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Hey all! We're looking for an additional daily driver now that my wife is done with school and going back to work and after years of incredible D2 ownership, contemplating adding a P38 and wanted to get all your thoughts. I realize this is not the P38 forum but wanting to get the feedback of those who have had a D2 and P38.
Is my impression that the P38 is basically a Disco accurate? I figure there's a lot of overlap in terms of tools (Nanocom, D2 special tools, etc), experience working on the Disco, specifically with the Motronic years, and finally parts.
The P38 gets a bad rep for unreliability, but as Disco owners who get the same shade thrown at our trucks, we know in reality it's undeserved if only a few key areas aren't left neglected.
Anyway, in the context of Disco ownership, is the P38 a good idea for another DD? Or would we be better served looking for another Disco? Opinions please.
WaltNYC I think it is has a great build thread to whet your appetite. However, Tom at GBR didn’t really speak highly of them, and in all of D2dom, his is the opinion I trust the most.
Personally? I’d look for a RRC as that looks like the hot setup for a cool old Land Rover that still has some luxury and is utilitarian.
If you’re set on a P38, TFL on yootoob has a couple now and talks a bit about them.
For me, it’s a challenging platform as the phantom issues abound and it would be a relationship even more so than a D2. I also think it would be worse than a D2 because there is even more technology that although cutting edge at the time, not fully vetted from a reliability perspective.
Oh yeah, one more thing: as you are in the People’s Republik, I bet smog testing would be a joy of joys. The RRC is old enough now that it it approaching exempt status I’d think, but I don’t know the latest on emissions there since we’ve been gone so long at this point.
Lastly, I actually don’t really care for the aesthetic of the P38 when compared to other Land Rovers, but that’s truly subjective.
Last edited by longtallsally; Feb 9, 2025 at 02:31 AM.
It is a terrible idea for a daily driver. It is a decent idea for a 4th car, or 5th car. Maybe.
In all seriousness...Just because you have conquered a D2... it does not mean you have conquered a P38. The motor, trans are the same. Nothing else is.
I’ve owned just about every single modern Land Rover model (ever? -- other than Freelanders) -- and the one that defeated me was P38. I would not.
The security system/ BCU/BeCM is garbage. It will lock you out and the door locks are also extremely dicey.
The climate control is impossible. Nonsensical.
The air suspension is utter and complete crap (but you can convert it -- so that’s fine -- but they are better with the air suspension). PS I run D2’s with Air suspension.
Very few mechanics will touch it. No JLR dealers will. Few LR indy’s will even touch them at this point...
If you must, get one 1999+ with Bosch motor instead of a GEMS motor...go 4.6 over 4.0.
They are gorgeous and the interior / exterior design is gorgeous. That’s about it.
I'm honestly shocked at the amount of money some of them still bring. My opinion is even the nicest one should be no more than a $4500 car and most of the ones on marketplace that are asking 6k should feel fortunate if someone gave them gas money to get it. They are tempting as they are supremely comfortable, cool, and capable. In reality they are going to become nearly impossible to keep nice as the common failure points apply to all of them and new parts just aren't made anymore. They aren't like a classic American car or truck where you could build one from a parts catalog.
I'm honestly shocked at the amount of money some of them still bring. My opinion is even the nicest one should be no more than a $4500 car and most of the ones on marketplace that are asking 6k should feel fortunate if someone gave them gas money to get it. They are tempting as they are supremely comfortable, cool, and capable. In reality they are going to become nearly impossible to keep nice as the common failure points apply to all of them and new parts just aren't made anymore. They aren't like a classic American car or truck where you could build one from a parts catalog.
The one I was most interested in IMO looks the part but the guy has it listed for $10K and it has 165K. I'm just like... how on earth is this price matching the reputation of the P38? https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...icle/739089000
They're either clapped out and $5 or they're original-owner and well maintained and at least 10K. The clapped out option isn't even a consideration, but neither are any of these, IMO, at more than the price of a good Disco of the same period.
The one I was most interested in IMO looks the part but the guy has it listed for $10K and it has 165K. I'm just like... how on earth is this price matching the reputation of the P38? https://www.autotrader.com/cars-for-...icle/739089000
They're either clapped out and $5 or they're original-owner and well maintained and at least 10K. The clapped out option isn't even a consideration, but neither are any of these, IMO, at more than the price of a good Disco of the same period.
Well Calli cars are going to be more expensive especially if it passes smog or what ever it's called out there. It does look nice and it's impressive they retained the air suspension instead of being cheap and converting to coils. If that were anywhere else I'd guess it would be a 6.5k car. Being in Calli it might go for 8.5k.
I owned a 97 Vitesse AA Yellow P38 back in like 2002/2003 and it was a fabulous vehicle. However now days a P38 IMHO is up there with owning a Gen 1 Freelander. BECU's key fobs, blowers, interior bits, door locks, EAS ECU, pump, air block, bladders, and the under the hood fuse block is known to melt under the fuel pump relay & HVAC relays for the blowers. I loved the P38 when it was newish but now I wouldn't touch one with a 50ft pole. I had found my AA Yellow Vitesse seller on FB MP turned in the a darn car auction then ghosted everyone including me. I'll take that as it just wasn't meant to be.
For a daily LR I'd honestly stick with a D1/D2. Much more reliable and simple. Or go with an LR3/RRS 05-09.
I own both. I agree with much of the above but also disagree with some of it. I’m 65 and have owned quite a few vehicles in my life. My P38 is my favourite of all of them. Like Disco’s, the glitches are all very well known, and not hard to deal with. The air suspension is one of the glitches, but if maintained (i.e fix the leaks) are amazing. The P38 is a far better highway vehicle, and is better off road than the Disco. As said above, I do spend more time maintaining it. Also, as said above, the engines are the same (GEMS or Motronics), the transmissions and diff’s are similar, but almost everything else is different. Mine is GEMS, and I think if I had the option, I’d pick another GEMS. The lack of front traction control is the only thing I wish it had, but as I alluded to above, the air suspension is really good at keeping the tires on the ground (making it really good off road). For the last few years, we have relied on the D2 and P38 as our daily drivers for our winter months (ski season which is about 5 months). They’ve both been reliable.
P38 ownership in the context of a Disco 2?
