I found a 99 HSE 4.6 99K miles its in pretty nice condition with the following issues
Leaking rear bags and the EAS lit on the dash , pump motor is not able to be run from dash switches, though the owner said it pumped up when he started it.
The HVAC display has the book i symbol indicating a need for repair some of the vent selections wont function.
Heated seats dont seem to get warm but the lights come on,.
Tried AC but it didnt seem to work but i was cold outside, I did run the heater first to warm up the cabin
Oil leaking from front timing cover housing oil was 3 qts low, no metal detected after filling and dripping some onto a black piece of cardboard.
Coolant is a bit low, no leaks detected inside cabin, and block tester stays blue when inserted into the coolant tank
Both elex key fobs missing.
worn tires and a brand new spare .
All wiper blades need to be replaced including headlight wipers
A few other warning on the dash display indicating a problem with the DS front window not setting and a tag light out.
Lots of dog hairs in the aft cargo carpets.
Peeling rubber molding on the RF door seal
Transfer would not go into low range till after about 6 tries then it seemed to work properly
Rear axle seals at the wheels appear to both be leaking
Price in the 5K range, any thoughts.

 

Wow!! Sounds like a fun project. Just my opinion of course, but it sounds like the previous owner either couldn't afford to own it or just didn't want to take care of it. I would think that if you have a lot of free time and it will not be your daily transportation, that $2k would be a fair price. Some of the things you mention sound minor, but lead me to believe you could be in for a lot of work.

 

Well I have not made an offer yet as I have been reading all of the horror stories about the P38 models.
Plus i have been checking out for parts prices, dealer wants 200 a pop for a new elex key fob.
Plus about 115.00 per hour to diagnose the elex warnings and he said that each warning is an additional hour, so thats not a great way to start, seems like they could hook up the Tbook and figure out everything in less than a half hour plus reset all of the system, after i fix them of course

 

With the risk of being screamed at, I would say the P38 seems to hold up better than Discovery... thats my own personal opinion.... They are definitely different than the Discovery. However, many and if not all issues are VERY well documented. It is very easy to find online tutorials for specific repairs and etc. The P38's electronics are actually not that hard to diagnose. Most of the time it is the battery or alternator causing your issues. In some cases your BECM will go bad, but thankfully it is basically the only computer in the car, and controls everything, making the repair easy (just replace the computer). I would avoid the dealership like the plague, and try to have most the repairs done at independent rover shops, or yourself. If you WANT the air suspension that badly, they are salvageable, unfortunately it just costs a lot and can be some what of a headache to maintain. I did not have the opportunity to decide whether or not to rip out the air suspension and replace it with coils on mine. However, I can say it is nice not having to worry about it... The A/C will usually not work when it is very cold outside, however, try turning on the defrosters, it will usually kick on then. The little book comes on in mine all the time. However, my entire HVAC system seems fine... The heated seats like to go out on the P38 (mine included ). There is a nice little tutorial online that gives a step by step on how to repair it, but it involves taking the seats apart and isn't worth the effort in my opinion. The transfer case problem is either the xyz switch, or the electric motor that switches it into LO and HI range.

Thats funny, mine had tons of dog hair in it too lol. If I understood you correctly, your coolant is leaking from the heater core which is difficult to repair. The key fobs, well you just have to pay the dealer.... there is no way around it unfortunately. Windows not being set is not actually a "problem" according to the owners manual it sets the "anti-trap" function (so an idiot in you car doesn't hurt themselves when the window rolls up) I have no idea why they did this, but you will need to cycle the window from the up position, to the down position, and then back to the up position. Oil leakage, see my signature... lol. I would offer them 2k for the sake of doing business, and see what they do. If you can get it for 3k, I would say its worth it but know you will have some projects on your hands for awhile.

 

I should have been clearer the heater core is not leaking the floors are dry, but it can still happen./
Thanks for your input , I really want to find a Disco ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

it is awesome how those cars are cheap in the US.

 

It is beacuase everyone is scared of them when it comes to repairs. Those of is that know better can always find a great deal.

 

Exactly! My friends still don't believe me though....

 

I found a great deal here locally for a friend, he refuses to belive that we can fix it for less than 1K when the car is only $1500, essentially making it a 2.5K Rover.

Use this site, there is tons of great information here to get you back on the road.

 

Locally? Rob is it a white discovery?...