Abandoned Range Rover P38... Resurrection or Bust
Discussion
Mrs TT says thank you for her birthday wishes.
The plumbing isn't as daunting as it looks. That's the easy bit. I could remove it all in a matter of minutes. Putting it back might take a little longer but not much.
Since a P38 key isn't an option, a bottle of premium Gin and a Bottle of equally premium tonic, a bunch of flowers and a card plus dinner out will have to do.
Coil packs available locally were "optimistically" priced so ordered online at a more realistic £130ish for coil packs and leads.
No doubt they won't arrive until next week so may be forced to start fitting internal doors to the house over the weekend. I've managed to avoid that now for about 8 weeks.
The coil packs will be challenging as they are tucked away down the back of the engine block.
My P38 guru is urging me to change the MAF as well but it's another £100+ for a quality one (lots of cheap copies available) so I'll wait and see what happens when I change the leads and coil packs.
Thanks everyone for your continued interest.
Total spend so far is approaching or exceeding the value of the vehicle which just goes to prove there's no such thing as a cheap P38A Range Rover
The plumbing isn't as daunting as it looks. That's the easy bit. I could remove it all in a matter of minutes. Putting it back might take a little longer but not much.
Since a P38 key isn't an option, a bottle of premium Gin and a Bottle of equally premium tonic, a bunch of flowers and a card plus dinner out will have to do.
Coil packs available locally were "optimistically" priced so ordered online at a more realistic £130ish for coil packs and leads.
No doubt they won't arrive until next week so may be forced to start fitting internal doors to the house over the weekend. I've managed to avoid that now for about 8 weeks.
The coil packs will be challenging as they are tucked away down the back of the engine block.
My P38 guru is urging me to change the MAF as well but it's another £100+ for a quality one (lots of cheap copies available) so I'll wait and see what happens when I change the leads and coil packs.
Thanks everyone for your continued interest.
Total spend so far is approaching or exceeding the value of the vehicle which just goes to prove there's no such thing as a cheap P38A Range Rover
With hindsight, the evidence of a failed coil or lead was there when you did the spark test. I believe that is likely to address the key misfiring issue.
I don't remember how critical the MAF is on these engines, esp on gas - I switched mine to megasquirt some years ago which runs MAP & TPS. And I don't use gas anyway.
I don't remember how critical the MAF is on these engines, esp on gas - I switched mine to megasquirt some years ago which runs MAP & TPS. And I don't use gas anyway.
Coil packs and leads arrived today. I specifically ordered them from that vendor and paid a premium as they were shown on the website as Intermotor and in stock. I chased him Monday as they hadn't arrived "Next Day Delivery" and he said he'd had to order them and would send yesterday by UPS next day.
Sure enough they arrived mid afternoon and when I opened the package the coils were not Intermotor and said "Made in China" on the box.
The leads are Britpart. again, I deliberately ordered from this vendor as the leads didn't say Britpart and weren't prices as cheap Britpart leads.
I called the vendor who said the part numbers had been superseded with these.
Nice try. They're going back and have ordered from another vendor. Let's see if they turn up as Intermotor or Chinesium.
As it's going to be the best part of a week before the parts arrive again I've sent the key off to get a replacement copy as it was't working electronically and I've had to use the EKA.
You'd have thought that getting parts for such a vehicle would be easy, especially with one of the biggest Land Rover specialists on my doorstep (Bearmach - expensive and coil packs out of stock).
Sure enough they arrived mid afternoon and when I opened the package the coils were not Intermotor and said "Made in China" on the box.
The leads are Britpart. again, I deliberately ordered from this vendor as the leads didn't say Britpart and weren't prices as cheap Britpart leads.
I called the vendor who said the part numbers had been superseded with these.
Nice try. They're going back and have ordered from another vendor. Let's see if they turn up as Intermotor or Chinesium.As it's going to be the best part of a week before the parts arrive again I've sent the key off to get a replacement copy as it was't working electronically and I've had to use the EKA.
You'd have thought that getting parts for such a vehicle would be easy, especially with one of the biggest Land Rover specialists on my doorstep (Bearmach - expensive and coil packs out of stock).
