1996 Land Rover Discovery 1 Sd7 5 Speed One Owner Fully Serviced Time Warp Truck on 2040-cars

SD7 R380 D1 W/114K ORIGINAL MILES!!!

Overview:

From the second you pop the clutch and before your passengers can even cry for help, you will have a permanent smile on your face that can only come from the trill-ride offered in a Land Rover Discovery such as this one.  Folks, this one is SPECIAL.  Make absolutely no mistake about it.  Having had only one owner (that was female I may add), this truck has been miraculously preserved from the wares of time, and meticulously serviced to be at like new performance.  If you have waited… hoped… passed on vehicles that you knew you shouldn’t have thinking that maaaaaaybe there was one better coming down the line: THIS. IS. THAT. TRUCK.  Ladies and Gents, here is your rare-optioned, low-mile, rust-free, single-owner, time-warp, investment-class, unparalleled Land Rover Discovery 1!  I have had a blast seeing this truck through its service paces and this ad will absolutely reflect the level of detail and care taken to give you the best truck possible. Read on!!!

Service Profile:

As a Land Rover technician whose passion for the marquee inspires my dedication, I always use the best genuine parts and expert skill with their fitment.  As I mentioned, this truck was judiciously serviced, and the following is an extensive list of critical service points which should make anyone happy as it totals over $8000 of retail service work!  Further, I NEVER include in-process photos of a top-end service.  Mainly because of time constraints. This vehicle is not only stunning on the outside – but also at its core.  Everything cleaned up and reconditioned so beautifully that to not stop for 10 minutes and take pictures would have been a shame!

1. Complete 3 angle valve job and head gasket service including: cooling system fluid flush and renewal, head gasket renewal, head stretch bolt renewal, intake resealed, valve covers resealed,  exhaust system resealed, engine oil and GENUINE filter renewed. $2250 value

2. 30K mile interval service including: genuine spark plugs, New STI spark plug wires, New air element, New Belt, Differential fluids renewed, swivel service, transfer case fluid renewed, transmission fluid renewed, fuel filter renewed, all safety components inspected and adjusted to factory spec. $895 value

3. Brand new factory recore on the radiator $400 value

4. Brand new factory waterpump thermostat $350 value

5. Brand new genuine brake pads installed all around. $450 value

6. AC System Service $350 value

7. Brand new Bridgestone Desert Dueler H/T tires installed. $1200 value

8. Newly fitted Genuine Steering gear box AND lines fitted. $995 value

9. Newly fitted engine oil cooler lines. $275 value

10. Brand new headliner installed. $400 value

11. Concourse Quality Vehicle Detail. $400 value

12. Brand new battery installed. $125 value

13. D2 Cupholders Installed.

14. D2 Integrated Compass Rear-View Mirror Installed.

15. Clean California title in hand with 114K original miles.  Just passed new California “Star-Smog” certification requirements.  This truck runs unbelievably clean!!!

16. EXCELLENT CARFAX HISTORY, TONS OF DEALERSHIP ONLY SERVICE

 Styling & Options:

I almost don’t know where to start… this truck is STUNNING.  I had to shoot the pictures at 1pm with overhead sun because the Alpine White paint is SO PRISTINE and BRILLIANT that at any other time with the sun at an angle, you simply couldn’t even look at the pictures they were so bright!!!  So on that note then, the paint is original, entirely unblemished, and so smooth you would think you were running your finger over a new truck – and in a sense, you are! 

To its credit, this SD7 is thankfully a non-sunroof model – protecting you from hot overhead sun, giving you more headroom overall, and promising to be maintenance & leak-free forever.  She is wonderfully a manual, cloth interior in the finest original condition I have ever seen. The seats are as plush as you would hope and are still fully adjustable to offer you a tailored fit behind the wheel.  Cloth seats also are less maintenance intensive and are virtually immune to adopting their ambient climate temperatures… meaning: you will not burn your legs when entering in the summer, nor will you freeze your behind when you have a frigid early morning event to get to as you otherwise would with a leather interior.  The fabric is immaculate, pill free and sag free!!! I have heard about them in the past… seen them in heritage photos… but this is the 1^st Discovery that I have seen in person with the matching, removable, factory head-rest covers! They are soft and supportive and slip snuggly over the grab-handle style head-rest beneath.

