Test drive Land Rover Discovery 2002 - 2004 SUV

A thing in yourself

You can’t buy a land rover just because it is a legend. Remember this is a real English thing, unique in its identity, woven from alogisms and contradictions. Discovery II is no exception.
 



English logic
At first glance, both out and inside Discovery II conquers a sense of a noble breed and extraordinary. But the closer you get acquainted with the car, the more questions arise.
 

Why is the car is large outside, and inside is cramped? Why is the ceiling tall, and the doorways are so narrow and low that it is almost impossible to climb into the salon, without applying your head or fifth point? Why is the pedal node shifted to the left so much that when trying to squeeze the clutch, you hit the brakes? Why are the windows buttons are not on the principle on purpose?
 

The answers to some why the knowledge of the philosophy of the Lend Rover, based on off-road values \u200b\u200bgives. For example, close landing in front is explained ... by the need to overcome slopes. When the car moves with a large transverse roll, the driver and passenger, clamped between the glass of the door and the huge boxing of the central armrest, do not fall out of the seats. The lack of space in the legs of the rear passengers is a consequence of a short wheelbase, the length of which is calculated primarily under the off -road.
 

But some curves can be explained exclusively by English logic, for a normal person completely incomprehensible. A joke number of times. If your car does not have a heating of the seats, it is possible that it ... is: there is: wiring, relay, and heating pads in chairs. Only the buttons-switches are missing.
 

And number two. Discovery II is equipped with a constant all -wheel drive with an anti -wings system that simulates a soft blocking of all three differentials. Such a scheme is acceptable for SUVs. But on a serious rogue, at least the central differential should have a rigid mechanical blocking. Deprived of such, discovery II, when he gets stuck, desperately threshes only one wheel, and everyone else only twitches alternately.
 

Do you think the British saved on the blocking? They did not save a pence. The fact is that there is a blocking of the center in Discovery II! Together with the handout, she went to him from his predecessor. And the avid jepers even learned how to turn it on! With a wrench ... from under the car ...
 

Just do not try to understand why it was necessary to equip the car with a lock in order to deprive the driver of the opportunity to use it. Even Sherlock Holmes would have ended his career in the official house if he tried to get to the bottom of the truth.
 

That's all. Then it makes sense to read only to someone who nevertheless began to understand or has long understood the Lend Rover.
 



Aluminum no longer rust
For the most part, the lump-rover bodys consist of aluminum. In the mid-90s, sellers promised that they would be eternal. It wasn't there! From Moscow salt, discovery of the first series and defender began to rot, as in the scenes of mystical films, where the young beauty in front of her eyes turns into an old woman and then into a mummy. Yes, aluminum was swept not red, but with white corrosion. But what difference does it make if after 45 years the corners of doors and wings could be broken off with a hand.

In the back of Discovery II, much more steel appeared. Although the most corrosion-hazardous compounds of steel/aluminum remained in it. But, an amazing thing, 5-year-old copies do not lose. Although, most likely, this does not become better, but anti -icing reagents are less aggressive. After all, defenders also stopped rot.
 

By the way, the varnishes of disco II are strong. Walking sideways along the bush, it is usually enough to rub the scratches with your hand, and they disappear. But if the paint lies with a shaking, the gaps between the doors are large and not necessarily even, and you have to slam the doors themselves, do not rush to look for traces of body repairs. This is normal for a land-rover.
 
Either headlights or heating

The second disco has few characteristic sores of electrical equipment. The flashlight of the license plate is rotten from the road salt. And if you try to lower the frozen glass, it can cut off the teeth of the windshield mechanism. Under the same conditions, the leash of the rear wiper breaks. But these are trifles. The only large puncture of the designers are weak generators that fly both on gasoline motors and diesel engines. Typically, failures happen in winter, on an unheated car. To reduce the risk of generator breakdowns, mechanics are not recommended immediately after starting to turn on many consumers. Either headlights, or heating of the seats.
    
How much does a replacement cost, $

Plafon 9+6
Windshield mechanism 160+33
Generator 763+50




Insurance and lottery
The main thing when buying a discovery to decide on the engine: a 3.9-liter 185-horsepower V8 B8 or a 2.5-liter 5-cylinder turbodiesel of 138 forces. By the time of the debut of the car of the second series, our customers finally became convinced that the discovery should be diesel. It accounted for up to 80% of the total sales.
 

