Freelander - garage advice

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.
H

hbweb

New Member
Posts
17
Hi,

I have just got rid of my Freelander GS Auto TD4, after 6 six miserable weeks.

  • New Starter Motor
  • New Battery
  • Gearbox died (Automatic)
  • No propshaft when bought (I found out later)
  • Numerous lightbulb changes
Not entirely Land Rovers fault, but I am left with a disdain for Freelanders.

I bought the car 6 weeks ago, from a garage. I enjoyed driving it, and there was certainly something about the Freelander, big car feel, pretty sturdy ... but everytime I got in, I couldn't help but feel that something was going to go wrong.

I'm sure there are many happy freelander owners, but my experience is poor.

My advice when buying an Automatic one (through trial and error) ...

Check the service at 60k, making sure it's a Land Rover garage. Apparently, it's a big one, and needs to be done by experts, not some mutlinational garage. (Something about gearbox oil changing or something?)

Check the prop shaft - sometimes the differential goes wrong, and owners remove the prop shaft as it makes a huge noise. This means the gaylander goes from 4wd to 2wd, without the poor bastard owner knowing (replacement prop approx £600?)

Oh, check the HPI. Many Freelanders (cheap ones) are insurance right offs, and have been 'repaired'.

What a miserable 6 weeks of motoring. £2500 lost. The most expensive car I've ever owned.

Good riddance.

Glad I got that off my chest - many thanks to all members of the forum who have helped with my many problems in the past.

Thanks
 
You bought it from a garage?
It clearly wasn't "fit for purpose".
You should have got a full refund - you shouldn't have lost a penny.
Consumers have rights, but you need to assert them!
 
hbweb said:
Hi,

I have just got rid of my Freelander GS Auto TD4, after 6 six miserable weeks.

  • New Starter Motor
  • New Battery
  • Gearbox died (Automatic)
  • No propshaft when bought (I found out later)
  • Numerous lightbulb changes
Not entirely Land Rovers fault, but I am left with a disdain for Freelanders.

I bought the car 6 weeks ago, from a garage. I enjoyed driving it, and there was certainly something about the Freelander, big car feel, pretty sturdy ... but everytime I got in, I couldn't help but feel that something was going to go wrong.

I'm sure there are many happy freelander owners, but my experience is poor.

My advice when buying an Automatic one (through trial and error) ...

Check the service at 60k, making sure it's a Land Rover garage. Apparently, it's a big one, and needs to be done by experts, not some mutlinational garage. (Something about gearbox oil changing or something?)

Check the prop shaft - sometimes the differential goes wrong, and owners remove the prop shaft as it makes a huge noise. This means the gaylander goes from 4wd to 2wd, without the poor bastard owner knowing (replacement prop approx £600?)

Oh, check the HPI. Many Freelanders (cheap ones) are insurance right offs, and have been 'repaired'.

What a miserable 6 weeks of motoring. £2500 lost. The most expensive car I've ever owned.

Good riddance.

Glad I got that off my chest - many thanks to all members of the forum who have helped with my many problems in the past.

Thanks
Click to expand...


A warning to anyone interested in buying is to look underneath (as with any car) to check the prop situation. Also any good garage can do the gearbox fluid change though they will probably have to source the fluid from Landrover like mine did.

As trewy says, you've bought from a Garage & are covered by Sale Of Goods Act so shouldn't be out of pocket at all as car clearly wasn't fit for the purpose.
 
hbweb said:
Hi,

I have just got rid of my Freelander GS Auto TD4, after 6 six miserable weeks.

  • New Starter Motor
  • New Battery
  • Gearbox died (Automatic)
  • No propshaft when bought (I found out later)
  • Numerous lightbulb changes
Not entirely Land Rovers fault, but I am left with a disdain for Freelanders.

I bought the car 6 weeks ago, from a garage. I enjoyed driving it, and there was certainly something about the Freelander, big car feel, pretty sturdy ... but everytime I got in, I couldn't help but feel that something was going to go wrong.

I'm sure there are many happy freelander owners, but my experience is poor.

My advice when buying an Automatic one (through trial and error) ...

Check the service at 60k, making sure it's a Land Rover garage. Apparently, it's a big one, and needs to be done by experts, not some mutlinational garage. (Something about gearbox oil changing or something?)

Check the prop shaft - sometimes the differential goes wrong, and owners remove the prop shaft as it makes a huge noise. This means the gaylander goes from 4wd to 2wd, without the poor bastard owner knowing (replacement prop approx £600?)

Oh, check the HPI. Many Freelanders (cheap ones) are insurance right offs, and have been 'repaired'.

What a miserable 6 weeks of motoring. £2500 lost. The most expensive car I've ever owned.

Good riddance.

Glad I got that off my chest - many thanks to all members of the forum who have helped with my many problems in the past.

Thanks
Click to expand...


hb sorry to hear about your woes. What happened to the auto box?
 
As Trewy said,,,,,,,,and what sort of garage was it that didnt give you some sort of warranty,,,,:rolleyes:
 
Mmm, sounds like you have had a bad experience, I bet your not getting your next car from the same garage. Thing is it dos'nt really add up, how or why would you just walk away from this if you bought it from a garage, I think most people would be there banging the door down with steam coming from their ears!
 
Sorry to hear about your bad experiences.

The 60k service isn’t really that big. It’s just the case of getting the auto box oil changed on top of a normal 60k service. The oil is special, to the Jatco fitted in the Freelander. The risk comes in when it’s filled incorrectly. Too high and you’ll blow all the seals. Too low and the torque converter will cavitate and fail. Been there and done that. Too much of a risk for me when mines next due. £1400 starting price of a recon auto supplied and fitted. Had to have mine replaced too.

I’ve fought against 2 garages in the past. Have studied a small amount of law too, with the OU. Won one and couldn’t be bothered with the second once it got started. It’s a lot of hassle, and the onus is on the complainant to provide proof. I accept the law is there, but proving and applying it is stressful, and time consuming. A lot easier to walk away, unless your case is clear-cut. I’m lucky in that I’ve got access to a web site with case verdicts and reasons why, through a friend. It’s surprising how many clear-cut cases can fail too. The laws not that friendly. Try it and see.
 
Last edited:
Gearbox was unlucky. No prop? well i,m sure you wont buy another used vehicle without having a good look underneath, especially one of them 4x4's.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

eduard_andrei
Noises from behind when full steering
2
Replies
21
Views
791
GrumpyGel
GrumpyGel
C
Freelander 1 vibro
Replies
6
Views
695
curlycat
C
Zorro587
Noise gone but prop shaft queries abound
Replies
14
Views
956
Chris_68
C
M
Freelander 2 coolant puddle
Replies
0
Views
531
MattM431
M
S
Lucas Starter Motor on Freelander 1
Replies
11
Views
595
Andy Warren
Andy Warren
Back
Top