Last April/May, I found a '95 Discovery on EBay with 70K miles, looked good, and appeared to check out. Since purchasing it, I've been wrenching on it constantly. A number of the repairs/replacements I initally wrote off due to either age or mileage, but I figured I'd detail them here for you to decide.

Things I've had to replace: New radiator (fins corroded away), hoses, water pump. New A/C compressor, condensor, drier, hoses. New Y-pipe and exhaust. New sunroof actuator/mechanism. New vacuum-advance module for the distributor.

Some of those can be attributed to mileage (I had to replace the cooling hoses and cat-back exhuast on my last Disco around 80K miles), some age, some location (car was originally from Illinois)...but, FWIW, given the age and location, the condition of these parts I replaced still doesn't explain the mileage.

Problems I'm currently having: fuel tank builds up enough pressure to blow the gas cap into the air if I spin it off :D Why would a charcoal canister be clogged at 75K miles? Driver's side swivel-ball hemhorraging grease (this didn't happen to my '83 RRC until about 150K miles). I've also been getting the high-speed engine vibration (ignition miss?) recently.

Okay, okay...so, some of these things are common Disco problems. I know that. But some of them seem very untimely for a vehicle with 75K miles on it, regardless of age.


But, here's the kicker:

the dash has been removed and reinstalled by somebody. 100% of it, and not very well. The binacle is loose due to a broken mount. The ECU is not even fastened to the side of the body (just wedged in there loosely).

The dash-mounted vin plate is UPSIDE DOWN. Though the "security rivets" appear authentic.

The door-mounted vin-sticker has a clear-plastic sheet covering it. Maybe not odd, but one corner of the vin-sticker is slightly peeled away and dirty underneath, and another section of the vin-sticker has a slight tear in it...as what would occur when you're trying to peel one off another vehicle.

Here's some interesting info from the CarFax report:

09/09/1996 OAK BROOK, IL Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
08/30/1997 OAK BROOK, IL Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
09/03/1998 OAK BROOK, IL Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
08/02/1999 OAK BROOK, IL Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
09/12/2000 IL 34,688 Motor Vehicle Dept. ODOMETER READING FROM DMV
12/19/2000 DES PLAINES, IL Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
02/06/2001 DES PLAINES, IL 35,269 Motor Vehicle Dept. TITLE (Title #:T1037339071)
07/02/2001 WHEELING, IL 61,000 State Agency PASSED EMISSION INSPECTION
11/19/2001 DES PLAINES, IL Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
12/10/2002 DES PLAINES, IL Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
07/28/2003 ADDISON, IL State Agency FAILED EMISSION INSPECTION
10/02/2003 WHEELING, IL State Agency PASSED EMISSION INSPECTION
12/11/2003 DES PLAINES, IL Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
12/03/2004 DES PLAINES, IL Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
04/21/2005 DES PLAINES, IL 65,968 Dealer Record VEHICLE IN DEALER INVENTORY
05/26/2005 NORTHBROOK, IL Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
06/07/2005 NORTHBROOK, IL Motor Vehicle Dept. TITLE (Title #:X5158690072)
06/07/2005 NORTHBROOK, IL Motor Vehicle Dept. EXCLUDED/EXEMPT
05/15/2006 LAS VEGAS, NV Motor Vehicle Dept. TITLE (Title #:NV000952915-3)
05/15/2006 LAS VEGAS, NV Motor Vehicle Dept. REGISTRATION EVENT/RENEWAL
05/15/2006 LAS VEGAS, NV Motor Vehicle Dept. EXCLUDED/EXEMPT
05/15/2006 HENDERSON, NV 70,229 Independent Emission Source PASSED EMISSION INSPECTION

About 35K miles in the first 5 years, 35K miles in the second 5 years...except, it wasn't 35K miles in the second 5 years. It was 25K miles in a 5-month span in 2001...followed by about 10K miles over the next 5 years. I probably should've taken note of this BEFORE I bought the Disco (I'm a moron). Silly me.

