Love "TO Buy & NOT to Buy", do all the manufacturers!

Like that this is genuine advice and not the crap that Scotty Kilmer says like “only buy a 1994 Toyota Celica”

Some D2 info. (Land Rover Specialist) Discovery 2 (1998 to 2002) TD5 and The 4.0 V8 Are good cars. They survive well down here in Australia and many almost 20 years old running a hard life with a lot of KM’s on them. Air suspension optioned cars, the systems last about 8 years and not expensive to replace. Very simple system. It go to springs. The 2003 (D2a) 4.6 V8 slipper liners is not a design fault, it’s caused by overheating which in terms is a cooling system not maintained! These engines are designed to run at 96c to get around emissions, therefore cooling systems need to be tip top. Hoses, waterpump, thermostat change, viscous fan test and rad flush needs to be done at 10 years. A half sludged up radiator or any leak can cause these issues. So an overheating 4.6 (only made in 2003) (year they finished) is 6 years overdue if not done if not done to date. I recently watched a KZfaq video where someone bought a D2a V8 4.6 with a known cooling system problem, took it off roading on a hot day...... guess what happened! ..... yes it overheated...... who fault was it ...... Land Rover!..FFS. People need to understand these car before they blame them as being unreliable. In most cases it’s owner neglect and age combined. As wizard said some really good quality ones are cheap due to this. The body and interiors are really built to last. Electrics are good and simple if any issues. Parts are now really cheap. Absolutely brilliant off-road. Super comfortable as they are based on a Range Rover Classic chassis. Known issues are : Leaking sunroofs due to blocked drains. (Lots of cars suffer this) have one without a sunroof to avoid! ABS sensor lights ‘The 3 Amigos’. ABS Sensor wires wear out or a $80 shuttle valve part as they get old. Plenty of other names do this. Land Rover owners try and bypass by soldering wires etc! Please don’t do this! Have a crash and your insurance find it you will be in a lot of trouble! 3 Amigos a cheap fix in reality. Rover V8 Rocker Covers will leak oil eventually. Again a lot of other brands do. Front double cardon prop shaft is a sealed for life GKN unit. Consider swapping after 10 years or get greaseabke unit. Nothing lasts for life! Overall the youngest D2 is now 16 years old! Oldest 21 years. So like any car out of its 3-5 year warranty stuff has to be done!

We had a series 1 Landrover Discovery as our family car for about 15 years, its had loads of work done on it mainly because its done around 200,000 miles, never had the engine replaced and it still works today, retired to a field to pull trailers, mowers and rollers. Thing is an amazing offroader that can do pretty much anything straight out of the box.

I wouldn’t regret buying an L322 Range if I got it at CarMax with a warranty and I created a KZfaq channel where every video started with me saying “THIS”

How about a "This Not That" on Audi?

The Freelander picture was a 2007+ LR2 which was a reliable car. The LR2 and Evoque were essentially the same car with different trim and panels.

"If you must buy a Land Rover, these will give you less pain than others."

It’s so amazing how simplistic the guy is with his honest reviews, no drama and jazz ,

Former Land Rover tech here; I can confirm most of this. One thing to clarify, that Freelander he showed is actually an LR2. It was called the Freelander 2 internationally, but they realised that was a bad word here. It is *not* the same as the Freelander we got here. That pile had a 2.5 V6 developed by LR, and it was simply atrocious. Never buy a Freelander. The LR2, conversely, had a good bit of Volvo stuff in it - engine, trans, other bits inside - and actually is a pretty good little truck. I never saw many issues with them, and actually tossed around the idea of buying one. LR2: can recommend.

I worked at Land Rover HQ in 1998-99, and sat near customer care. Heard of countless transmission issues on Discovery, then Range Rover fuel line leaks that would catch fire after the car was parked! Really enjoyed the Disco II with the active steering, which reminded me of the Prelude SH. That said, it was the most fun corporate place to work.

Just wanted to mention (prior to watching this) that for some unknown reason I keep being in the right place at the right time regarding purchasing vehicles. It is uncanny. It keeps happening, decade after decade and I have not ever put one ounce of thought into it. It can be to do with cars, SUVs, vans, motorbikes. Sometimes I am not even out looking for anything but with a friend who wants something and I suddenly see something I really like. Sometimes not even on the first visit does this happen. A real plus and very odd but in a very good way. I have ended up with anniversary machines and more.

Im a mechanic in Colorado and i 100% agree with eveything you said. Run away!!!!!

