P38A. Is it Land Rover's XJ40?
Discussion
I didn't want to take the Show Us Your Land Rover thread off topic, but reading comments on the P38A got me thinking.
It is unloved and undesirable by Land Rover standards.
I can understand the reasons why. Reliability and appearance. To me the fronts of pre-2000 models look like a Chrysler/Simca/Talbot Horizon. The back lights look like they came off one too.
Jaguar's 1986-1994 XJ-40 cars seem to be seen in a similar light. Not the best looking and from what friends have told me who have owned then, prone to faults in the electrics.
The XJ-40 is beginning to appeal to me. It's styling is if it's time and is growing on me. I've heard others say similar.
So will the P38 have its day in the sun one day? Or will it for ever be seen as a boxy, gremlin-prone money pit desired by and only driven by managers of flat-roof estate pubs?
It is unloved and undesirable by Land Rover standards.
I can understand the reasons why. Reliability and appearance. To me the fronts of pre-2000 models look like a Chrysler/Simca/Talbot Horizon. The back lights look like they came off one too.
Jaguar's 1986-1994 XJ-40 cars seem to be seen in a similar light. Not the best looking and from what friends have told me who have owned then, prone to faults in the electrics.
The XJ-40 is beginning to appeal to me. It's styling is if it's time and is growing on me. I've heard others say similar.
So will the P38 have its day in the sun one day? Or will it for ever be seen as a boxy, gremlin-prone money pit desired by and only driven by managers of flat-roof estate pubs?
My first Landrover was a P38, and I had a couple of XJ40s back in the day. Interesting to compare them against each other. 
The 1990 XJ40 I had for 10 years was a lovely car and was actually very reliable, it never left me stranded, however it did eventually have to go as the rust was starting to take it's toll on the undersides.
The P38 I had was a 2001 4.6 Vogue. It did manage to exhibit virtually every known issue they are capable of in the 2 years I had it but only actually refused to start once. If you prepared to google and play most of these issues are quite easy to sort.
With regards to the styling, I think the P38 is improving with age. I'm now on my second L322 and from some angles it can still look like a old London taxi cab, but the P38s are always unmistakably Range Rovers and come in some colours other than black!
The 1990 XJ40 I had for 10 years was a lovely car and was actually very reliable, it never left me stranded, however it did eventually have to go as the rust was starting to take it's toll on the undersides.
The P38 I had was a 2001 4.6 Vogue. It did manage to exhibit virtually every known issue they are capable of in the 2 years I had it but only actually refused to start once. If you prepared to google and play most of these issues are quite easy to sort.
With regards to the styling, I think the P38 is improving with age. I'm now on my second L322 and from some angles it can still look like a old London taxi cab, but the P38s are always unmistakably Range Rovers and come in some colours other than black!
I can see the L322 becoming as sought after as the RRC one day. There's just something very Range Rover about he profile. Not that I dislike the 405 at all, but the 322 has the good proportions of the original.
Last night I spotted a very early green L322 on French plates. Small wheels, light interior it just looked right.
The P38 in certain colours can look great but they don't exude that class you get with a RRC.
I hope that will change.
I saw an XJ-40 the other day. It looked so, 1980s government minister if you know what I mean. Very dated, but to me for the first time, desirable.
Last night I spotted a very early green L322 on French plates. Small wheels, light interior it just looked right.
The P38 in certain colours can look great but they don't exude that class you get with a RRC.
I hope that will change.
I saw an XJ-40 the other day. It looked so, 1980s government minister if you know what I mean. Very dated, but to me for the first time, desirable.
Funny enough, MrsC and went to the local JLR main dealer's today, in our L322. It's starting to get a little long in the tooth and will have to be replaced at some point in the foreseeable.
We both quickly concluded that we didn't like the new "one-shape-fits-all" jellymould offerings in any of the various sizes, and if we change to another RR, it'll have to be a late L322.
Having said that, preferences aside, the L322 does look very boxy and, dare I say, slightly old-fashioned when parked alongside the jellymoulds. But we still prefer it.
We both quickly concluded that we didn't like the new "one-shape-fits-all" jellymould offerings in any of the various sizes, and if we change to another RR, it'll have to be a late L322.
Having said that, preferences aside, the L322 does look very boxy and, dare I say, slightly old-fashioned when parked alongside the jellymoulds. But we still prefer it.
I have to confess to owning a Jellymold Discovery Sport.
Certain things from the company's architectural heritage have gone, like the Castelations on the bonnet.
I just love the L322 for all its boxiness. I don't think they take "Bling" well, but in modestly wheeled early guise they have something.
Somewhere in the house I have a massive ring binder containing the P38 launch information for the press. I recall at the time (1994/5?) being very impressed with it and the design philosophy behind it. I just hope it becomes more desirable to me and others.
Certain things from the company's architectural heritage have gone, like the Castelations on the bonnet.
I just love the L322 for all its boxiness. I don't think they take "Bling" well, but in modestly wheeled early guise they have something.
Somewhere in the house I have a massive ring binder containing the P38 launch information for the press. I recall at the time (1994/5?) being very impressed with it and the design philosophy behind it. I just hope it becomes more desirable to me and others.
CAPP0 said:
Funny enough, MrsC and went to the local JLR main dealer's today, in our L322. It's starting to get a little long in the tooth and will have to be replaced at some point in the foreseeable.
