A

apexblue

New Member
Hi Folks,
I am looking to my buy my first TD4 Auto X Reg with 110K on clock this week from a local garage and wanted your views on my situation. The vehicle although appears immaculate both bodily and interior wise does not have any service history whatsoever as the garage took it in part ex and the owner has lost the history although the handbook is there. This makes me feel uncomfortable buying an old vehicle without any history although I am very tempted because of the condition of it and the garage said they would give me their own 3 month or 3000 mile warranty only against major parts failing. I think without any history the price is rather on the high side (£2750) but they will take my present vehicle off me as a part ex which will save me a lot of hassle and expense as it has several problems, although its just flown through the MOT. I believe in its early life the servicing was actually done by Landrover so I presume if I approach my local LR agent they would provide me with the service history and perhaps get a new service book stamped up to help the resale value?
Any views would be appreciated.
Thanks
Steve
 
How good is the deal on your car? Would you have problems selling it privately? Are they offering a fair price for it?

The Td4 BMW diesel is reasonably solid, although it does have the odd electronic gremlin (MAF failure is a given at some point in it's life for example).

What are the tyres like? Are they in good condition and all the same make, best tyres on the back? If not, think £140 a corner for good quality new tyres and redo the caclulation in it being a good deal :)

How does it feel when reversing with full lock on? If it requires considerably more throttle thn reversing in a straight line it might need a recon VCU, that's £200 quid, if you don't change it the cost could go up significantly.

Were there any 'odd' noises when you took it for a test drive? Any vibrations at any point between 0 and 70 mph?

If you don't know when the gearbox oil was changed factor in cost of an oil change for it, LR reckong something like every 70k miles (I think, might be 50k?? some one will say if I'm wrong), not doing it could be expensive, some one on here recently paid £2.5k to recon an autobox :(

With the time I've spent on here over the last few months I might be tempted if the deal on the trade in was OK.

Finally, how much do you trust the garage? Warranties are all well and good, but if the garage has a rep for weaseling on them (or even just shoddy work) then they are worthless unless you are prepared to use the courts.
 
When I bought silverlandy I paid a premium price due to it coming from a dealer. 69k on the clock, fsh. However, for this premium price I negotiated a new rear bumper (old one had a small crack) a roof respray (had scratches on it) and full service, mot and 6 months tax at original price minus £800 from sale price previously negotiated down. Mot showed new steering box needed, got that done, all after we negotiated the deal, front tyres passable but got new ones, pushed for those, asked for every small dent and scratch to be repaired and they were good to their word. When I picked her up she was pristine, a beauty! Didn't trade in my old TDi landy as got a cash buyer and I was a cash buyer too.

Got a 3 month RAC warranty - not worth the paper it was written on to be honest.

Good luck.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for your reply. The deal on my car is not brilliant but I would struggle to sell it privately, as there is an engine management light on all the time. Its an S Type Jag V6 3 Litre Auto, 51 Plate, its a lovely car and a fantastic drive but as I am self-employed I need something more practical. The diagnostic test showed 2 faults on the Jag, 1/. faulty throttle release valve, 2/. fault showing on one of the catalytic converters. So, I could be in for quite a lot of money if I got it repaired and sold it privately, I feel its probably best to part ex it, lose a bit of money on it and take a chance with the Freelander, although I have no history on it?
I have not yet had a test drive which I intend to have on Tuesday, the tyres are all as new and it really is in showroom condition, which I know does not mean its mechanically/electronically A1.
I really am in 2 minds without any history, as I bought A Disco TD5 2 years ago with history and had untold problems with it, needing a new engine, air bags, radiator, fuel pump, battery, starter motor and several other parts and spent in excess of £3K in 12 months, which I lost when I sold it last year.
Another big issue for me, is the Freelander diesel powerful enough, as I need to transport fairly heavy stock about on local deliveries, as the Disco was massively underpowered and laboured quite a lot with virtually no acceleration at all to get you out of situations? Can the TD4 be remapped if needed like the TD5 and if so what sort of cost are we talking about?
1/. Does the ES model have reversing sensors and a CD as standard and an outside temperature reading?
Thanks
Steve
 
Even though I got a superb Td5 I've still had to change air springs, new elec window motor etc, it's all part of the joy of owning one. Things will go wrong but you've got to balance this against what they can deliver. My td5 is a beast to drive, I use mine for towing my horse and quite frankly it's the best. Now, with towing heavy weights the freelander is not up to the job (sorry freelander owners) if you are serious about towing you maybe need to rethink, what are you towing and what weight?
 
