I had a call from my daughter in California tonight.
Her 2003 Freelander is in for attention (overheating and water level
dropping) and the garage say there is water in the oil.

They purchased a "cast iron" warranty with it which covers repairs up to
the current value of the vehicle, but a new engine would be $15000
against the $11,000 value.

Sounds like they have a warranty argument looming, but the garage are
making noises like it is a known problem.
I told her she should have bought a proper car, but she loves it,
especially for bad weather driving.

Is it a well-known problem with this model?
--
Gordon H
Remove "invalid" to reply

On Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:09:12 -0000, Gordon H
wrote:

I had a call from my daughter in California tonight.
Her 2003 Freelander is in for attention (overheating and water level
dropping) and the garage say there is water in the oil.

They purchased a "cast iron" warranty with it which covers repairs up to
the current value of the vehicle, but a new engine would be $15000
against the $11,000 value.

Sounds like they have a warranty argument looming, but the garage are
making noises like it is a known problem.
I told her she should have bought a proper car, but she loves it,
especially for bad weather driving.

Is it a well-known problem with this model?

Yes & a new cylinder head's not $15000.


--
Duncan Wood

In message op.u9aj31xerpivgb@rachel, Duncan Wood
writes
On Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:09:12 -0000, Gordon H
wrote:

I had a call from my daughter in California tonight.
Her 2003 Freelander is in for attention (overheating and water level
dropping) and the garage say there is water in the oil.

They purchased a "cast iron" warranty with it which covers repairs up
to the current value of the vehicle, but a new engine would be
$15000 against the $11,000 value.

Sounds like they have a warranty argument looming, but the garage
are making noises like it is a known problem.
I told her she should have bought a proper car, but she loves it,
especially for bad weather driving.

Is it a well-known problem with this model?

Yes & a new cylinder head's not $15000.

Thanks, but I suppose there could be bottom-end damage, bearings etc?
I'll get back to her...
--
Gordon H
Remove "invalid" to reply

On 09/03/2010 00:09, Gordon H wrote:
I had a call from my daughter in California tonight.
Her 2003 Freelander is in for attention (overheating and water level
dropping) and the garage say there is water in the oil.

They purchased a "cast iron" warranty with it which covers repairs up to
the current value of the vehicle, but a new engine would be $15000
against the $11,000 value.

Sounds like they have a warranty argument looming, but the garage are
making noises like it is a known problem.
I told her she should have bought a proper car, but she loves it,
especially for bad weather driving.

Is it a well-known problem with this model?
Assuming 1.8 petrol, then yes, very common. Repair kits of an improved
head gasket etc exist and are not that expensive. Google for "K series
head gasket" and you should get a hit or two.

On Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:55:46 -0000, Gordon H
wrote:

In message op.u9aj31xerpivgb@rachel, Duncan Wood
writes
On Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:09:12 -0000, Gordon H
wrote:

I had a call from my daughter in California tonight.
Her 2003 Freelander is in for attention (overheating and water level
dropping) and the garage say there is water in the oil.

They purchased a "cast iron" warranty with it which covers repairs up
to the current value of the vehicle, but a new engine would be
$15000 against the $11,000 value.

Sounds like they have a warranty argument looming, but the garage are
making noises like it is a known problem.
I told her she should have bought a proper car, but she loves it,
especially for bad weather driving.

Is it a well-known problem with this model?

Yes & a new cylinder head's not $15000.

Thanks, but I suppose there could be bottom-end damage, bearings etc?
I'll get back to her...

Only if driven till it seized.

--
Duncan Wood

In message op.u9aqeth5rpivgb@rachel, Duncan Wood
writes
On Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:55:46 -0000, Gordon H
wrote:

In message op.u9aj31xerpivgb@rachel, Duncan Wood
writes
On Tue, 09 Mar 2010 00:09:12 -0000, Gordon H
wrote:

I had a call from my daughter in California tonight.
Her 2003 Freelander is in for attention (overheating and water
level dropping) and the garage say there is water in the oil.

They purchased a "cast iron" warranty with it which covers repairs
to the current value of the vehicle, but a new engine would be
$15000 against the $11,000 value.

Sounds like they have a warranty argument looming, but the garage
are making noises like it is a known problem.
I told her she should have bought a proper car, but she loves it,
especially for bad weather driving.

Is it a well-known problem with this model?

Yes & a new cylinder head's not $15000.

Thanks, but I suppose there could be bottom-end damage, bearings etc?
I'll get back to her...

Only if driven till it seized.

Woman driver.... Maybe I'll be cautious next time we speak. ;-0
--
Gordon H
Remove "invalid" to reply

In message , Chris Bartram
writes
On 09/03/2010 00:09, Gordon H wrote:
I had a call from my daughter in California tonight.
Her 2003 Freelander is in for attention (overheating and water level
dropping) and the garage say there is water in the oil.


Is it a well-known problem with this model?
Assuming 1.8 petrol, then yes, very common. Repair kits of an improved
head gasket etc exist and are not that expensive. Google for "K series
head gasket" and you should get a hit or two.

Thanks. I guessed the gasket had blown, but I don't know how long
it's been driven in that condition. ;-(
They aren't into D-I=Y repairs, especially in view of the warranty.
--
Gordon H
Remove "invalid" to reply

Gordon H wrote:
In message , Chris Bartram
writes
On 09/03/2010 00:09, Gordon H wrote:
I had a call from my daughter in California tonight.
Her 2003 Freelander is in for attention (overheating and water level
dropping) and the garage say there is water in the oil.


Is it a well-known problem with this model?
Assuming 1.8 petrol, then yes, very common. Repair kits of an improved
head gasket etc exist and are not that expensive. Google for "K series
head gasket" and you should get a hit or two.

Thanks. I guessed the gasket had blown, but I don't know how long
it's been driven in that condition. ;-(
They aren't into D-I=Y repairs, especially in view of the warranty.

Ford used to be very good about sorting this on Freeloaders, they
admitted that the engine wasn't the strongest and did something to sort
the HG issue.

Rover denied it was their fault, and look what happened to them.

I suspect it should be sorted easily enough over in Mercania.

--
Pete M - OMF#9

'78 Escort 1300 Sport
'99 BMW 318is Coupé


"It's an Alfa, it will go wrong, it will **** you off, why should your
Alfa experience be different from everyone else's.
Now get back out there and swear at it before something else breaks."

On Wed, 10 Mar 2010 01:18:35 -0000, Pete M
wrote:

Gordon H wrote:
In message , Chris Bartram
writes
On 09/03/2010 00:09, Gordon H wrote:
I had a call from my daughter in California tonight.
Her 2003 Freelander is in for attention (overheating and water level
dropping) and the garage say there is water in the oil.


Is it a well-known problem with this model?
Assuming 1.8 petrol, then yes, very common. Repair kits of an improved
head gasket etc exist and are not that expensive. Google for "K series
head gasket" and you should get a hit or two.
Thanks. I guessed the gasket had blown, but I don't know how long
it's been driven in that condition. ;-(
They aren't into D-I=Y repairs, especially in view of the warranty.

Ford used to be very good about sorting this on Freeloaders, they
admitted that the engine wasn't the strongest and did something to sort
the HG issue.

Rover denied it was their fault, and look what happened to them.

I suspect it should be sorted easily enough over in Mercania.


Of course if it's the warranty companys nominated garage they may just be
useless.

--
Duncan Wood