Am I mental? DT for HSE?

So I'm considering giving up my annoying, over-heating Test expired 2.5 DT for a tasty HSE the same age.
I can get a grand for mine the way it is, and the unlucky chap selling the HSE only wants a grand for his. Its petrol though not LPG. So is it crazy to go petrol?
Diesel is so expensive am i really going to notice a difference plodding about B roads in rural argyll? Obviously I'd just lie to the wife and say its LPG.
Plus id be upgrading form cloth and no toys for leather and ALL the toys.
Opinions please?

If you could get an lpg kit, it be a worthwhile swap,

dannybays78 said:

So I'm considering giving up my annoying, over-heating Test expired 2.5 DT for a tasty HSE the same age.
I can get a grand for mine the way it is, and the unlucky chap selling the HSE only wants a grand for his. Its petrol though not LPG. So is it crazy to go petrol?
Diesel is so expensive am i really going to notice a difference plodding about B roads in rural argyll? Obviously I'd just lie to the wife and say its LPG.
Plus id be upgrading form cloth and no toys for leather and ALL the toys.
Opinions please?

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Yes diesel is expensive...but the V8 would drink more fuel...

Lets do some maths (cos we never did enough at school!!)

DIESEL:
300 miles @ 26.2mpg = 11.45
11.45 * 4.54 = 51.98
51.98 * 1.479 = £76.89

PETROL:
300 miles @ 18mpg (if you are lucky and light footed) = 16.67
16.67 * 4.54 = 75.67
75.67 * 1.409 = £106.61

Go with the Diesel if the running costs are the issue....

V8's on B roads would drink even more and be closer to 12-14mpg and the diesel at around 22-23mpg

Or another way...diesel would be roughly £100 cheaper every 1000 miles...so after a years average motoring you've saved 1500 quid...

Saint.V8 said:

Yes diesel is expensive...but the V8 would drink more fuel...

Lets do some maths (cos we never did enough at school!!)

DIESEL:
300 miles @ 26.2mpg = 11.45
11.45 * 4.54 = 51.98
51.98 * 1.479 = £76.89

PETROL:
300 miles @ 18mpg (if you are lucky and light footed) = 16.67
16.67 * 4.54 = 75.67
75.67 * 1.409 = £106.61

Go with the Diesel if the running costs are the issue....

V8's on B roads would drink even more and be closer to 12-14mpg and the diesel at around 22-23mpg

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Cheers for the sums... given ive only had the diesel for a few months, and have so far bought new radiator, thermostat, mid exhaust and various other bits and bobs, and given its F*&*"!* annoying overheating / breaking down every time i do want to go further afield, surley (SURELY?!) a full-history petrol will give me an easier life? Cost is of course an issue but P38 aint cheap whatever! I may be mental for having bought one in the first place.

Its a landy...all of them cost money to keep going...generally fuel is the only place to save a few quid.

did i mention the small pool of coolant on the drivers mat today? just not about to get that sorted - it has to go...

dannybays78 said:

Cheers for the sums... given ive only had the diesel for a few months, and have so far bought new radiator, thermostat, mid exhaust and various other bits and bobs, and given its F*&*"!* annoying overheating / breaking down every time i do want to go further afield, surley (SURELY?!) a full-history petrol will give me an easier life? Cost is of course an issue but P38 aint cheap whatever! I may be mental for having bought one in the first place.

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Regretfully the V8's are just as prone to mechanical and electrical issues in the same vain as your current Diesel....

If the HSE is sorted and mint, with checkable and traceable history, with no signs of overheating it could be a viable option....but it will be more expensive to fuel even if the repairs are slightly less....6 and two 3's unfortunatly....

If the HSE was gassed I would consider it, but it is only a £1k in price, and it could be that for a reason....I was looking around on the 'trader earlier and out of 124 results only 2 were around £1000, the others where 800-900 more then it went up from there.

Whilst the V8's are more desirable, a P38 for less than £1600 is going to be rife with issues if you ask me, then again a 7k minter could give issues too....

If you have replaced so much already on the Diesel, then atleast you know the histroy of those parts.....a new car is always a gamble....

I wish you luck.

dannybays78 said:

did i mention the small pool of coolant on the drivers mat today? just not about to get that sorted - it has to go...

