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MrGorsky

MrGorsky

Well-Known Member
Full Member
Posts
1,478
Location
Buckinghamshire.
Hello All,

Today I took the plunge and bought a P38.

1997 4.6 HSE with 67,000 miles.

Black with cream leather, loads of toys, and loads of wood. One small ding above the rear off side light, but it's going to a be a family car with bikes, camping gear, and gods knows what else going into and out of it so I wasn't after a minter.

It looks pretty solid to me anyway.

I have a strange mixed sensation of joy and trepidation at the prospect of ownership. I'm handy with spanners though and looking forward to learning lots.

As soon as I've had a chance to bed in with her, I'm sure I'll have lots of questions for you all!

Hello again,

Al.
 
:welcome2:

Just remember the car is 15 years old. No doubt there will be things that should have been changed out months or years ago that havent. Your job over the next few weeks is to find them and correct them before they decide to pop up and ruin your weekend. Things to look for are worn airbags. They have a normal usable life of 7 years so your car should be ready for its 3rd set. Other areas to look out for are rusty rear brake lines and worn EAS pump (see Wammers post in the How To section at the top of the forum). I am sure some other things will be suggested shortly.
 
One thing I would recommend is to change the battery. The guy who had it has probably put another one on, keeping the big heavy duty for himself!!
The last thing you want to see is the message board lighting up with all sorts of problems that don't really exsist (eg: traction failure, gearbox failure, EAS failure, sure you get the picture!)and then stopping on the hardshoulder of the motorway!!!!

It sounds like a silly bit of advice, but if you have the wrong amp battery things can and do go wrong, after all the P38 has soooooo much electronics.

Good luck with her anyway, as long as you understand she needs more attention than the wife then all will be good :p
 
v8p38 said:
One thing I would recommend is to change the battery. The guy who had it has probably put another one on, keeping the big heavy duty for himself!!
The last thing you want to see is the message board lighting up with all sorts of problems that don't really exsist (eg: traction failure, gearbox failure, EAS failure, sure you get the picture!)and then stopping on the hardshoulder of the motorway!!!!

It sounds like a silly bit of advice, but if you have the wrong amp battery things can and do go wrong, after all the P38 has soooooo much electronics.

Good luck with her anyway, as long as you understand she needs more attention than the wife then all will be good :p
Click to expand...

Believe me it isn't silly advice.... I've just had to deal with that battery problem. My advice would be to (dull though it may be) read the owner's manual. You'll learn a lot of do's and don't's that could come in handy.

You're going to really love the car though :D They're fantastic!
 
Welcome, much joy to come & with TLC hopefully not too many sorrows.

1st thing check the RF receiver is the new type PN: YWY500170, thus avoiding many troubles.
2nd, make sure you have the EKA code
3rd make sure battery are the best & get decent charge by alternator

Then all the common with airbags, bank account, oil, filters, grease, coolant etc.

Most things has been covered here many times so learn to search & the answers are all here (Avoid the goggles search, forum search just underneath)

Download RAVE for all the details, workshop manual etc.

Maybe put in your location

Keep a spare serpentine belt in car.

Fill up the Rangie and enjoy the V8 thunder:)
 
Welcome. Most of all, don't panic when you do face a problem. Very good odds its already happened to someone and been solved before.
 
Thanks for the warm welcome.

I got RAVE a few weeks ago to fore arm myself, and try and get a bit of a clue as to what I was getting in to. I also intend to install an LPG system so wanted to read up on the installation possibilities.

As regards EKA and stereo codes, I've just phoned Lookers in London, and they gave them to me over the phone once I'd given them the VIN. A great service, but perhaps not the most secure!

After living with her a day or two I think I've got an ABS accumulator to sort out. I can hear the pump pumping after every pedal press, but other than that she drives superb.

Quiet, but with V8 rumble somewhere in the background. And only £120 to fill up!

Thanks for the rest of the advice, I'll have a close look at battery condition, and the RF receiver thingy at the weekend. Can I identify the RF receiver by looking at it, or do I have to take it apart?
 
MrGorsky said:
Thanks for the warm welcome.
Thanks for the rest of the advice, I'll have a close look at battery condition, and the RF receiver thingy at the weekend. Can I identify the RF receiver by looking at it, or do I have to take it apart?
Click to expand...

It's under the rear right hand side parcel shelf. Pop the right seat forward and there's a screw and a few pop plugs to take out. It's a small black box with a blue wire (aerial) and a cluster of wires for the alarm system. It has a coloured spot on it. That denotes what it is.
Can someone step in here and say what colour you need? (Mine's blue, the one's on eBay, which are the newest ones, are green)
 
Latest RF Alarm receiver has a GREEN dot on it older ones is blue & dark blue if I remember right.
There is one on ebad Here: eBay - The UK's Online Marketplace

For some reason people say do not buy on ebad but if it's new and latest version can't see why not, in all cases if it doesn't work you always get your money back when it's buy it now, or buy dearer at dealer & 4x4 places if you believe in buying gold too dear.
However don't get tempted to buy other than the latest, fair few flog older ones as modified etc. but waste of money.
Not a cheap part but essential to avoid loads of troubles, burnt door locks, unable to drive etc.
If you have the old version installed simply disconnect the blue wire which is the antenna and it will work but only very short distance from receiver but you avoid problems caused by stray signals like wireless internet, doorbells etc.
 
Good luck mate and welcome. My threepennorth is keep a check on rust underneath along with the other advice. LPG isn't the be-all and end-all, but it does get you into London without congestion charge. If you're using the Rangy for longish runs the fuel isn't that bad, I see 23-24 on petrol and 30 equivalent on gas. Have fun
 
TCubed said:
It's under the rear right hand side parcel shelf. Pop the right seat forward and there's a screw and a few pop plugs to take out. It's a small black box with a blue wire (aerial) and a cluster of wires for the alarm system. It has a coloured spot on it. That denotes what it is.
Can someone step in here and say what colour you need? (Mine's blue, the one's on eBay, which are the newest ones, are green)
Click to expand...

Thanks for that. Checked this evening, green dot=V happy.

I can spend that money on an abs accumulator now!

And some o rings for the EAS valve block.
 
scoobypete said:
Sorry to hijack thread but whats RAVE?

Im currently looking at P38s without a clue what to look for,sounds like it could be useful :p

Where from please :D
Click to expand...

Or, alternatively, as soon as you buy a P38, contact DATATEK on here and send him a few wine tokens (he lives in France) and get the suspension repair software and connection lead. He burns a copy of RAVE onto the software disc for free.
 
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