Land Rover Repair: not so hot deal??, rear driveshaft, cv joint

Question
Hello, I found a 1995 LR Disco with 135K for $700.  It's been sitting for 2 years but the 3.9 engine starts and runs great with no smoke or funny noises.  Lady says it just stopped moving one day and "a mechanic" told her a "linkage broke".  So I have her put it in gear and crawl under to take a look.  The rear driveshaft is not moving at all, but the front driveshaft is spinning.  I think this means it should at least have front wheel drive but it does not move one inch.  Should I run away from this?

Answer
it sounds like there is something wrong with the front axle.  the diferential in the transfer case is open, so if you lift one front wheel, you will lose traction.  likely a broken CV joint, which could be an easy fix, or it could end up being very expensive to overhaul the entire drive-line.  hard to say without seeing it on this one.  If you can do the work yourself it's probably a good deal, if you have to pay someone else to do it, it will cost you a bit more but may still be ok.  if you find someone to do the work, ask them for a to have a look and quote, many mechanics will do a pre-purchase inspection for you to encourage future business.