T

tomclements

New Member
Hello, this weekend I'm looking to buy a p38 range rover, roughly around 2000/2001

What are the best engines for these the 4.0 or the 4.6?

And is there anything to look for when testing one, I preferably want LPG.

Cheers lads,

Tom.
 
tom what ever budget you have keep a quarter or even a half of it to keep it running and sort out the faults. Have a look threw the rr section don't be put of by the horror stories but for warned is for armed. welcome
 
thanks for the speedy replies, I never really considered the 2.5 diesel!

I've a 2.5-3 grand budget for one of these with money to spare.

Also is there any honest mechanics in the Leicester area (fingers crossed I won't need one)

Cheers!
 
2.5 diesel, post 2000 is the most reliable and well made these cars get :) [should just note that's still not very.. :p ]

There are lots of lists on here of what to look out for
 
And ignore any stories about the diesel being really slow: it isn't - obviously it's not fast, it's a big Range Rover after all, but with the turbocharger, especially if the engine is chipped, it is easily fast enough for all eventualities on the road :)
 
cheers tcdubed for the reply; I'll start to consider the a 2.5diesel now.

I'm 21 and my grandad has a 4.6 lpg and I've fell in love with them, so I think it's my time, I've seen a 4.6 in Bordeaux with 120,000 miles 2001, wants £3000 for it, serviced up to 70,000 lpg converted. :)
 
Whichever you go for just remember the golden rule:

Never ever buy a Range Rover with fault(s) unless you are prepared for and appreciate the time, costs and frustration that can be involved in repairing it.

The 4.6 is a little prone to slipped liners due to the bores being machined so close to the edges, the 4.0 is similarly affected but whilst common, not as bad as the larger sibling.

Both will convert well to LPG, but the higher combustion temps means you will have to keep the cooling system tip top, and only go for a sequential multipoint system.

Returns in the 12-18 range on LPG in comparison to 23-28mpg from the Diesel.

My DSE was plenty rapid enough when prodded, and torquey for the most demanding situations.

Yes the V8 has a nice soundtrack and can give kudos down the pub when talking cars, but the oil burner is by far the most reliable in the P38 stable, and with a Range Rover whilst reliability was never a watch word at Solihul....it is best to go for the most reliable one you can, that way when the inevitable breakdowns do happen, they are less frequent but not eliminated.

Dont discount the diesel....the only reason I changed back to a V8 is because my L322 came along at the right price at the right time....else i'd still have it!
 
Thanks, I've taken into consideration they're very expensive running.

I notice a lot of the fellas on here on mechanically minded which i'm not. would you consider even getting one, because I can imagine replacing parts and fixes would be expensive if I were to visit a mechanic..?
 
First things first the diesel is slow, but depending on what you're used to or your driving style this may not trouble you. I can't speak to reliability vs V8s with ownership authority but have a look through posts on here to get a feel for what people are saying. As you can see, no P38 is what you'd call a safe bet.

The other element to consider is kit. The V8s (especially the 4.6s) were the top of the range so came with more wood, leather and equipment than the entry level diesels. There are higher spec diesels (dHSE) but these aren't common. Again this may not bother you but is worth being aware of.

On your last point, an old P38 will be an expensive car to run if you use a mechanic for everything. The newest P38s are nearly 12 years old and they are not built to Germanic quality standards, so things will need doing.

I'm not especially mechanical myself but am using P38 ownership as a means of teaching myself how to do some mechanical tasks. I quite enjoy tinkering these days, though I have the space to do it luckily. When I was 21 I didn't have a garage of a selection of tools, but I'm not sure of your circumstances. :)

Best of luck with your decision and have fun finding the car you want.
 
I have a V8 and love it. I won't say anything else as the diesel crowd on here tend to get very defensive and it ends up in a bun fight.
 
Saint.V8 said:
Whichever you go for just remember the golden rule:

Never ever buy a Range Rover with fault(s) unless you are prepared for and appreciate the time, costs and frustration that can be involved in repairing it.

The 4.6 is a little prone to slipped liners due to the bores being machined so close to the edges, the 4.0 is similarly affected but whilst common, not as bad as the larger sibling.

