Should I be suspicious?

Found a Freelander Sport, 04, TD4 with 42K miles.

Service history only for the first 2 years of the vehicle (upto 2006 and 22K miles). It was then sold to another person who claims to have 'maintained and serviced' it himself since then, yet has no receipts for parts or materials whatsoever, only the MOT's.

The car drives nicely and is for sale through a dealer who have said they would service it before leaving, but I am concerned that the car probably hasn't been properly serviced for 5 years and 20K miles.

The mileage over the last 5 years also suggests to me that the diesel engine has been used for short start/stop journeys (4K a year), which combined with the lack of service history has me erring on the side of caution.

The dealer wants £8K for the car.

Would you give this one a miss, or am I being too cautious?

Thanks for your help!

£8k.....................the mind boggles. Don't understand the whole Sport thing as they doesn't go any faster than standard ones but they cost plenty more, even still at that price I'd want a full service history if it were me.

chromiumuk said:

£8k.....................the mind boggles. Don't understand the whole Sport thing as they doesn't go any faster than standard ones but they cost plenty more, even still at that price I'd want a full service history if it were me.

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they are a better spec - 17" rims, swede / leather heated seats, HK premium audio etc... better handling due to being slightly lower and harder suspension -

eitherway alot of money still - i traded in my 2004 sport 3 weeks ago for only 6K - it was sold for £6995

Hi low miles is a plus check under the car see if propshaft/vcu is there ! also look for oil leaks ,eg finaldrive driveshaft oilseals had gone on mine make sure all 4 tyres are the same size preferabiy the same make , if you get a FL theres plenty of info on here regarding what to service if you do it yourself ,you know its done !

Being an 04 is why it is cheap a 56 low miler will fetch 10500! I wouldn't see why it would be bad for them miles

classiuk said:

Found a Freelander Sport, 04, TD4 with 42K miles.

Service history only for the first 2 years of the vehicle (upto 2006 and 22K miles). It was then sold to another person who claims to have 'maintained and serviced' it himself since then, yet has no receipts for parts or materials whatsoever, only the MOT's.

The car drives nicely and is for sale through a dealer who have said they would service it before leaving, but I am concerned that the car probably hasn't been properly serviced for 5 years and 20K miles.

The mileage over the last 5 years also suggests to me that the diesel engine has been used for short start/stop journeys (4K a year), which combined with the lack of service history has me erring on the side of caution.

The dealer wants £8K for the car.

Would you give this one a miss, or am I being too cautious?

Thanks for your help!

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And if you speak to the former owner and ask him about the maintenance he did for the past 5 years, you would hear if he's able he did so or just telling lies ?? If he can point out in detail (and of course you know what it's supposed to be) what he did and what he replaced etc.., where the different filters are located etc... also when he can tell you the amount of oil and the values of the oil he used I think it might be true ??

To be honest I dont keep receipts for oil, filters or the brake pads I bought and changed either.

i dont care what anyone says, any person who claims to have "serviced it themselves" but have no reciepts for oils/filters/breaks should be treated as NO history..

On the plus side, its a cracking jeep, and probably wont have much wrong, but if theres no reciepts, theres no proof..This is at the very least a chance to barter the price down???

Think about it.. if you bought a car off me, and i said "yeah its had the cambelt done - but i dont have the reciept" What would you do?? Youd knock £300 off the asking price by saying "you cant prove that", and then, the £300 you saved you would spend on doing the belt yourself - just for reassurance?? You would risk mullering your engine just cos someones said "yeah mate its been done"..

Barter barter, youll end up with a great truck, and whatever you can save by bartering, spend on all the stuff and service yourself.

Good luck, and keep us all posted.

quiz him about service. . . . .it might be that he is very experienced and knows his onions or he could be a blagger, your call really

You could have a car that has all the main dealer stamps in the book, but the owner lets the oil run low and never lifts the bonnet between it's trips to the garage, or someone that is under the bonnet once a week to check the levels and service it more often than Land Rover say. I'd give it a good testdrive and go with the general condition of the vehicle. The stamp in the book is only as good as the Mechanic that put it there.

2.0_hippo said:

they are a better spec - 17" rims, swede / leather heated seats, HK premium audio etc... better handling due to being slightly lower and harder suspension -

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they put turnips in gaylanders now?

bobbler said:

they put turnips in gaylanders now?

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Nah they just drive em :bolt::behindsofa:

Insurers valuation for my oct 2005 Freelander is £6K, wish I could have bought mine for that price.