Anyway, that's the story. The maintenance and repairs may very well be within the standard range of Land Rover experience...but the upside-down VIN and the "tampered" VIN-sticker on the door are leading me to believe I'm trying to maintain a Rover that has at least twice the miles on it.

BTW, here's the VIN: saljn1241sa160177
I don't know if anybody has access to a accident/insurance databases, or a dealership maintenance database to determine if this vehicle started life differently than how I received it.

Where's the maybe option? :flipoff2:

What's the deal with the door sticker?

My guess is it was blasted in the post hard enough to need a dash as well as a door. The dope that changed it put the VIN tag in upside down. You can buy those rivets from the dealer. (You can even buy the VIN tag if you need own!) The door tags are easy enough to get off without voiding them out too.

jim

pics of the VIN sticker...

It's still got buffing compound splattered on the inside. :)

Tough to say if that sticker's been re-stuck from the pictures. The area on the bottom where it says "In the UK" looks a little strange.

It's still got buffing compound splattered on the inside. :)



I'd have to double check that...I'd think I'd notice buffing compound, but then again, my attention to detail hasn't proven spectacular lately. Methinks it's either dirt or the paint has worn thin (why, I dunno...).

Tough to say if that sticker's been re-stuck from the pictures. The area on the bottom where it says "In the UK" looks a little strange.

The area of interest (to me) is the crack in the VIN-sticker...it's underneath the clear-plastic layer. The top left corner of both the VIN-sticker and clear plastic layer are "loose" and have dirt underneath.

I bought my black car off EBAY with about 70K, it was a florida car that just came off lease and looked it! But I haven't had the troubles with it that you have yours!!! It's been beat, ignored, modified and re modified, anything and everything has been messed with and it's been put back together with "suitable used parts for years!
I don't know if you've been had or that the Illinois winters are just that hard on cars.

I don't know if you've been had or that the Illinois winters are just that hard on cars.

The Illinois winters are probably really harsh (pretty good evidence of mineral deposits all over the manifold...lots of salt, i'd presume), but this car apparently sat out the 2000-01 winter completely, then racked up over 1/3 of it's miles during a 5-mo period leading into July. Then it pretty much sat for the next 5 years (avg. 2K miles per year).

Maybe I'm wrong and somebody let their highschool son use it to deliver pizza's...


BTW, I forgot to mention that the viscous clutch for the fan was completely cooked (at 70K miles)...it wouldn't keep the engine cool at all, even with a brand new radiator and water pump.

I have to vote that that car is the car that the vin states it is.. I do think that it was abused and doesn't reflect what a true 75K car should be..

I have to vote that that car is the car that the vin states it is.. I do think that it was abused and doesn't reflect what a true 75K car should be..

We'll see what the chassis states...

...the VIN on the chassis wasn't stamped in the location PT told me it would be, so I'm going to check elsewhere tonight and verify that the carpet matches the curtains...

I'm going to check elsewhere tonight and verify that the carpet matches the curtains...

Does it really matter as long as its fun to drive? Or are talking about the car and not speaking in metaphor? :flipoff2:

-Jeff

Yeah you bought a vehicle made in the UK thats fraud itself.

Does it really matter as long as its fun to drive? Or are talking about the car and not speaking in metaphor? :flipoff2:

-Jeff

:laughing:

Does it really matter as long as its fun to drive? Or are talking about the car and not speaking in metaphor? :flipoff2:

-Jeff

I thought it was more an example of hyperbole. :flipoff2:

The vehicle is 12 years old. This means more to its maintenance schedule then mileage. That and your climate shakes down a cooling system harder then other climates.

JP

HA HA HA ... KARMA strikes ....all those years you been a ar#ehole to us newbies:flipoff2::flipoff2:

The vehicle is 12 years old. This means more to its maintenance schedule then mileage. That and your climate shakes down a cooling system harder then other climates.

