What do ya'll think?

[quatney]

I'm very close to getting a 2004 Discovery II. The vehicle has real low miles and seems to be in real good shape, but it was a rental vehicle before hand.

Is this a bad move? I'm going under the assumption that a vehicle like this wouldn't be abused, even as a rental, because the people who would rent a Land Rover wouldn't beat it up. It's still got almost all of the original warranty as well.

Never owned a Land Rover, but this is a very nice one.

 

[quatney]

Oh also, it's a SE7(?) model. It has almost everything I want, but it doesn't have the Automatic Stability Control. Is this a must on these vehicles?

I'm used to driving around in Honda's and things lower to the ground, but I'm not going to be stupid either. Discovery's just look like they'd be willing to roll if you give them the right chance.

 

[Moose]

They'll scare you long before they'll roll. The truck only seems top-heavy -- it's actually a very stable platform.

That said, I'd ask to see the maintenance records, but I'd look at buying a former rental Rover a lot differently than a former rental Ford. Fewer people rent them, they treat 'em more nicely (seems like people would at least), etc.

Good luck!


Andy

 

[tmiller1]

As Andy stated, it is very stable (due to such a heavy/sturdy frame that creates a much lower center of gravity than the vehicle appears to have).

As for the stability control, on the 2004 model year the suspension has been revised quite a bit. My local LR dealer no longer orders the stability control option (ACE) since almost negate the need for this. Not that I am encouraging this, but you can take corners quite fast for any vehicle of similar size.

If the rental company is willing to show you the maintenance records it is probably worth seriously looking at.

I also have a 2004 SE7 (I wanted an HSE7, but the right interior/exterior color options were not available at the time in the western US - it still took my dealer a month to find the right vehicle for me). I have loved every minute of it, and it is my second Discovery.

 

[RadRocker]

Vehicles most likely to roll for 2004 are:

Ford's Explorer, General Motor's Chevrolet Tahoe and Toyota Motor's 4Runner

 

[Cozmo]

If you can wait a little while should should also be able to get a good deal on a new 2004 DII when the LR3 hits the showroom floors. Or a deal on a good used DII when the soccermoms trade in their DIIs for the LR3.

 

[DiscoChris]

I would look around a bit more if I were you.

We were nearly set on getting a 2003. Just for fun, I went to the local LR dealer and offered him $1k more than the local used ones were going for - and he took it. So now I have a zero-mile vehicle, for hardly more money.

I think you'll be able to deal since the LR3 is coming.

 

[Monty]

If you do go for it, see if you can get an extended warranty.

 

[quatney]

Great!!

I'm glad to hear that they are a lot more stabile than they look .

This thing has only 6424 miles on it, and it seems to be real nice. I've looked at what the new ones are going for, and it's a heck of a lot more than this one.

This thing is still way under the factory warranty and I know that I can get a 84 month 100,000 extended warranty.

I guess this sounds a heck of a lot better now that I've heard from all of ya'll. I just don't know anyone that has a Disco, so I can't ask them questions of itl.