Should I buy this?

[Peaklander]

This has been listed near me. Her who should be obeyed will pull my fingernails out, if I buy it but I'm still wondering.

The description is below and the price is £900 ono:

For sale 99 vogue se 4.6 thor with 120k, this was parked up around 3 years ago with suspect head gasket failure, so here is the story i have replaced the head gaskets there was no apparent damage to the old ones its had a new starter motor and water pump it was on lpg which i have removed starts first touch its still on air which is working fine, needs a good clean inside the roof lining sagging ,rust on the rear arches,temp gauge sits in the middle but the top hose swells up slightly i,m fed up with it now.

NO MOT So sold as spares or repairs No p/x no swops THIS P38 hasn’t been on the road for around 4 years so will need trailering away although everything works.

If I buy it and find that I have no time to work on it, would it retain any value? Or would it slowly leak money? I know it will leak money more quickly if i do find time to work on it!

Thanks all

[Blanco]

I think P38's are on the up gently, good bodywork helps a lot though, shabby drivers seats are easily cured by swapping in a passenger squab. But window trims and door locks require more investment and are harder to find. Head lining is one of those that seems daunting to tackle but go carefully and get an assistant and it is actually straightforward. I would buy one like a shot near that money just for the spares value, they do have their issues but everything is generally well covered here or in the RangeRoverPub. I am not a particular fan of the V8 but the 4.6 is the one to have. Sounds like it might need THL treatment? Plenty on here will chip in on the V8 side. I would make sure to include all the LPG system in the deal, although LPG seems to be sliding left gently? It is a great vehicle, I say yes  

[Simon_CSK]

Would have thought you could get one around the £500 mark in that condidion. The prices are slightly higher and will rise more next year with the introduction of the new model but this one has no MOT. 

[Bowie69]

As above, rusty, no MOT, and a potentially sickly engine = £500 tops.

[Peaklander]

Ok thanks. Great advice. It’s been reduced to £750 already but I honestly can do without the work (although I’d love to do it). Also my dearest is not even suggesting what might happen if I were to even look at it. That’s a bad sign. 

So I will pass. If anyone is interested, it’s just west of Sheffield and I would pass-on the details / fb link. 

[Peaklander]

16 hours ago, Blanco said:

Sounds like it might need THL treatment?

What’s that @Blanco?

[Simon_CSK]

19 hours ago, Peaklander said:

Also my dearest is not even suggesting what might happen if I were to even look at it.

I asked my wife if I could buy my CSK and she said no. I told her I was buying it anyway. lol

20 years on I have replaced the wife but funnily enough I still have the CSK. 

[Blanco]

7 hours ago, Peaklander said:

What’s that @Blanco?

I thought Top Hat Liners were the curall for V8's? but as I also said they wouldn't be my favourite (or indeed something I know much about except the money I once spent fixing and swapping when I didn't have the time or facilities) so I expected the some other comments on what might be the issue with that engine given the new HG's an so on. My apologies if it was too obscure.....

[Peaklander]

2 hours ago, Simon_CSK said:

20 years on I have replaced the wife but funnily enough I still have the CSK

I'm at 40 years and if I c$$k things up now I'd probably be up the creek without a paddle!

 

44 minutes ago, Blanco said:

My apologies if it was too obscure

No, it's my dimness really. I was even thinking about slipped liner and top hat replacements but not at the same time as reading THL. 

 

This morning, as I was sure the seller had said "spare, repairs or scrap", I offered what I said would be close to scrap value. When asked to be specific, I said £300 and was politely told "no".

Anyway, much as I would like a V8, it's time and not money that is my 'problem'. As I used to hear so much and found so strange when I was still working, now I am retired I have so much going on that I can't start a project. 

[Blanco]

38 minutes ago, Peaklander said:

now I am retired I have so much going on that I can't start a project. 

I kind of have that problem,.... but I have decided to be brave and start a couple anyway, ... As I still have a P38, .... at least for the present, there aren't any cars  at £500 over here and I would be glad of one for spares and fittings.... bits to refurb and then swap: rather than have the truck off the road as it has been lately for the engine swap.

[Simon_CSK]

My current count is 12 cars as follows:-

CSK in need of new body shell

P38 needs the ECU and the bEcm to talk the same language will get it done soon

D2 V8 in need of some welding to the chassis

2 RR Sports and an L322 I am breaking

D2 that needs taking to the crusher

RR Sport HSE TDV8 just had the clocks fixed and when I get back from hols will be prepped and sold

RR Sports HST TDV8 just bought needs a rear quater a ns rear door and some paint, will run of a while but really want a 5l supercharged.

RRL322 Vogue TDV8 that needs a(nother) gearbox some minor bodywork and a little fettling anf then sold.

finally 2 D3's which need some minor work and then I can get them sold.

The difference is I run my own business and bought these when we went into lockdown to keep me busy but my work exploded for some very strange reason and have spent week days working my socks off with the day job and weekends playing with Range Rovers and Land Rovers.

[Peaklander]

I was going to ask if these are hobby projects or ‘trying to make a profit’ vehicles. I think it’s the former?

