Took the plunge....

and bought a Faultmate MSV-2 Extreme today...collected it from RPi directly as they're in Norwich and I'm based here for a while. Can't wait to get it operational....was going to order from Blackbox themselves, (about a tenner cheaper or thereabouts from Blackbox) but they wanted a bank transfer to post it to my Norwich address as its not my registered credit card address and I was a bit uncomfortable about that. While at RPi saw the Coscast blocks and strongly considering having the work done to change the block to a Coscast rather than buying a new car.
I reckon a major spruce-up and overhaul including the Coscast block will still be a lot cheaper than buying a newish L322 / Audi Q7 / VW Touareg or whatever else - around the £5K-ish mark for new engine, new rad, new mounts, Koni Shocks (what a great drive they are - tried it out today).
Beats £25K+ on a 4 year old supercharged L322, or even £15K+ on a lower spec L322 by a loooong way, and you know exactly what has been done and how well its been done.

Would you spend a bit on a P38 like this if keeping it long term or would you buy something new???? Sensible thoughts please or not, as you please

I'm very happy with my P38, but you propose spending more on a re-furb than I paid for mine. I do plan to keep it long term and would certainly consider forking out for a new engine or a doner vehicle to keep it going.

yes iwould refurb and intend to keep as long as poss

its a case of how far you go before its not financilly wise, but if you are keeping the car and dont want to let it go then you pay the premium for it. so long as yer using your own cash then its fine by me!

the l322 has its issues, and so i assume does any car!

i dont like the l322 shape, for me the p38 is the best shape of all landrovers, prolly second is the sport, but they are ridiculous on the back and small inside.

the only reason i would update is for more gadgets! like the 2009 model! but then again i aint got cash like that to spend on cars!

We thought about upgrading recently, but after ploughing quite a bit of time and effort into our P38 recently, we've decided to hold fire for the time being. A local Indy to me reckons there's far more electrickery in a L322 to go wrong (and can be a pig to find) than a in a P38. So until I can afford one thats still got a bit of manufacturers warranty left, or there's alot more knowledge of DIYing them we'll be staying put.

I don`t think they`ll be many on THIS site saying dump your current P38. I am certainly willing to invest time, cash, sweat & skin off my knuckles to keep mine going for a while yet. Some of it is `emotional`, but if you`re trading in for a newer (2nd hand) car, it`s an unknown quantity. Even new ones can be `monday morning cars`. I would say stick with what you have and refurbish or improve a known good base rather than take a punt on an unknown one.

All you need is a classic, a mig set and a can of K-seal!:crazy:

I have to say that I've recently bought a p38 4.6, and yes I would spend the spondoolicks on it. Presently giving the interior a spruce up, going to play with the engine later. Let me know what you think of the Coscast engine.

ATB Jon

Had a second thought: Keeping a vehicle on the road longer saves all that CO2 investment in a new build. Be Green: run a Rangie!

RG, unless you can afford to invest in a new new one, why spend 15+ k in upgrading to a possible unknown money pit, you're probably safer with the Audi/VW but all s/hand new motors are a gamble.

If you happy with the P38 spend the money, if you are going to upgrade you've just wasted the money for the extreme.....



PS. 50p for the extreme if its not locked in yet....


Ps2: If you're going to buy a new new one this looks gorgeous, its a pity it looks like an Audi/Ford/Volvo.....

Laurie, stck with it Gal!!..better the devil you know!!!
Congrats on the purchase of the Faultmate. My Rovacomlite went t*ts up after many years of service and I am waiting for the new Faultmate to arrive from Cyprus.
If you need any help with the F'mate, send me a PM.

Thanks Irish, I will take you up on that!! Waiting frustratingly, for a serial / USB convertor - was going to use a Panasonic Toughbook to load up the software but as its running Win 98 the lack of drivers for all the USB bits and the ethernet cardbus card, was just too much hassle in the end, so I decided I'd use my new laptop - even though it runs Vista - but of course, no serial port, so am just awaiting a convertor. Although the Extreme doesn't need the laptop, I need to register and get the codes via the software and connect the Faultmate to load the codes. Its a very neat piece of kit - about 12" x 2.5" - and you don't need a laptop to use it once registered. Nice.

Better keep the old girl a while then!!! It can be re-registered though, at considerable saving, so is not entirely useless if you buy another car. I thought of the multivehicle version, but honestly couldn't justify the cost. Blackbox have another Rovercom available, but want as much for it as a Faultmate multi vehicle, so no point.

Packed it away till the serial / usb convertor arrives.

Sent my faulty Rovacom from Walsall Monday and it arrived in Cyprus the following day. Made the payment for the Extreme same day (Tuesday) and was told it would be sent to me the next day. Still waiting (Saturday)..and I have two BECM's to sort out. Problem is that we came back home Monday and Ireland is a million miles from the UK, hence the longer delivery time.
It will run on Win 98 as long as you have Internet Explorer loaded (You don't have to be online). If you don't have the software (TUP) codes, drop BBS a mail and request them by mail..or give them a ring.
You may need to power the Faultmate up from a 12VDC source and connect to your PC in order to load the software.
I have sent you a PM

rangiegal said:

Thanks Irish, I will take you up on that!! Waiting frustratingly, for a serial / USB convertor - was going to use a Panasonic Toughbook to load up the software but as its running Win 98 the lack of drivers for all the USB bits and the ethernet cardbus card, was just too much hassle in the end, so I decided I'd use my new laptop - even though it runs Vista - but of course, no serial port, so am just awaiting a convertor. Although the Extreme doesn't need the laptop, I need to register and get the codes via the software and connect the Faultmate to load the codes. Its a very neat piece of kit - about 12" x 2.5" - and you don't need a laptop to use it once registered. Nice.

Better keep the old girl a while then!!! It can be re-registered though, at considerable saving, so is not entirely useless if you buy another car. I thought of the multivehicle version, but honestly couldn't justify the cost. Blackbox have another Rovercom available, but want as much for it as a Faultmate multi vehicle, so no point.

Packed it away till the serial / usb convertor arrives.

Click to expand...

Serial/USB convertor from Maplin, ex stock in their shops and next day by post, about £12.90. Works fine with the EAS software on my DELL laptop