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If you are handy with the spanners, the O rings are relativly simple to do!!

You just need to be nimble and dextrous!!

Saint.V8 said:

If you are handy with the spanners, the O rings are relativly simple to do!!

You just need to be nimble and dextrous!!

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frankly the least of my worries when the thing still heads for the red on any given incline.
although some relief - i thought that was a dash out job.

I'd say f*** the expense and have the V8-but that's what I have! About 16-18mpg on petrol mind round country roads with a light foot, but you also get that with a single point injection LPG system, mine cost £1000 fitted from NE Autogas, I only say this cos I know they've done work in Scotland. The fuel works out about 32 mpg equivalent (actual mpg X 1.92). I'd be bloody worried about an overheating diesel. If you still fancy the V8 check everything twice and make sure it's got history. At a grand there'll be issues, it's just a case of can you live with them till they're fixed. Good luck

dannybays78 said:

frankly the least of my worries when the thing still heads for the red on any given incline.
although some relief - i thought that was a dash out job.

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No need for the dash to come out....

You do need to cut a small support strut for the lower dash panel under the steering wheel to move it up out of the way to slide the matrix out if you wanted to get it out, but if your are quite careful it can be done without removing any more than the side panel, under-dash panel and a heater pipe to foot well vent....

check out www.rangerovers.net they have shortcuts in their you can research, and it has also been mentioned and discussed on here loads too, so a search on here would be a good idea....

if the Diesel keeps going into the red, have you checked the Viscous Fan for correct operation (the famous Newspapper test)? The Water Pump (as they tend to disintergrate internally), the Thermostat, you say you have replaced the Rad but is it getting hot all over its surface?? if not it could be blocked or a hose is blocked....have you checked the Expansion Tank Cap to ensure it is holding pressure? Are the Hoses rock solid when warm??

Have you had a static pressure check done to see if there are leaks? (do the O rings first!!)

V8's are more prone to overheating than the Diesels, so just cos it doesn't, doesn't mean it won't!!

1995 4.6 HSE V8 112K - just the sound of it put a smile on my face, don't drive a lot so fuel cost are bare able.
Yes few issues with mine at a grand (3 months ago) but nothing major -- yet
O - rings are easy - biggest job is the worries ~
No way i would keep the wee diesel though
22 degrees up-here in Inverness shire today - RR temp bang in the middle whatever that is:blah:

davef2901 said:

I'd say f*** the expense and have the V8-but that's what I have! About 16-18mpg on petrol mind round country roads with a light foot, but you also get that with a single point injection LPG system, mine cost £1000 fitted from NE Autogas, I only say this cos I know they've done work in Scotland. The fuel works out about 32 mpg equivalent (actual mpg X 1.92). I'd be bloody worried about an overheating diesel. If you still fancy the V8 check everything twice and make sure it's got history. At a grand there'll be issues, it's just a case of can you live with them till they're fixed. Good luck

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I'm swaying towards it. it was actually £1.5k, I'm just good on the phone! With a full MOT what can possibly go wrong!

The lists here are long and terrifying about things to go wrong! Having said that my 96 autobiography has been a paragon of reliability( now that's tempting fate!) over my 6 months of ownership, but I paid good money for a full history car that showed care. For instance when I checked underneath I noted genuine LR oil filter-on a 16 yr old car that means something.

Saint.V8 said:

Whilst the V8's are more desirable, a P38 for less than £1600 is going to be rife with issues if you ask me, then again a 7k minter could give issues too....

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Tell me about it!! And I paid top end 7's!!!!

Saint,

Fancy doing my o rings?? And as I don't drink I got spare beer tokens.....

James

l'm going upto 5k for my 4.6, when i find 1. you can get a decent 99 - 2002 for that money. and get a bit off if you have the knowledge from here about what to look for. and if anything does go wrong, a great bunch of guys (and some gals), to help out. glad i found this forum, i was nearly going for a Volvo V70 or BMW X5. but the quality looks of of the RR still swing me

If you think overheating on the diesel is a problem, wait 'till you get a slipped liner on the V8. New head for the diesel £400 to £900, new engine for the V8 £3k plus.

In reply to your first question in the heading - yes, you probably are! Welcome to the nut house!!