[Simon_CSK]

 Ah there in lies a dilemma

My brother is in the motor trade and that gives me access to salvage and trade vehicles. At the start of lock down it was a project to keep me busy but I noticed that I could buy a vehicle and run it for a few thousand miles and not make a loss. I cover 20 to 30k a year so if I bought a new car it would be a basket case very quickly. I am generally running the cars after I have sorted them however in running one sport I blew the turbo and now I am breaking the car as the easiest way to get my money back and provide parts for other cars I have bought. 

Sometimes my heart rules my head and I pay over the odds for a car but in generall I am not loosing but I am sure if it was a business and you factor in all the associated costs I would be. 

With the Range Rover Sports I am trying to get to a car I want to keep. I have had a 2.7 and a couple of 3.6's but am really hankering for a Supercharged preferrably a 5 litre. My current HST I brought home from Bury St Edmonds last week and I must admit I really enjoyed the 400 mile drive home. It also had a better sound than my current 3.6 TDV8 so am looking forward to driving this one for a bit after I have replaced the near side rear quarter and rear door.

I suppose it is a bit like Wheeler Dealers meets Scrap Heap Challenge 

[Peaklander]

Here's another not far from here but not for me.

Just for interest, this time it's a 55 plate L322. Asking £1,000.

Description:

No offers, please don’t ask. Cats alone are worth £600. *Sold as Spares or Repair* Starts & drives for loading only. Runs rough - has thrown a con-rod and there is a hole in the engine block. What you see is what you get, must be recovered from Sheffield S6. Bodywork is average, bumps and scrapes all round. Corrosion starting in a few places. Drove ok prior to engine failure. We have looked after the car for a number of years - recently had significant money spent on new air springs and air compressor. Facelift Supercharged model, 4.2 engine. Rear entertainment, Brembo calipers etc. 167k miles.  

[ThreePointFive]

I would have thought "runs rough" was pretty redundant when the next words are to the effect of "it no longer functions as an engine".

[Peaklander]

🤣 I know what you mean. I thought it quite amusing too.

[Simon_CSK]

22 hours ago, Peaklander said:

🤣 I know what you mean. I thought it quite amusing too.

If you want a project I have a D2 V8 petrol Auto runs well just needs the chassis welding and some minor bits for a good price. Has only done 92k

[Peaklander]

34 minutes ago, Simon_CSK said:

If you want a project

Thanks. There's a running D2 3.9 V8 Auto on springs near me, V reg. seems in good condition but is at £1,700 which might be too much, not sure.

I have possibly found a series 3 which I believe is (still) in a barn, that I remember from years ago. I'm taking a slow approach with the farmer.

[Simon_CSK]

50 minutes ago, Peaklander said:

Thanks. There's a running D2 3.9 V8 Auto on springs near me, V reg. seems in good condition but is at £1,700 which might be too much, not sure.

 

Mine is a 99 on an S and will sell as is for £1000 but needs an MOT. Is on springs

[Blanco]

Wish I could find V8 auto's over here! been on the hunt for a parts car for ages now. If anyone comes across one with a remnant of MOT, that would be safe / legal to drive back to Ireland, please keep me in mind.

[missingsid]

That sounds like a standard Irish car to me!

Sorry, used to work I Eire.

[Peaklander]

3 hours ago, Blanco said:

Wish I could find V8 auto's over here! been on the hunt for a parts car for ages now. If anyone comes across one with a remnant of MOT, that would be safe / legal to drive back to Ireland, please keep me in mind.

The one I’m referring to has mot. Do you want a link? It’s on fb. 

[Blanco]

Think I found it, ... Buxton? It might work, it would mean flying into Manchester and getting my sister to pick me up. But at that price I would want the air suspension intact. Although miles aren't stupid, and it doesn't show signs of being 'improved' for off road. 

My search was currently focused in Stonehaven, Scotland as I'll be there in a couple of weeks anyway. But I would make a special trip elsewhere for the right vehicle, it was really more if anyone knew of a vehicle where chassis corrosion was going to be a headache for the next MOT but mechanically seemed OK. I can get to Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham and Gatwick from my local airport fairly cheaply so I have been focused on those areas. 

If a forum member had had eyes on a vehicle as well, that would just give an extra little bit of confidence before 'launch' from here. More in hope than expectation really, but as t he subject had been raised, I chimed in. 

[Peaklander]

That’s the one and it’s perfectly ok to join the discussion.

I am starting to look at vehicles now, thinking “I could or might buy that” rather than “ it would be nice but I can’t”.

At the moment it’s time that is preventing me but as I said elsewhere, I would never have thought that time would be a problem now I’m retired!

[Simon_CSK]

8 hours ago, Blanco said:

Think I found it, ... Buxton? It might work, it would mean flying into Manchester and getting my sister to pick me up. But at that price I would want the air suspension intact. Although miles aren't stupid, and it doesn't show signs of being 'improved' for off road. 

My search was currently focused in Stonehaven, Scotland as I'll be there in a couple of weeks anyway. But I would make a special trip elsewhere for the right vehicle, it was really more if anyone knew of a vehicle where chassis corrosion was going to be a headache for the next MOT but mechanically seemed OK. I can get to Edinburgh, Manchester, Birmingham and Gatwick from my local airport fairly cheaply so I have been focused on those areas. 

If a forum member had had eyes on a vehicle as well, that would just give an extra little bit of confidence before 'launch' from here. More in hope than expectation really, but as t he subject had been raised, I chimed in. 

Blanco 

I am not too far from the Cairnryan Ferry I could trailer mine there 🤪