Are all freelanders this s**t!? Read this history!!

Freelander Td4 ES - Reg March 2002, Owned by me since March 2004 (6 months)

13th March Car purchased from Dealer at inflated price which is supposed to reassure you of its quality and dealer commitment to your satisfaction.

Was not cleaned and valeted as promised. Smells heavily of tobacco smoke. Price label from windscreen still in the back and chewing gum in the ashtray.

Car taken back within a week to have tracking/balancing corrected.

2 calls to Dealer

April 'Clunking' noise when turning or accelerating.

Car brought to Dealer 4 times.

1st time - No Fault Found. 2nd time - No Fault Found. 3rd time - Fault Found - Engine Mounting detached from chassis. 4th time - Engine mounting replaced - 2days.

Car cleaned and valeted.

4 calls to Dealer

'Whining' noise present when clutch pedal is depressed.

1 trip to Dealer - No Fault Found. 1 call to Dealer

May 'Whining' noise when clutch pedal is depressed now more evident.

1 trip to Dealer - Clutch release bearing changed. 1 call to Dealer

Spare wheel found to be very badly 'stepped'. Severe tread wear on one edge. This was found when the cover was removed for the first time. Supposed to be covered as part of 'Land Rover Approved' inspection prior to vehicle inspection. Replaced by dealer after four telephone calls and a discussion at dealer.

1 trip to Dealer to replace tyre

Previous owner says spare tyre has never been used.

4 calls to Dealer

May cont. First time we took the car on holiday to pick up our caravan, the car failed to start. Phoned L.R Assistance but before they got there the car started. No Fault Found at Dealer

Steering squeaks/squeals when turned.

3 trips to dealer. 1 call to L.R.Assistance 3 calls to Dealer

1st trip - No Fault Found.

2nd trip - Fault found - steering rack.

June 3rd trip - New steering rack fitted in June.

Previous owner had steering rack replaced after owning the vehicle for about a month. This means the vehicle now has its third steering rack!

July Turbo hose ripped open whilst coming back from a weekend break. Temporary repair carried out by L.R.Assistance - about 3 hrs in total. Had dinner with children in service station whilst waiting.

1 trip to dealer to replace hose. 1 call to L.R.Assistance 2 calls to Dealer

Cubby box catch breaks.

August 60,000 mile service carried out.

Cubby box lid replaced.

Clutch slips intermittently.

2 trips to Dealer - No Fault Found.

Dealer eventually agree to change clutch. Work carried out on 12th August. Labour is F.O.C. Parts paid for by customer.

1 trip to Dealer. 4 calls to Dealer

27th August whilst on holiday, clutch 'burns' severely. Smoke pours from under bonnet & fills car whilst reversing caravan 20ft onto a grass pitch.

28th August L.R.Assistance advised not to drive the car. Car recovered to Calais ferry port, then from Dover to home. Car recovered to Dealer on 30th August. 1 trip to Dealer - No Fault Found.

Car still smells of burning, especially when air-con used in hot weather.

1 call to L.R.Assistance 3 calls to Dealer 3 calls to cust services.

This spoiled a planned shopping trip in Calais, which was the whole point of booking a caravan site nearby, so that we could take the car and go shopping. The recovery from Dover took 9 hours, which was not fun, especially with two young children. Dinner was a selection of service station sandwiches.

September Squeak/squeal is back on steering even though car is on its 3rd steering rack. 1 trip to Dealer (14th) - looked at, needs further investigation.

1 call to Dealer.

The car has been back to Dealer 16 times since purchased (more than every 2 weeks on average, over 6 months). At least 28 trips have been made to Dealer causing a lot of inconvenience and costs such as fuel, time (including time off work), food for children due to having to collect before 6pm. The vehicle has marred 3 family breaks, including our annual holiday. Some telephone calls were made from home; other calls were made during work from a mobile phone.

I won't mention the name of the dealer as I am now in the process of recovering the cost of the vehicle plus expenses and compensation via a legal route after talking to trading standards. This was not my first choice, but faced with a laughing service manager when I asked for my money back, not to mention a salesman who only four months after I bought the vehicle offfered me £4K less for it as a p/x against a new disco, I feel I have little choice.

1990 LR ninety (Jasmine) with bits on! 2002 Freelander Td4 ES (wifes)