This is why I am taking action:- WARNING, YOU ASKED!!!
This is a repost of "are all freelanders this s**t?!" - updated.

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

                      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) - Technician and
service manager looked                     at and agreed there was a fault.

                   I took the car to the dealer yesterday to book it in. I
read the job sheet carefully. It said 'Vehicle test driven by customer with
service manager and technician present. NO OCCURENCE OF FAULT!!".
   This is a blatant lie!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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.

When this saga is over I will name and shame the dealer in question.

Stew.
--

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