"No! The Disco 1 blows head gaskets!" "They ALL blow head gaskets" I got a genuine laugh out of that. *gazes outside at an L312 Range Rover in the driveway*

2010 and up has the newer 5.0 supercharged Jaguar engines with 510hp, the 06-09 is the 4.2 v8 and 4.2 supercharged Jaguar v8 with 300-420hp, same motor in the s type r Jaguar. The 5.0 supercharged v8 is a gem! After 2010 Range Rover and Jaguar have really stepped up their reliability and quality, thanks to Tata motors! I’ve owned 7 rovers, amazing SUVs.

Actually the 06-09 L322's with the Jag motors, particularly the Supercharged, are the most reliable LR/RR so far this century. The 4.2SC puts out 396HP and it takes care of itself quite nicely on the road and it sounds great when it's all wound up. The RR Sport L320 used the same motors but had some other issues that drop them down a notch or two, being based on the LR3 it shares those issues. I agree on the first few years of the L322 with the BMW motors and am not a fan at all of the Jag 5.0 with the bad timing guides.

I’ve had quite a bit of experience with Land Rover over the years. 1996 Discovery - had “issues” but only left me stranded once in 160-170k miles (water pump failed) 1999 Discovery II - head gasket went around 99k, I replaced it for a fraction of the cost of dealer and it ran good up until we traded 2006 LR3 with the Ford V6, other than air suspension which has been switched for coils it’s been pretty reliable- longest owned for me-still own 1993 Range Rover SWB w 4.2 motor, this thing was a major hooptie even lower than Tyler Hoover standards 2009 Range Rover Supercharged. What an awesome rig this was, until it wasn’t. It’s been at the dealer since I traded it over 6 months ago and they still haven’t figured out what was wrong w it 2016 Discovery Sport. This thing has been pretty reliable so far, though I purchased CPO and added warranty after the 2009 Range scared me

Could you do a "Buy This Not That" video for Volkswagen?

I actually had the pleasure of owning a second hand Land Rover Discovery Series 1, did it have issues? PLENTY. Did I regret selling it? YES. Would I buy another? HELL YES. I just went in knowing exactly what I was going to get. While it did have issues, it never did leave me stranded on the side of the road. Not to mention, it was absolutely fun to drive offroad.

The Freelander pictured is not the awful first-generation Freelander we got in the US. The first-gen Freelander is truly terrible, but the LR2/Freelander 2 that was pictured is an entirely different vehicle and actually quite reliable. The Discovery 2 from 1999 to 2002 was a much better vehicle with the 4.0 V8 than the 2003 to 2004 with the 4.6. I have a 2012 LR2 and other than the previous owner having had the rear differential replaced it’s been a very good vehicle, and I have a 2000 Discovery 2 that actually has never required a tow in its life and ironically pulled a broken tow truck out of an intersection once.

Having worked for Montreal’s Land Rover dealer, years ago, my advice is simple.... if you have lots of money (almost rich or above) and have 2-3+ other vehicles that you can rely on (don’t ever be dependent on a Land/Range Rover!)... then the Land Rover experiences can be amazing (especially if under warranty). They truly are incredible machines... when they work! Thanks for the video.

Great content Wizard. I have ro add as others have done the most reliable LR product probably was the LR2. My own car is a 05' L320 4.4 and so far (3 years) its been a good companion.

Hey wizard! I own a 1975 series 3 Land Rover and it’s so fun to drive! It rarely breaks.... and when it does, it’s so simple to fix and to work on.

i like how you switch the car picture as you talk back and forth about the different cars it makes it easy to follow along.

Loved my mk1 discovery. Spent a lot of time under the bonnet. However living in UK parts are cheap as chips. And it's easy to work on.

I had an 03 Discovery 2 and the years I had it I never had issues with it but definitely not a truck for the owner who doesn't wrench or change their own oil. New cooling system is a must as the stock cooling system and water pumps tend to go back which should be the first thing to replace is the pump and radiator. I still hope to own a Discovery 1 someday as those are nicer imo.

I bought my Audi A6 from one of your videos many months later it’s still running perfect. I’ve had no maintenance issues and the 2.0t I4 is still running strong. Cheers from Chicago

I had a 2011 LR2 and had no problems out of it the entire time I owned it. I sold the LR2 when I bought my 2014 tundra but I loved and still miss that car.

I have a 2007 Range Rover sport L320 with 165,000 miles (2.7 TDV6 Ford lion v6) and the only problem I have had is the rear toe link spindles in 9 months ownership. Even did a 2,000 miles family road trip. Best car I’ve owned. I used to have a 2013 A45 amg but would have the Range Rover any day.

