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Followup To
Question -
I may have the opportunity to purchase a 96 Disco with a busted crankshaft for around 1700 -2000 USD I am very mechanical and have worked on most parts of American or Japanese made cars. I have never worked on a LR nor any other 4WD vehicle. I was wondering if you could tell me if they are very difficult or expensive to repair or if they require a slew of specialized tools. I have a good set of tools. I have never rebuilt and engine and I am considering making it a project or buying a rebuilt one. I love the idea of having a car that will go where I when I want(I got stuck in the snow last week). Could you please advise me on this issue and let me know if I may be in over my head. Thanks, Bruce.
Answer -
Hi Bruce,
Sounds like a good project for a DIY'er except you've not rebuilt engines before. I'd consider buying a salvaged motor and saving yourself all that pain. UNLESS YOU LIKE THIS!
If you do consider buying this Disco, get your hands on the LR manuals. Rebuilding engines is difficult work and LR engines are no exception. Specialized tools are needed and you have to know the tricks involved. A LR mechanic has years of experience and knows exactly what is needed. No DIY'er will absorb this knowledge from any manual but it helps.
Engines can be found at salvage yards and most yards are on-line! www.car-part.com
You'll have to find a LR mechanic that you can trust. There are some things that are best left to these professionals.
So, talk down the price of the '96 as best as you can, consider installing a salvaged engine ($1000 - $3500) and then all those free weekends of tweaking and tuning. Once you have a running Disco, you'll never have trouble with snowbanks again.
Did I tell you that I once pulled out of a 4 foot snowbank...
Best of luck,
JohnMc
NB: Happy New Year
Thanks for all the advice I just had one other question. I have been told that many of the parts for the Disco are expensive and difficult to find. The nearest LR dealership is about 30min away. What has been your experience with finding parts and do you know of a good place to buy them from? Also, how dependable are the vehicles mechanically, will I need to condsider regular repairs after the initail repaits? Thanks, Bruce. Happy New Year.
AnswerHi Bruce,
Yes, LR repairs can be a nightmare. With older LR's, the chances for more costly repairs is great and in some cases frequent.
In order to reduce the cost of maintenance, I perform much of the repairs as I can. I search the internet for parts and have had good luck with online auto salvage yards, when appropriate. I also rely upon the kindness of friends to help me when I have repairs that are beyond my expertise or tool set.
I also rely upon my local LR dealer and the parts department for those parts that cannot be found in salvage yards. Many aftermarket companies offer LR parts and are usually better priced than OEM.
For example, LR "Y" exhaust pipe (has 2 catalytic convert.) OEM cost: $2000; aftermarket: $1000; salvage yard: $200
In your case, you have a '96 Disco that already has a crankshaft problem. Consider brakes, exhaust, alternator, fuel & power steering pump and possible repairs (if they are original parts right now).
You'll need deep pockets ($$$) if you want to restore a Disco and use this as your principal vehicle.
Best of luck in you decision,
JohnMc
