New convert from Disco1

Hi there,

Just thought I say hello again to the the P38 owners here. Joined the forum a few weeks back whilst researching P38's and bought my first in the week. She's a 1997 HSE 4.6 with a BRC LPG conversion. High mileage at 185K, but seems clean and tidy and, more importantly, everything seems to work! Currently waiting for DVLA to get the act together on paperwork so I can tax and use I was intending to get a DSE, but couldn't find anything I liked and could afford locally and this one just seemed to shout 'buy me'.

Had a couple of RR Classics and more recently a Disco1 (just sold) and have been pondering a P38 for about 3 years.

I have to admit that I'm impressed so far and improvements over the Classic is quite remarkable - surprising as I really liked the Classics and wouldn't have thought they could improve it that much Both the Classics I had and the Disco have been very reliable, so I guess that will be the ultimate test. My use is mixed - mostly as a commuting vehicle, but also as a van (mobile disco) a tow-truck (boats/slipway) and a bit of light off-road towing a trailer (feeds, timber etc). The Disco excelled at all these so will be a hard act to follow, but so far, so good.

No questions yet, but give it time...

Looks nice

Hope you've got either wads of cash or the ability to spin a spanner tho! These lovely ladies are high maintenance!!

Meant to say welcome to the forum too

Welcome to the land of pain in the wallet. Those 2 airblockers on the front look certain to cause it to overheat if you ever work it hard. Overheat = slipped liners & HGF.

Yup, lose the Wipacs and get the trim strips under the headlights sorted.

welcome to the forum.

The P38 is a very good 4x4 but does suffer from problems usually electrical, get yourself diagnostics like nanocom or hawkeye to sort out error codes and such things .

I have had three P38s and they have been great with only minor electrical problems , maybe i have been lucky .

A decent heavy duty battery will be needed with all the electrical bits and bobs on the car .
Keep up with good maintenance and she should look after you.

Thanks for the welcome everyone - and the tips.

I had the conversation with a friend (KookyGuy) regarding the spots and he came to the same conclusion. Diagnostics kit is on my shopping list already, along with a spare wheel (original is missing) and possibly some EAS bags. There's a load of service history, bills etc and new engine at 97K, but although front bags and EAS compressor have been replaced (the latter twice), I can't see any sign of rears having been done in the last 6-7 years. I get the idea that 10 years is about their lifespan? I'm planning to run it for a few weeks (assuming DVLA get their act together) and then give her a good once over for any signs of possible issues. Previous owner seems to have replaced most things over the last 6-7 years, but no guarantee of course they won't need doing again!

Thankfully I'm pretty handy with a spanner and electronics, but as with all these things it'll take a while to discover where things are and how they work. I've done V8 head gaskets before on a 3.9, but must admit that there seems much less room under the hood on this one and more to take off so I wouldn't relish the thought of having to. I have a set of workshop manuals which I've already read quite a bit of - so not totally unprepared for what lies ahead.

Speak soon no doubt!

Read RAVE and make it your new favourite bedtime book...!!

Saint.V8 said:

Read RAVE and make it your new favourite bedtime book...!!

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I've already been doing that - how sad am I...

Rob4x40 said:

I've already been doing that - how sad am I...

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No sadder than the rest of us Rangie Owners

Well, trekked over to DVLA in Exeter first thing Monday and taxed, so been doing the day-to-day commute. Nothing expensive has broken yet, but noticed the first couple of gremlins...

When using the demist 'PROG' on the aircon, the handbook pops up! Somehow missed that one when running through my checks...

The other one is that one key remote doesn't work - key fits ignition and the led flashes to lock/unlock but doesn't! Again, my fault as I didn't check Could be remote battery not strong enough I guess, but assuming a transmitter problem.

Ah well, I have my RAVE bedtime reading and I'm sure neither of these are things that can't be fixed...

Oh, and a seagull c**pped all over it on first run out! Isn't that supposed to be lucky?

Rob4x40 said:

Well, trekked over to DVLA in Exeter first thing Monday and taxed, so been doing the day-to-day commute. Nothing expensive has broken yet, but noticed the first couple of gremlins...

When using the demist 'PROG' on the aircon, the handbook pops up! Somehow missed that one when running through my checks...

The other one is that one key remote doesn't work - key fits ignition and the led flashes to lock/unlock but doesn't! Again, my fault as I didn't check Could be remote battery not strong enough I guess, but assuming a transmitter problem.

Ah well, I have my RAVE bedtime reading and I'm sure neither of these are things that can't be fixed...

Oh, and a seagull c**pped all over it on first run out! Isn't that supposed to be lucky?

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The book symbol may be a blend motor, diagnostics needed to be sure.
The FOB probably just needs re-syncing, they use a rolling code and if one is not used for a while the code moves too far for it to work. Happens regularly on mine. Re-syncing varies according to year.

