Hey folks. So. Just had the wonderful news that my rear diff needs replaced. 74k. Sad face.

Local LR Indy can replace, using a reconditioned diff from Bell, with Haldex service, for just over £900. I'm in Edinburgh.

My alternative is to drive to Bell, but that's a lot of time and I don't know if it'd be much cheaper overall.

I've also asked for a quote from my local LR dealer, just for fun.

What would you do? Learned to drive in 2011.
Bought a Micra - great little car
"Upgraded" to Kia Sportage - hated it
Proper upgrade to FL2 TD4 GS 60 reg Facelift - tailgate paint issues, fuel gauge rewire, transfer box failure at 36k miles, clutch at 60k
Reconditioned diff at 70k ish
Sold at 84k and now on a DS. Terribly unreliable.
Sold DS for a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Fingers crossed....
Sold Outlander for a 2014 SD4 SE Tech because I’m mental

I would briefly enjoy laughing at the LR quote then book in with Bell and get it sorted properly  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 imagine the LR quote will be for comedy purposes, but who knows.

I'm hoping the garage that quoted know what they are doing seeing as they source their diffs from Bell. The trip to Bell would depend on costs. Learned to drive in 2011.
Bought a Micra - great little car
"Upgraded" to Kia Sportage - hated it
Proper upgrade to FL2 TD4 GS 60 reg Facelift - tailgate paint issues, fuel gauge rewire, transfer box failure at 36k miles, clutch at 60k
Reconditioned diff at 70k ish
Sold at 84k and now on a DS. Terribly unreliable.
Sold DS for a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Fingers crossed....
Sold Outlander for a 2014 SD4 SE Tech because I’m mental

You might be able to overnight near Bell and still save a few bob and have the peace of mind that the work has been carried out properly... Win Win i would say. 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!

Why no have a word with Mikey up there ?




 If it wasn't so bad it'd be funny.

🐑
Freelander 2 HSE auto 2014 ( Florrie ) ..... Try again.
Freelander 2 GS 2012...... Gone.

Bell's quoting £498 plus £180 fitting = £678, on top of that,you'd need to drive
approx 300 mile just to get there,
personally I would have my local indie do the job.

Dave DAVE.
I.A.M. F1rst Driver.
Gone 2003 Discovery TD5 Auto,
Gone 1986 Defender 90 Station Wagon
Gone 1984 Range Rover 3.5 Vogue Manual.
Gone 1970 Series 11A/3 SWB 3.5 V8 Hybrid
Gone 1964 Series 11A LWB Van
Gone 1966 Series 11A SWB Van
Gone 1964 Series 11A LWB Station Wagon,

Fair point. Will give him a shout. Learned to drive in 2011.
Bought a Micra - great little car
"Upgraded" to Kia Sportage - hated it
Proper upgrade to FL2 TD4 GS 60 reg Facelift - tailgate paint issues, fuel gauge rewire, transfer box failure at 36k miles, clutch at 60k
Reconditioned diff at 70k ish
Sold at 84k and now on a DS. Terribly unreliable.
Sold DS for a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Fingers crossed....
Sold Outlander for a 2014 SD4 SE Tech because I’m mental

Be just quoted £726. So for the time off work, fuel, and possible overnight stay, it's probably not worth it  Learned to drive in 2011.
Bought a Micra - great little car
"Upgraded" to Kia Sportage - hated it
Proper upgrade to FL2 TD4 GS 60 reg Facelift - tailgate paint issues, fuel gauge rewire, transfer box failure at 36k miles, clutch at 60k
Reconditioned diff at 70k ish
Sold at 84k and now on a DS. Terribly unreliable.
Sold DS for a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Fingers crossed....
Sold Outlander for a 2014 SD4 SE Tech because I’m mental

Austen has actually suggested using my local indy as he knowingly supplies his diffs to them. Learned to drive in 2011.
Bought a Micra - great little car
"Upgraded" to Kia Sportage - hated it
Proper upgrade to FL2 TD4 GS 60 reg Facelift - tailgate paint issues, fuel gauge rewire, transfer box failure at 36k miles, clutch at 60k
Reconditioned diff at 70k ish
Sold at 84k and now on a DS. Terribly unreliable.
Sold DS for a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Fingers crossed....
Sold Outlander for a 2014 SD4 SE Tech because I’m mental

^^^Well that's a solid enough endorsement.

Chuckalicious wrote:

Be just quoted £726. So for the time off work, fuel, and possible overnight stay, it's probably not worth it

The higher figure is because as well as the replacement diff (£498) and fitting (£180) you need to get the haldex oil replaced and at the same time he changes the haldex filter too

It really is too bad that people have to travel from all corners of the UK to Austin for a repair that Land Rover knew of but still carried on producing till the model ceased production. shame on you Land Rover.

My freelander is the ninth Land Rover I have been involved with over the last 30 years and it is going to be the last one. My diff failed at 42000 miles which I find totally unacceptable and Land Rover did not want to know. My local LR dealer in Cambridge denied point blank that there was anything wrong with my car and refused to do anything. It was of course sorted by Austen at Bell Engineering, who could not have been more helpful - he even showed me the old bearing in the final stages of collapse.
So the moral of the story is do not buy a Land Rover and if you do go to Austen to get it fixxed

There is a photo of a failed diff bearing somewhere on the forum and it clearly shows "made in India". I believe that LR (aka Tata) source inferior products from the motherland and we have paid the penalty.

Certainly when my 64 plate FL2 suffered a failed diff, M J Fews confirmed that some of the original bearings suffered from lack of hardness and were not up to the job. Thankfully the job was done under warranty notwithstanding the car was 40 months old. 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