We both quickly concluded that we didn't like the new "one-shape-fits-all" jellymould offerings in any of the various sizes, and if we change to another RR, it'll have to be a late L322.
Having said that, preferences aside, the L322 does look very boxy and, dare I say, slightly old-fashioned when parked alongside the jellymoulds. But we still prefer it.
The L405 doesn't have much to recommend it over the L322. It's lighter, faster, quieter, more capable on and off road, more comfortable, better equipped, more fuel efficient and much more technically advanced but apart from that........We both quickly concluded that we didn't like the new "one-shape-fits-all" jellymould offerings in any of the various sizes, and if we change to another RR, it'll have to be a late L322.
Having said that, preferences aside, the L322 does look very boxy and, dare I say, slightly old-fashioned when parked alongside the jellymoulds. But we still prefer it.
I had a brand new P38 on Jan 1 1995. Worst car I ever owned, I was towed 4 times before I sold it in disgust and vowed never to buy another Land Rover. I've had another 3 since including another P38............
unrepentant said:
CAPP0 said:
Funny enough, MrsC and went to the local JLR main dealer's today, in our L322. It's starting to get a little long in the tooth and will have to be replaced at some point in the foreseeable.
We both quickly concluded that we didn't like the new "one-shape-fits-all" jellymould offerings in any of the various sizes, and if we change to another RR, it'll have to be a late L322.
Having said that, preferences aside, the L322 does look very boxy and, dare I say, slightly old-fashioned when parked alongside the jellymoulds. But we still prefer it.
The L405 doesn't have much to recommend it over the L322. It's lighter, faster, quieter, more capable on and off road, more comfortable, better equipped, more fuel efficient and much more technically advanced but apart from that........We both quickly concluded that we didn't like the new "one-shape-fits-all" jellymould offerings in any of the various sizes, and if we change to another RR, it'll have to be a late L322.
Having said that, preferences aside, the L322 does look very boxy and, dare I say, slightly old-fashioned when parked alongside the jellymoulds. But we still prefer it.
CAPP0 said:
...the L322 does look very boxy and, dare I say, slightly old-fashioned when parked alongside the jellymoulds. But we still prefer it.
The L322 has a very similar silhouette to the original RR and is all the better for it. It wears it's styling cues well. It's not old-fashioned; it's'classic'.When the time comes to replace our L322 I suspect we too will go for a very late model as the new ones – as accomplished as they are – just don't have that certain something about them.
Funnily enough, whilst I love the L322 and really, really dislike the 405, I suddenly found one I liked the other day and was gobsmacked by it. Every single one appears to have been ordered in black with black windows, copious amounts of chrome and wheels that wouldn't look out of place in Compton... which is a bit daft out here in the sticks. All that is except one which went past the other day in dark green with clear windows. It looked every inch the Range Rover. Funny what a difference a colour makes.
RedLeicester said:
Funnily enough, whilst I love the L322 and really, really dislike the 405, I suddenly found one I liked the other day and was gobsmacked by it. Every single one appears to have been ordered in black with black windows, copious amounts of chrome and wheels that wouldn't look out of place in Compton... which is a bit daft out here in the sticks. All that is except one which went past the other day in dark green with clear windows. It looked every inch the Range Rover. Funny what a difference a colour makes.
It's funny, Green is the most "Land Rovery" colour in the UK, my P38 was Epsom Green. But in 5 years of selling them in the USA out of the hundreds that I sold I can only remember selling 3 in Green. Black and White accounted for about 75% of sales.unrepentant said:
It's funny, Green is the most "Land Rovery" colour in the UK, my P38 was Epsom Green. But in 5 years of selling them in the USA out of the hundreds that I sold I can only remember selling 3 in Green. Black and White accounted for about 75% of sales.
They seem to be much the same in the UK at the moment, more black than white. Lots of white ones in LA earlier this month.unrepentant said:
The L405 doesn't have much to recommend it over the L322. It's lighter, faster, quieter, more capable on and off road, more comfortable, better equipped, more fuel efficient and much more technically advanced but apart from that........
I think that's a bit unfair, my parents have an '06 L322 S/C and a '14 L405 S/C and although the old one is like a tank in terms of handling and fuel consumption compared to the new one I don't think I could say with any honesty that it's less comfortable. In fact I think some aspects of the ride are actually superior.I can certainly see the point of a late L322 with the 5.0l engine and most of the more modern electronics from the newer car, even though the last facelift made it look a bit chintzy.
There are still too many around for their day to arrive yet - it is getting trickier to find a decent XJ40 hence people starting to appreciate them.
The P38 is simple to fix and parts prices are from the past thankfully so I think it will be a few years before enough die to make people appreciate a good one that has been looked after. They were also Land Rover's first non rusting product which again results in a lot still running.
I don't know what I would replace mine with. It's very clean, seems to have sane electrics and the V8 is superb - I paid £2700 for it.
Late XJ40 would be a fun car. Bombproof 4.0, imagine Jag had solved the electrics though I don't think they ever designed out the rust potential.
The P38 is simple to fix and parts prices are from the past thankfully so I think it will be a few years before enough die to make people appreciate a good one that has been looked after. They were also Land Rover's first non rusting product which again results in a lot still running.
I don't know what I would replace mine with. It's very clean, seems to have sane electrics and the V8 is superb - I paid £2700 for it.
Late XJ40 would be a fun car. Bombproof 4.0, imagine Jag had solved the electrics though I don't think they ever designed out the rust potential.
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