New Pinelands exploration vehicle

mudboy dave

Explorer
Oct 15, 2008
950
19
43
atco
opentrailsnj.org
Well after getting my mind set on buying the Range Rover over a long discussion and alot of pictures, I decided to take a ride out to Hershey PA where it was located. Well I'm rather happy I didn't have my buddy pull his trailer that night. Needless to say I was dissapointed and rather upset.
However I still ended up getting a 1998 Land Rover Discovery LSE. It's in pretty good shape. The exterior has no rust, one small dent smaller than the size of my fist, and the paint is in good shape with only minor brush scratches from dirt caught in a sponge or brush. The interior is tan leather in goodshape with out any stains in the carpet. Nice 8 way power heated seats. dual power sunroofs. Ice cold air, etc. All the things I'm not used to lol. Now don't get me wrong, the only reason this thing will ever see pavement is to get to the trail.
The coolest thing is the way I got it. Recently I bought a saturn due to my 45 mile drive to work then back home from work. I know tehy are dependable, cheap parts and get an average of 35 MPG. Well when I first dicovered the Land Rover ad on craigslist i thought it was out of my price range but still decided to check it out and sure enough the guy was tired of the expensive repairs and 15MPG average that the Rovers are known for. So I replied back to him telling him I had a 98 saturn to trade if he was interested .He seemed a little shakey about it at first but I was able to talk him into checking the car out in person yesterday. Pretty much what ended up happening was, I drove up to East Windsor in my Saturn and drove home in my Land Rover
Ohhhhh. one last thing. I paid $500 for the Satuirn and invested about $140 into it plus I bought another saturn last night for $500:D
Heres some pics
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Hewey

Piney
Mar 10, 2005
1,042
110
Pinewald, NJ
Nice ride! I love the look of the Range Rover. I have never been in one but I am shure it is a nice ride. A small set of Swampers and you are all set. Good luck.

Chris
 

woodjin

Piney
Nov 8, 2004
4,342
328
Near Mt. Misery
Nice ride. I agree with Chris, get some MT's on that thing and your set. Given your background, I am sure you were alreadyplanning on that.
 

RednekF350

Piney
Feb 20, 2004
5,054
3,327
Pestletown, N.J.
Nice ride.
I always though the off center diffs on a Land Rover were a simple and ingenious idea.
Does the Discovery have diffs or is it independent suspension ?
 

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,144
Coastal NJ
Good luck with the new ride. Which engine is in it? If you need a mechanic to help with it, I can recommend a very good one for Brit vehicles on RT 30 in Eldora. Parts can sometimes be a difficult find for LR's. My son lusts after the Defender model.
 

mudboy dave

Explorer
Oct 15, 2008
950
19
43
atco
opentrailsnj.org
Thanks guys, I couldn't pass up the deal. It definately has it quirks but then again every Rover does. I don't reccomend them for a daily driver at all. but they are one hell of a comfy ride threw the woods. I do plan on lifting it 2 inches and putting a decent tire on it. Instead of trying to go sky high with I plan on doing all the other stuff instead. winch gears ARB (Air activated full lockers for front and rear diffs) and a bunch of undercarriage skids plates since I plan on being in the mountains with it too. Last thing I want is the t-case or oil pan to land on a big boulder.
Redneck f-350, they have a solid axle diff front and back with a coil sprung linkage suspension. They are known to articulate very well for a stock suspension, esp. when the swaybars are disconnected.
Hewey and anyone else I'm more than willing to give you a ride in it.
They also have a class 3 hitch from the factory so now for clean ups I can hook up a trailer and take out loads of trash. I'm reall pysched about this one. I never had a luxury trail rig before lol.

The top two pics are the rut on tuckerton road I put the driver side on high ground and the passenger side in the center if the two ruts to feel how much of an angle I can get to without feeling too tipsy, to my amazment it not one tire left the ground or lost traction and it just sorta walked right threw there. It did not feel the slightest bit tipsy either, I gotta find the picture on here that sopmeone posted up of that area earlier during the year.
 

mudboy dave

Explorer
Oct 15, 2008
950
19
43
atco
opentrailsnj.org
Good luck with the new ride. Which engine is in it? If you need a mechanic to help with it, I can recommend a very good one for Brit vehicles on RT 30 in Eldora. Parts can sometimes be a difficult find for LR's. My son lusts after the Defender model.

