Head Gasget just gone

I think the title of this post says it all. I was foolishishly hoping that all of the posts with HG Failures was just a major coinsident and it wouldn't happen to me but here I am.

I was on my way to work this morning, on the M62, when I just happened to look down at the temp gauge. It was right up there with the red stuff. My heart sank. I put the heater on full blast which brought the temp down but there was a strong oily smell in the car. My work was only 2 minutes away so I proceeded to my works car park. The engine was making a right rackett and steam was comming from the bonnett. I left it an hour to cool then went out to see the damage hoping that my coolant was just a bit low. When I lifted the bonnett there was gunky oily cream stuff all over the header tank and engine. I called landrover and they are getting it towed in.

I bought this car from 'Carcraft' Fool but I did get a three year parts and labour warrant on it up to the value of the car so I'm sure I'm covered for this.

Can anyone with the same experience tell me what to expect. Do I get shot as soon as it's fixed? If they put a new engine in, is it worth keeping?

The car is:-
1.8 X(2000) XEI with 55K on the clock

Thank you for your ear in this matter

Regards

Gary Martin

The head gaskets generaly go around this mileage. It seems that at times a new motor is reqd. Up to you whether you keep it or sell it but don't keep it past another 40,000 miles.

Wife has got 98 model same as yours which had HG @30k, new cylinder head at 40k, new engine @ 55k, HG @ 80K all done under warranty at main dealer before we bought it earlier this year. Needless to say it was bought for a bargain price as history put most sane people off and people looking at older models will be wary of such a history and looking to get a "good deal" (bad for seller) on purchase.

The story so far. The cost of the work comes to £2,890. It needs a new engine block. Landrover contacted my warranty people and they've told them that they only cover up to £750 per claim . I then got onto 'NIC' and they said it clearly states £750 per claim in the hand book. When we took this warranty out with CarShaft I specificaly pointed this out to the sales guy and ask the question "What if my engine blows" He specificaly stated "Your still fully covered because you would claim for each individual part of the engine seperately so allthough its £750 per claim, you could have 10 seperate £750 claims within a repair". On the strength of this we bought the warranty . I've obviously gone back to them to explain the sales mans statement and they basicaly say "It's your word against his" We've spoken to trading standards who say the same thing and that it wouldn't stand up in court.

Next step was to call Landrover Customer Service. They have been helpful so far and said they would contact the dealer where my car is being repaird and get the information they need. To do what.. I don't know.

I'm F**king mad about this. I paid 10K 8 months ago for a car now worth no more than 5K on a PX and it's gona cost me yet another 2K to get it fixed. I feel so stiched up and stupid We new we were paying over the odds for the car but we planned to keep it three years or more and with the fantastic three year warranty we were safe no matter what, yeh right.

As soon as it's fixed I'm going straight to a main dealer to get shot of this headache.

Thanks again for listening.

GaryM

Landrover came back with, "One of the service stamps isn't on our records and looks like it's been stamped by mistake because it isn't signed, therefore the car doesn't have a full service history so Landrover can't contribute to the cost of repair" FANTASTIC. I can't think of any other avenue's to take so I'm going to have to pay the 2K to get this car fixed. I will be writing some serious letters to all concerned and hopefuly get somewhere that way.

I'm not going to slag Landrovers off because I feel this situation is more down to my stupidity than anything else. I don't hate freelanders allthough I would NEVER have another. I just want anyone who is thinking of buying a Freelander with the 1.8 Rover engine to proceed with extream caution. This is happening to a LOT of people. I thought it could never happen to me.

If you buy one of these cars on the strength of the warrenty, I would recomend getting as much in writing as you can. Or take your mobile phone and record the entire conversation (with their permission).

I'm putting this down to a bad experience. I have already sold the car and I and anyone who knows me, would never buy anything Landrover again.

Thank you all again for listenting.

GaryM

To the contrary have a look at

http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f9/freelander-revised-cylinder-head-26325.html#post172244

New's so far. I was looking through my paperwork first thing this morning and guess what... I've found an invoice from Landrover Stockport for a load of work done on my car before I had it and it includes a full details for the 36,000 mile service. It was done just after the car had got to 35,000 miles. I was extremly happy to say the least.

Before I had this information I contacted the Landrover Customer Care line who informed me that their dessision on the matter was final. I tried to argue the fact that the head gasket should not be blowing at 55K whether or not the car had a full service history. He said that any payment we've paid to past customers was nothing but a good will gesture and that they don't have to pay anything even if the vehicle has a full service history.

Landrover wakefield are re-submitting my request to the Customer Care Dept. now that I have proved that the vehicle has a FULL Landrover Service History. I just hope they pay something towards this £2000 bill I'm getting. I think they should pay the lot but I'm doubtful of that.

I'll keep you posted

Regards

Gary

Hi Gary,

Glad you found that bill, hope (for your sake) that LR will reconsider their decision and grant you a full replacement so that the whole £2000 will be on their account.

Thanks WIllo. Fingers crossed.

Gary

Nooooooooo. Landrover just called to inform me that they are not going to pay anything towards the cost of repair even though it has a FULL service history. The excuse now is that I am not the original owner of the vehicle. What this has to do with anything I don't know.

BUGGER

The argument shouldn't be with LR but with Rover who made faulty parts and have not recalled them and corrected them.

Yes they changed the design of the heads but this doesn't help a great deal really. But seeing as though Rover are bust it's never going to happen.