MY13 SX
Hi everyone
Collected car today with quite a large bill. Work done as follows:
Service @ 87K miles
Oil and all filters changed
Timing belt kit without water pump.
Rear break complete disc and pads..Sent
MOT.

Total £1070 and some changes

I was advised not to change the water pump even though I said most people here had done it when they change the timing belt. They said LR only advices timing belt change without water pump. But it would cost almost another £200 to include it.

MOT passed with rear break and drop link offside advisory. I decided to get the rear break change after negotiating with some discount (£250). Don't know what cost would be for the replacement of the offside rear drop link.

I did ask to test the battery and it failed some test (6 years old) still did stop/start now and again, I will have to order a varta f21 to replace. It's AGM stop/start for MY13 manual.

Please let me know if it's easy to replace the battery myself? It's quite heavy as someone says here and I don't have anyone handy to help.

Second question is the rear offside drop link costs to replace? Would it be a lot?

Although I really wanted to change the car but the current SUV hybrids don't have the range so I have decided to keep it until something similar to the freelander2 with good battery range.

Any advice, answers are very welcome.

Thanks

Should always replace the water pump when in there doing the cam belt as it's the same labour to do both, as for Landrover service recommendations...Haldex service not even on the schedule  94 Disco 300 TDI Gone
96 Defender 300 TDI Gone...Should have kept it.
2003 Freelander ES TD4 Gone
2002 Defender TD5 Gone
2005 Freelander HSE TD4 Gone
2015 Freelander 2 Metropolis Keeping for now!

Genuine LR waterpump £70 ish 94 Disco 300 TDI Gone
96 Defender 300 TDI Gone...Should have kept it.
2003 Freelander ES TD4 Gone
2002 Defender TD5 Gone
2005 Freelander HSE TD4 Gone
2015 Freelander 2 Metropolis Keeping for now!

Even an overpriced genuine waterpump is pence compared with the labour involved.

Since JLR dont make waterpumps I'd go for an even cheaper OEM. Jules

paxman wrote:

Second question is the rear offside drop link costs to replace? Would it be a lot?

Thank you for all your response. The work has been done so I won't be buying LR water pump to replace. The parts I need now is new battery and the drop link. Don't know how much the drop link and labour will cost through!

That was my argument, you are already there why not replace the pump. But as they quote near £200 for pump, drainage then refill coolant I gave up but told them that if it leaks later they should think about the labour charge.
I mentioned the oil and filter replacement for the haldex, but they said they were replaced under warranty at 44K miles (by them) when I had gearbox fault traction reduced message so there was no need.

They quoted £275 for the battery which I declined and ask if they could swap it when I buy the Varta. F21 and bring it to them and they agreed. To be fair they are LR approved repair centre and ealier time they said their repair price is lower than dealer ship since they don't have to carry the sale people overhead which seemed about right; but lately the price is hiking up quite a bit. Last year service they wanted over £500 but when I questioned they lowered to about 450 and with MOT added it still came nearer to 500, again oil and all filters changed + 77 K miles service. So if I base on last year price the timing belt and its accessories cost about £300, is this cost about right?

Genuine belt kit including water pump £295 Inc vat
Decent battery £150 ish
Your man seems a tad punchy. 94 Disco 300 TDI Gone
96 Defender 300 TDI Gone...Should have kept it.
2003 Freelander ES TD4 Gone
2002 Defender TD5 Gone
2005 Freelander HSE TD4 Gone
2015 Freelander 2 Metropolis Keeping for now!

I just put a Halfords Stop start battery on mine. 142 quid, 5 year warrantee. Keep the purchase receipt for your warrantee.

Fitted it myself when it started to get cold in Nov/Dec (new car to me, wasn’t sure), it is reasonably heavy and an arms length stretch to lift it out of its carrier, but I am no Arnie and I managed it. If in doubt, it will be 167 quid fitted - see link below.

https://www.halfords.com/motoring/bulbs-bl...-guarantee

Always remove the negative cable before positive when taking it off and put the positive connections back on first when reconnecting the new one. You will also need to recalibrate the electric windows / sunroof as well as reset your favourites on the radio / memory seats etc. Procedure to recalibrate windows and sunroof is in the owners handbook and very simple using the operation switches.

Your drop links are very easy to do, just a top and bottom mount and a cheapish part. I have not done mine but rumour is about 15 minutes a side and a 20 quid or so part each side, so probably get both done for £100+ a bit if you use an independent garage I guess. Hopefully someone should be along soon to confirm.

Neither of these repairs needs any special skills or equipment, so perfectly DIYable or local garage at local rates.

I think I would write to the garage, using recorded delivery, explaining that best practice is to change the water pump and that should any failure take place in the next 2 years you would hold them responsible.

Furthermore , if this was a major dealership send a copy letter to the MD. MY 09 GS manual in Lago Grey, Wood Co arm rest and side bumper strips - now sold.

MY 15 SD4 SE Auto Orkney Grey with colour coded Bumper Door Mouldings

I have told this story elsewhere but my son bought a used Renault a few years back and the dealer put a new cambelt on. Just over a year later the water pump failed and threw the belt with disastrous consequences. Cambelts can fail but most issues come from water pumps and tensioner fails which throw the belt. 3 x FL1 2 manual + 1 auto
5 x FL2 4 manual + 1 auto
Now Discovery Sport P250 MHEV SE

@GundogSD4, parts cost £295 so labour on top would come about £500, so £200 quoted for water pump included is about right? Yes the varta F21 is £149.99 at Tayna batteries.

@Seefive: thank for the link. I thought your car is non stop/start so it doesn't need an AGM battery? I will ask around for the drop link replacement.

@tenet: Not sure the recorded delivery letter will make any difference with them, may be I need to talk to LR about this issue. Thank for your suggestion.

@dorsetfreelander: last year we replaced timing belt and water pump on the Ibiza, the garage suggested the water pump and I agreed. As I understand they said the timing belt kit has other accessories except water pump hopefully the pump wil last as they said they have hardly replaced water pump for customers needing timing belt change.

Thank you for all your comments.

I had the cambelt and water pump changed on my 61 reg sd4 last year. I was originally quoted over £700 by the main dealer in Aberdeen but when asked if they could do me a deal they came back with £470, so it pays to shop around for this kind of thing. Life's too short, enjoy yourself

64 plate firenze red metropolis

Just had the following work done on a ‘13 SD4 at 86000 miles:
New cambelt and water pump
New auxiliary drive belt
New coolant
Oil, filter change
Fuel filter change
Pollen filter change
Some other misc items such as greased door hinges
£780 including VAT

It seems to be recommended that the Haldex has an oil change every other year when in addition to an oil change one should also replace the filter, O-ring, plate, seal and fixing bolts.

Whoever did this job for you was, IMHO, more interested in profit than looking after you & your car.

Maybe you should name the organisation in question, so that we can be warned to avoid them.

NJSS

paxman wrote:

@GundogSD4, parts cost £295 so labour on top would come about £500, so £200 quoted for water pump included is about right? Yes the varta F21 is £149.99 at Tayna batteries.

@Seefive: thank for the link. I thought your car is non stop/start so it doesn't need an AGM battery? I will ask around for the drop link replacement.

Thank you for all your comments.