did the P38 ever get sorted out?

Hi guys, i'm Looking at buying a P38 and have done quite a lot of research on the issues they have, (air suspension, HG, Engine Cracking, electricals, alarms etc, etc, etc...) i am looking at a 2000/2001+ 4.6 hopefully with LPG or if the right one came along a DHSE.

My question is did they ever sort out the issues on the p38 before the newer model came out, am i going to be better off with a newer model with repect to the above problems, is there such a thing as a reliable P38?

i dont really mind the airbags going as i would put springs on, but the engine and electricals bother me, please stop me from buying an X5!

99MY on reputedly better, 4 wheel TC amongst other things. DHSE more reliable and economical than the V8, EAS better than coils and easy to fix.

surfer4life said:

Hi guys, i'm Looking at buying a P38 and have done quite a lot of research on the issues they have, (air suspension, HG, Engine Cracking, electricals, alarms etc, etc, etc...) i am looking at a 2000/2001+ 4.6 hopefully with LPG or if the right one came along a DHSE.

My question is did they ever sort out the issues on the p38 before the newer model came out, am i going to be better off with a newer model with repect to the above problems, is there such a thing as a reliable P38?

i dont really mind the airbags going as i would put springs on, but the engine and electricals bother me, please stop me from buying an X5!

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"Put springs on". Wash your mouth out, go sit on the naughty step. Don't dare move or else.

put springs on and you may as well by a land cruiser

Put on coils, I did and don't regret it, best thing I have done to the beast.
Davie

HU5SH said:

put springs on and you may as well by a land cruiser

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Or an X5.

Remember what you are looking at is a 10 year old car and things will have had attention in that time. Buying an L322 at say 7 or eight years old might not yet have had all it's gremlins swatted! And it'll cost you more to start with.

thanks for the replies guys, i like the idea of the DHSE, but not the sound, for me it has to be the V8. As far as it being 10 years old i have an M3 thats a L reg and absolutely nothing has ever gone wrong with it apart from wear and tear items, it scares me buying a rangey from what i have read, i can't be bothered with it breaking down every 5 minutes, i'm far too busy to be fixing it, but i absolutely love the shape of them, i suppose i wanted to hear "yeah, landrover sorted out the problems on 2000 onwards" but i suppose deep down i knew that wouldn't happen!

from what i can see the newer ones aren't really any better, gearboxes, drop linkage, electronics!!!!! i really wanted a new shape but i'm not going out and spending 8-9K on a car then having to spend 2K+ a year to keep it running, at least with the p38 it's costing less in the first place and the parts seem to be cheaper.

If you can pick up a P38 with reasonable mileage, very good history, few owners (as I did) you wont go far wrong. However, do get one from a garage (as I did) with a decent warranty (mine was their own warranty, not a crappy insurance-backed one with all the get-out clauses).
I have needed the warranty - over 2k spent by them in parts and labour in the 4 months I've had it, though mostly through their own lack of knowledge of P38's ........had they replaced RF unit straight away, would have saved £100'sss!

Now that's all sorted - hopefully - I've got a damn fine motor, and running costs aside, should be worth the smile every mile that only a Range can give!

I have had an x5 in the past and it was fairly reliable but it will never make you feel the way a range rover does when you drive it. I guess what i am saying is they are worth a bit of aggro for the pleasure they give in return.

It's a car. O.K. it's a big car with lots of toys to go wrong but just be careful and don't buy with your heart. After looking at more than I care to remember I bought one privately that had been bought new by the father and then given to his son. Two years later and the only thing that I've been forced to replace has been the thermostat. It's been in a garage once and that was to have the major service done (all fluids etc.) and for an independant nose around for problems. However, with a lot of help from the guys on here I've renewed the air suspension and, as the original bits lasted ten years I don't see why the replacements shouldn't do the same.

No, I'm not saying that it won't give problems, it's a second hand car, of course it will, but how else are you going to get the same kick every time you drive away from your house. Sorry mate but there's Range Rovers and the rest.

I have had this v8 for 6 yrs done about 90k and spent about 3k in that time on repairs usual stuff new bags for eas nothing else there discs and pads steering ball joints one wheel bearing and a new fuse box now all of this is wear and tear I am about to replace the rf unit about 160 quid as I have alarm issues but that is the problem I know as for thousands and thousands not in my experience keep it well looked after properly serviced and good as any other 10 yr old motor the thing is it is all fixable parts are available and this site has all the support and info go for it otherwise you will always be thinking what if oh and mine is a 1998 with 155k on the clock

again thanks for the replies guys, o.k lets put the electrical gremlins aside and the suspension as it's easily fixable, and i suppose i wouldn't mind sorting them out myself. i would say my main worry and the main thing putting me off, is the whole heads going, engine cracking, major engine failure situation. from what i understand, and i am probably wrong, is that the 4.6's suffered a lot as they bored the 4.0 out and steel lined them, which led to problems.

did landrover improve the engines at the end of production?

it's quite hard at the moment aswell to find the right rangey for sale as i can't find the correct colour/mileage/age/history/interior colour combination.

it's got to be black 4.6 vogue with cream/white leather preferably 2000+ (although from what you guys are saying it could be older, as it doesn't matter) and FSH, preferably main dealer.

if anyone knows of the above anywhere please point me in the right direction.

surfer4life said:

it's got to be black 4.6 vogue with cream/white leather preferably 2000+ (although from what you guys are saying it could be older, as it doesn't matter) and FSH, preferably main dealer.

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I wouldn't get too excited about Main Dealer sevice history - most main dealers don't even know what a P38 is these days.

kooky_guy said:

I wouldn't get too excited about Main Dealer sevice history - most main dealers don't even know what a P38 is these days.

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Very good point mine is probably in better nick now than it ever was after a dealer had serviced it

i spoke to our local main stealer the other day about buying there trade ins and they where saying they dont even get TD5 in anymore as part exe's

it's got to be black 4.6 vogue with cream/white leather preferably 2000+ (although from what you guys are saying it could be older, as it doesn't matter) and FSH, preferably main dealer.



Sorry mate, you should have been on Ebay last week because that's exactly what I bought. 57k on the clock, full history etc. Already had a new wheel bearing this week though! You'll find one if you keep looking.

I've nicknamed it The Stogie, as its like having a big fat cigar on the drive

I would say look for one with as few owners as possible, and try to make sure the current owner has had it for a few years.

If a car has had a lot of owners it can be indicative that it's a pain in the arse, and everyone keeps passing it on! If people have held onto it for a few years, chances are its a good one and any problems they have had have been sorted along the way.

sandyt said:

I have had this v8 for 6 yrs done about 90k and spent about 3k in that time on repairs usual stuff new bags for eas nothing else there discs and pads steering ball joints one wheel bearing and a new fuse box now all of this is wear and tear I am about to replace the rf unit about 160 quid as I have alarm issues but that is the problem I know as for thousands and thousands not in my experience keep it well looked after properly serviced and good as any other 10 yr old motor the thing is it is all fixable parts are available and this site has all the support and info go for it otherwise you will always be thinking what if oh and mine is a 1998 with 155k on the clock

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One word....punctuation!!!

MikeV8SE said:

I would say look for one with as few owners as possible, and try to make sure the current owner has had it for a few years.

If a car has had a lot of owners it can be indicative that it's a pain in the arse, and everyone keeps passing it on! If people have held onto it for a few years, chances are its a good one and any problems they have had have been sorted along the way.

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Yup, I'd agree completely with this. Probly the best advice so far!