Guy tries to fix the 'world's most unreliable car' he bought sight unseen only knowing it's been sitting under a tree for six years
- A YouTuber bought a car labeled the ‘world’s most unreliable car’
- He to fix it and get it back on the road
- The car in question? A 2004 Land Rover Discovery 2
Published on Dec 16, 2024 at 9:37 PM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Dec 17, 2024 at 7:28 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
A YouTuber bought a car that he labeled the ‘world’s most unreliable car’ before attempting to fix it and get it back on the road.
The car in question?
A 2004 Land Rover Discovery 2 bought for $2,500 sight unseen.
They’re notoriously unreliable – and this example is riddled with issues.
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The world’s most unreliable car
Famed for its unreliability, this 2004 Land Rover Discovery 2 isn’t deviating from the model’s stereotype.
Per YouTuber and car enthusiast, Jackson Kessler, aka Captain Crankshaft, issues include coolant leaks, rusting frames, failing electronics, and a problematic V8 engine that’s prone to backfiring and misfiring.
As with all restoration projects, the first thing needed is to give the vehicle a thorough clean – both inside and out.
After being neglected and abandoned for years, there had ben previous attempts to clean it.
However, the stench inside the cabin that seemingly came from the worn upholstry persisted.
Probably not as bad as this Ford Ranger that blocked a garbage area so was filled like a dumpster as punishment.
Trying to fix it
While it was clear that the vehicle’s engine was severely misfiring – the problem needed to be properly diagnosed.
Kessler tackled the issue by systematically replacing and testing parts.
These ranged from O2 sensors to spark plugs and coil packs to catalytic converters, and injectors.
After extensive troubleshooting, damaged wiring to an O2 sensor was identified as the culprit.
Beyond misfiring, the water pump, power steering pump, motor mounts, cooling system hoses, and brakes, also needed to be replaced.
This was no small job.
However, after several days of trial and error, Kessler managed to get the engine running smoothly.
However, this was only the beginning of his journey to prepare the car for its uocoming cross-country off-road journey.
His hard work should be worth it.
One driver bought a cheap second-hand Land Rover Discovery to put it through its paces off-road, and was pleasantly surprised.
Similarly, a Land Rover Discovery once took on a 110-tonne road train and defied all odds.
All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”