JP

I agree...as mentioned in the first post, I've been looking at a number of these factors from the respect of age, mileage, and location. The radiator was a victim of age and location...but the viscous clutch? How about the swivel-ball seals...the ones in my RRC lasted about, oh, 20 years out in Arizona and Nevada deserts and twice the miles before they gave out. Evaporation system...should that last 12 years independent of mileage? It lasted at least 10 years of life and 40K miles more in my last Disco.

But assume that none of these problems are related to a vehicle that has more miles on it than the odometer reports...why is my VIN plate riveted upside down? Not one person has claimed to have ever seen that one before. Maybe it came that way from the factory, but the dash has definitely been off this vehicle. There are zero signs of previous accidents...ZERO. If this rig was in an accident that required a new dash and vin plate (as MercedesRover suggested), they did a damn fine job repairing the body only to haphazardly assemble the rest of it. No accidents have been reported for this VIN.

Alas, this is all speculation until I can determine whether the chassis matches the body. I've yet to find the chassis VIN stamp...maybe I'll know sometime tomorrow.

HA HA HA ... KARMA strikes ....all those years you been a ar#ehole to us newbies:flipoff2::flipoff2:

If karma and I are now on good terms again, you better get that post count up before you run across a troop of girl scouts... :flipoff2:

That just shows how small your mind is 'get your post count up' post count means sh#t out in the bush,just because you got a low post count doesn't mean you dont know what you talking about.My post count is low because i dont sit on my ar#e all day insulting people on this forum.:laughing::laughing::flipoff2:'GIRL SCOUTS leave your fantasy dreams in that hole of yours pervert

Your swivel balls are fried from the winters. They are all like that around here. It doesn't surprise me you got a bazillion miles out of trucks that lived in the west. Same thing holds for the radiator. As for the clutch, 12 years is pretty good life for something that spins and works when it gets hot.

The VIN sticker looks normal. The 61,000 is obviously a typo because as it was a completely round number someone guessed at the miles.

You got what you bought (a POS 95 disco!).

Ron

It wouldn't surprise me at all if it wound up at someone's local exxon station with a hamfisted mechanic trying to trace either an electrical fault or an HVAC failure which resulted in the dash being removed and reinstalled poorly.

Or the dealer, really.

That just shows how small your mind is 'get your post count up' post count means sh#t out in the bush

Out in the "bush"?
Let's take a quick quiz...

You:
a. are from Australia
b. are from Africa
c. can STFU


just because you got a low post count doesn't mean you dont know what you talking about.


Nobody ever thinks it does. I don't think very many of us attribute post-count to the knowledge, skills, or abilities of the user. Look at me, for example. My intelligence is inversely proportional to my post-count. Hell, I can't even route my serpentine belt properly.

What we do attribute to post-count is generally a user's understanding of the etiquitte of this bulletin board (e.g. what questions are acceptable). Once a newbie demonstrates a failure to understand the nature of the PBB, then we can evaluate and ridicule their level of knowledge.


My post count is low because i dont sit on my ar#e all day insulting people on this forum.:laughing::laughing::flipoff2:


No...your post count is low because you joined the PBB 5 days ago. Moron.
BTW, you're already averaging about 33% MORE posts per day than I am...so keep up the good work.


'GIRL SCOUTS leave your fantasy dreams in that hole of yours pervert

You've called me a small-minded pervert. But you're the one who failed to recognize the sarcasm in my reply to you and failed to understand the significance of the girl-scout reference, which is completely non-sexual. Use the search button...while it's still available to non-paying members such as yourself.

But considering you've posted little gems like this: http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?p=6810844
I hope you bring a tow-strap with you out in the bush...if you break down, you'll surely need it :laughing:

You got what you bought (a POS 95 disco!).


This is probably the explanation. Paul, Pendy and the others are spot on that a lot of the maintenance has been due to the midwestern history of the rig...my skepticism was fueled mainly by the upside-down VIN plate on the dash (among other coincidences).