Datatek said:

The book symbol may be a blend motor, diagnostics needed to be sure.
The FOB probably just needs re-syncing, they use a rolling code and if one is not used for a while the code moves too far for it to work. Happens regularly on mine. Re-syncing varies according to year.

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Wow - thanks! I'd barely submitted my post and an answer pops up quicker than Google...

I'll concentrate my efforts in the directions suggested. Annoyed about the aircon as a friend had said to check, I tried hot, cold and pretty much all the settings - or so I thought! It didn't do it yesterday or Monday, but did on Tuesday when it was icy on screen. Neither screen heater seems to trigger it and nor do any of the other settings, just the 'prog' mode for quick demist.

Will research the re-syncing - again thanks, might not be suchna major hiccup

Cheers.

Book Symbol could be because the Air Con needs gassing....IIRC the Prog defrost turns on the A/C (Remember the A/C is OFF when the Light is ON...) and as such could be low on gas pressure??!!

Saint.V8 said:

Book Symbol could be because the Air Con needs gassing....IIRC the Prog defrost turns on the A/C (Remember the A/C is OFF when the Light is ON...) and as such could be low on gas pressure??!!

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Ah thanks - another good point. I turned the temp settings down to check cold air when I went to look at it, but it was cold outside (1-2deg) so the air-con may not have actually kicked in. Looking back through receipts it seems it was last gassed in Nov 09 when the condenser was replaced, so quite possibly just needs a top-up. Let's face it, the last couple of years haven't really been air-con summers have they?

I need to get a diagnostic unit and was considering the Hawkeye units, but didn't seem to get such a good rap on here. The Blackbox units seem to have a bit more of a following - if a bit eye watering with VAT! :scratching_chin:

Nice looking machine you've bought yourself, where about's in Devon are you?

Dave,

Davlyn said:

Nice looking machine you've bought yourself, where about's in Devon are you?

Dave,

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Hi Dave,

Thanks. Been looking for a while - for a DSE initially, but then spotted this one! I had some concerns about all the power comments (lack of) on the DSE's TBH and do have a bit of an affinity with the V8's, having had 3 others - 2 x Classics & Disco1... The Disco was LPG too, but an early OMVL based on a kind of spray 'n' pray into air intake approach! Unsurprisingly, it wasn't very efficient at around 8-9mpg I'm banking everything on this one being a little kinder on the wallet as it's a sequential system.

I'm based in Kingskerswell, just outside Torquay, but get around much of Devon fairly regularly so you might see her about... Still pondering the advice on removing the 'air blockers' - appreciate the sound logic for removing, but they're great at night!

Regards,

Robin

Rob4x40 said:

Hi Dave,

Thanks. Been looking for a while - for a DSE initially, but then spotted this one! I had some concerns about all the power comments (lack of) on the DSE's TBH and do have a bit of an affinity with the V8's, having had 3 others - 2 x Classics & Disco1... The Disco was LPG too, but an early OMVL based on a kind of spray 'n' pray into air intake approach! Unsurprisingly, it wasn't very efficient at around 8-9mpg I'm banking everything on this one being a little kinder on the wallet as it's a sequential system.

I'm based in Kingskerswell, just outside Torquay, but get around much of Devon fairly regularly so you might see her about... Still pondering the advice on removing the 'air blockers' - appreciate the sound logic for removing, but they're great at night!

Regards,

Robin

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Keep your Cooling system up to snuff then.....

Saint.V8 said:

Keep your Cooling system up to snuff then.....

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Indeed I will!

She runs spot on the middle at the moment - but then that's no real surprise given the outside temp at the moment! I have kinda accepted they need to go, but....

They're cutting down all the trees for the new 'Kerswell bypass at the moment. It's going right through our field, so a trip or two around with a trailer picking up logs for woodburner is on the cards for the weekend and that will be an interesting test in more ways than one I suspect... Taking a big drum of water just in case

Rob4x40 said:

Indeed I will!

She runs spot on the middle at the moment - but then that's no real surprise given the outside temp at the moment! I have kinda accepted they need to go, but....

They're cutting down all the trees for the new 'Kerswell bypass at the moment. It's going right through our field, so a trip or two around with a trailer picking up logs for woodburner is on the cards for the weekend and that will be an interesting test in more ways than one I suspect... Taking a big drum of water just in case

Click to expand...

Whilst the P38 cooling system is margainal on surplus cooling capacity...it does get bad press....keep it maintained with good quality coolant, changed every 2 years, flush the rad, keep pipes clean and clear etc...you know good periodic maintenance...and she'll run spot on, even with the lamps on the front towing a trailer/caravan.....

The ones that go pop are the ones maintained on a shoestring and neglected in he main.....