Opinions Please

So I am contemplating a move from London to the Southwest (Cornwall)

I may need to reconsider my transport situation.

I currently have a 2001 P38 DHSE that I have renovated and has been a good workhorse.

It has 148000 miles on it and a the moment it is running faultlessly and is good to drive, I have renewed all th e usual chutney, shocks, airsprings bushes, brakes Axle ball joints, cooling system and blend motors, starter and alternator have also been replaced, electrically it seems great for a LR, the engine was swapped out by the PO but it seems to run well and Richard at callrova said it was a good one.

I bought it for 3.2 and spent 6k on it so it has not been that cheap

I will have to commute now and again to London and I am not sure I can rely on the P38 to do that on a regular basis and professionally I can't risk a breakdown, also the fuel is a consideration.

I am thinking that I will have to sell the P38 and spend a large amount of cash for a volvo or audi cruiser for the commute.

Do I hang on to my 'cheap' car and wing it or say good bye and say goodbye to a load of cash for peace of mind

What do you all reckon??

Ash

Could you buy a cheap diesel saloon for the commute and keep the P38? Or even take the train to London if it's not too often?

Keep the P38 and join the AA.

Motorway work for a P38 isn't exactly going to tax it If it's in good condition. I drive a Sprinter van mostly motorway work and its done 580 thousand, it runs better now than it did when it was new.

It's partly me being a bit neurotic, before I finished the renovation it broke down twice once on the motorway, in fairness it was down to me both times, alternator and the second time I didn't check the coolant so had to stop before it got any hotter.

But it took me all the way down in quiet comfort last week and then got hammered on the gradients of south Devon. However a very posh looking 96 P38 overtook me on the M5 but a few miles later he was on the side of the road bonnet up......... unfortunately because of the volume of traffic I couldn't pull over to help.

It's a shame how many of us don't completely trust the old girl when we are considering long journeys. I take my P38 to Anglesey twice a year covering 1000 miles each visit without any issues.

SpanishTony said:

It's a shame how many of us don't completely trust the old girl when we are considering long journeys. I take my P38 to Anglesey twice a year covering 1000 miles each visit without any issues.

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Bloody hell, have they moved Anglesey? I take it you do a lot of sightseeing when you are there.

tomcat59alan said:

Bloody hell, have they moved Anglesey? I take it you do a lot of sightseeing when you are there.

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Can't be much of a holiday driving around Anglesey two hundred times to build the mileage.

I was just the same as you "not trusting" but Ive seen the new RRs on the back of the AA wagon too....

Im doing the Lands End to John O Grotes next week and will be using the P38 Ive got a new one but wheres the adventure in taking that? The fact that you've spent 6k on it suggests you care about it. So why would you sell it and buy something you may need to spend 10k on? Keep it.

My P38 does it with no issues and it is a 95. Traffic more likely to stuff you. Ke

FFS, blxxdy keyboardc disappeared because of an advert.

Keep it

Keep it.....you'll regret it otherwise.

You've obviously taken care of it, if you can stand the running costs then keep it, with breakdown cover as a back up. I've been unfortunate enough to use my BD cover for recovery twice this year (not for the RR - once for our daily & again for a neighbour's car I was driving) & believe me it was worth the subscription!

Keep it!
I do a very regular commute for the last 3 years (almost once a week) to London from Sheffield & never had an issue until last month when a rear airspring failed but can't complain for a 13 year old with 168k on the clock.
You've obviously looked after yours so enjoy it. There's nothing I would prefer to drive 330 miles in than the P38.

I know what you mean, it's very comfy but of some reason I keep thinking it will break down, also it is a little slow, but then I guess no speeding tickets, fuel economy is a bit of an issue, but looking today I am thinking 15-20k for a newish car of the type I am looking at.
I was particularly spooked by the P38 that broke down on the M5 the other day, it looked very nice.
Thanks for all the advice, gives me something to ruminate over.........have a feeling I am going to let the old girl go, shame as since I've fixed everything, (except AC) it has been very good

Better the devil you know......

C'mon Saint.........how can I possibly take the advice of a Dyed in the wool 100% RR Junkie........not rational!!

Interesting that the Top Gear episode when the three stooges went through the jungle, the vehicle that survived was the old Range Rover.....

I would keep it. You spent lots of money on it and now you know its foibles well. A new car you will have to learn all about again.
I would keep it and join AA

Just bought my 2000 P38 v8, 103,000 miles on the clock and in the last 2 weekend covered over a thousand miles all motorway. No problems nice and relaxed and got 24 mpg. Just cos something looks pretty don't mean its been looked after. Have a Frontera i greenlane with thats battered to s**t, always serviced and looked after mech wise and has never let me down and often nip to France in it. If you saw it you wouldnt want to take it shopping !!, and as you said when it did break down it was your fault. Keep her and enjoy the money you spent on it.

The P38 (and Range Rovers in general) get a bad rep for reliability....

Yes a very very small proportion were badly put together at the factory, but they are very few and very far between...these ones will always be 'a bit of a problem' unless a previous owner has been through it with a fine tooth comb to iron out the wrinkles....

The vast majority of the unreliable ones are/were/have been owned by people who have neglected maintenance, bodged repairs and messed up their cars due to either a lack of understanding of the vehicle, reluctance to pay the price for owning a luxury model of car or have used a backstreet garage who don't understand the complexities of the brand.

As luxury vehicles depreciate in price, they start getting owned by planks who want a slice of the 'high life' and the 'snob value with the neighbours and friends' neglecting to think of the onward running and maintenace costs that come with a £40-50k car they bought for a snip.....they they neglect maintenance, bodge repairs and then sell on to the likes of us who are enthusiasts and lovers of the marque and model...only to find our 'dream' car has been ruined in a previous ownership and is unreliable.

You have taken an example of the P38, loved it and lavished it, got to learn its little quirks and have brought its maintenance and repairs up to snuff.....

Like an abused animal, it will learn to love its new master and it will do everything within itself to be the best companion it can be to its new loving and caring owner who won't beat it or mistreat it, but at times it remembers the mistreatment and beatings, and it can cower a little and maybe wet the carpet...but this only means it needs another tickle round the ears and shown that it is loved and cared for.....

Would you hand over a loving dog to the RSPCA just cos you are moving and it has developed a bit of a limp....no....you'd move and take it with you and accommodate it in your new life then get the leg looked at by a vet.....

As I said, better the Devil you know.....