I'm thinking of buying a range rover preferably a diesel, are p38s really that bad for electrical problems ? i really want something that i can maintain myself to keep repair costs down. would i be better off with a classic. any advice much apreciated.

The P38 is great but needs looking after, ignore any sign of a problem and it will muliply like the plague. Had mine a year and very happy. I changed the airbags when I got it as they were obviously perished, I had a problem with one height sensor which turned out to be water in the connector and the aircon did not work when I got it which was a simple condensor change. Since then it's been trouble free for 10K miles. Very important to get a full service history and if the last owner has only kept a few months ask why. The diesel is economical and quite quick for a big car when chipped.

All the technical info is available if you are handy with a spanner as are the diagnostics for the electronics.
Good luck if you decide to buy.

bus boy said:

I'm thinking of buying a range rover preferably a diesel, are p38s really that bad for electrical problems ? YES i really want something that i can maintain myself to keep repair costs down. would i be better off with a classic. probably any advice much apreciated.

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P38s are great cars and a lot of the work can be done yourself depending on how competent you are but they are full of electronics and will keep you busy. Although when working I cant think of a nicer vehicle I have owned.

Classics are a bit more basic and much easier to work on if you can find a good one. engines are strong although probably underpowered compared to a p38 but seem to be pretty easy to maintain.

Have a look through some of the older threads on here and you will find common faults etc which could help you make a decision.

P38's are really great cars. Not a huge amount of money, but a lot of car.

Everyone will tell you the same: they need alot of care and maintenance. You can do most things yourself with modest tools and facilities. Some jobs can take a long time simply because they involve trying to trace a fault.

The air suspension is great when it works, same again make sure it's maintained and replace any faulty parts at the first sign. Failures will leave you stuck on the hard shoulder.

Jock

Hi, and welcome. I`m a P38 owner (diesel/manual) and have not owned a classic, so take my opinion with as being biased a bit. I`m happy with my choice of vehicle, which I`ve owned about 5yrs. Bought it for 7k, but prob worth a lot less now, but it ain`t for sale! There are possible electrical faults, and older cheaper cars are now, (irrespective of mileage),due for work on EAS. The air sus. bags dry & crack & need replacing. The air-pump may need a re-furb. These and most other jobs are within the scope of home mechanic. The parts can be had at prices a lot less than main dealer, but will never be at ford fiesta prices! check out the excellant www.rswsolutions.com site as well as this forum, the EAS may seem complex, but is great when all going smooth. Be sure to get a vehicle that is up to-gether, a "bargain" with a "minor" elec fault can mean someone has bodged up a repair meaning lots of frustration and massive bills. Classics? I`don`t know enough to compare really ..So.. good luck anyway.