P38A 1998 Range Rover Diesel v Late 1990s Defender

I've just bought a 1998 P38 Diesel. Here in Italy secondhand cars are expensive and usually in terrible condition. I paid 1000 euros for the car and after about another 1000 euros of work it seems great, so far at least.

At the time I was also considering a late 1990s Defender. But here you can't find one for less than 6000 euros and you could easily pay 12,000 euros or more.

So what am I missing here? Is a late 1990s Defender really worth that much more than a late 1990s Range Rover?

Anything is only worth what people will pay for it.
You get far more car in the range rover than the defender, but, and it's a big but, any spanner monkey can look after a defender because they're pretty basic whereas the p38 CAN give some monumental headaches.
The range rover is a far nicer place to be and in my opinion is a far more valuable vehicle. However, many are put off by its complexity.

The Defender is just that, Defender of the faith, tracing it roots all the way back through the series and ultimately to the birth of an Icon.

Range Rovers age and with their added complexities become almost valueless in comparison.

Classic was the last of the range rovers, then came the p38.
Defender is desirable whereas the p38 is not.
Here £500 will get you a decent running legal p38 and a long wait to find a buyer. Same condition Defender at £5000 will have the phone battery going flat.

MauroV said:

I've just bought a 1998 P38 Diesel. Here in Italy secondhand cars are expensive and usually in terrible condition. I paid 1000 euros for the car and after about another 1000 euros of work it seems great, so far at least.

At the time I was also considering a late 1990s Defender. But here you can't find one for less than 6000 euros and you could easily pay 12,000 euros or more.

So what am I missing here? Is a late 1990s Defender really worth that much more than a late 1990s Range Rover?

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I was in a similar place to you. I was looking to replace a Defender but the prices were just silly. Saw a P38, took it for a drive and never looked back. The P38 has some expensive habits, starting with the diagnostic gear required (Nanocom). Then there was the DMF, that cost a bit to sort. Then there was a whole load of small stuff but it all adds up. Compared to running a Defender it costs a fortune but it is a far better car to drive on the road (pity it has no diff-locks) and I'm still nowhere near the starting price of a doggy old Defender so I'm winning.

Gmacz said:

Classic was the last of the range rovers, then came the p38.
Defender is desirable whereas the p38 is not.
Here £500 will get you a decent running legal p38 and a long wait to find a buyer. Same condition Defender at £5000 will have the phone battery going flat.

Click to expand...

I quite like my P38, I'm surprised they are not more desirable, but I am also concerned about the potential unreliability and perhaps lack of longevity. Maybe one day they will be more appreciated. But why do you say the 'Classic was the last of the range rovers, then came the p38?'.

Gmacz said:

Classic was the last of the range rovers, then came the p38.
Defender is desirable whereas the p38 is not.
Here £500 will get you a decent running legal p38 and a long wait to find a buyer. Same condition Defender at £5000 will have the phone battery going flat.

Click to expand...

I disagree. The classic was not the last of the range rovers.
If you'd said the p38 was, whilst I would still disagree, I could see your point. (the p38 was the last of the live axle/ladder chassis generation)
Fact is, things move on. Is an xf not a jag? Yes, morse wouldn't be seen in one but it's still a jag as long as you go for a decent engine.

If Morse died more recently he may not have had a say in what he was seen in.