That just shows how small your mind is 'get your post count up' post count means sh#t out in the bush,just because you got a low post count doesn't mean you dont know what you talking about.My post count is low because i dont sit on my ar#e all day insulting people on this forum.:laughing::laughing::flipoff2:'GIRL SCOUTS leave your fantasy dreams in that hole of yours pervert


Umm you said bush and girl scouts in the same post. Maybe your the pervert?

Anyway keep it up!:mr-t:

How about the swivel-ball seals...the ones in my RRC lasted about, oh, 20 years out in Arizona and Nevada deserts and twice the miles before they gave out.
.

The swivel balls in the Disco are weaker because of ABS and their design.

I agree fubared dash replacement. Maybe a door replacement. What are you doing researching a lawsuit?

JP

What are you doing researching a lawsuit?


Somebody's gotta pay... :flipoff2:


If the VIN had been swapped, I doubt I'd ever receive reimbursement for my troubles. More than anything, I'm just trying to confirm my suspicions, but the evidence and your opinions are pointing the other direction. So it goes...

I think it's strange you haven't found a VIN on the chassis.
I read this like a stolen vehicle.

I think it's strange you haven't found a VIN on the chassis.
I read this like a stolen vehicle.

I haven't looked terribly hard.
PT told me to look near the passenger rear shock tower, on the chassis and outrigger. I removed all of the chassis undercoating in that area and found nothing there.

Another website claims the VIN is on the chassis in front of the passenger-front spring turret, but PT thinks it may still be somewhere around the rear outrigger. I'll make some time to check it out tonight, but it's probably going to involve removing a lot of undercoating before I find it :shaking:

I haven't looked terribly hard.
PT told me to look near the passenger rear shock tower, on the chassis and outrigger. I removed all of the chassis undercoating in that area and found nothing there.



I also said I was amazed every time I've seen the VIN on the chassis:flipoff2:

I also said I was amazed every time I've seen the VIN on the chassis:flipoff2:

Well, I wasn't sure if that was due to dilligence at the factory to stamp the VIN, your dilligence to find the VIN, or simply that even the smallest of things amaze you (such as a GM HEI module). :flipoff2:

Out in the "bush"?
Let's take a quick quiz...

You:
a. are from Australia
b. are from Africa
c. can STFU



Nobody ever thinks it does. I don't think very many of us attribute post-count to the knowledge, skills, or abilities of the user. Look at me, for example. My intelligence is inversely proportional to my post-count. Hell, I can't even route my serpentine belt properly.

What we do attribute to post-count is generally a user's understanding of the etiquitte of this bulletin board (e.g. what questions are acceptable). Once a newbie demonstrates a failure to understand the nature of the PBB, then we can evaluate and ridicule their level of knowledge.



No...your post count is low because you joined the PBB 5 days ago. Moron.
BTW, you're already averaging about 33% MORE posts per day than I am...so keep up the good work.



You've called me a small-minded pervert. But you're the one who failed to recognize the sarcasm in my reply to you and failed to understand the significance of the girl-scout reference, which is completely non-sexual. Use the search button...while it's still available to non-paying members such as yourself.

But considering you've posted little gems like this: http://www.pirate4x4.com/forum/showthread.php?p=6810844
I hope you bring a tow-strap with you out in the bush...if you break down, you'll surely need it :laughing:

Maybe you not that small minded you can think out of USA.I am American working in Africa, [Congo] on the mines. And i doubt i will break down i am a diesel mechanic for the mines here.Which i thought i could share some of the knowledge i have gained 4x4 in this vast continent,You would not last 5min. in the bush here.

And relating to the other thread a dealer [stealer :slang if you know what that is?]where i come from is a supplier of motor vechicle parts ,eg. Land Rover Dealer.
Post count instead of slamming every newbie ,why dont you just ignore the stupid ones and give your knowledge to others.So people dont leave here hating you.And if you think you to good or above people to give them advice then whats the point of a forum.:shaking::shaking:

You would not last 5min. in the bush here.


