From p38 to discovery 2?

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kbs

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Hi. I've read the new buyer guides for the discovery 2. I'm about to dispose of a 4.6 gems p38 and am considering a 4ltr lpg auto discovery 2.

It's primarily for on road use some towing. The p38 is great for moving elderly parents around.

Other than coil spring front suspension - is there anything that I will miss from the p38?

Can I swap the 18" wheels from my Gems with the discovery2? Any other spares I should remove from the p38 before scrapping it?

Many thanks.

All advice great fully received.

Keith
 
Buy another good P38 and keep the other for spares.
Unless someone has put a galvanised chassis under the D2 you will probably regret it.

You seem to suggest the p38 doesnt work well for towing??

J
 
kbs said:
Hi. I've read the new buyer guides for the discovery 2. I'm about to dispose of a 4.6 gems p38 and am considering a 4ltr lpg auto discovery 2.

It's primarily for on road use some towing. The p38 is great for moving elderly parents around.

Other than coil spring front suspension - is there anything that I will miss from the p38?

Can I swap the 18" wheels from my Gems with the discovery2? Any other spares I should remove from the p38 before scrapping it?

Many thanks.

All advice great fully received.

Keith
Click to expand...
My D2 has all four corners coils sprung so WTF?
 
I own both.

The P38 In my opinion is a better car for towing and is more comfortable on road

Also the P38 doesn't rust compared to the D2 which rusts everywhere :vb-eyebrows:

Chassis the entire length not just the rear! - Sills - front floors - bulkhead etc..


A nice late Vogue would do you well.
 
Many thanks all.
Marjon - I didn't mean to imply the p38 was not good for towing. I don't much, but what I did was excellent. I don't expect the discovery to be as good, due to the lower power.

Stanley - I didn't realise some discovery2 were coils everywhere. Good to know. The air springs on my p38 were something that I really appreciated.

Smithy, thanks for pointing out the rust problems, I was only expecting issues in the rear chassis to be really common (but at 25 years old...)

Henry, I'd prefer another p38. Sadly I don't have room to keep the old one for spares.

ALL - there is a p38 currently on ebay with rot where the wheel arches meet the rear door. O know this is aluminium. QUESTION when you see rot like this, is it likely to be coming from the inside, or can I just clean it up, fill and paint?

Am I allowed to post a link to the ebay page? If not, the car is easy to see (red in Hereford).

Many thanks for your time and patience.

Keith
 
You can link from ebay..

Rust on the body of the P38 is known in one area the rear wheel arches near where the bumper joins the body, usually caused by dirt held against the steel by the plastic arch liner, can usually be easily rectified.

severe rust on a P38 is very unlikely.
 
kbs said:
Many thanks all.
Marjon - I didn't mean to imply the p38 was not good for towing. I don't much, but what I did was excellent. I don't expect the discovery to be as good, due to the lower power.

Stanley - I didn't realise some discovery2 were coils everywhere. Good to know. The air springs on my p38 were something that I really appreciated.

Smithy, thanks for pointing out the rust problems, I was only expecting issues in the rear chassis to be really common (but at 25 years old...)

Henry, I'd prefer another p38. Sadly I don't have room to keep the old one for spares.

ALL - there is a p38 currently on ebay with rot where the wheel arches meet the rear door. O know this is aluminium. QUESTION when you see rot like this, is it likely to be coming from the inside, or can I just clean it up, fill and paint?

Am I allowed to post a link to the ebay page? If not, the car is easy to see (red in Hereford).

Many thanks for your time and patience.

Keith
Click to expand...
Yeah, D2s getting scabby all over now. Front inner wings, sills and rear body mounts especially

5 seater were coils all round from factory iirc, 7 seater were all rear air but a lot out there have been converted to coil. Mine was 7 seater coil all round, towed really well tbf. Coil springs in 7 seater were never type approved so could have issues with insurance but I doubt anyone declares it in reality
 
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kbs said:
Hi. I've read the new buyer guides for the discovery 2. I'm about to dispose of a 4.6 gems p38 and am considering a 4ltr lpg auto discovery 2.

It's primarily for on road use some towing. The p38 is great for moving elderly parents around.

Other than coil spring front suspension - is there anything that I will miss from the p38?

Can I swap the 18" wheels from my Gems with the discovery2? Any other spares I should remove from the p38 before scrapping it?

Many thanks.

All advice great fully received.

Keith
Click to expand...
D2's are good vehicles. But apart from having ACE they are a downgrade to the p38 Range Rover. IMHO.
 
Hi 300.
I'd assumed it would be a downgrade from the p38 - but for me, it would probably be the luxury (imho) bits like air suspension.
Regularly travelling at low speed in the city, I can raise the suspension and barely feel the pot holes and damaged speed bumps.

I do really want a p38 - but have only seen (what I think are) poor examples.

I understand any p38 will keep my tools busy, but I am looking for something without too many broken systems (at purchase).

many thanks
 
From what i've seen on forums and in a friend's scrapyard IMO apart from the chassis rust probems and a bit less confort the D2 is a newer and more reliable vehicle than the P38, it's very important how the owner took care of it*which is valid for any vehicle). (i'm comparing ES modells with EAS/SLS and other enhancements not basic modells on coils). The D2 has a better engine and stronger transmission due to the LT230 which is way better than that Borg Wagner box with chain. Even if the Td5 engine has it's specific problems if it's well maintained and correctly used it's almost bullet proof compared to that frigging BMW engine which has more issues, the EAS and BEcM are even more complex and harder to diagnose than the SLS and BCU... at least that's what is saw with my own eyes though i might be subjective cos i'm a complete D2 enthusiast.
 
Last edited:
300bhp/ton said:
What makes you think that?
Click to expand...
My own experience from a long ownership of the D2 while i have friends with P38s too who after many adventures together are thinking the same and regret theyr's choise for the P38 instead of the D2 after all the money spent to fix them , much more than i've spent on my D2 and i'm not a cheapskate at all with it :cool:
 
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