Bought a Land Rover Discovery 2 4.0 v8 today, and should take collection next week. Would have gone for a Jeep for preference, but decided I couldn't live without a Real Chassis. Big axles and hub means its rated for 7800 lb towing, but IMHO I would want a longer wheelbase for pulling that weight. It doesn't drive like a truck at all - feels like a limo with its 18" wheels, and electric everything but it is for towing not offroading, so that's ok.
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Still keeping the Wrangler - this gives me transport and time to fix the Waggy.
Don't know about your world, but here in the Boonies where I am you would be forced to Special Order any parts other than an Oil Filter and the parts are 3 times the price of comparable Jeep/Chevy/Ford parts "IF" you can even get them!
The Discovery 2 (99 - 04) was priced at £22,237 - £37,038 which I think puts it firmly in the Grand Cherokee territory. However, they depreciate like crazy - the one I bought I paid £6750 for a 99 model with a genuine 52,000 miles and full service history and is the top of the range model. So someone has lost nearly 60,000 bucks in 7 years. The anaemic TD5 with its 5 cylinder 2.5 litre turbo is a lot more - the ex 1961
213 ci Buick engine, now bored out, is pretty thirsty and drives the price down.
A 99 Grand Cherokee 4.7 v8 costs the same and is similarly specced, but I think you get more car for your money with the LR ( gear driven transfer case, bigger hubs, 7800lb towing capacity and 1300 lb payload).
Parts are plentiful and cheaper than Jeeps, and the general mechanic's knowledge available for LRs is very good. Very much like Jeeps in the US, there are plenty of DIY owners with clubs to support them. Similarly to ZJs in the US, they are bought by yummy mummys who take them to the mall. Like this one - no towbar and never been offroad. To be honest, it is hampered as an offroader unlike the Series 1 which was very capable. While it has full time 4x4 and sophisticated electronic features like Hill Descent Control coupled into the ABS, the rear overhang has increased and the air suspension at the back will make it difficult to lift a lot. The 18" wheels shod with lowish profile Pirelli Scorpion sports car tread tyres are going to be testing the traction control in a wet carpark and will get damaged in a heartbeat by the nearest rock. Which makes the seriously capable 4x4 system probably a bit of a waste of time for offroading (but great in the snow). Even if that were not the case, you would be crazy to take this offroad - its just too pretty.
It is the thing the Greenies love to hate - Chelsea Tractors (named after the area in London where the upmarket urban green wellie brigade made them popular).
I'm not slammin' your new purchase Dave, I personally like them, a lot, but here in NC-USA, you see lots and lots of them in the "buy here pay here" type car lots,(that's for folks with troubled credit), and can pick 'em up very cheap. Seems after just a few years they develop electrical problems, and every one I've ever looked at to consider purchasing was leaking at those rear overhead windows. It costs a lot here to keep them up. I know that to meet US standards they must undergo different electrical and crash modifications, and that may be part of the cause, I don't know.
Again, not slamming yours, I honestly would buy one if it weren't for the aforementioned problems.
This one seems to be ok - I tested all the electrics and it is all working except the heating element on the driver's seat which I don't care about. No leaks either and no discoloration indicating past ones so fingers crossed.
Real Jeeps are only heated when they are on fire...
When we had the Libby, the guy forgot to plug in a fuse or a wire when the light bar was installed. We were headed out on a short trip and realized that we had no heater. We turned on the heated seats and they made it managable. Up until that day I thought they were dumb. Now, Ajax will cook you out if you leave the heater on full blast. I like that just fine.
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