Buying Advice P38

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.
W

Waverbridge

New Member
Posts
9
Hi,


OK I am new here my name is Andy- please be gentle with me:)

So I Took my Disco for an MOT and she has more or less rotten, at 16 years old she has reached the end of the road.

I now fancy a P38 Range Rover and I am not really an expert in these matters and you people are so, I thoght I would ask. I have between £3000 and £3500 to spend but there is a little more in the kitty if there needs to be

I have been offered a 4.0 SE that is a V registration (not sure if it is 99 or 00 as yet) which has 70,000 on the clock, I know the guy thats selling it and he bought the vehicle from a relative who bought it from the dealer so I have a decent knowledge of the history and know its been looked after very well.

I have also been tempted by a 4.6 HSE of similar age (1999/T) with slightly more miles (90,000) at a similar price, although I don't know the history of this vehicle at all.

What I really want to know would be how different is the 4.0SE to the 4.6 HSE, in terms of specification, also is the 4 litre unit a 'better' engine. I know that the P38 petrols are prone to having cracked blocks and head gasket problems so which would be more reliable.

I fancy a 4.6 HSE because of the higher spec but for similar price I can get a 4.0SE from a trusted seller.

What would you guys do?

Is there a 3rd option I haven't yet considered?
 
i myself would say nether is better than other a lot more power in 4.6 but both suffer same probs. welcome and dont be coxed in to 4.6 just cos of spec buy what you think is best car goodluck
 
Waverbridge said:
Hi,


OK I am new here my name is Andy- please be gentle with me:)

So I Took my Disco for an MOT and she has more or less rotten, at 16 years old she has reached the end of the road.

I now fancy a P38 Range Rover and I am not really an expert in these matters and you people are so, I thoght I would ask. I have between £3000 and £3500 to spend but there is a little more in the kitty if there needs to be

I have been offered a 4.0 SE that is a V registration (not sure if it is 99 or 00 as yet) which has 70,000 on the clock, I know the guy thats selling it and he bought the vehicle from a relative who bought it from the dealer so I have a decent knowledge of the history and know its been looked after very well.

I have also been tempted by a 4.6 HSE of similar age (1999/T) with slightly more miles (90,000) at a similar price, although I don't know the history of this vehicle at all.

What I really want to know would be how different is the 4.0SE to the 4.6 HSE, in terms of specification, also is the 4 litre unit a 'better' engine. I know that the P38 petrols are prone to having cracked blocks and head gasket problems so which would be more reliable.

I fancy a 4.6 HSE because of the higher spec but for similar price I can get a 4.0SE from a trusted seller.

What would you guys do?

Is there a 3rd option I haven't yet considered?
Click to expand...

Diesels are less unreliable and when chipped perform well:D:D:D
 
Disco71 said:
rangies are a gay......specialy the RRC's so i'd go for a discovery TBH
Click to expand...


Thanks for your input but I have already been down the Discovery route and want the Range. The Disco I had had some form of chronic 4x4 leprosy and things weren't good underneath that alminium exterior!
 
Waverbridge said:
Thanks for your input but I have already been down the Discovery route and want the Range. The Disco I had had some form of chronic 4x4 leprosy and things weren't good underneath that alminium exterior!
Click to expand...


So you think a P38 will be better:your_wrong: it will be worse
 
just take your time if you can take somebody with you if you can or you look at it with rose coluored glasses we all do best of luck
 
yep J is right take a mate or 2 and even take the mrs...always makes me think twice before I buy anything !
 
fanatic said:
So you think a P38 will be better:your_wrong: it will be worse
Click to expand...

Not really :p

For a start, P38's have pastic petrol tanks, no rust to worry about. Also, nobody takes their P38 off road, so rust isnt a problem anyway :)

It doesnt matter how good a cars history is. Anything can fall off at anytime. As long as the car is in sound condition when you buy it, chances are it'll stay good as long as you maintain it properly as well.

I have mine for sale, but it has a cruise control problem :mad:

Apart from that, it's sound. 80k miles, mot til end of april next year, tax til end of july next year. Looking for around 4K :)
:nospamhere:
 
j the range said:
just take your time if you can take somebody with you if you can or you look at it with rose coluored glasses we all do best of luck
Click to expand...


Cheers mate for the advice.

The garage at the end of my road is a specialist and he has all the laptop and software etc to diagnose any faults, in fact its him that has offered me the 4.0SE and he has driven it for the last 2 years, he only intended to keep it a few months but liked it so mch he kept it. Its a very tidy vehicle and has been looked after.

As well as that another mate is a specialist and owns defenders, discos and rangies but he isn't around at the moment and I needed a 2nd opinion hence my post!!
 
not for much longer if my dastardly plan works ha ha ha ha ho ho ho ho monday night my pretties!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
Code P6050
6 7 8
Replies
148
Views
3K
mikkre
M
300bhp/ton
P38A Vale block removal??
Replies
5
Views
275
Rubberknees
Rubberknees
M
RR p38 HSE 4.6 1996
Replies
9
Views
908
Datatek
Datatek
K
P38A P38 4.6 thor hose set
Replies
5
Views
329
nigelbb
N
steveshone
p38 fuse box following conversion from petrol 4.6 to diesel 2.5
Replies
7
Views
1K
mystery
mystery
Back
Top