repair cost comparison

LAND ROVER
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PANNETTE
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We are looking at buying a 2002 Land Rover Freelander with 60,000 miles and a 2.5 V6 engine.
We have heard that repair & parts costs are high on these vehicles. We would like to have a "reality check" on this aspect. Compared to a Toyota Forerunner with the same details can you tell me how these repair costs would compare?

Replace brakes
Tune Up
Replace front bumper
replace transmission
replace A/C compressor

Any insight you can offer is appreciated.

Annette Cooper
La Grange, TX
Jul 26, 2007 at 7:54 AM
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BELSHAWV
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Aloha,

Replacing the brakes is as standard as any vehicle but part costs run higher - my freelander if I do it myself front and back, 160 for entire parts, excluding labor.

Tune Up - easier to tune up yourself, because its a modern car - you're really only looking at spark plugs (buy platinum) and garden variety maintenance of fluids and filters. Oil Filters you will have to special order because they are not easily sourced locally.

Front bumper - relatively low cost. A lot of Freelanders die around the 70k mark, so it will be easy to find disgruntled owners willing to part the car for cheap.

Transmission: 4 - 7 k replacement. With more failing Freelanders on the market, expect this price to drop - however it cannot be guaranteed that the replacement Freelander transmission you receive is functional for an average life expectancy.

AC Compressor - if you get to the point of owning the car and actually dealing with the A/C compressor, consider yourself lucky.

Honestly, my problems started at 48k miles and its been an average of 4k per year repairs and costs. I have even started learning to do stuff myself - if at all possible don't buy this car.

It is a piece of expensive junk. Don't be fooled by the name and the lower price tag - its the back end version of ownership that gets ya.

Veronica
Nov 4, 2009 at 4:27 PM