Hey Wizard, haven't you heard, 90 percent of all LandRovers ever made are still on the road...the other 10 percent actually made it home... But I've had a 1998 Disco D1Tdi for the past 10 years and it's been pretty reliable, very capable off road. Wouldn't bother with anything later from LandRover.

I daily drive my 1997 Range Rover 4.6 HSE (also known for problems...) since a few years but it´s pretty reliable ! I have to mention that i replaced the suspension air bags before they were aged to badly. The old Buick sourced V8 is fun to drive and expect some gasket problems and bad MPG very good.

I'm from Australia, so this info is not needed for me, but i love watching this channel anyway and Hoovies. Lots of great honest mechanic info here and i can relate what he says over to our cars here so always something to gain. Also like his large working area without clutter. 3 thumbs up from Australia!

I used to work at a small used car dealership and we often sold cars on consignment. We were so small that I often made repairs myself to keep at least a little bit of profit in the sale. I sold a bright yellow Defender 90 after replacing the broken plastic instrument cluster housing with a metal one and finding a short to the tail lights. We also had a newer-model turbocharged Range Rover with a non-functioning turbo. I replaced a power seat switch but the turbo repair was beyond anything I'd fool with. Anyway, I only know enough about them to know I don't want one.

The only land rover I'd consider as an english guy is a land rover discovery 4. I worked with lots of them doing export dock work in the south of england, and it was the only land/range rover I didn't have problems with. The 3.0 TDV6 was the engine that worked the best, but I'm not sure they were exported to the USA.

Hey thank you for the video, at first I heard the audio and I did judge the cover a sec but as soon as I saw ya pull the chair and sit down and chat I really understood your channel and I appreciate the information you gave me, you saved me the headache

Actually the ones to buy are the ones with the crap motors you find on Craig’s list for a hundred bucks, you then buy a Chevy Ford or Mazda from copart that runs and drives strip out everything right down to the door locks and fit it into the LR,RR. You will then have a nice looking and reliable vehicle for a tenth the cost of a new one. There’s a gm transmission that connects directly to the Range Rover transfer case and the Ford, Mazda V6 was used in some LR vehicles the ZF transmission was used in numerous vehicles including Ford Mercedes and Chrysler so if it has a removable bell housing you may be able to swap it. But never leave the Range Rover electrics in unless you want to bury it in your backyard.

I've been running our Disco TD5 for a trouble free 7 years. I do my own maintenance and repairs. The only time we needed recovery was a couple of weeks after we bought it, a snapped auxiliary belt. I've put in a new clutch which was a heavy job but I can do most maintenance and repairs myself. I do have the advantage that I own a small engineering company but once you move up to the TD4 lots of jobs become 'body off' and I don't really have the facilities for this. I hate the idea of not being able to work on my own car myself. My advice would be to preempt cooling issues, new rad if it looks sketchy, new coolant pipes, thermostat and pump.

Love how Mrs Wizard shouted “so did I!” 😂😂😂😂

I've got a full size l322 V8 petrol, no bongs, no real issues, it's done 116,000 miles and runs sweet, not even a tick from the engine, I've had it for 2 years and it's been great. Also no suspension issues either. It's just a good car.

Can confirm the 10-13’ LR4 and RRS, water pump and crossover tubing as well as alternator have been the only issues with mine so far. Also make sure to use the parking brake often or else it will seize, and that makes for a no-fun time.

Wizard blowin up ! So glad to see ur channel doing well. Yeah I had a one owner 1998 Range Rover with the 4.0. Omg. It ate coolant like the ham burglar eats burgers

Cool video! Also, great to see you this last weekend. Keep making the great content!

I've owned a 2003 Range Rover HSE since 2015.Yes,many repairs.However,after replacing steering column,rebuilt,runs fine.Oh yes, performed timing chain guides 2018.I still enjoy the Rover.

I am glad you did not mention the RR P38, most people are scared of them, but after 10 years of ownership of a 4.6 HSE i cannot fault them for value for money and reliability if you look after them on a cheap budget.

My dad owned a Series 1 discovery and I loved it as a child. He ended warping the head (didn't top up the radiator for a long time and overheated) but it was an amazing capable off roader. Loved being constantly told by all the LC/Hilux owners how much better off-road their 4x4s were while being towed out by dad's crappy unreliable discovery.

The LR2’s are not the same as the earlier Freelanders. Different chassis, different engine, different cars. I whole-heartedly agree about the Disco’s. I had an ‘01 D2, and it was fun junk.

