p38 reliability

hi really need help im so close to buying this 95 plate 2.5dt p38i have been offered it has the common air suspension fault but i need to know if i buy one i can rely on it to get me to work and back everyday?
is there anything else i should be weary of?
i have heard of people running them on 50/50 cooking oil can anyone advise me on this?

Reliable every day dream on!! You need to be good on the spanners and get very cosy with this and the other RR forums to keep these babies running well.
If you buy it with air sus problems make sure you get yourself the free fault reading sofware for your laptop or get one of the fault readers, otherwise you'll be on the bumpstops in no time.
Get the history of the diesel engine, if it has any signs of overheating, walk away or be prepared to spend money on a new head.
If you can live with lots of little faults then go ahead and join the club, they are a wonderful way to get around

I agree with all he said, Im not going to lie and say hell yes, they are 100% reliable, they aint, but then again, what car is?!

It will generally get you to work and back everyday, even with all the problems I have had in the past I have only ever twice been completely stranded and not able to go anywhere, this was due to overheating and as such I shut the engine off trying to stop any further damage - still ended up with a new head!

The DT does lack alot of toys that the higher spec diesels have, are you sure you want a DT?? Although some people think of it as less things to go wrong - its up to you - unless the DT is amazingly cheap then I would wait a bit more, save up a bit more and try and go with a DSE - if you can find one that was specced up a bit from the factory like mine you will be even happier - electric seats, A/C, HK sound system and the like, all toys that you think you wont need but, in reality, you do Especially the A/C, this heat over the past week or two has been really warm, are you really going to be able to survive without A/C??

-Wills

I have the P38 2.5 DSE, love it to bits and to be honest if she gives me one more headache she will be in bits!
Bought her in March 2007 and have spent £4,500 just keeping her going. Won't bore you with the list but includes gearbox (twice), EAS is now replaced with coil springs but she is still off the road as Harwoods are fumbling around in the dark trying to explain why the hazard lights keep coming permanently on overnight, which drains the battery and why she won't start when she does have a charge. My money is on the BeCM but what would I know!
Want reliability? Buy a Discovery, they are workhorses, the P38 is a premadonna

see i would say im getting it at a good price after haggling with the seller i have got the price down but stll unsure.
yeah sure every car has faults im a vw technician and drive a passat tdi that touch wood has never let me down so last thing i want is to sell and have nothing but hassle.like i said im a tech and i love tinkering so dont mind the odd fault here and there but when i need to be at work for 6 in the morning and it wont start thats when i will get fed up off it.
going from the passta with a/c to the rr without think would be a little tedious at 1st but could live without it.
what else should i look at it has bubbling across the bottom of the tailgate im told is normal,i have just read a mag and it says check the exaust system as its expensive, the rr im looking at has failed the mot on small minor thing and the air suspension the seller has assured me everything on the fail sheet has been done exept the suspension issue so i can'ts see too much wrong with it or am i being blind because im so close to having it?
if push come to shove and it was a complete nightmare what do these fetch when broke?
i mean surly the engine (if ok etc) must be worth around £500?

also guys whats the free diagnostic software you are talking about?
i have seen on ebay a diagnostic lead that you plug into your laptop and that come's with a EAS software disc.

Do a search in the forums for diagnostic stuff and see what turns up top notch faultmate stuff is £500 or so, EAS Kicker made by the same people is £200 ish both the Dog's but you pay for it.

Ebay source a couple of systems but different people rate them or hate them

Cheers

Adam

Hi gti
i have a 2.5dt bought it last march and touch wood it has never let me down even thou it has done 148k . i am a baker and start at 4am every morning and even on the worst winter mornings up here in aberdeen it still started . all i have done to her is have her chipped £500, put in leather seats, etc,etc,etc, but on a serious note i would buy another 2.5dt tomorrow .
go ahead and buy it ,with the bmw engine you have reliability built in.

