At $6,200, Could This 2004 Land Rover Get You Disco Dancing?

Off-roaders should look like they go off-road, and today's "Nice Price or No Dice" Land Rover Discovery wears the warm patina of outdoor adventure. Let's see if its price tag has us beating a path to its door.

Given enough time, even the mundane can appear marvelous. The 1987 BMW 325e we looked at yesterday was the company's economy six, which, while good enough, is hardly the ultimate driving machine. At $8,500, though, that was good enough to impress, earning the frugal Bimmer a solid 71% Nice Price win.

When it was first introduced to the European market in 1989, Land Rover's Discovery became an instant hit. Based largely on the fancier Range Rover, the Disco–as it affectionately came to be known–brought that upscale model's solid capability and a bit of panache to a whole new, more affordable price bracket. 

Unfortunately, another aspect the Disco shared with its valet-friendly older brother was a penchant for poor build quality and disappointing durability of numerous parts and subsystems. That affliction damaged Land Rover's brand reputation, especially in America, where the Disco had yet to arrive.

In 1999, Land Rover brought to all markets, including the U.S., the Discovery II. The company claimed it was 85% new, despite looking much the same as its predecessor. Still sharing its frame and drivetrain with the Range Rover, the Disco II offered a lengthened and widened body that could accommodate a third row of seating. 

It also received a spate of updates to comply with the safety and emissions regulations demanded here in the U.S.

At the time of the Discovery II's debut here in the U.S., Land Rover was a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Ford Motor Company, having just been offloaded by Germany's BMW. At the same time, the only engine Land Rover had certified for the U.S. market was its all-alloy V8, an engine that started out life in the 1960s as a Buick mill. That's quite the spectrum of companies all involved in getting the Disco dance hopping.

This 2004 Land Rover Discovery II is touted as having been optioned with the Trail Edition package. From the dealer, that included a front brush guard, to which were mounted auxiliary driving lights, additional brush guards on the tail lamps, and a ladder on the back door. On this one, the front guard has been replaced with a beefier ARB bumper and full-width bull bar. That's matched with another aftermarket bumper in the back. Another change is the replacement of the running boards with chrome running tubes along the rockers.

Per the ad, this Disco is in excellent running condition, but is aesthetically a bit rough. The clear coat is jumping ship on the hood, and both the ladder and lamp guards in the back show signs of surface rust. On the plus side, all of the bodywork is straight, and, being an off-roader, the visual blight might actually be taken as appropriate.

The cabin seems to be in surprisingly solid shape. This model features leather seating surfaces, and Land Rover typically got its skins from cows with a surprisingly short sell-by date. That makes this truck's still-together interior all the more impressive. Another issue endemic to these is a failing headliner, which also surprisingly seems intact on this one. There's no mention in the ad as to whether this truck has the optional third row or not. The pictures show it with a bike in the back, not waving rugrats.

The seller does say that they have owned this Discovery since 2007, and claims it to be a "Very Solid Driving Truck" that is in "Excellent Running Condition." The drivetrain consists of the Rover, née, Buick V8 in 4.6-liter displacement and offering 217 horsepower and 300 lb-ft of torque, a four-speed automatic transmission, and Land Rover's stout 4WD. This being an '04 model, it has the lever-operated center diff lock.

It also has what is colloquially known as the "Three Amigos": a series of dash lights that indicate an issue with the ABS, anything from a bad wheel sensor to a failed controller module. The truck should run fine with this scenario, but off-road braking and hill descent would be impacted.

Despite Land Rover's reputation for poor quality and fan-girling service writers at the dealership, most of those up for sale have lots of miles under their belts. That's not the case with this one, as it has a modest 130K on the clock. It also has decent-looking tires, and a clean title. The asking price is $6,200.

What's your take on this Land Rover and that $6,200 asking price? Does that seem like a fair deal to have a Disco ball? Or does the truck's patina take the shine off of that price?

You decide!

San Francisco Bay Area, California, Craigslist, or go here if the ad disappears.

H/T to Don R. for the hookup!

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