OK, the dreaded rust is in on my motor.
now my question is do I go for a genuine! replacement panel or a copy at half the price?
and has anybody done this work themselves?



I know the so called wheel arch strips cause a problem, but these where replace a while
back when all edges had been rubbed down and treated. so comments only on the quality
and viability of using a copy panel over a genuine! and replacing said panel please.
Thanks guys
Dave DAVE.

This is why the wheel arch trims were the first things I took off of mine, I have experience on what these can do ....... and in your case ...... it did !!

Always go for the OEM panel, they will fit better, unless you are use to doing a lot of fettling to make the 'copy' part fit.

Good Luck

We don't think the strip is the main culprit in this case,
after inspecting all the arch seams it appears NO seam sealer was used at the factory!!
Fettling, Is not an issue for,

all I would like to know is has anyone else replaced this panel?
Dave DAVE.

I heavily waxoyled inside the wheel arches after removing the rubber strips and plastic wheel arch protectors - waited till the waxoyl had "set" before reinstalling everything. Hopefully I will not have to replace the wings due to corrosion. Jules

" ...... it appears NO seam sealer was used at the factory!!......"

That seam sealer was applied by a robot on the panel assembly line at Halewood.

Well, the other three seams are clean and there is NO trace of seam sealer having been used.
Anyway my OP was has anybody repaired this section?
Dave DAVE.

could your car had that panel replaced in its early life on the road ? Highly unusual for production line robots to fail.

Paint wise there's no obvious signs replacement,
no signs underneath either, maybe 2008 was a bad year for
apprentice Robots.
annoyingly I was going to trade in this year, that's until
Covid, lockdown and a change in the market and only back
in June decided I would keep for a while longer,
The motor pulls and drives lovely, now vey quiet (thanks to Lightwater)
and does the Job required.
I'll have to keep it now as I invested in a Royal steering wheel last month.
Dave DAVE.

" ........maybe 2008 was a bad year for apprentice Robots."


remembering these robots were building vehicles in 2006 !!




I think your vehicle has had VBRA repair.

think your vehicle has had VBRA repair.
and what would you base this on?
I've had the vehicle for a number of years and I know where it lived before that.

Anyway I assume nobody has done this repair yet. so it looks
like I'll be first. maybe.
Dave DAVE.

Dave47 wrote:

The motor pulls and drives lovely, now vey quiet (thanks to Lightwater)
and does the Job required.

I fully understand what you are saying Lightwater,
I've had a number of cars over the years, of which I've had
body and major mechanical work done, just because there was no other vehicle
comparable to them,
regarding washing, I live in an apartment and have limited facilities for
washing the car, generally it's a bucket and if I do get the chance I use next doors drive and hose,

I've since talked to two body shops regarding correcting this issue, awaiting their quotes
and surprisingly both have repaired several Freelander 2's in this area of the sill.
Dave  DAVE.

I also stand corrected regarding the seam sealer.
my spanner man was under the impression none had been used
on the arch,
having now been underneath with the body repair guy, he pointed out the
arch sealer is there.
Dave DAVE.

One for the Robots !!!

I'm in a block of units so I use bottles of Perrier water to wash the car https://www.freel2.com/forum/topic16241-336.html (& a little more info down the page)

Or the 2 bucket (sometime 3) method works well for easy bits. I can get to a hose but I have to clean up, usually I wait till it is raining to dissipate it more easily.

There are a few good puddles around my area when it buckets down so I drive through them at speed half a dozen times. Works well under the car. Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!

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