P38A Thinking about buying a P38 - Should a new radiator worry me?

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rickead2000 said:
Thanks for all the advice - although I must say I'd love to know where all these sub-£1000 P38s are that everyone keeps referring to! £2000 on ebay gets you something that's been sat in a swamp for 5 years, doesn't start and has ABS/EAS/TC faults, needs head gasket, no MOT and an interior David Attenborough could film a whole series in

Not being an experienced mechanic (and also not wanting to buy a car I immediately have to start fixing before it can be used) I'm happy to pay more for something I can just get in and drive in the hopeful knowledge it doesn't have any serious faults at the time of purchase.

I'm going to have a look at it tomorrow - having spoken to the dealer we've agreed a price which starts with a 53 if it's to be a sold-as-seen purchase and is as described.

Thanks Grrrr for the very useful advice. EAS bags and compressor were all replaced 4k mls ago so hopefully that won't be an issue.

pwood999 not sure where you're getting it's a diesel from? Gov MOT and TAX checker both coming back at 4.6 petrol; so did my insurance when running a quote thru?!
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Ebay and patience. You should get a decent one dor between £2k and £3k unless inflation has gone through the roof. A couple or years ago you could have halved that amount for a decent one.

Be warned, Land Rover absolutely take the mick on parts prices. Garages won't like to fit anything else because unless you're on forums like this and keeping on top of which alternative is decent then the part will be made of chineesium and fail. Dealer labour are horrible and most Indy garages are wary of old Land Rovers because they will have seized bolts that take hours to get off. In short, if you don't do your own spannering then maybe something Jap might be a better bet, like a Toyota Land Cruiser. More money up front but less likely to go wrong. Or a Volvo XC90.
 
rickead2000 said:
Thanks for all the advice - although I must say I'd love to know where all these sub-£1000 P38s are that everyone keeps referring to! £2000 on ebay gets you something that's been sat in a swamp for 5 years, doesn't start and has ABS/EAS/TC faults, needs head gasket, no MOT and an interior David Attenborough could film a whole series in
!
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I meant that dealer gave <£1000 and then tried to get £7k. Decent examples can be had for £2000-£3000. My 4.6 GEMS was £2900 back in 2013.

Also bought an Autobiography for £803.00 on eBay that owner said "had misfire". Was actually a head gasket issue, but it's become a project with full engine rebuild.
 
kermit_rr said:
are you sure about 3 months? I'm not.
you get 30 days to reject the car, after that, for 6 months from sale, you have to give the dealer chance to repair or replace
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As you know Kermie i went through all this ****e with my first P38 encounter so yes i do know buddy albeit can also extend up to 6 months in some cases. One thing for sure i wont be going through that crap again.
 
Grrrrrr said:
Ebay and patience. You should get a decent one dor between £2k and £3k unless inflation has gone through the roof. A couple or years ago you could have halved that amount for a decent one.

Be warned, Land Rover absolutely take the mick on parts prices. Garages won't like to fit anything else because unless you're on forums like this and keeping on top of which alternative is decent then the part will be made of chineesium and fail. Dealer labour are horrible and most Indy garages are wary of old Land Rovers because they will have seized bolts that take hours to get off. In short, if you don't do your own spannering then maybe something Jap might be a better bet, like a Toyota Land Cruiser. More money up front but less likely to go wrong. Or a Volvo XC90.
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"a decent one dor" I didn't know they did a one dor version:rolleyes:
 
Enthusiastman said:
As you know Kermie i went through all this ****e with my first P38 encounter so yes i do know buddy albeit can also extend up to 6 months in some cases. One thing for sure i wont be going through that crap again.
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Yes i know, but i couldn't see any ref to 3 months on Which/consumer rights pages
Just asking :)
 
rickead2000 said:
It's at a garage called Approved Vehicles in Chesterfield. It's listed on their website if you want to take a look
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Owners name is Michael. I have had some dealings in the past with him regarding other P38's he had in stock. I actually thought he had given up on them as he sold his prized H&H to a chap down my way during lockdown and he got rid of the Westminster he had too but i also knew he has a hidden stock of them which he wakes up now and then, does a load of work on them and lists them for sale ( The green one for example ) a fully loaded pride and joy no doubt to its first owner but now back on road for 7k. If its as good as it looks then i would say 5k max with all those toys on it as they alone are worth a mint as i pre bought the same stuff for my first P38. All his other cars are top end cars i think he just likes P38's which is why he dabbles in them. The old dealer quote " P38 prices are on the up " IMHOP has now worn thin as we enthusiasts know deep down they are not worth massive monies. Only those who don't know will pay the money sadly. Look at all the Jap imports still for sale and still having more money added to there prices!!! makes me laugh.
 
There's a fairy decent 2001 plated one on the bay at the moment, needs a little work due to storm damage, needs windscreen, sunroof and rear offside window & a bit of bodywork (dings & scratches). BUT looks like its had a few quid spent on it in the past few years , MOT til Jan '23 all for £1500. From the pics looks quite tidy, if I had anywhere to put it I'd have a go at it...
 
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