I am not towing anything just carrying fairly heavy stock such as paper disposables and cleaning chemicals so I don't think that should be an issue. I just need to know if the standard TD4 Auto will get me out of situations for things like overtaking and pulling out of side streets etc, when you need that extra bit of power? Can these be remapped to give extra BHP and if so what sort of cost is it?
Thanks
Steve
 
apexblue said:
I am not towing anything just carrying fairly heavy stock such as paper disposables and cleaning chemicals so I don't think that should be an issue. I just need to know if the standard TD4 Auto will get me out of situations for things like overtaking and pulling out of side streets etc, when you need that extra bit of power? Can these be remapped to give extra BHP and if so what sort of cost is it?
Thanks
Steve
Click to expand...

Ah ok then. Over to the FL experts then! Mines a bog standard TD5, no remap, though I'm open to it, maybe. ;)
 
Hi i think that's a good price i paid 3k for mine three months ago with 110k same age and no PX service history is nice but it dose not account for the way the car has been driven would suggest having the gear box oil changed it's every 60k and a service before buying if you can talk the into it good luck:)
 
Hi Baron,
Do you find your TD4 Auto powerful enough to get you out of situations like overtaking and pulling out of side streets fast enough. This concerns me as the TD5 Auto I had was very underpowered and was hard to overtake even slow wagons etc?
 
The wife's Td4 auto is reasonably quick out of a side street and not too bad in a straight line.

If you want to get more, then search for Synergy, or Rover Ron (same horse, different jockey).

If you want to see reports of the effectiveness of the Synergy then look for posts by Singvogel with synergy in them, he's had his for a while and seems to like it :)
 
PS

If it feels gutless below 2 to 2.5 k then it might be the MAF that's going, do a search, there are other cheap to fix problems that cause the Td4 to lose bottom end.
 
Cant say for a TD4 auto but I have a TD4 manual and used to have a TD5 manual, both standard and the TD4 is way quicker than a TD5 - a remap will only enhance this (as it would a TD5!)

I wouldn't be too worried about buying an older car without service history if the condition was right but considering the price of the Freelander you are thinking of, I would ask the garage to service it before you buy.
 
Hi there as to your question on response with the kick down i find it OK and if you look on on here for mods you can transform your power set up for not a lot of cash. But remember when coming out of those side streets think once think twice think bike it might be me on the bike :D
 
Can't help with regards auto, as standard the TD4 isn't bad, certainly quick enough for most situations.

With regards no history, you can get all the MOT information from the direct.gov (I think) website, you'll need the V5 to do this but at least you can check the mileage and if it ever failed on anything nasty. This was how I found out my first Freelander had been clocked by 40K! Would recommend doing this if you can get a copy of the V5 from the dealer.
 
i have a TD4 AUTO and have never had a thought about remap and all the add on bits it is quick enough as I am not a boy racer any more but it is good enough for 115 mph and a very fast first gear hope this helps
 
Hi,

I've had a TD4 manual and currently drive an auto. Driven properly there's not much to choose between the two of them. There's a lot of rubbish been written about how the auto is slower. Yes, it is - but only if you give them a Jeremy Clarkson full bore, foot hard to the floor comparison test - on a track.

I gave the dealers road-test auto one hell of a thrashing before I conceded that I couldn't do as well with a manual - on the road.

In the real world I'm quicker away from the lights than most 2 litre cars, and on roundabouts can leave most manuals behind.

With the Synergy2a+ I can see the boots off the E46 BMW 320D with the same engine.

A properly sorted, serviced, and modded Freelander TD4 is a quick machine - but not many people know that (Cue Michael Caine) - I'm happy it's that way - it's a wolf in sheep's clothing - what we used to call a 'Q' car.

I look in the mirror sometimes and laugh at the antics of some folks in little 'speedy' hatch-backs who try to keep up with me on twisty B-roads. I don't have to brake for lots of corners and they often run wide as they think they can keep up close behind me and expect that they will overtake me on the next straight bit - but no - I'm off. :cool2:

I hope this doesn't sound like a race situation - I'm not interested in that kind of childishness - it's just me making good cross-country progress without exceeding any limits - mine - the car's or the law's.

OK - on the dual-carriageways or motorways those types always disappear because they break the speed limit.

Hope that helps get the Auto TD4 in perspective.

Caio,

Singvogel. :cool:
 
Hi again chaps,
I have now got the TD4 Auto and guess what the day after i bought it, Ive got a problem. Within 5 miles of driving it I noticed smoke coming up from the front left hand side as I was at traffic lights. I pulled up to check it out and it appeared to be coming front the near side front wheel with smoke billowing out. The brake pedal was also pushing my foot up as I braked so assumed it was a brake problem. I took it back to the garage today and they said the caliper had seized so they freed and lubricated it which has helped but as I brake I am still getting a shuddering from the brake pedal. My question is, should the caliper be replaced as I need to go on a long trip next week. If so, what is the approximate cost of this work as I think the garage should pay for this?
Thanks
 
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