So happy on my 96 discovery 1...just minor maintenance problems

Thanks brotha I’m on the edge of getting a LR4 and I’m so glad you and a few others have rated this vehicle reliable.

My mother used to drive a 1965 series 2 Land Rover around London during the 90s. Used to play “let’s go fast over the speed bumps and see how far we could fly off the seats” fun times. From what I remember it was actually quite reliable. P.s Lincoln or Cadillac this not that ;)

Totally didn’t expect a Land Rover video. Disco I and II somehow hold their values good here in Canada. A lot of people are asking $10k-$15k+ for nice ones.

Man I wish there were more ppl like you out there. I've had a 1995 Land Rover Discovery since 2004. Bought with 116k miles on it. Burns some oil, eats some gas and alternators, but otherwise been great. After a brake job the master cylinder went out on it and service inspection said just about the whole brake system was bad. $1800 bill sidelined it for me ( storage jail ). Got just enough to fix it, then decided maybe good to invest in a gas saver. Fuel costs alone saved should fix the Rover in 5-6 months.....wrong. $1800 140k mile Ford Focus has cost me $18k all in ( just maintenance and purchase price @ approx $4-800 every 4-10 months including one $6800 engine+ bill ). Needless to say everyone tells me to sell the Rover. THANK YOU for saying it's one of the good ones. V8, Mech Center Diff, AWD, Solid Axles, just the right weight. It's my baby tank. No plans on selling. Mom's from England and I'm proud to have my Land Rover. 1995 white still shines. Hoping to have it back on the road before 2023. Happy Rovering.

Correction: 2005 Ford bought Land Rover so the later 05 and on LR/RR had the Jag 4.4L V8 or 4.2L Super Charged in them and are reliable. So 2002-early 2005 were the BMW made models and had reliability issues.

I'd like to have an old 40s or 50s Land Rover like the one in the movie "The gods must be crazy". It was the star of the film, its idling engine sound so soothing! ;)

This is literally the best series on KZfaq

I have a Disco 2, 2001 with a Td5, love it, maintainance is important if you want it to last. Change oil and cooling liquit regulary. I have had it since 2015 and it had 168.000km on it when I got it, now its up to 320.000km and still has great compression and does not burn any oil, but it leaks oil from engine, gearbox and transferbox ( real Land Rover do that ). Great travel and offroad truck. Planing to keep it 4ever

Thanks for this! Big help breaking it down

I would like to see a “Buy this, not that” for Ford, Toyota, Honda, Volkswagen, Audi, Mazda, Nissan, Subaru, GMC, Mitsubishi, or Jeep

I own a 2003 Discovery 2, like you mentioned, the engine did drop a liner making it into the proverbial boat anchor. I replaced it with a fresh rebuild with "top hatted" liners that keep them from slipping ever again. I recently got to 110,000 miles and aside from the engine, it has been completely reliable in all aspects. I found it well worth the price consider how little I paid to get a very capably SUV that can go from off in the mud in the morning to taking me to a show on broadway in the evening with only a bath in between. Love my Disco!

I have an ALL ORIGINAL Series III that I have owned for decades. I’m surprised you didn’t mention that as one to get because it’s super reliable. I have only had to replace the chassis, head gasket (2x), points/distributor, wiring harness (front and back), alternator, air filter (upgraded from oil bath to modern), radiator, brakes and lines, firewall, seats, paint, rear axles (they snap all the time), the distributor gear-that is a real pain to change, speedo, temperature gauge, horn, pretty much every light and floor mats. I upgraded by adding seatbelts, disc brakes and a new fuel tank. I would mention how many miles I have on the vehicle, but there was a short period of time (about 20 years) when the odometer wasn’t working.

Thx for the vital info about Land/ Range Rovers! I always thought all of them were terds. But now I know which ones to avoid. Thx 😁

You forgot to talk about the LR3 Discovery 3

Gotta say I love my Disco 2 that being said I knew what I was getting into

Thank you! this was a great instructional video. I always wanted a Land Rover, they are just great cars, but I want one that doesn't give me too many problems. Your video was very good in terms of showing us which one to buy and which one not to buy. Thank you!

Interesting video - I drive a 2011 Freelander 2 (this version is the LR2 - the original Mk1 Freelander didn't have an LR number, internally it was the L314), with the 2.2L TD4e diesel engine. For an SUV the mileage isn't too bad, on a long journey and careful driving I can get an average in excess of 50mpg (note, UK gallons = 4.546L). I've had this car since 2016 but has been in the wider family since new so was a safer bet than a random second-hand car. So far it's proven to be pretty reliable.

