Back in January of 1999 I began looking for a new truck that would not only ride smooth, have plenty of room, but also have that rugged look that the truck market has lost. The new F-Series and Silverado truck lines are becoming very rounded and no longer have that rugged appearance, more or less they appear to look like "girl trucks".

The trucks that struck my fancy the most was the Rover line. The line consists of the Defender(extremely ugly), Discovery and Range Rover. The Range Rover is approximately $70,000 nicely equipped, needless to say out of my price range(I'm in my 20's). The Discovery had only 3 models at the time, SD, LE and SE7. The SE7 being the best equipped of the three(the only one to come with the rear jump seats).

So I decided to go and take a test drive. From the moment I got into the truck it was love at first sit, yes I do mean sit, not site. The instrument panel is clearly defined, the seats wrap around your body, the back seat had ample room, the back seats had air conditioning, the stereo was one of the best stock systems that I have ever heard (let alone an aftermarket system, the sound is magnificent), it had dual power moonroofs(the ones that tilt as well as slide), it had two jump seats in the back cargo area, the leather was soft, and the seats sat up nice and high, it rides so smooth on the road that you forget that you are in a truck. I literally could go on for ever.

In March of 1999 I purchased my 1996 Land Rover Discovery SE7 and have never looked back. I have taken my car to the dealer twice just to have minor repairs, which were covered by the warranty. When I arrived at the dealership they greeted me by name and offered me a drink and said that my loaner car would be brought up in a minute. Much to my surprise the car turned out to be a 2000 Cadillac Deville. From what I have heard from Corvette owners all they are offered is a Geo Metro to drive while their $50,000 car is being worked on.

You truly will not appreciate this truck until you take it off-road. It is by far the best 4x4 on or off the road. This truck performs like no other. I have taken the brand new Chevy line off road and there isn't even a comparison to talk about.

Unfortunately I was hit by a Honda Accord going 40 mph (while I was at a dead stop), and of course I was extremely upset until I got out of the truck. To my surprise the Honda Accord was destroyed, while my Rover had a small 2-inch dent in the rear step(it is used to get into the rear seats). It is an incredibly safe truck.

In closing, I have had nothing but great experiences with this truck and if I ever buy another truck in my life, it will definitely be a Rover.