Land Rover Discovery
Despite a reputation for poor reliability the Land Rover Discovery remains a popular option for off-road adventurers. The Series I (aka Discovery I, Disco 1, and D1) made its debut in 1989 followed by the 1998 introduction of the Series II (aka Discovery II, Disco II, and D2). In 2004 Land Rover introduced its third Discovery but engaged in a bit of clever rebranding for the US market in the form of the all-new LR3. The LR4 (Discover 4 outside the US) arrived in 2009.
Many Land Rover Owners will scoff at the “exaggerated reliability issues.” While others will never consider adding the English off-roader to their stable. As is the case with any car, do your research and enlist the services of a reputable mechanic and you will avoid many hours of frustration and regret.
Discovery Series I (1989-1998)
The Disco I took a while to cross the Atlantic. Land Rover dispatched its Discovery to US showrooms in the 2004 model year. It soon became a ubiquitous alternative to US and Japanese built SUVs.
The good…
- Disco enthusiasts are a pretty tight-knit and knowledgeable bunch
- For the most part, they are very affordable to purchase
- Seating for 7
- Very capable off road
- They look the part
The bad…
- Reputation for poor reliability
- Power steering box is renowned for its ability to weep power steering fluid
- Rust is fairly common in the wheel arches, wheel wells, and floor
- Cooling system (keep an eye on hoses, radiator and water pump)
- Head gasket leaks (not on the scale of the Series II, but still something to be aware of)
Discovery Series II (1998-2004)
Approximately 85 percent of the components and systems that comprise the Series II are completely different than the one you will find in the Series I. But, the first two Discovery models from Land Rover are nearly identical in appearance to the untrained eye. A sure fire way to spot a Series II, other than its badging, is the position of the tail lights. Series I… low tail lights. Series II… high taillights.
The good…
- 720 “imrovements” accorfing to LR marketing materials
- Disco II enthusiasts are a pretty tight-knit and knowledgeable bunch
- For the most part they are very affordable to purchase
- Seating for 7
- Very capable off road
- Aftermarket support
The bad…
- Still pretty problematic and unreliable
Discovery Series III – aka LR3(2004-2009)
The brilliant marketing team at Land Rover chose to re-brand the 2004 Discovery when it was released in the US. By replacing Disco badging with “LR3” Land Rover hoped that US consumers would completely forget any of the reliability issues present in the first generation Discovery (Series I and II). For the most part, it worked
The good…
- Independent front and rear suspension
- Cross-linked air suspension
- More luxurious interior
- Used models are reasonably priced… i.e. someone else took the enormous depreciation hit
- Still a seven-seater
- Used LR3’s are likely less abused than their
The bad…
- Front lower control arms fail
- Fuel injectors are prone to clogging (search TSBs)
- Tie rods wear prematurely
- Still pretty problematic and unreliable
- Engines are Ford-developed; Jaguar-sourced
Discovery Series IV – aka LR4 (2009-2016)
Tata Motors, in 2008, acquired Jaguar Land Rover from Ford. Tata kept the LR3 platform but introduced an all new interior, power plant, front suspension (control arms), and Harmon Kardon audio. Engineers also massaged the Terrain Response software and designers made a few exterior changes.
The good…
- Many of the common problems found in the LR3 are addressed by the LR4
- More HP under the hood
- Standard Backup Cam
- Seating for 7
- Very capable off road
- Aftermarket support
- Like its predecessors, the first owner absorbed the depreciation leaving you with a capable SUV
The bad…
- It is last “boxy” Discovery
- It’s pretty heavy