2004 Land Rover Discovery SE 4.6L V8 from North America
Summary:
Stylish, some good points, but only for real Land Rover fanatics
Faults:
Major problems with the engine and cooling system, leaking power steering pump, worn front axle components, replaced front drive shaft twice.
General Comments:
I've always wanted a Land Rover Discovery 2, and finally had a chance to buy one from a former Rover employee. It was gorgeous: dark metallic gray, black leather interior, a very sharp looking vehicle. I did enjoy the comfortable cabin and the good ride quality.
However, the Rover V8 is legendary for being fragile, prone to overheating, and expensive to repair. I was unlucky: when mine went in for head gasket repair, they discovered that my Discovery had a cracked block. I was fortunate in that a used 4.0 liter Rover V8 was available, which I had installed for a reasonable amount. However, like the previous engine, the overly complicated cooling system was always prone to leaks, leading to near-overheating.
The other issue was that the engine and drivetrain was extremely draggy and always prone to vibration at high speeds. The front driveshaft, which has a heavy double cardon joint, was always trouble prone. I tried to ease the stress by minimizing speeds to 65-70 mph, but this isn't practical for many driving situations. All of the various issues led me to sell the vehicle.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No
Review Date: 28th April, 2022
3rd May 2022, 21:00
I’ve had trucks with 155k miles that have nothing wrong. What this person described is excessive.
4th May 2022, 21:53
But at what age? A friend has a 2015 Ford Mondeo 2.0T he bought with 103K km (around 64K mi) three years ago, has now done 155K km (around 96K mi), has not had any issues, and simply got servicing done on schedule. That car was only 4 years old on purchase. I've had cars which were bought at 10-13 years old, with lower mileage than his, and have needed to replace anything from water pumps to a steering rack. I always thought that while age would give an issue or two vs. high mileage, but they were fairly frequent and at times significant.
9th May 2022, 13:08
My brothers have owned several Land Rover Discoveries and I have worked on them. There is a maxim among these vehicle owners that states: If it is dry it is low.
This of course relates to leaks. They used cork valve cover gaskets on the earlier models when all other manufacturers went to rubber decades ago.
They are certainly built stout with the strongest frame I have ever seen. We have offroaded them and they live up to their reputation.
If you have deep, well lined pockets or are handy and have lots of time they are great. I personally would never purchase one. I will stick to Nissan. Better engineering. One brother has ditched his and drives 4runners.
9th May 2022, 14:56
Fair enough, but I'd take a lower mileage car regardless of its age any day. I know people that are psychologically put off any car no matter how new it is if it has passed the infamous 100,000 mile mark, though I know most modern cars can handle this with ease. Just my opinion/experience, low mileage cars have been good for me, higher mileage cars have always been problematic for me, even if they are only a few years old.
23rd Oct 2022, 14:00
This doesn't seem surprising at all, since there is a recall on the drivetrain from this year. Was about to trade my Escalade for 2004 Discovery, but I'm rethinking that.
2nd May 2022, 20:12
You bought the vehicle at nearly 155,000 miles and 16 years old. Did you seriously not expect it to have any problems?