Help with Purchase 1993 Classic LWB

[stonepa]

What crazy major assembly just came apart? Are you sure it was well maintained?

Go look at what people want for an '00 - '04 Taco.

I don't love any vehicle. At this point the nostalgia no longer impresses me. I am partial to LR since I can do some of the work on them myself, have trusty mechanic for things that I do no do and lastly they aer as reliable as any well maintained vehicle.

I think also that you are trying to imply that LR and Yota are significant price difference and at least for the high end Tacos and Cruisers, they compete price wise very well. Price wise the L.C. pretty much takes on the Range Rover, while lower end models were much cheaper. When I made the mistake of buying my Disco new in '95, the Land Cruiser I looked at was 20k more. 33k and 53k.

Major assemblies? How about transmissions, T-cases, and engines? These seem major to me and all have been issues with both my 2000 Disco and lots of other folks I know. I make sure all of my vehicles are maintained at the highest level, by a good LR dealer and an LR specialty shop, regardless of cost. That's how I've got the very high mileages out of them. Toyotas - 3 vehicles - almost 800k miles driven everywhere in North and Central America with no unplanned issues requiring a tow. Land Rovers - 3 vehicles - all have had to be towed multiple times. Result - I sold my 91 RR Hunter in less than 2 years at 30k miles and replaced it with a new 94 4Runner, which I still drive. The only reason I still have my 00 Disco is that I finally worked out all the major manufacturing screw ups and have a fairly reliable weekend vehicle.

Regarding a price difference, look at the difference between a 2000 LC and a 2000 Disco II. Where I live I can buy those Discos all day long for $3-5k. A similar aged LC runs $12-15k. Shop work and parts on a LC are fairly cheap and parts are easy to get. You can't always say that about a Disco. There's a reason why the Land Cruisers hold their value - they don't break. I moved on from wanting to spend my weekends working on my trucks. I like to go places.

And yes, I love what both my Disco and LC can do for me. However, the way I have built them means they do different things. And that is fine by me.

Again, just my opinion. Have fun with what ever you drive. That is all that really matters.

 

[stonepa]

You mean like these?

Come on. How many of us living in North America put our vehicles through the stresses that someone living and working every day in Bolivia do? I've driven those roads and have seen the total lack of vehicle maintenance on most vehicles, especially work vehicles. I don't think these examples are a valid comparison given that just about anyone on these forums can afford to maintain their vehicles. A lot of folks outside of the US and Canada can't and drive them until they die.

 

[bri]

Huh. First you say you get high miles out of them then you say you give up and sell them in 30k miles. Land Rovers reliability is notorious. I am certain some people have bad luck or indeed bad vehicles. In my expereince with a '95,'89,'91,'93 and '01, I cannot explain myself why someone thinks they are unreliable.

Never had a Borg, LT230 ZF fall apart. Used to worry about my '89 ZF since it had brown fluid, but just kept it full, change filter and went about my business.

My disco's 230 was totally abused and ran 255/85 hard. I am certain these components had become the weakest link in my drive train and all these components kept on. Never once have I had a problem with these and am relatively certain most people think they are some of the best parts of a L.R.

The borg viscous froze, but kicks butt over a locked diff in snow, so I keep it

The price just solidifies my point. Why on earth would I go buy a vehicle that is going to cost the same to maintain but costs 3x. I guarantee you go get a 10 y.o. Yota, you're gonna have to go through it just like a 10 y.o. rover.

I'll never buy new so the insane cost of a new vehicle will never effect me.

Yet maybe it's just your bad and good luck. I have a '97 F-350 that I have owned for 12 years. THE ONLY think I have done to it other than fluids, brakes, wipers and batteries are a couple fuel hoses. Nothing -- NOTHING else. I know people that have replaced transimissions (notorious), glow plugs, turbos, engines gears, have to spend 1k very 2 years to pass emmissions, etc. Starting to come up on 200k, but I will never try to tell an ex-ford turned dodge guy that the F350 PSD is the most reliable vehicle made.

 

[stonepa]

Hi Bri - yes, the Hunter had to go at 30k. It seemed like the perfect vehicle - cloth seats, no options, manual 4 speed transmission. Let's see, where do I start - rear main seal leak on engine at 3k. Fixed under warranty. Manual transmission would drop out of third gear unless you held the stick. Fixed under warranty. Windshield leak at lower edge on passenger side. Windshield replaced under warranty (3 times - dealership's windshield installer couldn't install the new windshields correctly and it would immediately leak). Right rear brake caliper froze, causing the brake to overheat and warped the disk. Warranty. All that being said, the engine was fantastic and I loved driving it but had enough when the exhaust manifold started leaking. That was the end of my love affair. Went back to driving my 4 year old FJ for a few months then bought a new 4Runner SR5 in the fall.

165k on my Disco II but it took years to solve all of the stupid assembly/build issues. I visited the factory in Solihull back in the late 90's. Everything was done by hand by 'craftsman'. Not so much, I say. The computers are a big issue, especially the transmission control and the stupid alarm system. Now the truck's pretty good, but took a lot of work by talented people to get it there.

Series II LWB 5 door was sold at 150k to a collector who thought he would like to live the Mutual of Omaha lifestyle. That was a serious amount of miles on a Series II and I had rebuilt almost everything on the vehicle. I would love to have another one if I can find a RUST FREE updated speciman.

My 15 year old FJ100 has been solid with just routine maintenance for 272k miles. Just put another tank / 200 miles on it this weekend. It just goes and goes. Same for the 4Runner. Same for the FJ60, except for the manual choke cable which is a pain in the butt but works.

Glad you have had good luck with your LR. In my mind there are only 2 real 4WD makes - LR and Toyota. Hence my history.