It costs almost $ 5,000 cheaper, and on 100 km, it spends 1215 liters of diesel fuel against 1825 liters of gasoline (even 92nd). Why send so much money to the pipe if the condo chassis of the disc with a dependent suspension does not allow the high-speed potential of the V-shaped eight?
 

However, when buying a car in second hands, values \u200b\u200bchange. The gasoline and diesel versions are used to be approximately the same. It remains to compare the operating costs.
 

Yes, gasoline discovery is very voracious. However, this is his only serious drawback. By the time of the appearance of Discovery II V8, it became quite reliable. So if the first owner has not ruined the engine, in the near future you will most likely have only regulatory service for its maintenance.
 

The new 5-cylinder TD5 turbodiesel at first was alarming. How will its complex control electronics and new -fuel fuel equipment behave? Experience has shown that the brains are reliable in any case, and individual pumps are individual for each cylinder, subject to the general rules of operation of diesel engines. Even a turbine unit with a limited service life on cars with 150,000 mileage usually remains alive. Therefore, on a run of 100,000 km, Diesel will bring $ 3,0003,500 savings.
 

 
The fuel filter on the diesel is located behind the right rear wheel


However, the health of any used diesel engine is highly dependent on how the first owner treated him. Did he cool the turbine at idle every time before turning off the engine? Did you regularly merge the water from the sump of the fuel filter? Did the oil change in time?
 

The cost of the turbine in my head needs to be kept. On Discovery II, although it is durable, it is unlikely to be eternal. Pump-in-records are afraid of gasoline (in winter at gas stations they illegally dilute the frozen diesel fuel) and water in diesel fuel. All 5 nozzles do not refuse at once, but 12 pieces of water can fly. In addition, recently cases of deformation of the cylinder head of the 45-year-old cars with a mileage of 120,000150,000 km have become more frequent. Mechanics consider this a consequence of overheating, since there are no such problems on those machines that were cleaned by radiators.
 

That is, the replacement of the turbine and at least one nozzle will reduce to zero the savings received for 100,000 km. And if you get on the head of the block, even a free diesel fuel will not cover losses. Therefore, a diesel engine before buying must be diagnosed especially carefully.
 

So, buying a gasoline disco, you doom yourself to pay expensive insurance from major problems. And by choosing a diesel, you get a lottery ticket that can win, or may lose in a large way.
    
Engines in operation

The general compulsory rule for both motors is the annual cleaning of radiators with removal from the machine.
 

V8

In addition to planned ones, it will most often require replacing candles. However, they really go 30,00040,000 km, which is good for our gasoline. Around the same time, a drive belt rollers are suitable. If they are not replaced in time, the belt may jump off, and then overheating of the engine is inevitable.

Mechanics recommend rinse injections in 20,000 km for preventive purposes and change candle wires after 3 years. The timing is given by a chain (as on a diesel engine), so you can forget about it.
 

A gas pump can fly from dirt and water in the tank, although this rarely happens. And from poor oil or its insufficient level, valve hydraulic compensators knock. If the knock is jammed and frequent oil change does not help, it is better to replace the hydraulic compensators.
 

TD5

Be sure to control the level and condition of the oil at least once a week. Change it more often with filters (preferably after 10,000 km). Regularly drain from the fuel filter (ideally after each refueling). Cool the turbine before turning off the engine. Rinse and evaporate the fuel tank annually.
 

The drive belt walks about 20,000 km (but its rollers are durable). After 100,000 km, the gasket of the valve cover can flow and the rubber damper of the crankshaft pulley can be stifled. This is bullshit. Worse, if you still have to change the turbine and the pumps. But if the life of the latter protects the filter on the answer, then the pumping pump takes fuel directly from the tank. Crystals of frozen water can kill the pump.
 

But most of all, you should be afraid of the leaks of the sealing rings of the pump, which begins to occur after 100,000 km. Since the fuel in this case enters the engine oil and dilutes it, the motor can knock. Therefore, on a 35-year-old car, it is better to replace sealing rings in forced order. Or you have to regularly take out the probe and check the oil for the smell of diesel fuel.
    
