P38: LPG vs Diesel

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Ade B

Ade B

New Member
Posts
42
Location
Glasgow
Hi there. I've owned a Discovery 200TDi now for a few months but really would like a less agricultural experience, yes I want a Range Rover!
I'm sure its been asked on here before, but feel free to humour me or ignore me.....

I'm a photographer and do a lot of miles in various situations, and boot space is paramount. I also will be towing a track car as well throughout the year.
Of course I'd far prefer a V8, but 10MPG and the inconvenience of LPG fueling and loosing boot space too doesn't sound great. Also its an extra complicated system to go wrong, and are Rover V8s really that dependable?
I would be carry a spare wheel if I went for LPG (too many blow out experiences in the past!), thinking of a space saver mounted upright in place of one of the load cover supports. Anyone done this before?

The diesel seems to make more sense on paper..... a full usable boot, filling up anywhere..... but just how slow are they? I've heard they're REALLY bad! Would an auto be much slower than a manual 200TDi?
Also there does seem to be a lot of running and starting issues being discussed on here.
I would be wanting an auto, and if it was a diesel I would most likely get it chipped as well.
Any advice is much appreciated! :D

Oh yes, and are there any good clued up Land Rover specialists that aren't crazy money in the Glasgow/Lanarkshire area? Always good to be prepared!
 
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If you get it chipped or re mapped its not slow, as for problems, you'll fine people only come here when things go wrong, never when there RR is running sweet, so it looks worse than it seems, I put a chip and an inter cooler in mine, its never going to be a race car, but its good enough on the streets and motorways
 
Good to hear a fairly positive report on the TD!

2.0_hippo said:
cant you stretch to an L322 ?
Click to expand...

Always liked the styling of the P38 to be honest.
And also I've got 8 cars as it is, so probably best not too spend any more than I really need too! lol
 
The P38 diesel is not that slow especially compared to a Pajero for example even as standard and the really fly with a power box although that may be at the expense of the gearbox.
 
Diesel all the way as regards to being slow mine is not as far as I'm aware it is standard

Can't see no plug in chip not unless it has been remapped but if it has it doesn't return the mpg that others report so I'm sticking with the standard approach
 
Think the 200tdi is about 110bhp, the rangie is 138bhp. Mine has done 160K and apart from a problem with the auto box that happened after i changed the fluid and a couple of electrical problems its been great. Auto box seems a lot better after another fluid change but I think you would find that it will leave a 200 tdi, mine out acelarates a TD5 as i've proved it and as for Pajero's I had one and the 2.5 Paj is a lot slower, a lot, lot slower but I must say I did like it, no electrical problems there just a cracked head. Up to you about the V8, seems to be good ones and bad ones, luck of the draw.
Davie
 
it may be a little late but i brought a p38 v8 first but after having to make special trips to petrol stations and not being able to find lpg whist out i sold it and brought a p38 dse. now the car has a bigger intercooler and remap and it would **** all over my old v8. i also have a classic 300 tdi which felt faster than the v8
 
I had a 200tdi RRC which I absolutely loved but the P38 DSE is a far, far better motor for real world living, particularly if you need the space.

As regards being slow, I have a chipped P38 DSE and a 3.9RRC with a piper cam outside the door right now. While there is no point trying to say that the V8 is not a superior driving experience engien wise, there is nothing like a V8:), A to B I think the P38 is quicker and a nicer drive too. Seanmull on here has a really quick one, manual, that'll show any 4.0litre a clean pair of wheels when its up and running.
 
Interesting reading guys!

So how much nicer an experience is the V8?
I take it the diesel is pretty old skool, is really that rough?
 
Not as bad as you might think, when I got mine it was almost new, I'm the 2nd owner from new, and tbh you couldn't hear it even on a cold start up, you can now ( it has over 100K on it now) so you can hear it, but once its warmed up its very quiet for an engine that's meant to be dirty and noisy, diesels have come a long way since the 70s 80s and 90s its a nice smooth ride still, and the BMW engine is pretty much bullet proof
 
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Ade B said:
Interesting reading guys!

So how much nicer an experience is the V8?
I take it the diesel is pretty old skool, is really that rough?
Click to expand...

No, its actually one of the nicest diesels you will ever encounter. The M51 engine is probably the pinnacle of indirect diesel engine design. Its actually a lot less clattery than all the modern direct injection engines. Its worst characteristic is lack of low down torque but once chipped its actually quite a good match for an auto.
 
Ade B said:
Interesting reading guys!

So how much nicer an experience is the V8?
I take it the diesel is pretty old skool, is really that rough?
Click to expand...

The V8 is no hot rod. After all its a 50 year old engine trying to pull a 2 ton house brick. I just find it an easier drive than the diesel.

Test drove 3 diesel P38's (all standard) and just found low down power non existent, that makes you push the peddle through the shag pile which increases the decibels making it all sound rather unrefined (remember when a dhse left the line it was late £30000's, man I would have been disappointed) Get on an open road and it settles down, but buy then the damage has been done.

In the right location countryside etc I'm sure they are fine. But London suburbs where you would be lucky to see 18mpg in a 2.5 the V8 was the way to go.
 
I've never had a V8 LPG but I think they babies are complicated enough don't you! Add to that the lack of places to re-fuel....
I've had mine for close to three years and I love it, no it's not a rocket ship but that's not why I bought it...
Get a diesel.....:D
 
Ade B, a standard diesel isn't that bad they will keep up the the traffic in town fairly easily, now if you stated your location there just might be a member close to you who may consider taking you for a short ride in a diesel and/or petrol version.

There is a very nice V8 up for sale, agreed its only petrol at the moment but it has top hat liners fitted and is in brillant condition by all accounts.

If you're interested pm "Irishrover" the vehicle is english mot'ed/registered/insured but currently in Ireland, its not cheap but it's a good un.
 
Definitely more love coming through for the diesels on here at the moment, I thought the V8s would be getting praised left right and centre!

(I'm in Glasgow, just not got round to filling in the profile on here yet....).

Looking around, it seems to be usable MOT'd older P38s go from between £1500 with wear and niggles, to around £3000 for something tidier with recent maintenance/lower miles if I'm correct?
 
Ade B said:
Looking around, it seems to be usable MOT'd older P38s go from between £1500 with wear and niggles, to around £3000 for something tidier with recent maintenance/lower miles if I'm correct?
Click to expand...

You might have to pay a bit more for a diesel.... (Well you would down here!)
 
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well you can have my v8 for 2200 late modle ne engine come and get it lol. v8 for me every time. and yes i have had a disco doozel ..
 
Would only buy a non-LPG V8 if it was very good and silly cheap I've decided. I just do too many miles to justify MPG in the low teens!
 
Ade B said:
Definitely more love coming through for the diesels on here at the moment, I thought the V8s would be getting praised left right and centre!

(I'm in Glasgow, just not got round to filling in the profile on here yet....).

Looking around, it seems to be usable MOT'd older P38s go from between £1500 with wear and niggles, to around £3000 for something tidier with recent maintenance/lower miles if I'm correct?
Click to expand...

That's becoz those tractor boys are a loyal bunch.

If you want to spend an arm and a leg get a doozel, if you don't mind spending an arm and both legs get a V8.

If you want to get from 0-60 in 10 seconds get a V8, if you want to get to 60 in about a week and a half get a doozel, simples:D
 
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