Of course not...there's no Starbucks.

Of course not...there's no Starbucks.

:drool: Starbucks

Post count instead of slamming every newbie ,why dont you just ignore the stupid ones and give your knowledge to others.So people dont leave here hating you.And if you think you to good or above people to give them advice then whats the point of a forum.:shaking::shaking:


What? :confused:

You would not last 5min. in the bush here

Of course not...there's no Starbucks.

Maybe you two should get a room.
:flipoff2:

-Jeff

Maybe you not that small minded you can think out of USA.I am American working in Africa, [Congo] on the mines. And i doubt i will break down i am a diesel mechanic for the mines here.Which i thought i could share some of the knowledge i have gained 4x4 in this vast continent,You would not last 5min. in the bush here.

And relating to the other thread a dealer [stealer :slang if you know what that is?]where i come from is a supplier of motor vechicle parts ,eg. Land Rover Dealer.
Post count instead of slamming every newbie ,why dont you just ignore the stupid ones and give your knowledge to others.So people dont leave here hating you.And if you think you to good or above people to give them advice then whats the point of a forum.:shaking::shaking:


Didn't we ban you already for calling us slunnies or some other silly term. What are you a terrorist?
Many diesel mechs are:grinpimp:

WE FLAME THE LAZY BUGGER NEWBIES. ARE YOU A LAZY BUGGER NEWBIE? IF NOT WORRY ABOUT YOURSELF AND TAKE SOME GRAMMAR LESSONS SO WE CAN ARGUE ABOUT THINGS THAT MATTER. LIKE BROKEN PARTS.

Whats the biggest weakness on our vehicles in your opinion? Show us who you are and let your gaurd down a bit. There is no mineshaft here to fall into if you take the wrong step.

JP

Didn't we ban you already for calling us slunnies or some other silly term.


YASE! It's the Septic Douche Bag from the "Amazing Landie" thread. He has a habit of calling people "small minded" :shaking: I didn't catch that before.

At least he toned down the excessive punctuation...the 8-comma transition and run-on ellipsis really challenges the patience of those remotely familiar with the written language.

Back on topic.... My VIN was on the chassis by the Passenger Front Shock tower.

Back on topic.... My VIN was on the chassis by the Passenger Front Shock tower.


Same location for Defenders and P38's. If it is readable on vehicles subjected to Swedish road salt, yours should be legible as well.

Oh, and get yourself a run down early P38 for some serious fraud and maintenance fun.

" TAKE SOME GRAMMAR LESSONS"
I did not think this was a english lesson forum?

And no i have not been banned from this forum .

" TAKE SOME GRAMMAR LESSONS"
I did not think this was a english lesson forum?

And no i have not been banned from this forum .

This post is a perfect example of what was meant by the low post count comment. Had you spent more time listening before talking (er, reading before posting maybe), you'd have known that this was Land Rover tech and grammar class (and pick-on-PT) forum.

I'm not even gonna waste a flipoff on you until you earn it. Given your responses, there is little to no chance.

Oh yeah, your grammar is nearly as good as the grammar of the folks sending me incredible offers from Africa...

" TAKE SOME GRAMMAR LESSONS"
I did not think this was a english lesson forum?

And no i have not been banned from this forum .

You'd be surprised.

Pendy is really an English Professor who terrorizes us in the guise of a diesel mech. Also known as the rock czar of central Kansas.

As for Lucas, I believe he is teaching some extremely liberal arts out it the desert where the only wrenching to speak of is performed on slot machines.

PT is the dilettante if there ever was one.

KC left us when he got fed up with bad punctuation.

An on and on.

The fact is, you can get away with some astonishing insults on LR Tech if you only get your grammar right.

"Pendy is really an English Professor who terrorizes us in the guise of a diesel mech. Also known as the rock czar of central Kansas."