How much does a replacement cost, $

Gasoline engine
Sveta 69+33
Drive belt (2 pcs.) 114+17
Sowing wires 176+120
Gas pump 382+83
Hydraulic compensators (16 pcs.) 304+385

Diesel
Drive belt 34+17
Clapping cover gaskets 31+21
Shkiv crankshaft 363+22
Pump-core (1 pc.) 845+94
Sealing rings of the pumps (5 pcs.) 15+138
Pumping pump 445+88
Turbines 1897+55
Block heads 5158+457




While I got to the battery, some ears remained
There were times when experts said: if nothing is dripping from the Lend Rover, then everything has already flowed out. First of all, this concerned the transmission units. Forget. In Discovery II, not at least 100,000 km neither gearboxes, nor gearboxes, nor the handout suffer from incontinence. And do not even pour, as on the first disco. If the transmission has not been killed before you, for its successful operation you will only need to control the level and condition of the oil in the units and change it after 40,000 km.
 

The crosses of the cardan shafts (there are two of them in the front, and in the rear one and one elastic coupling), provided that 60,00080,000 km go lubrication on each. In order not to throw money away, each of the cardans must be sorted out entirely: to change both crosses in the front and the cross with a coupling in the rear.
 

You can choose a manual or automatic gearbox to your taste. Both of them are trouble -free. In my opinion, the gasoline engine is better combined with an automaton, and a diesel with mechanics.
 

In the presence of a manual box, the clutch serves an average of 120,000150,000 km. Automatic on this mileage can only be killed by barbaric handling with her. However, the cost of repairing the machine should be recognized moderate.
 

There remains the last feature of the transmission of discovery II pseudolation of all three differentials by slowing down the skid wheels. Possess the center differential with mechanical locking, the brakes would rarely enter the work in really difficult situations. In our case, they constantly pull off the runaway wheels on the off -road. When the car sits on the hub in the mud with sand, the situation develops, as in a joke about an unlucky lady-kotnik, who decided to wean her pet to use the carpet on the floor as toilet paper, laying a sandpaper on it ... In principle, it's okay. Just if you often knead dirt, brake pads will also have to be changed more often than usual.
 
In two tricks

The handout has a feature of tight inclusion of a lowering gear. If you do not get it, the handout can knock out on a neutral at the most important area of \u200b\u200bthe off -road. Therefore, the procedure should be as follows. Stopped. They squeezed the clutch in the first gear (or transferred the machine gun to N). They moved the handout lever to the Low position and smoothly released the clutch (transferred the selector into d). We drove a few meters and once again did the same, stronger sent the lever to the Low position.
    
How much does it cost, $

Clutch replacement (set) 542+303
Repair of the automatic transmission 8501650
Breeding the front/rear cardan 210+88/125+66


But you will not make a tulip from a cactus
These words from the song of Victor Rybin are remembered when you evaluate the result of an attempt to improve the sled qualities of Discovery II. His strong dependent suspension is good on heavy off -road. However, on the carriageways, but broken roads, all -terrain vehicles with this design of the chassis pretty much sinks. And on the asphalt, the sophistication of manners does not differ all the more.
 

The British proposed for disco II for surcharge an anti -Crene system, which is hydraulic stability stability with electronic control. At speed, they become almost unbending, and when they turn on the lowering, they leave the game to increase the passage moves on the off -road. The hydraulic disco reacts a little more acutely to the turns of the steering wheel, and in steep turns its body retains an unrealistically flat position. However, by the aggregate of sled qualities, he still remained a truck.
 

Can there be problems with anti -Crene? If you do not kill the pipe of high pressure (which is difficult) and do not kill the pump from the loss of fluid, there is nothing special to fear. It happens that in the control electronics there is a failure and a malfunction signaling device lights up on the panel. But most often, the case ends with the concentration of the brain ($ 100).
 

The chassis of Discovery II is very strong. Compared to the predecessor, the front rotary fists, hubs, steering and upper thrust of the rear axle, which replaced a short -lived triangular lever, became much more reliable. Since rotary fists rotate on ball supports, the need for an expensive regulatory operation to disassemble and lubricate after 40,000 km has no need. Now, with such a frequency, it is only necessary to check the condition of the bearings of the front hubs. By the way, when the fists still have to be removed (for example, to replace ball supports), this must be done in the service specializing on the land-rover. The fact is that fists during the reverse installation require centering relative to the beam of the bridge using special technology.
 

