Buying a P38

Hi everyone,

I've always wanted a Range Rover, and they've finally dropped enough in price that a few of them are in my range so I'm having a look around (and I just moved to a farm so can finally justify having one!). Rather than rushing into buying one blind I'd rather get some advice and feedback. So, things I want...

I'm a real sucker for spec and equipment - even though in older cars it's just more stuff to go wrong, I love all of the toys. Leather, heated, electric seats are a must, an electric sunroof would be nice, air suspension sounds cool, and I'd really like the in-dash sat nav system (not because I want sat nav, just because the dash looks better with the screen than with the cubby hole). Limited editions seem to have the best spec - Vogue 50 and Autobiography...?

Next up, engine size and type. I really want the extra performance, smoothness and, most importantly, purr that comes from a V8 unit. No offence to any diesel owners, I've just been longing to own another 8 cylinder car since I got rid of my Jag XJ8! Obviously I'm looking for an LPG conversion because my pockets aren't that deep... So what kind of economy can I expect with a conversion? Is this the best way to go? Are there any reliability issues with specific engines that I should worry about?

Are there any other major things to look out for? Is high mileage a worry? Is Land Rover servicing a big deal or will any service do? Notorious problems with gearbox, suspension, engine? Is it even a good idea to attempt to buy one of these cars on a budget?

I'm willing to travel and to shop about for the right car, and I'm not in any rush to get it - but here comes the tricky bit... I want to spend between £3000 and £4000 (absolute max!). So far I haven't found anything that ticks all of the boxes in that range - for about £4500 to £5000 I can, but I really can't spend that much.

Thanks in advance for any help guys,

Alec.

are you aware of how horrendously unreliable and badly built they are ?

are you prepared to spend an additional 3 to 4k on simply keeping it mobile ?

read some of the numerous threads here and you might be changing your mind

hmm the fact that you cant strecth 1k for the motors ya wants suggests you should look at another marque

i cannot see you getting a rangie, with spec you looking for, drop spec or look for some thing else.[only my thoughts]

You can probably find one for the budget you mention (probably even find one with lpg already fitted), but you do need to be aware that it will probably need money spent on it - if not immediately then soon. You will need to choose well.

I guess one way to look at it is that they were very expensive cars when new and the kind of person that bought one could afford the constant servicing and repairs. That's not to say that they're all bad, but if you're stretching yourself to buy one in the first place then you may find that keeping it going is just too much extra expense. Remember as well that service intervals are much shorter than on most cars of an equivalent age.

Mine's been pretty good, but even so I've had to spend quite a lot to keep it that way. Even now there are still things that don't work on it and a long list of things to do when budget allows (ie heated seats, heated windscreen, heater o rings, air suspension compressor and valve block overhaul etc).

Check out rangerovers.net for more general information on them - it's a very useful resource.

V8s are lovely engines but they are susceptible to very expensive problems so choose well. If you can find one that's already been rebuilt with top hat liners then things are looking better.

There's lots of debate on here about whether lpg is safe with these engines, but a lot of people (including me) have been running with lpg with no problems. My view is that the engines are inherently weak anyway so those that have had problems would probably have had them regardless of whether lpg was fitted. The cost saving really does justify it in my opinion though. Lpg is approx 50% the price of petrol, and you get pretty much the same performance with only a slight increase in consumption depending on the type of system fitted. A bigger problem is finding lpg stations, but overlays are available for various satnavs that help.

Personally I think the 4.6s are a better bet than the 4.0s - they're generally a higher spec, they're (slightly) more powerful and they're actually more economical.

Not trying to burst your bubble, just trying to make sure you realise what you're getting yourself into! They do seem to be a labour of love but well worth it for most of us! When they're running well they are excellent both on and off road.

All the best

Guy

They are lovely motors.

Yes they do hae problems but the drive soon outweighs them.

I have a 4.6 done out like an autobiography with Sat Nav TV etc.

120k miles FSH and I put LPG in it.

I got mine cheap 5 years ago because at some stage in it's life it had a small fire under the bonnet but was fully repaired (No real damage).

In all that time I have kept it serviced and only in the last 6 months had a couple of problems being. RF receiver blew knocking out the two front door locks and 4 x suspension airbags. Also had the radio refurbed.

I absolutely love it. Just a couple of minor niggles with battery going flat (being sorted next week) when stood for a few days (Doesn't get used for weeks on end bless it).

Find a nice one (They are out there) and no regrets. Find a dog and it will be a money pit. Always let head rule heart. If your not happy walk away

I would get a disco 2 over p38 by far...