You always need a bumper-to-bumper unlimited mileage warranty (from CarMax haha)

The best one is a Land NOver. Wouldn't touch any Land Rover/Range Rover product from the early 90s on. We English all know that!

I picked up a 98' Disco 1 SE7 back in 2010 for $850 that didn't run (before buying it I noticed it didn't have fuel pressure) and replaced the in tank walbro with a 155gph unit @ $100. In severe weather that truck survived 2 wrecks, multiple colorado off road trips, and a ton of abuse for 5 years and I ended up trading it for a truck while still running fine. It was pretty indestructible

I’ve had an L322 and a TD5 discovery, 2 of the best vehicles I’ve ever owned, especially when well looked after

The 5.0 engine on LR4 is not a "Ford derived engine" it's a Jaguar AJV8. It's the 4.0 V6 that is a Ford engine (Ford Cologne).

A best friend of mines father owns 2 Land Rover (2 Discovery's from 1991 and "94") and still riding strong for over 25+ years.

my mom had a land rover discovery from 2000s or something. i remember sitting inside it in the garage because it needed a new motor. it was given to her as a gift lmao

Great video! (Enjoy all your videos) Owner of a 2000 Land Rover Discovery II, have owned it for 16 years. Just did my own head gasket replacement ( second one for this vehicle)

I was half expecting a 3 second video saying, DON’T BUY A LANDROVER!

I will say I have an '08 LR2 and I love mine. The only issues I've had with mine are nothing more than regular maintenance things like a coil pack here and a MAS there. Other than that I really don't have issues with it

Thanks Wizard. I needed this.

These Rock! Car Wizard Rocks!!

I’ve heard that the LR3 was actually a fairly reliable vehicle as well. The motor was a 4.4 V8 that was designed by Ford when they owned Jaguar. I’ve heard they had air suspension problems, but all and all they were decent vehicles from what I’ve heard.

What do you think about the LR3 Wizard? I know they are similar to the LR4 but am curious about your opinion.

I love your car reviews!

Very good content, from someone who actually knows. Much appreciated.

A well looked after Discovery 2 is truthfully amazing, however, they're few and far between

Never buy any, I had a friend who bought one new and it was a lemon, so she traded it in for another one and that one was junk also.

Thanks for the comment about Land Rover Discover 4. Time to start saving for one 😎.

OUTSTANDING review! Please make more!!

Great video, newly added subscriber. I love you’re channel btw. A while back, I was wanting to buy a used LR but Scotty Kilmer always states how they’re all endless money pits! He recommends buying a used Toyota Land Cruiser or Lexus LX instead.

My mom has the Freelander 2 2007 SE 171kw i6 3.2 engine made by volvo. The engine seems to be very reliable. Hers has done 150000km. I've seem some on the 2nd market do 250000km+. The only problem is it burns oil. Mostly common on the 06-07 model engines. The transmission is Aisin (made by Toyota) and seems to be bulletproof.

Thank God for this man

Love this thanks man

I like how you dont talk crap about certain car manufactures like scotty kilmer

Your 97-06 freelander picture is not right. That was the newer generation LR2 which were much better than the first gen and came with an I6

Such a briliant guy! Thanks for helping me choose a used Land Rover.

I've had my 03 D2 since hs.12 yrs later with 145k miles, and it is still running great. Only the random 3 amigos making inspections hard to pass but never running rough and never stranded with engine failure or stuck on a trail, and I keep flying by all the jeeps if they don't need help.

Actually learned to repair a TD5 in a 2004 platform and really like that vehicle. Once you learn its quirks and repair a few design issues, like the oil cooler, its a very fast and fun car to drive.

Freelander 2 2013 running here in Austria without any problems ;-)

The way you repurposed that car seat instantly cracked me up lol

Bought one in April off this nice old man. £2000, 145,000 miles. - been my daily driver ever since, not given me one bit of pain - it's a faultless beast. Rusty as hell though. Will need to find a welder before my next MOT.

4:00 Land Rover series 1, used Z.F. transmission (great transmission). Remember this V-8 is a Buick engine (sold in 1967). So can I replace the aluminum V-8 with a BUICK V-6????🤔

Could you consider creating a quick video on SAAB. Just an opinion or previous work you've done to them if any?

1995 LR discovery, roof racks, Trail lights, heavy duty bumper with winch 116 k zero rust super big thing in Minnesota $1500. My mechanic says go for it. "You've done worse" I think I'll buy it tomorrow. I feel a lot better having the car Wizards blessing as well.

Scotty won't be able to sleep with the Wizard recommending Dodge Avengers and Land Rovers to the masses. x D