Your key issue made me chuckle. Collected our new Defender last Friday and the dealer quite sheepishly handed us the presentation box. Only 1 key and the emergency key on its own with no body or buttons. Apparently due to chip issues people getting brand new JLR cars only get 1 key till they get enough chips!
Mikebentley said:
Your key issue made me chuckle. Collected our new Defender last Friday and the dealer quite sheepishly handed us the presentation box. Only 1 key and the emergency key on its own with no body or buttons. Apparently due to chip issues people getting brand new JLR cars only get 1 key till they get enough chips!
A new car with one key would be, at best, inconvenient if you and your other half usually have a key each. I wouldn't be amused if I paid the price of a new LR and got one key. Discount or at least a sweetener?The Strange Rover Key was pretty much FUBAR when it was handed over. The battery was barely functioning and died after two uses.
I say "uses" but the rubber buttons and cover were missing and I had to use a pin to push the buttons (recessed) so pretty much useless. I bought a case for the innards (had to cut the old key apart as it was sealed) but that was pretty crap too.
So now I have bitten the bullet and sent the original key off to Les at CRNW in Porthmadog to make me a new one that (hopefully) works as it should.
Posted the "wrong parts" back to the supplier as well this morning so now we wait... again.
Absolutely love the Defender. The dealer has been ace. Honoured the order price from Nov 21 so with the 4% discount, full day LRE at Eastnor for 2 and dog ramp that he gave us after ordering and the price rises since it was £17.5 k under the cost now. They also contacted the Nitra factory as due to PH Members I was aware that air suspension was being removed as standard. They ensured mine was the last built with it.
The key is but a mere inconvenience as the in control app can also be used. Here it is in full Spectre spec.
The key is but a mere inconvenience as the in control app can also be used. Here it is in full Spectre spec.
Mikebentley said:
Absolutely love the Defender. The dealer has been ace. Honoured the order price from Nov 21 so with the 4% discount, full day LRE at Eastnor for 2 and dog ramp that he gave us after ordering and the price rises since it was £17.5 k under the cost now. They also contacted the Nitra factory as due to PH Members I was aware that air suspension was being removed as standard. They ensured mine was the last built with it.
The key is but a mere inconvenience as the in control app can also be used. Here it is in full Spectre spec.
Good to hear they looked after you and sounds like you ended up getting a sweet deal.The key is but a mere inconvenience as the in control app can also be used. Here it is in full Spectre spec.
My poor old Strangey is at the other end of the scale.
Just had an email from Craddocks, where I ordered the second lot of coil packs from, to say they don't have Intermotor in stock and would I like the cheaper version - Er, No! 
I wish companies would stop advertising stock they don't have and supplying things that are not what they purport to be on their websites.
I'll have to ring another supplier tomorrow to see if they have decent make coils in stock.
At least the new key is on the way.
I wish companies would stop advertising stock they don't have and supplying things that are not what they purport to be on their websites.
I'll have to ring another supplier tomorrow to see if they have decent make coils in stock.
At least the new key is on the way.
I’ve been following your thread from the start OP, and very much enjoying it. However, given your woes on not receiving the parts you’ve ordered and the mention of autodoc, I have to give you my experience of them.
They’re an absolute shower. I ordered headlight units for my car. Enter the reg and it shows 2 options, one more expensive than the other. I don’t want to do the job twice so ordered the more expensive one (Diederichs) and waited 2 weeks for delivery.
I received the cheaper option (Depo) and so a dialogue commences. A number of emails back and forth, summarised as:
Me: You’ve sent the wrong parts, these are the cheap ones
Autodoc: No, they’re interchangeable
M: But the price is different and the compatibility list is different
[Expensive part lists around 15 OE numbers, cheap part lists 3]
A: Doesn’t matter, that’s what you’re getting
M: I want to return them
A: Ok, we’ll take them back on this occasion and refund you
M: I don’t my money back, I just want the parts I ordered
[2 weeks after they’re sent, nothing]
M: Have you received them? Can you send the replacements?
A: Send me your VIN and I’ll tell you if these lights are compatible
VIN sent
A: Nope, these are no good for your car
By now it’s about a month after I’d ordered and was getting fed up.