Take a good look at the load-space area… see ‘em? Rear jump seats, yes. But factory cloth. Try to find this kind of equipment now… anywhere… I dare you! You will never see a cloth 7-Seater interior this nice. The rear grab handle is intact, the rear step retracts immediately, and the loadspace cover itself opens and closes perfectly and has no sag.

This is a no-bull, eat off the floor interior.  You’d think the original owner may have had a meal or two in this vehicle over her ownership… pay close attention to the center console parcel pad area.  No Frito’s crumbs and Coke-a-Cola mortar of yester-year to be found… ANYWHERE. The interior plastics and mouldings are in excellent shape with minimal wear and/or markings.  A testament to their order are the forward seat base surround mouldings.  These are almost always destroyed.  They are perfect in this example.

On that note, all seams, jambs, seals, bulkheads, pans, joints, gutters are immaculate and tight. For the spotters out there, yes – I took it upon myself to add the only anachronistic elements on the truck – the Discovery Series II compass rear-view mirror and cupholders.  These, for any Discovery owner, are MUST HAVES.  Rounding out the kit of goodies, you will notice the next to last picture – the complete owners manual – with security information, both key sets, both head rests and my favorite – a magazine ad of this year, make, and model exactly and if you look closely, your new truck is cleaner than the one featured in print!!!

Performance & Operation:

This is where the fun really begins.  You enter this time-warp truck from not just one, but either of both perfectly working factory key/fob set-ups. All doors open and close on command with no magic tricks or prayers necessary to make it work.

Gear selector in neutral, foot on the clutch and fire this thing up!  It roars to life and just BEGS you to have a day of driving to rival the Indy 500. It idles perfectly with no ticks, knocks, pings, hesitation, or stumbles of any kind.  Slam it into 1^st – aka “the launch gear” – and you’re destined for a driving experience that you hope will never end.  Clutch action is excellent and there is no slipping or gears popping out of place.  The 5-Speed transmission and transfer-case are both whisper quiet, and when the fluid was renewed, what was drained was also clear – fresh on the heals of the 90K service.

Driving an R380 5-Speed Discovery will make you wish all of your Rovers had one. It puts you in total control, making this Discovery an extension of yourself in a way that an auto tranny Disco simply cannot. I have a blast and feel like I’m on an urban safari every single time I get behind the wheel. Not to mention the FUEL ECONOMY.  In any finely tuned Rover, we are always aware of the impending next fill-up.  Seriously… you fill this thing up… drive it in its optimal gear, and the fuel needle seems to defy the ever-thirsty V8 it monitors. Conservatively, she’s 16mpg city and 20+ on the highway.

It may go without saying, but all windows, door locks, lights, wipers, multi-functions, HVAC controls, work as they should. The AC and HEAT are both excellent and quiet.

There are no warning lights on the dash and as this truck has been fitted with GENUINE pads all around it has incredible stopping power. We’ve all shrugged off poor braking performance as being directly proportional to the vintage… but go ahead and emergency stop… you will stand this truck on its HEAD.

Steering and suspension is responsive and plush.  She charges onto the freeways with total confidence and has no shimmies, shakes or meanderings of any kind.  In fact, the steering is so responsive it actually retains the feeling of a European Sport-Touring vehicle.  Take a nice long looping freeway interchange… at 80mph… she is planted to the ground.  The suspension is all original.  There are no clunks or bumps or rattles.

Perhaps lastly, the factory audio system is still present and works perfectly. The speakers still offer concert-like quality sound, at any speed, windows up or down.

Purchasing, Perspective & Why Buy From Me:

No one puts a Land Rover together better than me, PERIOD.  It’s the vehicle I drive, and the vehicle I RACE.  Nearly two decades of Rover ownership and service are poured into every Rover that I see into new hands. 

