Opinions on Land Rovers?

I know this is a tacoma site but i found this land rover on craigslist that looked really cool, my dad is looking for something to 4 wheel a little that would also be cool to drive around on the road, he says that he wants something fairly cheap and doesnt need a truck (been looking at a lot of jeeps), i have heard that they are very capable offroad vehicles but have a bad reputation for durability, check the url and let me know what ya think, 4 grand in extras!

http://charlotte.craigslist.org/cto/1866372911.html

 

I personally love them. Here in scottsdale at a Rover dealer, they have a test track in the back and give you rides to show what they are "capable" of. I have to say I was very impressed and the track was way fun! They get you at a good 45 degree slope and take you under a waterfall that has some pretty steep departure angles!

 

a very good friend of mine and the guy i wheel with the most has a 2004 LR discovery. i help him work on it a lot (that's a sign lol). they are indeed very capable vehicles off road, but it's a different kind of off road. i would never try anything remotely fast in his rover, but it's cake in the taco....on the other hand...you can get a TON of flex out of those things. the solid front axel and coils all around are great. OME makes a great 4 inch lift for them. pair it with coil spring retainers and you'll have more flex than you can use on most trails.

the cons, like you said are the durability. some minor things (mostly electronic) like the power seats not working or various lights going out when the bulbs are still good, and some major things, like the fact that his leaks everything. we've replaced about 6 different seals/gaskets on that thing. head gasket and exhaust being two of them.

for refference, it has about 80,000 miles on it and the guy he bought it from didn't wheel.

with all that said though, it looks like a good rig at a decent price. as on all CL adds though, make sure to talk him down as he's not expecting to get 6000 out of it, just hoping it won't be negotiated too far below that.

good luck and have fun if you get it

 

ive heard they are not reliable. look t the top gear guys always bashing on them.

 

have you looked at any 80 series land cruisers?

 

Overpriced and overly complicated.

 

and overly unreliable!!!

 

My friend bought one for $700 bucks. He is donating it to the local junkyard then continuing to try and make repairs to it.
On the other hand, I bought an 85 Toyota Pickup that doesn't run for $1000, and have people offering to buy it from me already, for more than I bought it! (still not running, still has a bunch of rust)

 

My housemate's dad had a Land Rover Defender and swears that it's the best off road vehicle ever

 

Thanks guys, idk if he will get it or not but I just thought It had a lot of money spent there for 6000, some kind of roof rack I don't remember, rovertym bumper with 9,000 lb warn winch, ome 3in lift, 285 bfgs, and a lot of factory options, if It would have decent service I told him I thought it would make a sweet rig that u could take 4 people in easy

 

I personally like them. The craigslist one doesn't look that bad. See if you guys can test drive it to see if there is anything major wrong with it. Also see if you can take it to a shop to get checked out.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4U-yFmnu0sY

 

If you can get a late 80's Range Rover you would be sitting real good. They had a great engine, straight axle's and are actually reliable.

 

I would have shat my pants the whole way up and the whole way down...

 

great off-roaders...not dependable at all.

My step-dad who has been in the car business for 35 years used to tell me stories of new ones leaking oil on the showroom floor.

 

Very capable! But that guy is an IDIOT for having his hand out the window!!!

One of my co-workers here has a Defender 2 that has proven to be very reliable and VERY capable off road. Good cars, but you HAVE to stay up on maintenance.

 

I have been around the car business as well, talking to a service rep at the local rover place one day and mentioned that I was a big fan or Rovers. He said unless you want to get on a first name basis with your service writer to not buy one.

 

They are shit. Just ask any good mechanic. I have a good friend that HAD to have one. She has spent more on it in the last 2 years than I thought possible. New fuel system, new compressor and tons of other problems. They make take you off road but they don't seem to find their way back under their own power.

 

you summed it up very well...

quite capable 4x4...
horrible reliability, electrical systems, etc.

I would never depend upon one to bring me back from way out in the boonies... that's where reliability is key.