M: I don’t care, just send them
Another 2 weeks later, the f
king Depo ones turn up again. They’re shocking. Little things like sharp edges on the plastic internals, poor tolerance between mating parts making the already awkward job of installing bulbs even harder, poor cutoff (xenon units), shadows in light output, cornering light beam way too high.
I’ll never use autodoc again.
Good luck with your restoration, you’re doing a great job.
They’re an absolute shower. I ordered headlight units for my car. Enter the reg and it shows 2 options, one more expensive than the other. I don’t want to do the job twice so ordered the more expensive one (Diederichs) and waited 2 weeks for delivery.
I received the cheaper option (Depo) and so a dialogue commences. A number of emails back and forth, summarised as:
Me: You’ve sent the wrong parts, these are the cheap ones
Autodoc: No, they’re interchangeable
M: But the price is different and the compatibility list is different
[Expensive part lists around 15 OE numbers, cheap part lists 3]
A: Doesn’t matter, that’s what you’re getting
M: I want to return them
A: Ok, we’ll take them back on this occasion and refund you
M: I don’t my money back, I just want the parts I ordered
[2 weeks after they’re sent, nothing]
M: Have you received them? Can you send the replacements?
A: Send me your VIN and I’ll tell you if these lights are compatible
VIN sent
A: Nope, these are no good for your car
By now it’s about a month after I’d ordered and was getting fed up.
M: I don’t care, just send them
Another 2 weeks later, the f
king Depo ones turn up again. They’re shocking. Little things like sharp edges on the plastic internals, poor tolerance between mating parts making the already awkward job of installing bulbs even harder, poor cutoff (xenon units), shadows in light output, cornering light beam way too high. I’ll never use autodoc again.
Good luck with your restoration, you’re doing a great job.
Edited by JohnWest on Thursday 30th June 22:55
I always order based on part number, not vin. A couple of parts on my RS are the right part number, in fact same factory as OEM, but 1/3rd if the cost.
That said, I did have one instance where I spotted they switched the part I ordered to a different manfr. I choose my manufacturers intentionally, so I just informed them I would only accept the part I ordered. They supplied as I ordered.
So I get that they do sometimes fkk up. But I’ve had a lot of good quality stuff from them too.
FWIW I’d be calling rimmer bros for these coils is craddocks are out of stock and can’t get any.
That said, I did have one instance where I spotted they switched the part I ordered to a different manfr. I choose my manufacturers intentionally, so I just informed them I would only accept the part I ordered. They supplied as I ordered.
So I get that they do sometimes fkk up. But I’ve had a lot of good quality stuff from them too.
FWIW I’d be calling rimmer bros for these coils is craddocks are out of stock and can’t get any.
I forgot to mention, despite autodoc telling me the parts weren’t compatible by VIN (but strangely were compatible by reg), they fit and function fine.
I did say to them that I want the Diederichs parts but they said they couldn’t guarantee what would be sent out. Odd.
Edit to fix autocorrect and dodgy spelling
I did say to them that I want the Diederichs parts but they said they couldn’t guarantee what would be sent out. Odd.
Edit to fix autocorrect and dodgy spelling
Edited by JohnWest on Thursday 30th June 22:56
JohnWest said:
I’ve been following your thread from the start OP, and very much enjoying it. However, given your woes on not receiving the parts you’ve ordered and the mention of autodoc, I have to give you my experience of them.
They’re an absolute shower. I ordered headlight units for my car. Enter the reg and it shows 2 options, one more expensive than the other. I don’t want to do the job twice so ordered the more expensive one (Diederichs) and waited 2 weeks for delivery.
I received the cheaper option (Depo) and so a dialogue commences. A number of emails back and forth, summarised as:
Me: You’ve sent the wrong parts, these are the cheap ones
Autodoc: No, they’re interchangeable
M: But the price is different and the compatibility list is different
[Expensive part lists around 15 OE numbers, cheap part lists 3]
A: Doesn’t matter, that’s what you’re getting
M: I want to return them
A: Ok, we’ll take them back on this occasion and refund you
M: I don’t my money back, I just want the parts I ordered
[2 weeks after they’re sent, nothing]
M: Have you received them? Can you send the replacements?
