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dexterdude

Member
Hi , I am undecided as to wether to buy a Rangie or not , I currently own a Subaru 2.5 outback which I have only had for 6 months , I have always wanted the comfort and luxury you get from a Rangerover , however if I decide to change to one am I going to be driving around wondering when something will go wrong with it especially as i was thinking about an lpg converted car with the air suspension and i dont have more than £5000 to spend.
Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated .
 
Welcome,

What type of range rover are you considering? P38 or a L322... Then we can give you some real things to think about..

If you go for a P38, 4K will get a really nice one... Although going with a petrol you will need to start saving up to run it.. Saying that, if you take on a diesel dont expect to ever get anywhere on time as they arent the quickest things in the world... An the fuel economy is not to brilliant, for a diesel..

They are great cars, but not the most reliable things in the world...

Good luck
 
managed to get my P38 51 plate 4.6 with LPG for just over 4K. ok i've had to do some work on it like brakes all round, track rod and drag link, but thats normal wear and tear items. really nice to drive, but, dont go for 1 with 20" wheels, you will skip all over place. if you are mechanically minded then most jobs will be easy for you. main concerns are liners slipping, air suspension bags, and overheating. the later P38 (99 onward) came with the stronger THOR engine and had most of the niggles sorted out that the early RR's suffered with.
 
I was looking to get a 4.6 with lpg conversion done pre 2001 model because of the road tax . I have read that it's best to get one with " top hat liners " because they dont slip . A few months ago I drove a 2.5 diesel and I see what you mean about slow. If the liners have been done and the air suspension compressor has been sorted along with the airbags would you say there was much else to look out for ?Also do you think the overheating problem could be due to the coolant not being changed enough ?
 
as i say, mines a 51 and still on the old tax system. the liners will only have been done if it has overheated and slipped.

most of the other problems are electrical gremlins. make sure it has a very good battery. new if possible.
 
dexterdude said:
Hi , I am undecided as to wether to buy a Rangie or not , I currently own a Subaru 2.5 outback which I have only had for 6 months , I have always wanted the comfort and luxury you get from a Rangerover , however if I decide to change to one am I going to be driving around wondering when something will go wrong with it especially as i was thinking about an lpg converted car with the air suspension and i dont have more than £5000 to spend.
Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated .
Click to expand...


A Range Rover P38 or l322 is not a car it's a hobby, if you can't DIY it will cost you a fortune to keep it on the road.
The P38 diesel is not that slow, it just has a strange throttle response, fuel economy is excellent if all is in good order, I average 24 mpg and up to 30 on a run. V8 is less reliable especially if LPG'd. L322 is no more reliable but a lot more expensive to fix.
Do a site search, plenty of what to look out for buying info.
 
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dexterdude said:
I was looking to get a 4.6 with lpg conversion done pre 2001 model because of the road tax . I have read that it's best to get one with " top hat liners " because they dont slip . A few months ago I drove a 2.5 diesel and I see what you mean about slow. If the liners have been done and the air suspension compressor has been sorted along with the airbags would you say there was much else to look out for ?Also do you think the overheating problem could be due to the coolant not being changed enough ?
Click to expand...

It's rare to see one for sale that's been fitted with top hat liners as the cost is so prohibitive that most people tend to either scrap them if it's required, fit a second hand engine or if they do go to the trouble of having it done they keep hold of it.

Most P38's will have had new air springs fitted by now as they have an approx 7 to 8 year and 70k to 90k shelf life.

Compressor can be rebuilt fairly cheaply or even replaced with a new one for not a fortune.

As for over heating, that can be caused by a whole host of things including knackered water pump, viscous, blocked rad, stuck thermostat, cracked block, head gasket failure and so on. So don't expect one that's had it's coolant changed regularly to be immune from over heating, but your hard earned is always better invested in a P38 that's been looked after.

As for LPG, it's not everybody's cup of tea but our P38 runs fine on the stuff and gives equivalent mpg of approx 19 around the town and 35 on a run, that's better than my mates diesel P38 and I know which one I prefer to drive.
 
What datatek says!
If you've got 5k, get a p38 for 4k, and keep the 1k as back up. The money might last a little while if your willing to diy. Might last only to the first problem if its going to the garage.
If you're willing to get your hands dirty a bit they are fantastic motors. With any second hand car you're always taking chances/hoping for a good one. Do the research and check carefully when looking at the car.
And if you do get a problem this is the very best forum for help/advise, sympathy and **** taking.
Good luck.
 
Think Datatek has summed it up. If want an excuse to get in the shed and tinker then a Rangie is for you. If you want reliability then your Scoobie is probably a better bet!
 
kevwill said:
What datatek says!
If you've got 5k, get a p38 for 4k, and keep the 1k as back up. The money might last a little while if your willing to diy. Might last only to the first problem if its going to the garage.
If you're willing to get your hands dirty a bit they are fantastic motors. With any second hand car you're always taking chances/hoping for a good one. Do the research and check carefully when looking at the car.
And if you do get a problem this is the very best forum for help/advise, sympathy and **** taking.
Good luck.
Click to expand...

:D:D:D i like how you managed to get that in LOL
 
dexterdude said:
Hi , I am undecided as to wether to buy a Rangie or not , I currently own a Subaru 2.5 outback which I have only had for 6 months , I have always wanted the comfort and luxury you get from a Rangerover , however if I decide to change to one am I going to be driving around wondering when something will go wrong with it especially as i was thinking about an lpg converted car with the air suspension and i dont have more than £5000 to spend.
Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated .
Click to expand...

Being in Japan and after having tested many Sub for my Job, I will stay with the Subaru 2.5 outback. One of the most reliable car EVER these things just won't die.

Don't get me wrong I love my P38, but at the end the Subaru 2.5 outback will be SO much economic and depending on the Subaru 2.5 outback you own they can be very luxurious too (Ok Interior with leather, conforable, AWD....). In my personal case and even after being very careful when purchasing my Car it cost me more in reparation than the car itself and I am due for a GB Overhall at one point!
 
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