1999 Land Rover Range Rover (P38A) Callaway Edition

We’ve always found Land Rover to be an interesting company. Perpetually stuck at the bottom of every reliability index and often the cause for simultaneous reckless admiration and constant hair ripping frustration, they’re a common sight amongst the rich and fabulous. Their off-road capabilities seem distant as they roll from boulevard stoplight to stoplight. How can the BMW-owned (there’s a clue there) company be an over- and underdog simultaneously?

Photos: Craigslist

About a year ago, we made a concerted effort to find a Land Rover that was reasonable to own and our attempts resulted in less than compelling findings. Maintenance is a constant factor with these vehicles, build quality even more variable than Chrysler and parts are very expensive. No model in the lineup stands out as a truly viable option. So, if you must have a British off-roader, your choice is to look like a tough guy or go for the luxury bling; our choice would be the later and leaves us with the Range Rover.

Surely there are better years, where depreciation has taken the biggest toll and yet ownership a conceivable thing. Our choice would be one of the later years of the second generation, dubbed the P38A, sometimes referred to as the New Range Rover or LP. Sold from 1994 through 2002, it featured tidy exterior styling, two V8s, a 4.0 pumping out 190 horsepower and 250 lb-ft, while the pick of the litter was the common 4.6 with 225 horsepower and 300 lb-ft. Those numbers are for the 1999-2002 model years, the previous years had ever so slightly less. The difference in power is not really the issue; there was an upgrade to a Bosch electronic ignition which makes it worth seeking those years out over then earlier ones. The 2001s and overstock 2002s only had the larger V8. The ZF transmission is bulletproof.

Issues with these SUVs are plentiful, well documented and fairly easily dealt with, if not cheaply. The main culprit is the marvelous air suspension, which is quite active on this vehicle. Failure of the system can be potentially dangerous should it fail on-road, so many owners chose to ditch it and put in a static suspension. This might be the best option but it removes much of the magic, so we’d be tempted to try to fix the system instead of removing it.

Mileage is unsurprisingly terrible; expect around 12 mpg wheeling around the city. Your credit card will get a workout on the highway too, at only 15 mpg. At roughly two and a half tons, this thing is one heavy brick.

For a high-end vehicle with an original MSRP around $70K (’01 HSE), depreciation is painful and horrendous. That being said, they still hold value rather well. A comparative and far more reliable Volvo XC, for example, is worth even less. Also, we would rather buy a well maintained higher mileage example than a Range Rover that sat in the driveway of the mansion all its life.

Our pick would be to find a special edition example, even though it will be worth more, in the famous British shade of green with a black interior. A limited edition Callaway added special badges, body color-keyed bumpers and upped the horsepower to 240. The owner of our featured vehicle has little to say about his beloved British SUV, “Selling 1999 Callaway Range Rover 4.6 HSE.  #102 of 220 made. Clean, solid car. Lots of service records. New headliner. 122K miles, $7500.” Private Party KBB value for a similar HSE is just under $2,100; you read that right. Being a Callaway most certainly adds value but our guess is that our featured vehicle is over-priced. To be fair, the Range Rovers offered at the KBB valuation were pretty rough. A premium for a well cared for example would be worth every penny. In fact, buying the best example you can afford would be a good plan here, especially with the assistance of a knowledgeable mechanic who specializes in the breed. Avoid dealerships at all cost, as usual.

Some folks would disagree with our assessment of the P38, stating that is in fact one of the worst. Due diligence is up to you but our research does not support that statement. Knowing what you’re getting into would be a good idea with any used car purchase but a Range Rover is even more so. On good days, you’ll be riding high with a commanding view of the countryside around you, swathed in luxury only the British know how to do. Good luck and don’t call us when you break down.