Heart vs head - classic vs P38

Hello

Been lurking around the forum for a few weeks and have resisted posting because didn't want to do the typical, classic vs p38 thread which I am sure comes up countless times.

However I am a complete newbie to the range rover scene so looking for some help and guidance so I can filter down what I should be looking for.

I've made up my mind that I would love a range rover, it will be a third car for occasional use and also something I can lavish attention on. After moving on from a high maintence combination of TVR T350 and RS6 to two more reliable day to day cars I have actually found my self missing something to spend a bit of time on.

So with a budget of £3kish am looking for an older range rover which is nice to own and drive. But I keep skipping between classic and p38

So which would be the better ownership prospect a late classic or early p38

Classic me thinks

my classic was a ****ter but still a pleasure to drive.

I think I love the idea of a classic just worried it would be a nightmare to own, but from what I gather from this forum the P38 is possibly the one that may be more hassle?

IF you can find a rot free classic in tip top condition or an early 2 door classic then go for it..classics are now getting rare , atleast good ones are..

also no one looks at a p38..it aint a head turner(though its proberly a better car)

Having had a few of each - I would say a late classic, I had a 1993 Vogue SE with EAS, and although she wasn't much to look at she was the best rangie I have had (bar my current L322 which is just awesome!!) despite a few niggles, she went on and on forever! Til some total C nicked it and then torched it!

A classic will sit there waiting for you to come and play, a p38 will sulk if you ignore it for a day or two!

The p38 is a better built car rust and screwed together wise, more comfortable too, but a classic will tug your heart strings

having had both and now only the P38 left I do miss my classic, although the P38 has a bigger engine (4.6) slightly more economical than my classic (3.5 EFI) the driving experience is so different in both vehicles and both very enjoyable to drive as for problems off ownership they each have there own, the classic can and will (if not looked after) rust terribly but on the flip side everything under the exterior is flat or angular so very easy to weld also replacement sills, floors, inner wings etc are easy to come by or fabricate. The P38 does not seem to suffer so much from the tin worm but can again if not looked after suffer from suspension and electrical problems all can be sorted with a little know-how a good sett of tools and a chat with knowledgeable lads on here. So really down to personal choice either the Iconic classic or the more conservative P38 both are very good vehicles in there own rite but above all think long and hard look at loads before you make a final decision and get the very best for your money. You will have to do a search but there are buyers guides for both the P38 and Classic on here. GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!

has to be a classic over the p38 . this site shows what a nightmare the p38 is to live with, where as the classic is still a lovely beast. get a late 93 94 model with all the toys on and you will have an appreciating car. i miss my classics everyday, but so glad i got my l322, and never felt the need for the 38. lets face it if you want to be driven made you can get married lol

What are you going to use it for?
If it's cruising the highways in luxury then it's got to be a P38.
If you ever fancy heading for the muddy stuff then a classic can be a bit less temperamental, a bit easier to repair (when not if with every old Rangie) and a bit simpler to modify.

Or if you truly fancy a head turner get a tired old classic and spend your time getting it back to, well maybe not showroom condition, but a good standard. A really well turned out classic, maybe with a tasty V8 exhaust note, will get noticed more than almost any other.

For your stated budget Gooldie I'd say neither. I've never owned a P38 & judging by the posts on this site, never want to! If you want a decent (ie not a rot-box that's been maintained on a shoe string) Classic then you are going to have to put more cash into the pot & be prepared for a prolonged search. I looked at several for a friend a couple of years ago, have never seen such a load of rubbish described as 'in good condition' & the truth is that unless you have the skills to restore the thing yourself it's never going to be a cost effective exercise.

Saint.V8 said:

Having had a few of each - I would say a late classic, I had a 1993 Vogue SE with EAS, and although she wasn't much to look at she was the best rangie I have had (bar my current L322 which is just awesome!!) despite a few niggles, she went on and on forever! Til some total C nicked it and then torched it!

A classic will sit there waiting for you to come and play, a p38 will sulk if you ignore it for a day or two!

The p38 is a better built car rust and screwed together wise, more comfortable too, but a classic will tug your heart strings

Click to expand...

Strangely my experience is almost the exact opposite! I bought my 89 classic when it was only two years old, it gave me nothing but trouble and I never really liked it. I bought a ten year old P38 cheap as something to have a bit of fun in, run into the ground and throw away, but not only has it proved to be remarkably dependable as my daily driver (30K miles so far) - I absolutely love it. It tugs on the old heart strings in a way my classic didn't! My classic also showed signs of rust at just 4 years old. My P38 hasn't got a spot of rust anywhere.

Saint made a good point about playtime, P38s object to being disused! A rarely used classic is more likely to start when you stick the key in. If you've got nowhere to leave your P38 on a maintenance charger, then you'll get problems.

P38s are very thief resistant too with excellent security. It can be hard enough to drive 'em away when your the owner let alone the average pikey!

I think P38s are at rock bottom now, high scrap value means a lot of them are disappearing for simple fixable faults (usually owners and mechanics not understanding the EAS) I think they will start to appreciate within three years and you'll be hard-pressed to find a really good classic for £3K. No matter how hard to do your homework there's always an element of luck buying a Land Rover product - there are plenty of truly terrible examples of every model about.

Away to look at this one after work today sounds nice. Lovely Range Rover Vogue Brooklands For Sale (1992) on Car And Classic UK [C327600]

Any thoughts about such a car?

