Vehicle & Technical > Discovery

Good price or not

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Mace:
When checking over a Disco, get on yer hands and knees and check the sills.
1. The vertical seam that runs the full length of the sill is a good indication of condition. Most split to a certain degree but watch out for seams that have split all the way along. They'll be full of rust inside.
2. They usually get a nice big bubble appear on the back part of the sill inside the rear wheel arch.
3. Also pull the plastic sill cover out as far as you can with your fingers and look behind as much as possible. They're often rusty behind.
4. The door pillars rust at the very top where they meet to roof gutter.
5. Check the door alignment and the bonnet alignment. Stand at the front of the vehicle and look along it's lines. Obvious gaps on one side and none on the other show signs of damage thats been repaired. The top edge of the doors should be parallel to the roof gutter.
6. Check inside the rear door opening, the bit that curves over the wheel arch next to the seat. They can rust there too.
7. Check all the window rubber seals. Any that are split WILL be letting in water somewhere.
8. Fold up the rear seats and check the front edge of the rear floor. Lift the carpet to see what condition it's in. Most will be slightly rusty, others will be rotten.
9. Take a phillips screwdriver and undo the carpet grip along the back edge of the boot floor. Lift the rear carpet and the insulation and check underneath. This is usually a major problem area for rust. The carpet and insulation hold in the moisture. Some light rust along the seams is OK.
10. Stick you fingers benind the rear corner lower trim and look into the bottom body work corners. They are water traps too.
11. Check along all the door bottoms for rust.
12. Check the front footwells for moisture too. Especially in the corners. Any moisture here usually indicates rotten inner wings.
13. The rear corners on the roof gutter are a major cause of water inside the vehicle. Stand on the rear bumper and look at them from above. Water sits in the gutter as it can't escape and it rots the seam under the plastic edging strip. Check for obvious signs of rust, splitting and damage.
14. Whilst you are there, jump up and down on the bumper and listen for rear suspension knocks and creaks.
15. Check all the sunroof seals. They are almost guaranteed to leak at some point and many have been silicone sealed shut.
16. Check the rear crossmember, underneath and inside the rear bumper.

Thats a few to be getting on with  :?

Then there's the chassis and all the mechanics to think about

Good luck  :P

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