75ZT Community

Well settling in to the Freelander quite nicely. But goodness how I hate uncaring previous owners. Have been assured that the belts have been changed within the last 3 years although no documentary evidence to this effect - could one trust it any way? So minded that to be on the safe side I'd get them changed anyway have been trawling the Landy sites and MG garages for a reputable place local to me to do the necessary. First up I asked my local MG garage who look after the ZT, they are not cheap but very good. £750. Gulp!!! What do the Landy guys suggest? An independent just over the Essex border came recommended so looked at their web site where they said I could e-mail them and they'd get back to me. Duly done on Monday and no reply as of this AM, so decided to give them a call. Now correct me if I'm wrong but if speaking to a "specialist" you would think that they would be able to give a price straight away? No. Much tapping on the keyboard ended with £1250. Now the car didn't cost me that much more. Try one more. Place in Wolves Landy and Freelander Specialist quoted me.............

Wait for it.

£350. Go figure.

So my question to my learned friends with the V6's under the bonnet of their ZT's and 75's what price have you paid/expect to pay for the belts to be changed on yours. And who do you recommend?

Apologies for the off-marque vehicle question, but to be honest I find the opinions and comments on here immeasurably better and more valued than on some of the 4x4 sites I've been on.

£400-£450 for all belts and tensioners on V6. Try Lates if you are in the midlands those prices are with genuine OEM MGR parts. I think he will do Landys and if I'm not mistaken LR parts should be a bit cheaper.

From experience with the diesels, the LR parts are more expensive than the MGR. Engine bearings for example:


BMW - £12 per half bearing

MGR - £6 " "

LR - £29 " "


Also well worth having a word with Nick at Austin Garages about getting it booked in there. He's at Burton on Trent.

£350 sounds too cheap to me, or they aren't replacing the water pump and tensioner as well, which really is false economy!

£500 is normally about the going rate, if you want the job doing properly!

My first reaction too is £350 is worryingly cheap. Almost certainly not doing tensioner and water pump. I do know someone who got their belts done at an autocentre for that kind of price, but the place said they'd never do one again at that price. It turned out to be a belts only book price, for the none aircon version.

Thanks for the info guys. I really don't mind paying that little extra for a job well done and must admit I'd forgotten about Lates. It makes you wonder though why the difference in price and who in their right mind would pay £1300. Guessing at 4-5 hours labour and £300 parts; that make £200/hour????????? Or could it be they don't want the job? As a comparison we're having the bathroom revamped shortly at Borg Warner Castle; chaps charging me about £500 labour for a week.

Another question though; why do the water pump? Same reason as for 1.8's?

It's just worth doing whilst you're in there, saves you having to pay extra parts and labour at a later date when it starts to fail.