 All too common are sales from the brokerage houses where a vehicle will receive a detail service and nothing else.  Leaving maintenance work for the pleasure of the new owner; often time’s immediately following reception of the vehicle.  Beware of any vintage Rover that does not share the same service points as the ones I advertise with my trucks.  They are ESSENTIAL for long term reliability and any Classic without these services are ticking time bombs.  I am not a Land Rover tech that drives home in a Honda Civic.  I come from a long line of British Car technicians and Live, Breathe and even RACE the green oval.  I understand ALL of your concerns and needs and do my best to ensure that you will be happy based on a simple, yet powerful concept:  DOES THIS VEHICLE MAKE ME HAPPY?  WOULD I PUT MY WIFE AND BABY IN IT? WOULD I LOVE TO HAVE IT?  The answer is always yes.  And that’s when I know they are ready.  I care.  I know you do, too.

Vehicles that I see off not only have domestic endpoints, they go to the farthest reaches of the planet.  They have gone to Europe, Asia, The South Pacific, Central America and currently, a client recently purchased a trail-ready 88 RRC and is en route to Tierra Del Fuego after I picked him up in the vehicle at LAX when he flew in to receive it!  The point here is, I believe in each and every vehicle that I usher in to new ownership.  Please see my recent vehicle sales and I’m sure you’ll be impressed.  I have A LOT of copy-cats out there.  If you aren’t buying one from me… its, well, NOT from me even though other sellers go so far as to “cut-n-paste” my listings!!!

While these vehicles are all totally looked after, they are not immune to future service needs and flaws.  They are used vehicles and normal flaws and wear should be expected as the vast majority of them are pushing 20+ years old.  If there is to be ONLY ONE flaw to find on this gem, its in the forward passenger foot well carpet flooring.  Its worn down by the center console.  Most wouldn’t consider this a flaw.  Never-the-less, its there. I invite you to ask ANY AND ALL QUESTIONS NOW!  There are no queries too obscure; your satisfaction is the goal here.  Additionally, eBay offers a 3^rd party inspection service to verify ALL of your acquisition needs IN PERSON.  Purchase of the vehicle = SATISFACTION.  Once this auction is over, the winning bid and purchase imply that satisfaction has been achieved and will be understood as such.  There are no warranties offered here, but that said, there is always an unspoken “hand-shake” warranty meaning that should something fail within a reasonable amount of time – say a hose, a coilpack, a distributor, blower motors, an alternator, a switch, etc – I will be happy to send you what I have available at that time.

This is a NO RESERVE AUCTION so you are bidding to win!  Please make sure that you bid ONLY what you are prepared to pay.  This means, when the auction is over, and the winning bid is placed, this becomes THE SALE PRICE of the vehicle.  Under no circumstances does it open the door to negotiate or back out of your commitment.  The people bidding for this vehicle actually want it.  Do not spoil their chances at ownership by arm-chair bidding.  Yes, everyone joins eBay at some point, and there is no prejudice against lower transaction numbers here – HOWEVER – if I suspect and/or become aware of any insincerity on the part of said bidder, I reserve the right to cancel all bids from and block that insincere bidder from this auction.

Completion of this transaction is fairly straight forward.  Once the auction is over, I will be contacting the winner immediately and we can discuss the easiest way to finalize the transition.

Who is this truck for:

Great question!  First – for anyone looking for a reliable & clean Discovery Series 1.  And if this will be your first “taste of green,” you are in for one hell of a treat! But quickly beyond that I have no doubt that it will capture the interest of collectors and die-hard enthusiasts who know EXACTLY how awesome this truck is, and how exceedingly rare it is to find her as intact as she is.  It CAN BE your reliable daily driver.  Your weekend escape vehicle.  Guest vehicle.  Or dare I say it - build platform for an excellent off-road expedition truck.  With a tasteful lift, tires, D-90 calipers up front and perhaps a 4.6L conversion??? Holy smokes.  This truck is absolutely distinctive with so much to brag about.  The fall is upon us.  The Rallies are coming.  What truck will you be taking? ...and with a FULL TANK of PREMIUM GASOLINE as my compliments to help you on your way, I think we already know the answer to that question… Happy Rovering!!!