Should I take the plunge??

dave_dunn · Jul 24, 2011

discomalc said:
Also remember people post on here when they have a problem, not many post to say "my car runs fine no problems at all" There are thousands of P38s that run around daily for years with no problems.

Very true. I am realistic enough to know it won't all be plain sailing and I don't mind spending a bit of money on it over time. The main thing is keeping it on the road really. It's more difficult when they bare only used at weekends as well. Things seem to go wrong due to a bit of neglect.

D

CEZ1869 · Jul 24, 2011

Take out for a spin Dave, then let him know you want to think about it.. then let us know of your findings...

dave_dunn · Jul 24, 2011

CEZ1869 said:
Take out for a spin Dave, then let him know you want to think about it.. then let us know of your findings...

Will do. Plan is to run it first off, while it's running test that everything is working, switches, heater, heated seats, EAS etc. Then get under it and have a good root. Then once it's warm take it out for a drive.

Check the paperwork for history, bills etc. Then if interested tell him that I would want the warning lights checked out before buying. Hopefully by then I will have found someone who can check it for me.

Will let you all know.

Thanks for the help.

D

gtland · Jul 24, 2011

Check starting from cold & hot starting. Check engine is cold when you arrive__ he may have had it running to pump up air if it`s been leaking! Leave cheque book at home___ you can guarantee he`ll say "better buy it now, someone else is coming etc". Reading your 2nd post me-thinks you`ll need to learn a lot about electrics...

enery8 · Jul 24, 2011

My next suggestion is download a copy of RAVE workshop manual, that will also have the owners handbooks. Datatek makes cables for the EAS software and provides a cable and software plus the RAVE manual on CD at a very reasonable price.

dave_dunn · Jul 24, 2011

Typed a longer response after my viewing of this vehicle earlier but somehow it got lost.

Bottom line is this isn't the one for me - too many niggly things wrong with it. The battery was flat and needed to be boosted and once switched off wouldn't start at all. Heater didn't work, fan on heater didn't work, aircon didn't work, heated seats didn't seem to work, central locking didn't appear to work, driver seat worn, seat adjuster handle missing, tailgate had no badges on.

Gearbox warning had disappeared but the airbag warning was still there. Could only drive it around the farmyard so couldn't check what it was like on the road.

EAS seemed to work OK and adjusted up and down quickly with no untoward noises etc. Body was OK underneath seemed OK.

Main issue was not being able to take it on the road and the fact that the battery was flat and didn't seemed to be charging.

On with the search!!

Thanks for the help.

D

dogsbody · Jul 24, 2011

Well done mate. I rejected almost 20 before I bought mine.

Spend some time going back and reading old threads on the Rangie section. It's what I did so I knew most of the 'standard' faults when I went to look at them.

discomalc · Jul 24, 2011

When you do take the plunge i would recommend getting a solar trickle charger and leave it on the dash permanently connected. A full battery helps prevent many of the electrical problems that can crop up.

dogsbody · Jul 24, 2011

discomalc said:
When you do take the plunge i would recommend getting a solar trickle charger and leave it on the dash permanently connected. A full battery helps prevent many of the electrical problems that can crop up.

If you do make sure it doesn't look like a laptop, especially at night.

dave_dunn · Jul 24, 2011

Thanks for all the tips guys.

D

waldershelf · Jul 24, 2011

dave_dunn said:
It's a trade seller but due to it's age it only has a 1 month warranty. It's got some service history but not sure how much yet.

He thinks it may be an ECU problem. Says it was fine until the valet. Seems like an honest enough bloke but who knows..... 136000 miles 2.5 DSE, cloth not leather, just shy of £2k.

D

BOING

Thats my buyer beware alarm going off.

Should I take the plunge??

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