Diesel P38 any good?

[TheTree]

Hi

There is one for sale on eBay, item 271580853238

Range Rover DSE 1998 Rare Factory Diesel Rare in Leichhardt, NSW | eBay

Apparently if they are chipped the go pretty well but I was wondering if anyone had driven one?

Steve

[Richard93Vogue]

Sorry no I haven't driven one but that one does look very tempting doesn't it?!

[davidsonsm]

I've been in my brother in laws diesel P38 in the UK. They are underpowered in standard guise - no question. Particularly for towing. They'll get you about, but not with any gusto or "va va voom". I'm sure the chipping would help.

Does that fact it's a diesel to start with, make putting in a BMW 3.0 td engine a lot easier? I'd imagine so. If only there was a cheap one lying around.

[Pierre]

Check out South Yarra for X5s lying on their sides!!


Pete :wasntme:

[Scouse]

Does that fact it's a diesel to start with, make putting in a BMW 3.0 td engine a lot easier? I'd imagine so. If only there was a cheap one lying around.I've seen some conversions started but not one success yet.

[daf11e]

Steve that's not a bad looker ....as far as diesels are concerned many on RR net in the UK drive and love them....maybe some driver info from them on towing etc....in fact there appear to be quite a few on the road in Europe .

[daf11e]

Just an add I believe most in Europe are manual.

[TheTree]

Yes it certainly looks nice but I think I will stick with the good old Rover V8, possibly a GEMS with a Tornado chip

Steve

[Hoges]

Re. Scouse's comment...Indeed that seems to be the case...search rr.net...a few yrs ago a UK-based bloke with a parts business got hold of bmw 3l diesel with that in mind... faded to oblivion. All sorts of issues arose including the need for specific software which wasn't available =not written... let alone a nightmare with different harnesses, becm-engine ecu issues.... enticing thought though!

[TheTree]

The BMW influence certainly seems to have resulted in yet more locked down stuff!

Steve

[Scouse]

That car on eBay also seems to be a lower than HSE spec.
The diesel of that era came out in DT & DSE spec.


The DSE was close to the HSE but missed out on little things like all the puddle lights (none in footwells or rear doors) & memory seats/mirrors (still electric though).


I'm not sure what exact spec the DT had but I think the eBay car might be one of them as it has no model badging on the lower tailgate & it has manual seats. At least it has climate control as I think some of the poverty packs in the UK had manual heater controls.






Also, the eBay car is 104 cars away from mine so it could have been made the very same day.

[redandy3575]

The BMW influence certainly seems to have resulted in yet more locked down stuff!

Steve

Wait til you go an L322.

I was going test drive one from a dealeship in Moorabbin, but didnt get a chance to get down there. Which in the meantime, it got either sold, or transfered somewhere else. With the very few ive read up about on carsales, they pretty much all seem rubbish.. They all been privately imported, and have all had their engines half rebuilt under 300,000km.

Though you'd be alright getting parts for them here with the help of ebay. But 100kw to push 2.2 tons is hard work for a 2.5 litre 6 cylinder Turbo Diesel.

I believe the reason the Diesel p38 was never offered here in Oz because of the unsuitability of the Diesel that was offered on our pumps before the low sulphur Version was introduced in 2001.

[3toes]

As someone who has owned both the diesel and petrol p38 I would say stick with the petrol and put it on gas you will have better economy on the gas combined with the drive ability of petrol.

The diesel is OK but best described as adequate. Would be useless as a tow vehicle as not enough power. For comparison think of a petrol V8 Mercedes from the seventies when attempting to use it as a tow vehicle.

The number of diesel Range Rovers over here is due to fuel cost twice what you pay in Australia and the tax rules which favour diesel over petrol.

The engine was fitted as Land Rover had a relationship with BMW prior to the buyout. They needed a decent diesel to meet market demand and this one was available.

The P38 was only available as a manual for a short period. Everyone wanted the auto so it was not kept on. This was not surprising as even the first generation Range Rover had seen sales in later models move away from the manual to auto

When the P38 was new they did trial one in Australia and the public result was that they could not keep the engine cool enough in the hot Australian climate. As Australia was the only market where the diesel had any sales potential it was not worth the cost of modification based on the slow Australian sales of the diesel Range Rovers that had gone before.

.

[TheTree]

The old saying "wouldn't pull the skin off a custard" comes to mind :p

[redandy3575]

The old saying "wouldn't pull the skin off a custard" comes to mind :p

No. 'wouldn't rip the skin of a rice pudding'

Oh....by the way. Happy Birthday Steve!!!

[TheTree]

No. 'wouldn't rip the skin of a rice pudding'

Oh....by the way. Happy Birthday Steve!!!

Thanks Mate :D

[Scouse]

I've only had our DSE on the road briefly & while it's no rocketship, it's not too far behind our 4.6 GEMS in the performance stakes.