P38 collecting it today, advice?

ok I have not had a good response to going though with this purchase, its all been negative here? upto now.
Its done 130,000 and has a full ticket i took it for a 20 min run, up and down dale and all seems fine.
ANYONE with advice on what i should check or look for before i part with my cash.
All advice welcome before 5.00pm today when I collect it. Thanks

Buying a Landrover is like buying a Rabid dog....

It may cost you the earth, yu may never go on holiday, it will bite yu as soon as look at you...........

But it doesnt mean you cant love it

Madness i love it, thanks for relpying
I will collect it and love it, will it love me back?

quedash said:

Madness i love it, thanks for relpying
I will collect it and love it, will it love me back?

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Yes, it will love you back if you feed her........

A new engine
New Air Bags
New EAS Pump
Recon Valve Block
New Steering Damper
New Visc Coup

and plenty of petrol

I'm pretty sure you have read alot on the forum but the main things to check are the suspension, make sure it goes through all the heights and that its responsive. Mine starts to rise the second I push the button and is complete 2 or 3 seconds later. If it is sluggish you may be looking at a leak or a pump on its way out.

Check the engine for obvious signs of it having been cooked (new rad or water pump). Are the hoses rock hard with the engine running (should be firm but not solid). Check the dipstick for water and the filler cap for mayo.

Other than that just check that all the switches work, including heated seats, cruise control etc.

If you are handy with a spanner then most things are fairly straightforward and reasonably cheap to buy.

I'm sure you will learn to love it very quickly - just keep your eyes closed when you go to the gas station - what you can't see won't hurt you.

JT,, Your a star, thank you for your advice, i will do all those things.

I knew someone here had to be sane
Cheers

I've owned a 4.6 Vogue now for 2 years and it's a great car. Yes they can all suffer from a rather long list of potential faults of which I'm sure you have read about on here.

I've bought cars and bikes in the past based on logic and running costs, but none of them really hit the spot if you know what I mean. They were all just transport. A Range Rover is never just transport. It's much much more than that.

If it's the car you want then go for it. I enjoy every mile in mine. The running costs are something I don't think too much about as it's just part of the Range Rover experience.

You only get what you pay for in this life.

LW....

"Other than that just check that all the switches work, including heated seats, cruise control etc." :hysterically_laughi

If you do find them all working then please post back as it will be the first time ever...that apart go for it and enjoy. I took on a P38 with pretty much every switch dysfunctional, air susp playing games, no cruise, no aircon etc etc.

All sorted, for now, and I love it.

you would have done better taking some body with you that understands them, but good luck with it hope its a good one.

j the range said:

you would have done better taking some body with you that understands them, but good luck with it hope its a good one.

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Nice idea J but do ANY of us really understand them??









thought it was more tolerate than anything else....

............. check the mechanicals ie ..........

Gearbox, does it shift hi to lo and back again, is the engine sound .....

When I picked up my latest '98 ........ there were about 22 electrical faults, things that didn't work ......... but, had them all fixed and running within a week. (Ive had a P38 before)

another week had all the tatty bits of trim replaced (ebay) and now its "mint" .....

best of luck ........ and welcome to the world of Land Rover

Hope you enjoy the new toy and welcome to the world of empty wallets!!

Well, did you get it? Have you fallen in love yet. Pictures would be nice.

Hi all, Thanks for the helpful advice, You'll never believe it...The damn switches ALL work, the seats get hot, and it starts, it even moves to, bit sluggish on motorway (uphill?) but apart from that, its home, getting the rugmaster teatment tomorrow...Thanks folks

quedash said:

Hi all, Thanks for the helpful advice, You'll never believe it...The damn switches ALL work, the seats get hot, and it starts, it even moves to, bit sluggish on motorway (uphill?) but apart from that, its home, getting the rugmaster teatment tomorrow...Thanks folks

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Don't go anywhere near the interior with a steam cleaner. If you do it is likely that everything will die. Most of the ECU's are under the front seats in the carpet area They do not like damp or worse still steam

Hi quedash, pretty much as everyone else has said on here.. I bought mine scaringly (2.5dse 97 plate) for 3995 - with NO service history at all.!! mad or what. but knowing i had taken this risk wasnt the end all. after 4 months now I have had to replace the air compressor pump (£225) & thats all. You could even consider joining the AA like i did & have full cover (including £500 parts & labour) for a vehicle this age, covers most things - check small print though, but other than that, i have no regrets & will defo be geting another in a couple of years

Well I am loving it, 130,000 miles and I am happy, time to start a few jobs,
thanks all for advice

Driving should be about adventure, that spirit of wonder, the joy of movement, the freedom of the road.

Nothing else can give you those feelings like a P38;

Adventure - that slight queasy feeling in the pit of your stomach wondering if you are going to get where you what to go!

Spirit of Wonder - wondering if the bloody thing will make it over the hill with out overheating, or other peculiar thing happening!

Joy of Movement - wondering when you went around that corner what the clunk was, and where that sudden additional movement came from!

Freedom of the road - you'll get to know the road a lot better - lots of different parts - parts you didn't know about, in great detail, while you wait for the AA.

Would we have it any other way???

P38 for me

KMCE...you got it right? talking from experience?...well I will mull over your list when I am at the nus stop....cos i am not in the AA...and No I dont drink..need all my money for the juice...
Thanks