Range Rover P38. Yay or nay?

[xtriple]

I have quite a few friends with P38s and they love them like second children. However, even the most ardent fan will accept that they are an easy route to bankruptcy even if you do the work yourself.  One mate has owned his for about ten years and every week it needs something, usually suspension or electrics - windows are currently inoperative and the suspension is flat.

 

My son works for JLR| and even they hate them!

 

The later (322?) is supposed to be a much better bet.

[CHRIS1980]

I just can't see the point in owning a 4x4, unless you want to actually use it for 4x4 stuff. Even then, when I've owned 4x4s, I've realised that most of the time, I'm driving something ill-suited to most road conditions. As Scruff says, if it's a posh way to burn money you seek, Jaguar all the way.

 

I do use them for what they are intended its just I'd rather have some comfort and toys than a cart sprung clunky metal box.

[Six-cylinder]

What else does this with comfort and ease, although it did test my resolve a few times!

 

[sierraman]

Saw a P38 other day where someone had grafted the front of the newer model on. Wasn't very convincing though, it just looked bodged up after a bang.

[John F]

One of my mates had the pleasure* of doing an engine transplant on a P38 last year.

 

He's very familiar with Land Rovers, having owned & worked on a wide selection of Solihull products over the years, but the P38 tested even his knowledge of swearing.

[mrbenn]

Chap up the road has a 2001 4.6 top spec P38. Lovely thing, sounds great.

 

However, its always disappearing for work, or being taken away on a low loader. Always seems to cost him between £500 and £1k to sort out, only reason it isn't more is a) he has made friends with a Land Rover specialist and breaker that can seemingly get/fit/fix pretty much anything and nothing that serious has gone wrong, yet. In fairness it does have LPG which has been the cause of a bill or two recently.

 

Interestingly its disappeared again as of a week or so ago. Worth noting he keeps a 2006 Fusion as a spare car....

[Taff]

This was pretty much my life when I had the Classic. Except I didn't take it to the scrappy, I repaired the head gaskets and traded it in 2 weeks later for what I paid for it 3 years prior. Life was different then, I lived with my parents and had loads of disposable income to waste on cars. Now I'm married,a Dad, a mortgage round my neck and drive everywhere with the fuel warning light on.

 

you don't want a P38, you want a lawyer

[eddyramrod]

What are the better alternatives? Grand Cherokee? I have no need for one other than driving something posh/posh shite. I don't mind fixing stuff myself if I can.

 

Seriously though: in my time here I have considered both a Cherokee and a P38, and decided against them for various reasons, not least cost of upkeep vs fragility of various bits.  If you search, you should be able to find the threads, I started one for each.

[CHRIS1980]

100_4356.jpg

 

Seriously though: in my time here I have considered both a Cherokee and a P38, and decided against them for various reasons, not least cost of upkeep vs fragility of various bits.  If you search, you should be able to find the threads, I started one for each.

WTF is that? It's hideous!

[billyboy406v6]

Get one, and prove the cynikkks wrong, plenty of mending pics if it does go tits up,please.

[Alan_Green]

I have a one track mind on the subject of 4x4s having owned/driven at length all the major suspects.  The 4x4 to have is a V6 petrol Shogun/Pajero. Just check no HGF.

 

P.S. the petrol Shogun does the same MPG as the diesel for some bizarre reason.  No need for LPG. I was running a V8 Disco and a V6 Pajero at the same time and the Disco guzzled double the petrol. 

[dollywobbler]

I have a one track mind on the subject of 4x4s having owned/driven at length all the major suspects.  The 4x4 to have is a V6 petrol Shogun/Pajero. Just check no HGF.

 

P.S. the petrol Shogun does the same MPG as the diesel for some bizarre reason.  No need for LPG. I was running a V8 Disco and a V6 Pajero at the same time and the Disco guzzled double the petrol. 

 

Interesting. My mate had a V6 auto Shogun, and it resolutely refused to do better than 15mpg. Then the engine blew up.

[eddyramrod]

WTF is that? It's hideous!

"That" is my infamous Mercury Sable.

Pro: you won't see another every day

Lovely smooth powerful 3.0 V6

Really plush interior

All the toys

Still has MoT

New front suspension, as per the thread

 

Cons: electronic woes, as detailed in the thread

"All the toys" is just more to go wrong

Parts need to come from specialist suppliers

Not many in UK scrappies.

[Alan_Green]

Maybe something wrong with it. I've owned two and used two others regularly.  Will definitely own more.

[cort16]

Sam glover from PC bought a p38 using the "they can't be that bad " thinking and it didn't end well from the article I read a few months ago .

 

If you want a range rover buy a classic while they're still in 4 figures.

[smellmycheese]

Buy a classic. P38 is actually latin for " unbelievably fucking crap". Seriously, don't do it. I gave 13 grand for one ages ago, a Y reg dse. Lovely to look at, gorgeous leather, but a fucking nightmare. I used to walk away from it and hear noises then look back as wipers went of their own accord. Typical british shit with electrical gremlins. A p38 may seem like a good idea but will do your head in, I guarantee it. A classic tho, if you buy a good one will sell easy if you want out.

[D Spares & Tyres]

Met a chap today who bought a generator off me

 

Turned up in an R reg 4.6 HSE with LPG

 

Asked him about it.

 

Loved it. Totally reliable, and 26mpg on a run.

 

Has some minor electrical issues, heated seats not working at moment but otherwise he had nothing but praise for it