So I went and looked at my first potential rover today. I fell in love I think. It rode like a dream and sounded beautiful.

It is a 2002 with 235k on it. It seemed to be tip top. The owner had recently upgraded the exhaust and replaced the climate control system. As well as the air suspension and a handful of other things. Everything in it seemed to work. The valve cover seemed to be sweating a little, as well as the head gasket -as best as I could tell anyway-

What I would like to know is, are sweaty gaskets as normal on these things as I have been hearing? Are they close to failing all together? Especially the head gasket. I didn't expect everything to be perfect, but are these normal issues at this kind of mileage?

Thanks in advance.

 

Issue number one is its a 2002, with 235 thousand miles on it. Things in the engine are going to start to fail and need replacement. Do you have service records from a Land Rover mechanic? I would worry about the "sweaty gaskets" because they generally either "leak" or "don't leak". I worry especially about the head gasket. I think you need to have someone run a combustion gas (exhaust) test on the anti-freeze. If exhaust gas is present in the anti-freeze then you have a bad head gasket. If not, then your head gasket is fine. As far as valve cover gaskets and what not, I have no idea. Its too new for me! Also, what are they looking to get for it? Is it at a dealer?
Good luck.
Remember, waiting to get a potentially lower miles and newer one is never a bad thing.

 

He's from Canada so it has 146k miles

 

A P38 (95-02 range rover) is a beautiful car. It's also a HUGE nightmare. I wouldn't buy one unless it were nearly free. People say the same things about D2 though.

As far as land rover crappiness goes, the usual consensus from pure junk to somewhat junk is:

Freelander (North American models)
P38
D2

I disagree on the D2... I think people are just upset about engine problems, but the rest of the D2 seems pretty OK to me. I'd own a D2 over a D1 any day. But that is a different thread, somewhere in the discovery side of this website.

 

Pure Junk?!? Don't talk about my woman like that!

 

I've had my P38 for 3 years now, just keeps on going. I've had to replace trivial stuff like the water pump, diff pinion seal, and the brake accumulator. Aside from that its just been an awesome vehicle. I love our DII as well, but frankly the quality on a RR is just better (hence it being the top of the line model).

So about your potential purchase. Valve cover seepage is normal, you can usually tighten the bolts a little more, clean off the build up with de-greaser and that should take care of it. As for the head gaskets seeping, that is a different story. As mentioned above, if you are serious it would be worth your while to have it checked out to make sure they are alright. If they do need to be replaced, you can always negotiate the asking price and then have it done later. The important thing is, does it overheat?

 

They are just known for big-time electrical issues, especially with the BeCM which seems to control everything. On the D2, the BCU control lots of stuff too, but people don't seem to be posting the same problems that the P38 owners do.

Like I said though.... beautiful cars.

 

That's a ton of good information everyone, thanks!

I should specify, I am looking for a rover to drive as a winter car. I will be purchasing an M3 as soon as I sell my 335i. The fact that it's a winter car however, does not mean I will settle for anything less than-as perfect as is available in the $7000 $10000 range.


I went out today and looked at a couple more. A discovery and a '95 range rover. Neither were anything to write home about kinda cap actually.
From what I've read around the world though, the 4.0 is an engine to avoid in all of these cars. Am I correct in assuming that this is the case?

 

If you decide on a P38, get the 4.6. You are correct. As for a winter car, they are very capable vehicles. What's been said before though is in fact true. They can be finicky, but to many people that's all part of the fun in owning them, as you appreciate the vehicle so much more when it's all up and running. I have a serious love affair with my P38 (2000 4.6), but it's no Toyota for reliability.

As a fellow Canadian, let me help you with your winter vehicle aspect. One thing to do is invest in some proper snow tires. These vehicles way a LOT, and without the right amount of traction, they go where they choose. I spent a chunk of my first winter on all-terrains (they came with the car) and that was a terrifying experience!

Second, invest in regular Krown (or similar) rust proofing. Your vehicle will take a beating from winters if you don't prepare it accordingly. I myself like Krown because it truly forms a protective barrier against all the salt and silt on our Canadian roads.

If you are good with the vehicle, she will be great to you. I've had mine for 10 years, and although we've had our run-ins and arguments, we're still a happy couple, and I hope to keep it that way for at least another 5 - 10 years.

Good luck! And be warned, Land Rover Love is a dangerous and addictive bug that is very hard to get rid of!

 

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From my experience, the 4.0 seems to be more forgiving in terms of maintenance than the 4.6. This is mostly due to the bigger bore size on the 4.6 (less meat on the block) which makes it more susceptible to block warping and cracking when overheated. However, both engines when neglected will have problems. I would take a well maintained 4.6 over a neglected 4.0 any day. The extra power is also very nice .