 
The rear pneumatic suspension on the off -road allows you to raise the long rear overhang of the body. In the photo, she is in the highest position


On some machines, an adjustable air suspension is installed in the back instead of the spring. It supports the given body height, regardless of the load and can lower and raise the feed. In the early disco II, pneumoballons burst in the cold, but they were changed according to warranty, and now they serve until the grains of sand is wiped with rubber: usually 60,00080,000 km.
 

The brakes are also reliable. Disks, as a rule, withstand 3 sets of pads (although sometimes they are farging with aggressive driving or from getting into the ice puddle). And the regular failures of the ABS sensors have gone the past with the first Discovery.
 
And if you climb all the same?

Judging by the presence of a frame, a powerful reducing gear in a handout with a coefficient of 2.72 and, most importantly, a strong dependent suspension, a serious professional all -around discovery. And Disco II has many additional devices and systems that increase the effectiveness of off -road.
 

When the lowering transmission is turned on, the electronic gas pedal becomes less responsive, excluding the disruption of the wheels into the slip from the slightest shudder of the driver’s legs, and the automatic box can go into manual mode in which the second or third gear is rigidly fixed so that the car is easier to conduct in a bonfire. Finally, the descent control system from the mountain allows you to keep the minimum possible speed when moving along a slippery slope on the verge of dangerous wheel locks.
 

But why did the second disco endowed the front bumper hanging below the hem of the Scottish skirt and a long rear overhang? As a result, when the ditch moves, the car first tear off the skirt along with the built -in fog, and then beats the tailbone ...
 

I must say that by 2003 the British had changed his mind. On the restyled discovery II, they picked up the front bumper and returned the center blocking as a free option. Well, what about those who buy the pre -reform disco and are not going to travel only on asphalt?
 

The front bumper can be replaced. It is best to put the steel design of the ARB company specializing in off -road tuning. Such a bumper looks clumsy, but it does not limit patency and allows you to mount the winch. In addition, for $ 500 in Moscow, you can buy a installation kit for forced to turn on the locking of the center differential with a button. Well, in order to reduce the probability of freezing in the ditch on the rear bumper, I advise you to look for a car with a posterior air suspension. On off -road, she can lift the stern of centimeters for eight.
 



Buy?
As you can see, Discovery II turned out to be quite reliable and hardy. Therefore, if you were able to understand this car, you can take it in second hands.

More or less precisely, the prices are difficult to name in an age and condition. Since the second disco in the market is infrequent, we denote only a plug from $ 24,000 to $ 33,000 for cars of 1999,2001. It is cheaper than Japanese classmates. Moreover, only diesel versions are taken from abroad. Basin V8 in customs cleaning is unreasonably expensive.
 

In addition, before buying a discovery, one more point must be taken into account. The world of the Lend Rover is a party in which everyone knows each other. And the people in it are mostly friendly. Therefore, if you have a problem with the machine, there will always be those who will help solve it with little blood. But for an unscrupulous person, such a situation does not bode well. If at least in one of the services you become known as an unfair scandalist or, worse, you will leave without paying, you can sell the car. Since the road will be closed to you wherever they specialize in the land-rover.
    
And in the end I will tell

And one more advice. If you like Discovery II, but so far I can’t afford, my advice: wait a year or two until restyled versions appear on the secondary market. They have become better in all respects. The main thing is that the car is with custom blocking.




New, with a guarantee, for the same money

In terms of extraordinary, an alternative to a used discovery can only be a land-Rover Defender. In an acceptable configuration, he stands like a 3-year-old disco. If you need an unpretentious mocker of dirt, Def is preferable. But keep in mind that for comfort he did not go far from our goat. Grand Vitara, Pajero-Sport and Sorento universal all-frustrations, well adapted for both asphalt and off-road. The Grand vitar with a 2-liter engine can be bought instead of the 1999 disco. And its elongated version of the XL-7 plays in one price category with the English alternate of 2001. Pajero-Sport and Sorento can be considered by the one who swung at the richly equipped disco no older than 2000. True, up to $ 35,000 only diesel Pajor Sports and a 2.4-liter Sorento are available. Their modest dynamic qualities will not be arranged.
 
Alexander Konov, photo of Maxim Goncharov
 
 
 
 
 
 

Source: Magazine buy a car [15/2004]