Are 'Freelander Spares UK' rip off merchants?

Hi all.
I haven't posted for a while but I now feel the need to put finger to keyboard.
About eighteen months ago I bought a replacement VCU from Freelander Spares UK. For some time after the car was not used off road so I did not notice any issues. My son has been using the car recently and last week got stuck in circumstances that a Ford Fiesta would have coped with. I have since tested the car and there is no drive at all to the rear wheels. I have had a chat with a local Land Rover specialist who tells me, in his opinion, the VCU is at fault. He also mentioned that he had heard that there had been some kind of recall on these 'rebuilt' units. He is looking into this as I type and will get back to me with a price for a 'pukka' unit.
Looking quickly through this forum today I have read one or two adverse comments about this supplier.
Does anyone have any comment to make regarding these components from this supplier? I suppose I am a bit late to make a claim against them but I will have the old unit checked to see if it were faulty from the outset and could involve trading standards if it is found to be faulty from day one. At £305.00 it was not cheap and I am well ****ed off if, as I suspect, I have been ripped off.
All comments, other than those suggesting that I get a 'proper' Land Rover or those asking about about my curling tongs would be appreciated.
P.S.
I drove through a fifteen inch deep flood yesterday and the doors stayed on!

Regards

Dave.

I'm not 100%, but I think that they have in the past been accused of selling VCU's that have simply been drained and are thus completely wurfless. It's not at fault per se, it's been deliberatly castrated and has as much use as a chocolate teapot.

Bell Engineering are very highly respected and can supply excellent reconditioned VCU's for around £200 on an exchange basis (you send them your old one.) But you'll need a good one if you want 4x4 .

Anyone charging money for Freelanders or parts for them, is most definitely a "rip off merchant"

that is all

I had a duff one from there but that replaced it and it seems to work ok now

Austin from Bell posted this a while ago:

http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f9/warning-freelander-spares-vcus-190850.html

i had a vcu from freelander spares and got stranded, I must add they did replace it and that worked but soon after I got rid but they did not even apologise, as I was really stuck and being disbled can not walk far, another landy owner helped me out and it was about 8ins in snow if he had not come along I would not like to think.

teddywood1 said:

i had a vcu from freelander spares and got stranded, I must add they did replace it and that worked but soon after I got rid but they did not even apologise, as I was really stuck and being disbled can not walk far, another landy owner helped me out and it was about 8ins in snow if he had not come along I would not like to think.

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One wonders if they aren't hoping that no one will notice. Not like many Freelanders go oft road or into adverse road conditions.

They do advertise a 2 wheel drive VCU, also have a 4x4 VCU with 2 year manufacturers warranty. It might be worth getting in touch with them and see what they say.

Duncp73 said:

They do advertise a 2 wheel drive VCU, also have a 4x4 VCU with 2 year manufacturers warranty. It might be worth getting in touch with them and see what they say.

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Why the f**k would you sell a "2wd VCU" unles you KNEW that clueless ****s would buy it? I'm sorry but that's blatantly taking advantage of ingnorance which isn't very ethical in my book.

I wasn't trying to defend them, just pointing it out. I thought the 2 year warranty bit might of been some use to Dave the OP.

I've seen they're ebay site....
They really do sell a 2wd conversion vcu, they try and justify selling it by saying your freelander may fail it's MOT without a propshaft :boxing:

Boll***s!!!!!

FREEL4NDY said:

I've seen they're ebay site....
They really do sell a 2wd conversion vcu, they try and justify selling it by saying your freelander may fail it's MOT without a propshaft :boxing:

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Yep, bare arsed lies.

FREEL4NDY said:

I've seen they're ebay site....
They really do sell a 2wd conversion vcu, they try and justify selling it by saying your freelander may fail it's MOT without a propshaft :boxing:

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This is a total lie. A Freelander with the props removed won't fail the Mot!! If it's fitted it must be servicible but it doesn't need to be there. I always take the front prop off mine so I can put it on the rollers to test the brakes properly.
These crooks are simply praying on Freelander owners who don't know any different

Nodge68 said:

This is a total lie. A Freelander with the props removed won't fail the Mot!! If it's fitted it must be servicible but it doesn't need to be there. I always take the front prop off mine so I can put it on the rollers to test the brakes properly.
These crooks are simply praying on Freelander owners who don't know any different

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Well anyone who does a search on them isn't going to find glowing reviews here that's for damn sure! Shame no fooker searches when they're panicking .

WLJayne said:

Well anyone who does a search on them isn't going to find glowing reviews here that's for damn sure! Shame no fooker searches when they're panicking .

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Too true, if only hindsight were foresight. From what I have gleaned so far I reckon I must have an 'open' VCU unit. The lesson to be learned is that it is only worth trying to save money on those parts that are not critical. Some other bits, I reckon, bite the bullet and get the right part in the first place is sound advice.
Thanks for the comments people, I will post what the outcome is.

Regards

Dave.

It's ok to try to save money, it's only bad when you make an uninformed purchase, which is why this forum is so good .

For example I have a hunch that many recurring K series HGF's could have been prevented if the owners hadn't taken it to the cheapest garage for the repair - stuff like that. You get what you pay for unless you DIY .

I agree. I found it invaluable to ask someone here for their knowledge. We all live and learn though.

lorri789 said:

I agree. I found it invaluable to ask someone here for their knowledge. We all live and learn though.

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Indeed, there are some parts that are the "must haves" like the GKN VCU bearings. Sometimes you'll just come across a low cost gem though, so it's good that we all know about them.

I think someone posted they tried to tell peeps they'd had problems, and took some crap vcu's back from peeps complaining for eggschange. Give them a call to see about changing it. And tell em I'm not happy about hearing this.