting.

Airsprings may be OK - suppose it depends what sort of life the car has had. Mine has had a leisurely life in the city (no towing, no offroading) and the airsprings are still OK after 11 years and 96k miles (although rear ones probably have only a year of life left, according to local independent). The compressor and valve block seals can cause problems.

Other things worth looking for are the "chequebook" symbol on heater display (if there is one, then indicates a HEVAC problem, possibly blend motors) and drip-drip leak in driver's footwell (if coolant then probably heater matrix O rings).

Also check for warning messages on the dash, and check that all the electrics work (windows, CD player, heated seats, etc).

Just to give you an idea of a real-world example: I've had my P38 for two years, and here's what was either wrong with it when purchased or has gone wrong since:

ABS accumulator
Air suspension compressor
Air suspension valve block seals
Crank sensor
MAF
Heater matrix O rings
Blend motors
Radiator top hose swollen (V8)
Heated front windscreen (only heats in strips)
Rear windscreen washer
Headlamp washers
Tailgate flap broken
Several other minor things...