This was an email I got back from the seller

"
Thanks for the enquiry, it's always difficult to describe a cars condition as everyone has different views. What I can say is that I am very particular with my cars and will notice the slightest mark or blemish. I know quite a bit about the vehicles history over and above the paperwork I have, as I bought the Range Rover from a very well known and respected 4 x 4 garage and they have sold the vehicle twice, I have also spoken to the previous owner who had it for many years.

The vehicle has been professionally resprayed some years ago , I have a note in the pile of receipts but I think from memory about 4 - 6 years ago , the 4 x 4 garage had it done. The vehicle looks stunning no dents or scratches and no rust showing, all the panels are straight and the paintwork is excellent so much so that I haven't even polished the vehicle since I got it,the rain water just goes into nice little drops and runs off the bodywork ( apart from roof that could do with a polish,think its the height that has prevented it being done ).

The interior is even better, not a mark on any of the seats,carpets have heavy rubber mats in the front, head lining is very clean and not sagging. All the gauges work as they should including the clock. It has a Parrot hands free phone set which works, the boot area is also in excellent condition , obviously never had anything heavy or dirty in it. The only thing that does not work is the Clarion CD player, I am told its probably the cartridge thing in the boot, radio works fine and is of high quality, there is also a good quality dog guard fitted but this can easily be removed( without any tools )

I have been forced to use the Range Rover to work the past 2 days, a total of 140 miles and as usual it ran perfectly, for an old vehicle it really is a pleasure to drive and my mechanic says it has one of the smoothest auto boxes he has experienced in an old Range Rover.

The vehicle had a major service and new MOT just before I bought it but I have had a new water pump fitted recently and some belts replaced at the same time ,the V8 sounds beautiful and very quiet.

I am told its a Brooklands model ( only 150 made ) but *I don't know how to confirm this other than it has all the extras/variations that are listed on Range Rover sites, I am told the chassis number will confirm but so far all the sites want a fee to check chassis number and give out a spec.

I have looked underneath the vehicle( easy job ) and can seen no rust on the chassis, it's been wax oiled and thankfully is not covered in thick paint/underseal.

Now it's not perfect and there is some rust on the passenger door on the inside where the hinge is,can't be seen from outside and it does not affect the opening or closing of the door, I only noticed it very recently, also some of the light weight panels within the engine compartment have some rust on them, NOT the bulkhead and not on any major load bearing parts. And finally there is a narrow plastic strip that runs along the top of the rear bumper, it is starting to buckle up in the centre, again not a major issue but noticeable .

It has a good quality adjustable tow bar fitted with working electric, it's not been used much but I did use it when taking away the front wall at my house, I had the Range Rover in the field with quite a large trailer, trailer loaded and the Range Rover pulled trailer up small hill out of field on a wet day without any problem, so I can confirm all 4 x 4 systems are working, high and low.

Hope I have covered all points, please feel free to email or phone with any other questions, cars are a hobby for me and it's all part of the fun ,"

Any thing I should be checking or asking

blurry eck - 3.5K! thats twice the price of a good P38

She lloks tidy.....

I would prefer Leather but then again I am a tart and like a bit of leather!!!

All the panels look unmolested, and the tailgate looks rust free....

Get underneath and give the sills and the foot wells a good going over, open the bonnet and check the suspension turrets and wheel arches.

Check the rear cross member - it is hidden up under the rear bumper, with it being hidden up there it is a trap for mud and stuff which rarely gets cleaned out so check the condiotion of the Chassis/Body mounts up there....

Check the Chassis outriggers where they bolt onto the Sills for signs of corrosion....

If she is as good underneath as she looks on top, she ain't half bad....

Make sure she kicks down fine and accelerates smoothly with no juddering or hesitation....

The 1993 where a 3.9 engine (basically the same unit as in the P38 4.0).

Being a Vogue she won't have leccy seats, cruise control or dimming mirror etc....but that just means less to go wrong.....

Check she sits square - a slight dip to the drivers side is to be expected, but not overly so.....

Check the rear doesn't squat down - she looks plumb in the pictures though.

Rangies do roll about and the steering can be vague until you learn the parculiarities of there driving style....

I thought £3.5 is a bit high, but a quick glance on the 'net put me straight - Classics are more than I originally thought - so aslong as she has plenty of stamps and receipts....looks and drives straight - £3.5k ain't to bad....still would want leather for that price though

If it's that good then go and buy it now before anyone else off this site sees this thread! That's cheap for a good classic.

stuckagainsteve said:

if it's that good then go and buy it now before anyone else off this site sees this thread! That's cheap for a good classic.

Click to expand...

rather have a good P38 for £1700, missel'

The Mad Hat Man said:

rather have a good P38 for £1700, missel'

Click to expand...

So would I, but horses for courses and all that!

I have to say I am so split on Classic/P38 - I would gladly have one of each - one for play and one for best....

Like most, my first Landy was a Range Rover Classic so I will always hold and affection for them - but for many a year I had P38's - and loved and loved them - then the L322 came out and I loved that too - I had to wait 9 years before I could afford one, but I have one now and I love that too....

I am a major Range Rover fan - I love them all - it would be like asking me to choose between my parents, I love them both and they both have good and bad points - but I couldn't be without either - damn that is sooooooo hard......