Search web for RSW solutions then down load EAS program its free then buy on Ebay or maybe the site will tell you where to buy the cable that conects your car to your laptop
Genrally the serial conector is better than the USB convertion its less trouble.
The program and instructions are easy and it will read the faults and unlock the the EAS.
Total cost no more than $40 try Hardrange.com.au
Pete38

Better still get in touch with Datatek he will supply the cable and disc very cheap and
be able to help if you have any problems using it.

gti power said:

also guys whats the free diagnostic software you are talking about?
i have seen on ebay a diagnostic lead that you plug into your laptop and that come's with a EAS software disc.

Click to expand...

www.rswsolutions.com for the free EAS software and you can either make a cable or I can supply along with the software on CD plus my airbag replacement guide and the LR workshop manual. The P38 is not as bad as the impression one gets on here but they do need looking after. Airbags have a design life of 7/8 years, when they start to leak they take out the compressor and other things. Cheap and easy to fix though.
A big good quality battery is the most important thing, most of the niggles like RF receivers are easily sorted.
Mine has never let me down in two and a half years although it's fair to say it's running with a gearbox problem at the moment due largely I believe to running with a power box which has over stressed it.

What you got to remember is at best these cars are 10years old now so its mostly down to how They been looked after
The engine is a good unit if its been serviced regular and not thrashed same goes for the gearbox and eas
The only other problem to watch for are the electrical gremlins

Vehicle reliability is only as good as it's servicing. One thing is for sure if it is not properly maintained it WILL break down at some stage. My lad has to take his vehicles in for safety checks every six weeks. His 18 tonner went in for a pre MOT check last week to the garage that does his safety checks. It came out with a list as long as your arm of faults that required sorting before MOT. One of which was an insecure mud flap. Fitted by the same garage two weeks previously. You may want to ask what quality of safety checks these people had been charging him £215.00 + Vat a throw for ever six weeks. When all these items had been missed. Don't take your trucks to Iveco at Bamber Bridge.

i hope mine proves reliable, as any car and like above- servicing and how its been maintained and looked after, mine shows good evidence of being well maintained and the contion too shows care, took my time to find it too

a mate has been pondering a disco, went in my p38 and he then started talking about getting one, showed me an 86k blue one, spring replacement, dealer price 3k dealer said was mint, a 3 hr round trip or so, i looked at the add said keep away, something tells me its rubbish and hasnt been looked after and 86k to have the springs replaced and not fixed,the area by heathrow etc....he still went and didnt listen, saw him last night "ahh man that range rover was a heap of crap, soon as i saw it it was rough, covered in scratches and dings,shabby interior, cubby box full of mould, whole care stank of dirty wet dogs, didnt even sart it, said to the dealer thanks for wasting my time saying it was mint"

my disco proved reliable in the year i had it, hope my p38 proves the same, not going to be doing mega milage in it,aim to look after it but neeed it to be reliable through winter

Polsta....

I think I know the Blue P38 your mate went to see...as I went to see the same one....

I work at LHR so passed it on the way home a good number of times and it has been there (and still is) for ages.

When my wonderful girlfriend finally agreed I could get another P38 but it would have to be diesel, I made a bee-line for this one as it was close by, I stepped out of my car, walked into the car lot, saw it from about 20ft away and my pace slowed, the guy came out and asked it I was interested, I at first ignored him, peered in the window, turned to him and said 'Not a hope in hell's chance' and walked briskly back to my car and drove off shaking in that kind of 'I've just eaten something that tastes foul' shiver.....

It was total rank, I won't name the garage, but it has big RAC warranty flags outside....I wonder if the RAC know this??

it sounded it !! from the add it sounded iffy to me, he said it was listed as a years mot- had no mot, but hel put one on it..presume once sold, it sounded like a right dog, but is said it probably was anyway, thing wiht dealers what annoys me- they list the spec in the add, but never condition or faults or niggles etc , which is why in my weeks fo searching, i only go local ish within £20 round trip of fuel or less, even then spending £20 on a wasted journey makes me angry when its not as described