53 plate Land Rover Defender TD4 HSE S/W
Discussion
Hi, I'm new on here, any advice welcome & gratefully received. I am about to buy a Land Rover Defender TD4 HSE S/W automatic, with 107776 miles on the clock. Owned by a Land Rover mechanic. I have been warned about prop shafts, head gaskets, gear boxes & it's put the fear of god in me. I do have a flashing neon sign on my forehead, that apparently reads, MUG, RIP ME OFF. Before I hand over £3,000 tomorrow, what questions do I ask please, so I'm not ripped off yet again.
Thank you
Thank you
Oh duh. Embarrassed or what? You guys are correct obviously. This is a Freelander. I was taking the info from the MOT as well, so makes me feel doubly stupid. So, same question but for a Freelander. The propshaft is in the correct place, that much I have ascertained! Thanks guys
Edited by Bellair on Wednesday 23 November 17:32
Thanks all for the heads up. I do need a 4x4 for towing a horse trailer & generally getting down to the horse on a single track road, down a rather steep gradient. I am purchasing this from a long established garage, with a 6 month warranty. I wouldn't attempt to buy privately & thought a garage would be a safer, though more expensive, way? What are the other problems please with this model/age? I had hoped that as it's owned by a qualified Land Rover mechanic, that it would have been well looked after. It's really hard being a single woman, looking for a vehicle & not being ripped off, as happened just a month ago with a Rav 4. Grrrrr
Thanks piecost ( I have a Palomino Sec A called Pie ). I have a Cheval Liberte double trailer but will only ever have 1 horse at a time on board. A 15 hand Hackney/Warmblood X, or an 11.2 Sec A, who is entire, hence they won't be travelled together! The trailer is lightweight thank goodness & I have to say, the garage did tell me to check out towing weight & have said they will also do a check. I feel rather committed, as I've had a tow bar fitted but not yet paid for the Landy. Perhaps I need to go to a weighbridge before committing any further? I was warned off the Disco by an owner of one at my yard. It all seems very subjective? Despite knowing this was a Freelander, in my head it had become a Defender. Doesn't take much to confuse me lol. I am taking all this helpful info on-board, thanks all. If I didn't want to ruin my QashQai, I wouldn't be having this conflict but it's been a long time since I've owned a Land Rover or Range Rover, so I'm aware I'm not up to date with them. My left foot doesn't bend & I don't have a lot of feeling in it, hence the need for an automatic
300bhp/ton Thanks for a glimmer of hope. It is a minefield out there & I'm never going to be assured that I'm going to get a good/decent vehicle whatever route I go down. I don't normally enjoy a lot of luck, but I'm going ahead with the purchase with fingers crossed that for once, something goes my way. At least I will have a warranty. After reading the link for honestjohn that I was given, all I could think was ' What the hell has happened to Land Rover?' They used to enjoy a good name. It doesn't appear that way now, or maybe it is just the Freelander? Watch this space.......
A.J.M Oh lolololol, I'm afraid I only understood the last paragraph & that's because it does have heated leather seats etc. :-) I will check the cubby hole for water & that everything electrical goes up & down as it should. I just wished you lived near so you could check it out for me! The tow bar & electrics have now been fitted, so if something is wrong electrIcally, I suppose it will be blamed on the tow bar fitters. I will update later:-) Thank you
Really CAPPO?? Well, I don't have a computer or pc, I just use a kindle fire with forward facing camera, so if the pic looks lopsided it's because I have to get into some pretty bizarre positions to get any pics, of anything! :-) I can't connect my camera or phone to the fire:-/ It's not that I live in the dark ages ( not quite anyway ) that I only use a tablet, it's due to having had to undergo brain surgery which makes it very painful to sit with my neck bent over a pc or laptop, for even the shortest time 
However, just for you, I will attempt a photo :thumbup ::-)
However, just for you, I will attempt a photo :thumbup ::-)
Well, LR day today. Fingers crossed! Is it ok to put seat covers on heated seats?That brought a smile to my face CAPPO 
The jury is still out on the verdict atm, tho I do love driving it. Headache too bad to come back on here yesterday. Today I will tackle the handbook once the horse is done & go through the previous history. The one thing I did get to check yesterday was to check the photocopy of the MOT I was given when I first enquired about the FL & compare it to the original. My copy showed no advisories, the original did..............front left wheel bearing! So something to investigate today :/
The jury is still out on the verdict atm, tho I do love driving it. Headache too bad to come back on here yesterday. Today I will tackle the handbook once the horse is done & go through the previous history. The one thing I did get to check yesterday was to check the photocopy of the MOT I was given when I first enquired about the FL & compare it to the original. My copy showed no advisories, the original did..............front left wheel bearing! So something to investigate today :/Hmmm. Thanks for the link. It made for interesting reading. I did try that route before I purchased the FL but all I got before was ' cannot find this vehicle '. It seems the problem has been an advisory on 3 MOTs. I have rung the garage & they said if it was an advisory then they would have done it. The only way that didn't show on my copy, was if a piece of paper had been put over that advisory. Also n the paperwork, from just a year ago, was a handwritten ad on a piece of paper, advertising the FL for sale, needing to be trailered away because the turbo had blown! It was advertised at a £1,000. Not exactly what I wanted to see 
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