Range Rover P38 - test drive

In this video I take the P38 for a drive and offer some reflections on the model and what to look for when driving one.

[@benfel9403]

Great and most informative video on these. I have had two and still have one. Had one since 2006 and between the two have never been left stranded with either of them, nor had any headaches with the air suspension. Had a TDV8 L322 and it was certainly not like night and day getting from that back into the p38 apart from mid range grunt like you say. :) Great to see honest and fair commentary from an actual owner.

[@Gtiles]

It just looks glorious. On the hunt for one now, looks ideal for country lanes. I think this is the perfect age for interiors too, leather arm chair, piping, perfect.

[@iainmcnab2029]

Very helpful video for someone considering an eyes wide open purchase. Thank you.

[@paulwilford6325]

Great video thanks. I've had mine for 3 years now, MY2000 4.6 Thor. It's my daily driver, bought with LPG fitted thankfully. I do 99% of the work myself on my drive so it's not that expensive to maintain so far...I'm chasing down a vibration at 60-70mph, like you say, every time you replace a bush or suspension component it gets better and better. Have just changed the bushes on the radius arms and that made a big difference (link arms, shocks, TRE already done). Next up are the panhard rod bushes and then steering damper if necessary. I had a binding in the diff which made a clunk and a boing sound when pulling away, ZX1 friction modifier in the diffs cured that. I also replaced the amp in the boot with a new 4 channel Alpine unit, took a bit of head scratching to sort the wiring for the component speakers but got there in the end. Now i have the original head unit but with DAB, bluetooth and hands free phone all hidden away.

[@tonyrangeroverp3852]

Great video, lovely looking car. I went to the same place to get my head lining done, and pillers, Just love the P38, I had top hat linners done on my 4.6 V8 Gems engine done as well 👍

[@fmortazavi38]

Regarding the electrical issues, One thing that helped me clear an electrical issue was cleaning the ground connections, especially the one inside the car under the kick panel.

[@classiced1416]

Yeah that’s a good point, I should probably have mentioned that too. I’ve had to clean a few grounds on the Mercedes recently!

[@TheAndre8900]

Known point of failure. Also, oxidation in the obd port could cause the ecu to go berserk.

[@marksoutherton8888]

Hi, I noticed that when you tested the low range gears, that when it said on the dashboard( Low 2 )the gear selector was actually down as far as it would go and should have said on the dashboard ( Low 1 ) It maybe a bit sticky as they don’t get used much. Try it again and slowly go through all of the low gears. Great video, I’ve had my P38 10 years now and will never part with it 🥰. Let me know how you get on 👍 Mark.

[@anthonyscolyer8094]

Well my driving experience with our recently purchased 97 Autobiography is like yours. Love it. Just a pity the body and paint lets it down. We recently drove 400 kms from Adelaide to Mildura in Victoria here in Aus and at 110 kms/h (65mph) we were at 2,400 revs which is 1000 less than our 99Rav 4s do. Have done one fuel up but haven't checked it yet since we got back to Adelaide but seems a bit heavy. Dash was showing 33litres per hundred when we bought it so don't know what the heck they were doing with it before. Has slowly dropped to 16.8 on the trip up and back and without going out in the rainy dark now to get the log book I think I did 471 kms and put in 76 litres = 6.19km/l or 14.5 mpg your figures, about 3 mpg worse than what some over here reckon they get. A bit heavy I thought. But its done 296,000kms. Due for a cam rework? Be sorry when you sell that as between you and Keithy W on utube here in Aus I have learnt a lot.

[@classiced1416]

Glad you like yours! I’d say at that mileage it depends on how the engine feels and what expectations are. If the head gasket hasn’t been done before I’d consider having it done by say 325k kms - maybe kill two birds with one stone.

[@bernardmccann7676]

Just done cams in mine and lifters water pump and anything else I could think of and heater core orings have the 2000 4.6 vogue which I use for off road

[@southernafricanboy4148]

Gteat video mate Whats it like at say 90mph and going around curves on motorway Stopping distance as i drive hard and fast?

[@classiced1416]

It’s Ok, 90 is a bit more than I would cruise at but it doesn’t become wayward at that speed like the Classic does a bit. Brakes were good for their time but by modern standards distances will be longer - I wouldn’t say it’s really a car for hard drivers.

[@stevel9914]

Glad my 2001 car is standard exhaust.... that noise would do my head in on 2000 mile round trips

[@classiced1416]

It’s just a stainless version of the standard one. Maybe the video makes it sound worse than it is, I never noticed it before. The old exhaust had a hole in one of the back boxes, now that was annoying!

[@stevel9914]

@@classiced1416 sounds a lot more vocal than my standard one. Can't hear it inside the car at all

[@SS-uq6wv]

Hi mate, I might buy one that has 100k on the clock, and is LPG converted so it may not cost a lot to run. I've done my research and know what to assess (EAS, HEVAC, overheating, and electrics.) What else should I look at and do you suggest I buy one or is it just a money pit?

[@classiced1416]

That’s pretty much all I think, on the drive just listen for any weird knocks, clucks or backlash through the drivetrain that might indicate issues. Slightly dodgy handling is to be expected unless all bushes have been done. Look at what work has been done in last 3 years or so - if it’s been looked after recently and no history of overheating etc it’s probably sound. But be prepared to drop a few k on it in year after purchase just in case you have issues - you might not, but even if it all checks out they can still bite you down the line.

[@SS-uq6wv]

@@classiced1416 hi Ed, just replying to give you an update. So, I bought the car! The previous owner had it for 12 years, oddly enough he did not have any history but work was done on it. I've had it parked up for a good 5 months as I can't get insured on it yet (July is when I can), but I would still drive it 0.2miles about once a week but that all stopped since I discovered a coolant leak! It isn't the head gasket, which is reassuring but after using a UV dye, I still cannot locate it so a visit to a specialist is pending. The rear doors do not lock with the key..so they need to be operated manually. There is a minor leak in the headlining, and the obvious gremlins such as the blend motors needing replaced (DIY job in the future), and non operating heated seats (no plans to fix, tbh). The drivers door cam kit snapped, so many thanks for your video. The O Rings were replaced by the previous owner, as I checked myself. I've cut the carpet in the drivers footwell as although the previous owner replaced the rings, he did not replace the carpet underlay that was soaked in coolant. I can't complain just yet as I've not done 100miles in the car. The fear of missing out payed off as there hasn't been a single other P38 in this spec (black with painted bumpers. HK system, LPG) so I am thoroughly happy. (I will remember these words when I'm on the hard shoulder.) I guess I'll hopefully provide another update in August..

[@declan-johngeraghty6279]

Hi, can you advise where to go for professional head liner replacement please?

[@classiced1416]

Assuming this is UK, mine was done (and the Classic) by Blackbrook Auto Trim in Taunton. He does sometimes do mobile, not sure what radius. 07779 303858

[@colingarner6175]

Just after my last message you pulled to the inside lane , we’ll done .

[@Abo_omar02]

أحب هذه السيارة جدا ليتني أستطيع معرفة ما تقول للأسف لغتي الانجليزية رديئة

[@colingarner6175]

You seem to be hogging the middle lane on the motorway, naughty boy .

[@donbar6480]

lots of nonsense