The motor is the 4.0. As far as mechanic goes, I do most of my own work, however if I get stumped on something and want it out of my hands I will be sure to contact you and get the info. As fas parts go I hasve a freind who works in a dealership and will get parts for me at cost and if I want used parts theres a guy up in Conneticut with tons of stuff. I would love to get a Defender but man them things hold a price value. I'd almost feel bad to put a scratch in one.:)
 

Hewey

Piney
Mar 10, 2005
1,042
110
Pinewald, NJ
I do plan on lifting it 2 inches and putting a decent tire on it. Instead of trying to go sky high with I plan on doing all the other stuff instead.

Nice! That is my plans with my new Jeep. 2" coil spacers and 33'' tires and maybe air lockers down the road. My Toyota with 36" Swampers was over kill for what I used it for.

I wanted to buy the Rubicon Unlimited but 45k was to hard to swallow so I bought the X Unlimited. I can build my own Rubicon. Even better because it will cost me a fraction of what the Rubicon package would have cost me. The Dealer wanted 5k for a 2" lift (coil spacers that cost a 100 bucks) and 33's on my factory rims.

I have heard the Rover refered to as a Jeep recovery vehicle.

Hewey and anyone else I'm more than willing to give you a ride in it

Thank you. Maybe meet up for a mellow trail ride some time. I also have a Silverado on 32" mud tires.

Chris
 

mudboy dave

Explorer
Oct 15, 2008
950
19
43
atco
opentrailsnj.org
I had a '95 Range Rover County Classic. Bought it for ~$15k or so, traded it for $9k four months later. It was that good. :(

Ben it takes a certain kind of person to own of these. Over time you replace the problematic parts with aftermarket. I would never reccomend one for dail;y driving. I got mine strictly for the trails. I have my minivan and saturn for the asphault. offroad tires cost to much to waste on pavement lol.
 

Stamos

Scout
Jun 11, 2009
63
44
55
Shamong
I have a 1999 Series I Disco that I DD. Other than gas mileage I really have no problems and the ones that do creep up I fix myself. It's really not that hard to work on...typical pushrod V8. I regularly take mine to the Pines (as evidenced by it's trail pinstriping) and I love it.

Mine has a 2" lift, 9000lb winch, skids etc...... like it more than my Jeep Cherokee that was set up nearly the same. Good luck with yours, maybe I will see you out there exploring.LR.jpg
 

mudboy dave

Explorer
Oct 15, 2008
950
19
43
atco
opentrailsnj.org
I have a 1999 Series I Disco that I DD. Other than gas mileage I really have no problems and the ones that do creep up I fix myself. It's really not that hard to work on...typical pushrod V8. I regularly take mine to the Pines (as evidenced by it's trail pinstriping) and I love it.

Mine has a 2" lift, 9000lb winch, skids etc...... like it more than my Jeep Cherokee that was set up nearly the same. Good luck with yours, maybe I will see you out there exploring.View attachment 1829

Nice I'm not the only local rover guy. did you do springs or spacers for your 2"
 

Stamos

Scout
Jun 11, 2009
63
44
55
Shamong
Nice I'm not the only local rover guy. did you do springs or spacers for your 2"

Nope, there are a couple around. I live in Mt. Laurel....

OME medium springs and shocks for the 2".

Is this your first Rover?
 

Stamos

Scout
Jun 11, 2009
63
44
55
Shamong
Let me know if you run into any snags. I have owned three of these now and am pretty familiar with their "quirks".

Be glad you got a Series I. The Series II (1999-2004) have more electrical and suspension issues that creep up in mileage that can be $$ to repair.
 

46er

Piney
Mar 24, 2004
8,837
2,144
Coastal NJ
I plan on ordering one of these come the spring, once some of the newness gets shaken out, for the family vehicle and our Escape becomes the 'fun' truck, nice and small for the sand roads and the last model year with 4WD. The new Explorer has some resemblance to the Range Rovers Ford sold, right down to the traction management system but with much improved fuel economy.

http://www.motorauthority.com/blog/1047534_2011-ford-explorer-preview
 
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