A: Send me your VIN and I’ll tell you if these lights are compatible
VIN sent
A: Nope, these are no good for your car
By now it’s about a month after I’d ordered and was getting fed up.
M: I don’t care, just send them
Another 2 weeks later, the fking Depo ones turn up again. They’re shocking. Little things like sharp edges on the plastic internals, poor tolerance between mating parts making the already awkward job of installing bulbs even harder, poor cutoff (xenon units), shadows in light output, cornering light beam way too high.
I’ll never use autodoc again.
Good luck with your restoration, you’re doing a great job.
Thank you. I sometimes feel I'm just posting for my own benefit/record but good to know there is some interest out there.They’re an absolute shower. I ordered headlight units for my car. Enter the reg and it shows 2 options, one more expensive than the other. I don’t want to do the job twice so ordered the more expensive one (Diederichs) and waited 2 weeks for delivery.
I received the cheaper option (Depo) and so a dialogue commences. A number of emails back and forth, summarised as:
Me: You’ve sent the wrong parts, these are the cheap ones
Autodoc: No, they’re interchangeable
M: But the price is different and the compatibility list is different
[Expensive part lists around 15 OE numbers, cheap part lists 3]
A: Doesn’t matter, that’s what you’re getting
M: I want to return them
A: Ok, we’ll take them back on this occasion and refund you
M: I don’t my money back, I just want the parts I ordered
[2 weeks after they’re sent, nothing]
M: Have you received them? Can you send the replacements?
A: Send me your VIN and I’ll tell you if these lights are compatible
VIN sent
A: Nope, these are no good for your car
By now it’s about a month after I’d ordered and was getting fed up.
M: I don’t care, just send them
Another 2 weeks later, the f
king Depo ones turn up again. They’re shocking. Little things like sharp edges on the plastic internals, poor tolerance between mating parts making the already awkward job of installing bulbs even harder, poor cutoff (xenon units), shadows in light output, cornering light beam way too high. I’ll never use autodoc again.
Good luck with your restoration, you’re doing a great job.
Edited by JohnWest on Thursday 30th June 22:55
It's shocking that these businesses just expect us to accept shoddy goods and not what was ordered. I guess many people can't be bothered to send them back.
The air filter I ordered (amongst other stuff) from LR Direct was the wrong one. They only show one when you click on P38/Filters/Air Filter but when i contacted them they kept telling me I ordered the wrong one.
Me:Yes, I did, but I ordered the one you told me would fit and it doesn't.
LRD: But you ordered the wrong one.
Me: I know but your website only shows one which I naturally assumed would fit as there is only one option
LRD: Yes but you ordered the wrong one
Me: OK so can you tell me which is the right one
LRD: Can we have your VIN Number
Me: It was in the header of my original email (which they had changed to something generic) but sure it's XXXXXXX
LRD: You should have ordered part number ABC 123 for that vehicle.
Me: Thank you, but it wasn't an option on your website
LRD: Well you ordered the wrong one.
Me: How do I get a refund?
LRD : I'll ask our refunds dept to email you
A week later an email arrives:
I am sorry to hear the part you ordered is no longer required.
LRDirect accepts the return of unwanted items within 21 days of receiving the products.
Please ensure the part has not been fitted, it is still in the original packaging and is properly packed to avoid any damages whilst in transit.
Please could you return the part to:
LR Direct Returns ...
...LRDirect will not cover return shipping costs for your unwanted parts ordered and so this cost must be met by you as the customer.
However, when I receive your unwanted parts, I will begin the returns process and as soon as the return has been accepted I will arrange for a refund to be processed immediately.
The air filter cost £3 and they know damn well it will cost me more than that to send it back so they don't care. So I will not be using tem again unless they are the only option for a part.
I wouldn't mind so much if they accepted that they misguided me into buying the wrong part in the first place but all of their email communications start with: "we are not technical sales advisers but rely on our customers to find their own part numbers". No you don't. You guide them through a menu process which ended up with me being ordering the wrong part because your site gave no alternative.
I'm beginning to think it's not the cars that are the problem.
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