Is that where all the rocks from Colorado are going? All this time I thought those trips where to deliver and pick up LR Parts!!!

"As for Lucas, I believe he is teaching some extremely liberal arts out it the desert where the only wrenching to speak of is performed on slot machines."

Are you sure about the Liberal part of that?

"PT is the dilettante if there ever was one."

You decide: http://www.farcicaldilettante.com/dilettante.html

"KC left us when he got fed up with bad punctuation."

He's still watching, waiting for the day he catches us being naughty and can slap our collective wrists with a ruler.

"The fact is, you can get away with some astonishing insults on LR Tech if you only get your grammar right."

Awww! Now you've let the cat out of the bag!!

"As for Lucas, I believe he is teaching some extremely liberal arts out it the desert where the only wrenching to speak of is performed on slot machines."

Are you sure about the Liberal part of that?


The "art" part of that is highly questionable, too... :D

Back on topic.... My VIN was on the chassis by the Passenger Front Shock tower.

I double checked last night on my 89 RRC frame, same location.

You might want to inspect the safety devices on the rig. I had a case recently in which a passenger was ejected from a 4runner due to the rear drivers' side seatbelt having been cut and re-stitched crudely, with the stitching concealed under a safety warning label (ironic, eh?). She died. She was 16. The stitching was not detected before the accident. My client was the driver. The vehicle was purchased used before carfax, and as nearly as I could tell, unreported significant reconstruction had been done, probably by a rooskie chop shop up north of here.

I know your Discovery doesn't show a total or reconstructed title, but it has been monkeyed with, and one never knows...

Hope you are nevertheless enjoying the new to you vehicle.

I know your Discovery doesn't show a total or reconstructed title, but it has been monkeyed with, and one never knows...


That's a pretty somber story...but, nonetheless, great advice. While nothing appears evident of an accident and/or reconstruction, there are enough cosmetic panels that are very easy to replace, covering the structural members that would reflect damage. I may pull a few interior panels and body panels and inspect more closely.


Hope you are nevertheless enjoying the new to you vehicle.

As much as I have enjoyed any of my other Land Rovers :flipoff2: The wife wanted it. If she's happy, I'm happy...then I get to play with my toys:
http://www.cal-look.com/forum/index.php?topic=18213.0
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_search.php?search_author=Stripped66

BTW 'what for it'...I'm an arsehole on those forums, too :flipoff2:

"PT is the dilettante if there ever was one."

You decide: http://www.farcicaldilettante.com/dilettante.html



You guys either know me better than I thought you did, or you think more highly of me than I thought you did:flipoff2:

I have only seen the VIN on the back end of the frame. (You're gonna make me look and post one of my increidble photography examples)

"You guys either know me better than I thought you did, or you think more highly of me than I thought you did"

Well after watching and reading on two boards (yes I go to DWEB too) for years, then meeting you in the flesh (he was clothed) and hearing all those "stories" from those who spend large amounts of time with you (and you thought what happens a Pendy's stay's at Pendy's) Yeah we know you :D

Kansas rocks are hard to chew.

Grammar is the body language of the internet.

Its all about me, I am Pendy.

JP

I am Pendy.

I thought you are THE Pendy?

Oddly enough there are no imitations.

The inability to imitate is much different than the DESIRE to imitate.:stirthepot:

Oddly enough there are no imitations.

You're plenty odd enough.:flipoff2:

Glad we're back on track. That VIN stuff was pretty boring.

Glad we're back on track. That VIN stuff was pretty boring.

I agree. I think I'll check it next week, then resurrect this thread from page 2.

I thought you are THE Pendy?


THE Pendy sounds like something you need antibacterial ointment for.


-Jeff


Edit: I now see your point.... :flipoff2:

Glad we're back on track. That VIN stuff was pretty boring.


Why do you think i started abusing people?:mr-t:

Why do you think i started abusing people?:mr-t:

And 9 posts into it, you finally get it...