Today’s Land Rover is named the Discovery, and in converted camper form, it embodies the truest sense of that term. Let’s see what all this discovery should rightfully cost.
Are you a coupé person? Because I’m not really a coupé person. I like four doors and rear windows that go up and down, as well as not having to get out when one of my back seat passengers needs to exit. Can you imagine ride-sharing in a coupé?
If you were to imagine that, you might just envision mounting your purple Lyft light or odd Uber decal on yesterday’s . Yes, at 14-years old that big Bimmer was probably out of either get-you-there service’s terms and conditions, but boy would you make a statement showing up in it!
At just $6,900 asking, it wouldn’t likely break the bank to begin this new gig economy endeavor either, a fact supported by the 68 percent Nice Price win it was awarded.
Of course, having to deal with drunk rave rats and after-hours oddballs must be eminently taxing. If you get to the point where you just can’t take it anymore the only course of action to take is to get away from it all. You could do so in that big Bimmer coupé but wouldn’t you really prefer to make your escape in something more accommodating? Maybe something like this ! It even has a place for you to drop a deuce.
The 2004 Disco II was the model’s swan song, and it went out with a bang. This year not only had the higher-displacement 4.6-litre V8 under its hood, but it also marked the return of the locking center diff, making the ’04 an excellent choice for serious off-road aficionados.
This one has all that, and a major-league hole in the back to accommodate a live-in camper that features most, if not all, the comforts of home.
The truck looks to have been part of something called the which describes itself in the following way:
The Wayfinder Institute exists in order to help facilitate personal and professional growth. We are inspired by nature and use a trauma-informed approach that puts the client’s needs front and center. Our unique, research-based development solutions help you find your own path forward, wherever that may lead.
That sounds awesome, and I guess they’re able to help people overcome their issues without the aid of this cool Land Rover any more. Way to go, guys!
The ad says that the Disco comes with a modest 99,800 miles on the clock. It also features some notable maintenance and repair work, completed by both a prior owner and the current seller, which are detailed in the ad— “He replaced parts of the manifold and the brakes, along with head gaskets and electrical fuses as preventative measures. I have the service records, along with all of my service records (I replaced the motor mount, head pipe, and a high pressure hose). I took it in to a mechanic this week and he did a full inspection and says everything looks great.”
The camper portion looks professionally completed and like nothing I’ve ever seen before. There’s a 16-gallon freshwater tank, 5-gallon grey water (the aforementioned deuce-dropping) container, and both propane and battery power for off-the-grid enjoyment.
The seller says they have been living in the camper for the past 8 months so plan on wanting to air it out, and maybe investing in an industrial-sized container of Febreze. Despite the current occupation, the camper looks to be in fine shape, as does the driver’s cabin. Hell, the steering wheel even has both its horn buttons, a laudable factor for these trucks.
The big issue with any Disco II, of course, is going to be the ongoing health and maintenance of that old as dirt Rover V8 under the hood. As we all know, these can trace their roots back to the Sixties and to Buick. That GM division sold the tooling for the all-aluminum engine to Rover who then went on to produce them in great numbers, without really addressing certain reliability and durability ssues. These have steel liners in the aluminum block and those can crack under heat load or can slide in their bores as they’re only friction fit. Either issue can cause catastrophic engine failure, and that can really harsh your mellow.
Another problem is head gasket sealing which Land Rover seems to think is something that should be addressed every couple of years or so. Any major engine failure is going to mean an expensive repair, even if you decide to shade-tree it yourself. Having the engine let go while you’re out in the boonies would be an especially big turd in your punchbowl so it would behoove any prospective buyer to do a thorough inspection of this Disco’s 4.6, right down to scoping the combustion chambers and doing a full leak-down test.
With a clean bill of health, though, this thing looks like it would be a hoot to off-road and make camp. Plus, think of all the hotel expenses you would save on vay-cay! Those minbar costs can really add up. Speaking of adding up, let’s do that to all this Disco’s attributes and decide if the sum is anywhere close to its $31,500 asking.
Now, prices for Disco IIs are all over the place, and while the ratty ones seem to have reached rock bottom, much like their Range Rover predecessors, they are starting to climb back up. Being a can’t-go-back camper conversion as is this one is both a blessing and a curse investment-wise.
What are your thoughts on investing $31,500 in this Land Rover? Does that seem like a fair price to go Disco dancing in the great outdoors? Or, does that price make this a way that’s way too expensive to find?
You decide!
Denver, CO , or go if the ad goes off the grid.
H/T to RevUnlimiter for the hookup!
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