About to take the plunge and buy a P38

[Declan]

Hi lads about to take the plunge and buy a P38 HSE and I have a couple of questions, the lad I am buying off is a landrover fanatic so I know it has been looked after well.
He has had all this work done to it below but he has took out the air bag suspension and fitted springs the question I have is it easy to put the air back into the range rover or should I leave it with the spring set up.
also how good are these cars for towing as I have a 1.5ton camper trailer I take 4wd any feedback would be appreciated.

Low-km HSE Range Rover in excellent condition, with legendary Range Rover off-road ability, reliable performance of the 4.6 litre V8 engine and the economy of injected gas; plus all the HSE luxury features including full leather and wood trim.

End-of-line factory modifications include Bosch injection (replacing Lucas injectors). After sales modifications include: complete rebuild of 4.6 litre V8 engine fitting ‘top-hat’ cylinder liners (to resolve head gasket sealing issues) and replacement pistons, gas camshaft, valve lifters and oil pump; and replacement of airbag suspension with an imported UK spring kit.

Features include:
• 183,000 Klms
• Leather upholstery in excellent condition
• Electric seats with memory
• New hood lining.
• Completely rebuilt 4.6 litre V8 engine, including ‘top-hat’ liners (to resolve head gasket sealing issues), new pistons, gas camshaft, valve lifters, oil pump modification etc.
• LP Gas Injection system. This computer controlled system provides excellent economy in terms of dollars per 100 Klms.
• Bosch fuel injection system (up-date model)
• 4 speed ZF gear box with locking torque converter on 3rd and 4th gears.
• HSE Disco coil springs (replacing troublesome air bags) imported kit from UK

[wayneg]

He has had all this work done to it below but he has took out the air bag suspension and fitted springs

All sounds great apart from removing the best asset of the car. Returning to Air springs could be easy dependant on what has been removed. If you are towing The air spring are a great feature as the car always sit square, no sagging rear. Just my opinion, many cars have had the air removed with happy owners.

[radste]

Hi,all sounds good but check into the legalities of changing the suspension as the insurance companies may have a problem with it if you have a claim.

Regards Steve

[mtb_gary]

Declan, I agree with Wayne, the air suspension is one of the components that sets the p38 from the other 4x4's around. I love it! As for towing, they don't get much better than this. Up until fairly recently I had a 2 tonne boat I used to tow around, it did it with ease. For me I'm not a big fan of gas. Apart from smelling like a taxi the tanks take up to much of your cargo area, or it you find a spot under the car you are subject to puncturing the tank when off road and becoming part of the next Big Bang theory experiment.
Gary

[p38oncoils]

Hi,all sounds good but check into the legalities of changing the suspension as the insurance companies may have a problem with it if you have a claim.

Regards Steve

Legally there are no issues regarding either insurance or roadworthy inspection when converting to coil spring suspension. If the vehicle passes roadworthy inspection then the insurance companies have no issue with insuring the vehicle. It becomes an issue when you start lifting the suspension over a certain amount of lift and that applies to both coil spring lifts as well as air bag lifts. Even then there are insurance companies that will insure your modified vehicle. Strictly speaking, legally, even when lifting the airbag suspension either by fitting the longer Arnott Gen III airbags, fitting 2" spacers under the airbags or recalibrating the suspension potentiometers on an air sprung vehicle or fitting tyres over a certain size to the vehicle an owner should by rights get an engineers modification plate fitted to the vehicle as he is modifying the suspension of the vehicle and therefore the driving characteristics of it. Do people go through those steps in order to keep their vehicle 100% legal. :nazilock: I don't think so.... :angel:

[radste]

That's all well & good,but I know of a bloke who fitted coils to his air suspended classic & when he was unlucky enough to make a claim on his insurance policy they refused it because it was not 1-engineered,2-not factory standard,so all I am trying to say is maybe do a little homework in this area first.
Good luck with your purchase & Merry Christmas to all.

Regards Steve

[33chinacars]

Sounds like a great car. If you dont buy it someone else will, so quick. Me I'd be refitting the air suspension as its one of the best features of the P38. Great tow car as well
Go for it.

Gary

[redandy3575]

Nice car by the sounds of it, did you mention the price?

I must say, he can't be over enthusiastic on P38's if he converts the airbag springs to coil, only a passionate enthusiast will retain the airbag springs, they're really not as troublesome as you may think, so putting them back is a wise move in my opinion, as you get to experience the true nature of a P38, especially off-road. Can let him off the hook on the injected LPG eventhough not being a fan LPG either, but that's more of a personal choice especially when you don't have to pay for the conversion up front. But before you change back to airbag, just drive on coils for a while and see how you go, particularily off road, then change back to airbag and compare the difference, $50 bucks says you'll stick with the airbag.

There's a saying in the Range Rover world ' if your driving Rangies on coils, you may as well own a disco'.

[Keithy P38]

To add to what's already been said, go straight for Arnotts Gen III airbags, don't muck around with factory ones as you'll only end up changing them anyway.

You'll love the P38 mate, they are such capable steeds - both on and off road!

Cheers
Keithy

[bruce p38]

I have a 95 p38 on gas with coils fitted with bilstein shockers and I love it. The really good part is the halve price fill up and the best of both worlds fuel supply The coils are super comfortable and keep away from the bump stops at all times . I think both are systems have there merit . Kinda depends on your vehicles purpose (i.e. hard core up the Great Divide every weekend) or easy going picnic puddles out the back of Lorne!) That my two bobs worth

Bruce p38

[redandy3575]

I have a 95 p38 on gas with coils fitted with bilstein shockers and I love it. The really good part is the halve price fill up and the best of both worlds fuel supply The coils are super comfortable and keep away from the bump stops at all times . I think both are systems have there merit . Kinda depends on your vehicles purpose (i.e. hard core up the Great Divide every weekend) or easy going picnic puddles out the back of Lorne!) That my two bobs worth

Bruce p38

Everyone has different taste I guess. I've travelled in one that has the coils and didn't like it one bit, just my personal opinion that's all. I thought the ride more so on highways was very unsettled, with fair amount of lean in high speed corners due to the fact you couldn't lower it to reduce the centre of gravity.

[Keithy P38]

Without turning it into a debate, I tend to disagree about the coils for hard stuff, airbags for puddles comment!

Last trip I went on, heaps of hard low range first. 'Yota with coils popped one out and nearly popped a rear tyre! No dramas with my bags! When I did pop one a few months ago I believe it to have been a manufacturing problem.

Mine is a weekend warrior so that's all it sees!

[DT-P38]

Without turning it into a debate, I tend to disagree about the coils for hard stuff, airbags for puddles comment!

Last trip I went on, heaps of hard low range first. 'Yota with coils popped one out and nearly popped a rear tyre! No dramas with my bags! When I did pop one a few months ago I believe it to have been a manufacturing problem.

Mine is a weekend warrior so that's all it sees!

X2.

Plus that whole ability of lowered centre of gravity on highway is the clincher for me. Stability at speed and improved drag and fuel economy from highway level too. 93YO Nana also loves it that I can lower the pig to allow her easy entry and egress (which I don't mind either actually).

The P38's were designed and built from the factory with EAS and Rangie's have not gone back to springs in subsequent evolutions. It was the best solution LR/RR's R&D people could come up with and still is.

Simply put, I call it castration... each to their own though.