Both will convert well to LPG, but the higher combustion temps means you will have to keep the cooling system tip top, and only go for a sequential multipoint system.

Returns in the 12-18 range on LPG in comparison to 23-28mpg from the Diesel.

My DSE was plenty rapid enough when prodded, and torquey for the most demanding situations.

Yes the V8 has a nice soundtrack and can give kudos down the pub when talking cars, but the oil burner is by far the most reliable in the P38 stable, and with a Range Rover whilst reliability was never a watch word at Solihul....it is best to go for the most reliable one you can, that way when the inevitable breakdowns do happen, they are less frequent but not eliminated.

Dont discount the diesel....the only reason I changed back to a V8 is because my L322 came along at the right price at the right time....else i'd still have it!
Click to expand...

Bores on the 4.0 and 4.6 are the same Ant. The 4.6 is the same block but has been stroked to get the extra capacity. Biggest mistake Land rover ever made was boring the 3.5 to get the 3.9/4.0 (same thing) without modding the block casting. But it could also be down to poor casing stress relief before machining. So cutting corners to reduce cost maybe a factor. Poor maintenance and any sign of an overheat can cause havoc on these engines. Also the new emission standards introduced some time ago meant engines are now run at higher temps to reduce emissions and improve combustion. Another factor that does not fit snugly with a weakened block.
 
Last edited:
odysseus said:
First things first the diesel is slow, but depending on what you're used to or your driving style this may not trouble you. I can't speak to reliability vs V8s with ownership authority but have a look through posts on here to get a feel for what people are saying. As you can see, no P38 is what you'd call a safe bet.

The other element to consider is kit. The V8s (especially the 4.6s) were the top of the range so came with more wood, leather and equipment than the entry level diesels. There are higher spec diesels (dHSE) but these aren't common. Again this may not bother you but is worth being aware of.

On your last point, an old P38 will be an expensive car to run if you use a mechanic for everything. The newest P38s are nearly 12 years old and they are not built to Germanic quality standards, so things will need doing.

I'm not especially mechanical myself but am using P38 ownership as a means of teaching myself how to do some mechanical tasks. I quite enjoy tinkering these days, though I have the space to do it luckily. When I was 21 I didn't have a garage of a selection of tools, but I'm not sure of your circumstances. :)

Best of luck with your decision and have fun finding the car you want.
Click to expand...

:hysterically_laughi:hysterically_laughiGerman quality? don't make me laugh, I've had 2 German cars from new, a BMW and a Porsche, they were both total crap, I now have the misfortune to own a German built caravan and that is crap too.
The Germans are very good at marketing an image, look at the reliability tables, German cars are mostly way down the list.
 
wammers said:
Bores on the 4.0 and 4.6 are the same Ant. The 4.6 is the same block but has been stroked to get the extra capacity. Biggest mistake Land rover ever made was boring the 3.5 to get the 3.9/4.0 (same thing) without modding the block casting. But it could also be down to poor casing stress relief before machining. So cutting corners to reduce cost maybe a factor. Poor maintenance and any sign of an overheat can cause havoc on these engines.
Click to expand...

Excellent point. The Rover V8 was a great engine as a 3.5.
When buying a second hand motor of some 12 & over years old your never going to be sure if it was loved/maintained properly, so there's always going to be some risk. Best to take along someone with a bit of knowledge on Range Rovers before deciding. Bit like getting a survey done on a house before buying if you know nothing about building/construction.
 
tomclements said:
thanks for the speedy replies, I never really considered the 2.5 diesel!

I've a 2.5-3 grand budget for one of these with money to spare.

Also is there any honest mechanics in the Leicester area (fingers crossed I won't need one)

Cheers!
Click to expand...
Unless you can DIY, don't even consider a P38, most garages apart from a few independants know nothing about them and they can run up a bill of hundreds swapping bits to try and fix a problem.
If you are prepared to buy diagnostic kit and learn then it's a viable proposition.
IMHO the diesel is the best bet, pretty economical for a big car and unless it overheats the engine is reliable. The air suspension is good as long as it's maintained, don't buy one on coils.
 
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