New to Freelanders and a warning!

Hi All,

I've just bought my 2nd Freelander in a month, this time I've got a goodun (I hope!). But to anyone looking for a Freelander be warned, a dealer just out side Maidenhead (trading as JP Motors or 4x4 ) has a 2001/Y (Y97 JFO) TD4 5 door in bright blue for £2795 or there abouts. States it has 108,000 miles on the clock - well I bought it and was happy...

Then when I got it home I logged on to the government website to check the MOT history, it had a service book but no old MOT's so I just wanted to see what work had been needed for it's MOT's in the past - in April 2010 it had more than 143K miles on the clock! Then in September when it had been re-MOT'd by the dealer it had 108k!

Obviously I was bit unhappy, so rang the dealer who agreed a refund and my px back, then it broke down - the auxiliary drive belt snapped... This lead to engine cover coming off and we found:

1) Both cooling fans had been disconnected. When reconnected they ran all the time, even when the car was parked up for hours!

2) The battery was the wrong one, it was too small, not secured in anyway and had dodgy extension wires to make the leads fit.

3) Then on the return journey to the dealer (having had the belt replaced) the rear brakes started grinding.

I got my money back and the cost of the repair but lost about £50 in diesel - could have been a lot lot worse though!

So if you are looking for a Freelander, in the Maidenhead area be warned! It's still advertised, with a new advert despite trading standards being made aware.

My latest one came from a much more reputable dealer (so far!) in Chipping Sodbury, near Bristol. A newer 2002 td4 in silver with much less mileage, fsh and all old MOT's and is lovely!

thanks for the warning ! perhaps you need to do a matt alwright rogue trader stunt, and put stickers on the vehicle on the forecourt.

hopefully, someone will see the thread on here and avoid buying a wrong un.

hope you and your freelander are very happy for many years to come.

Thanks, worst part of the whole thing for me was that I've bought loads of cars without a badun, I guess I became too cocky!

I've been using this forum and another Land Rover forum to learn lots about these prior to buying, even more so since the mistake of the first purchase - so thanks to all those who contribute!

Have you reported this? dvla?

Sorry Hippo, missed your post.

Yes, reported to trading standards and Police prior to speaking with the dealer to get advice. Police not too interested but trading standards were. I say were but the vehicle is still for sale with the dealer (although he may have relocated elsewhere in the Maidenhead area). Trading standards are about to close the case file.

Would be interesting to find out where TS stood if someone subsequently bought the car despite TS knowing all the details and that the car is still for sale.