jwaldron
New Member
I have had all manor of cars (some Dogs and some not)..... some of these where the 'little first car' types and others inline 6's and now a P38 DSE.
I owned an escort that was never too expensive in relation to each visit to the mechanic, but was always in for something.
I then got hooked on big cars and owned 5 Vaux Senators (each one bought for play money) and ran for a year or two. No real spending needed but each one replaced with another due to Head Failure.
Omega. Tyres! £150 each.... then came LR's...
Honestly.... If you need a reliable A to B car then get a car not a 4x4. If you do want a 4x4 then probably look at a Jap for reliablity.
If however you go for a Land Rover you will never leave it alone (both from not wanting to or you'll be fixing it all the time). They are brilliant - go anywhere do anything machines. For all the faults - I can't see myself getting rid of mine unless to upgrade to in a few years.
Do they cost anymore than anything else. I don't think so really. Every car will need brakes, bits and bobs and have alarm issues in that price range at some time during ownership. Its the age of these vehicles that cause most of the faults now when compared to other vehicles in the price range.... but your buying a lot of car for the dosh (which brings with it no more problems per tonne than anything else you buy). Its just the P38 is 2Tonne+.
One thing I will say however is (my option and experience...sometimes the hard way)... you will notice a lack of maintenance more with a P38 than anything! so be prepared to look after it (if your lucky and get a good one).
The comment about £3k to buy and £3K to keep isn't too fare wrong. You could say this about almost any 10 year + vehicle though... but you will notice little gremlins more in the P38 like hot starts on the DSE (£30 ebay fix), alarm Key desync via the BC on the V8 (£80 ebay fix or work round) and ALL will at some point need Air system attention (£80 work round until air bags need doing).
If you where to check one thing on the car - for me it would be the EAS system. Each corner will cost £100 to put right and you do them in pairs. If a bag needs replacing, then your probably looking at a Pump aswel (although you can rebuild for £40) and at 10years+ the Valve block will need overhaul (£80 parts).
Insurance is about the same as a V6 2lit car.... fuel costs are not! 24mpg av DSE auto or expect about 20MPG V8 on a run but as low as 11mpg in town. LPG on the rover v8 never runs for long without issue... I had 3 of them and thought I'd never go to the dark side and have a derv... now - I think the opposite. I miss the V8 sound and umph but the DSE starts and Goes every time and isn't afraid of water like the V8.
I owned an escort that was never too expensive in relation to each visit to the mechanic, but was always in for something.
I then got hooked on big cars and owned 5 Vaux Senators (each one bought for play money) and ran for a year or two. No real spending needed but each one replaced with another due to Head Failure.
Omega. Tyres! £150 each.... then came LR's...
Honestly.... If you need a reliable A to B car then get a car not a 4x4. If you do want a 4x4 then probably look at a Jap for reliablity.
If however you go for a Land Rover you will never leave it alone (both from not wanting to or you'll be fixing it all the time). They are brilliant - go anywhere do anything machines. For all the faults - I can't see myself getting rid of mine unless to upgrade to in a few years.
Do they cost anymore than anything else. I don't think so really. Every car will need brakes, bits and bobs and have alarm issues in that price range at some time during ownership. Its the age of these vehicles that cause most of the faults now when compared to other vehicles in the price range.... but your buying a lot of car for the dosh (which brings with it no more problems per tonne than anything else you buy). Its just the P38 is 2Tonne+.
One thing I will say however is (my option and experience...sometimes the hard way)... you will notice a lack of maintenance more with a P38 than anything! so be prepared to look after it (if your lucky and get a good one).
The comment about £3k to buy and £3K to keep isn't too fare wrong. You could say this about almost any 10 year + vehicle though... but you will notice little gremlins more in the P38 like hot starts on the DSE (£30 ebay fix), alarm Key desync via the BC on the V8 (£80 ebay fix or work round) and ALL will at some point need Air system attention (£80 work round until air bags need doing).
If you where to check one thing on the car - for me it would be the EAS system. Each corner will cost £100 to put right and you do them in pairs. If a bag needs replacing, then your probably looking at a Pump aswel (although you can rebuild for £40) and at 10years+ the Valve block will need overhaul (£80 parts).
Insurance is about the same as a V6 2lit car.... fuel costs are not! 24mpg av DSE auto or expect about 20MPG V8 on a run but as low as 11mpg in town. LPG on the rover v8 never runs for long without issue... I had 3 of them and thought I'd never go to the dark side and have a derv... now - I think the opposite. I miss the V8 sound and umph but the DSE starts and Goes every time and isn't afraid of water like the V8.