They are loverly to drive, they are great to look at but like the rest of the lads say they can and do have problems, shortly after I got mine I had to replace the maff sensor simple to do but still a problem.
At the moment the heated seats dont work and the crues controll has packed in aswell apart from that she is fine. If you still want one look long and look hard and be prepared to travel aswell I went from Cornwall to scarborough to get mine.
:blabla::blabla:If your that stretched why not look at a young classic there are some rearly nice one's about.
Good Luck And Happy Hunting!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :alien::alien:

unless you,re a spanner man and don,t mind getting your hands dirty-FORGET IT.i,ve owned mine for less than 3 months,matrix o-rings,blend motor,front air bags and both blower motors,all things that have gone wrong,some things just wear and tear,but ive replaced myself with of course the help of the friendly lads that also use this siteimagine the cost of this lot if i relied on garages £££s.but bear in mind most other cars have issues aswell but because we don,t own such cars we don,t hear about them.cheers

bart2181 said:

unless you,re a spanner man and don,t mind getting your hands dirty-FORGET IT.i,ve owned mine for less than 3 months,matrix o-rings,blend motor,front air bags and both blower motors,all things that have gone wrong,some things just wear and tear,but ive replaced myself with of course the help of the friendly lads that also use this siteimagine the cost of this lot if i relied on garages £££s.but bear in mind most other cars have issues aswell but because we don,t own such cars we don,t hear about them.cheers

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to right just google ,[bmw x5 problems] [nissan navara problems] [mitsubishi l200 problems] [ mercedes etc etc etc they are no different loads of problems

Hey guys,

Thanks for all of the quick replies. They do have a bit of a reputation for being unreliable which is why I wanted to get a feel for what you guys were saying before I ran out to buy one.

I've taken a punt on some older luxury cars in the past and have generally been very lucky - had a T plate 4.0 Jaguar XJ and an R plate BMW 528i. Picked them both up for absolute peanuts and they were both mechanically sound the entire time I had them (save for a water leak on the BMW).

I still need to wait for a few things to pan out before I even know if I have the £3-4k to spend so I'm just doing a bit of preliminary research at the moment - all advice and information is very much appreciated.

As for looking at other options (someone mentioned a Disco) - it's really more about owning a dream car than fulfilling any off-road needs. Apparently the winter out here is very harsh so a 4x4 will be handy for the snow, but really I'm just a big kid who wants a flashy Range Rover!

I think any car of this age is a bit of a gamble - so many potential faults probably cost more to fix than the value of the car, so I'd probably just be crossing my fingers that nothing too big went wrong and hoping to run it with minimal expense.

Anyway, thanks for your thoughts folks - I'll let you know if I get one

Beast o Bodmin said:

I would get a disco 2 over p38 by far...

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yes but your daft,we all know that bob.

gemsdad said:

yes but your daft,we all know that bob.

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no he isnt!

I have my eye on a P38 4.6HSE - at the moment it looks a complete dog, sitting in a field covered in moss with a tarpaulin over it, but it is owned by a good friend of mine who's main business is converting 4x4s to LPG - there's nothing he doesn't know about Land Rovers....
This one is having the top hat liners put into the bores as I write, the suspension bags have been done and it will run on gas - so I am hoping that there will be little wrong with it once it is on the road. It just needs a nudge bar (cos I have always wanted a car with one) and the rear bumber adjusting - ohh and a blooming good clean and polish....

The Mad Hat Man said:

no he isnt!

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sorry daft,got carried away a bit there.:doh:

Someone said go for a young classic and I'd second that. First of all prices are lower even for good ones so you'll still have a few pence in you pocket for fixes. Also it IS really the best looking (gently covering my P38's ears as I say that!) and the now almost retro interior is starting to become uber-cool.


Edit: found some pic for you: http://www.adrianpickersgill.com/Images/Range Rover - Green.jpg
http://www.landroverclub.net/Club/Interiors/Interior_RRclassic_late.jpg

Hi,You say that "the winter out here is very harsh", so where are you? If you think Rangie spares are expensive in UK, then be prepared for a shock if buying over the counter in foreign markets. Obviously buying on the net is a good option for planned maintenance, but depending where you are & if a Rangie is your only transport be aware of higher local prices. Nowt much to add to other posts, agree best to invest lots of time & effort in getting a good `un. . .whatever you choose. And be prepared to get your hands dirty in the future. Good luck if you do go for it.