WideEyedFox

General servicing (fluids, filters, injectors & brakes etc.) is not a problem - I am happy to do that. Even the rear inner arches re-built out of galvenised steel, and some of the modification fitting is OK. However bigger jobs which mean the vehicle being un-usable unless finished in a day pose a problem as it's the only vehicle we have. So bigger jobs that require good experience and knowledge usually go to the garage where they'll either get it done in a day, or have a vehicle they can let me borrow. The problem arises when you get to a so called "specialist" and they cause more problems than they solve and then bill you accordingly.

Now I'm coming off the boil and am starting to simmer... "Jason" from Mobile Land Rover Services (mobilelandroverservices.co.uk) is coming round to have a look on Thursday to give me a second opinion and a price to sort it out. Garage quote is £250+ to fix "new" leaks that "must have been waiting to happen". Fingers crossed

Thanks Richard. Due to time & putting my back out at work I've had to drop it in the garage for them to have a look over. So far they reckon some gasket to do with the oil cooler (£5 + £150 labour + VAT) and they have no idea where the coolant is leaking from, but want 4 hours labour (£200+) just to "locate it". As for oil, filter + coolant change - the did not change any if it. The filter is still the same one (I dated it when it was done) and the oil was still black, not fresh when I got it back from them. The water may have been part mine + a top up as I always run mine with winter levels of antifreeze, and it was way under when got it back, but a similar albeit paler colour. My '98 Disco went in for a head gasket - it had no leaks whatsoever before that - it came out leaking coolant and oil all over the place. Even the MoT tester who pointed out the head gasket blowing has said it looks like a different vehicle underneath - one that was in well kept condition - to one that looks 13+ years old and has never seen a garage.

I ran Bio purchased from a place in Dudley for a few summers 3-4 years ago. The reason I say "summers" is because as the colder months came my Disco became harder and harder to start and would run "lumpy". I would swap the fuel filter more often on Bio, and the MPG was down a bit - however at the time the cost, even with travel still made it cheaper. As prices went up, the reduced MPG + the additional filters did not make it much cheaper at all - so I went back to regular diesel.

The coolant leak is definately coming from around the back of the engine - and now I have 2 oil leaks! One from around the oil filter (oil is gathering on the bottom of the filter) and one a bit further back (not found source of that one yet). Where do I stand with throwing my Disco back at the garage to sort out? It never had any leaks before this work was done - and now it's leaking coolant and oil everywhere! Can they just do the "this is a new problem not related to the head gasket" bulls**t ?? I changed garage because my usual one in Bromsgrove tried to pull a fast one telling me I needed new discs all round (when I clearly did not) then wanting £600 to do the head gasket. Now this one in Redditch seems like a right bunch of bad lads. What is it with garages? Does a decent one actually exist any more?

Thanks for the reply Les - I really appreciate it. I will have a good look around the head and see what I can find. I always run a "winter" mix with anti-freeze all year round as you never know what temperatures the British weather will throw at you. When I got it back from the Head Gasket being done the coolant was very low, and the mix was nowhere near enough for the coming winter. One of the hoses had been fitted rubbing on a pully and had nearly worn through by the time I got home, and they had not drained off excess brake fluid after changing the front brake pads causing it to gush from the fluid reservoir all over the inside of the engine bay. (I had to sort that one out myself). My usual LR garage in Bromsgrove wanted £600 to do the head gasket! Which on part time hours and reduced pay I could no way afford right now. This place in Redditch wanted £300 but so far the price is reflecting the quality of work.

Hi to everyone LR4x4 I am from the Midlands and have a 98 Discovery 300TDi which has recently had the head gasket done by a local garage, and now has a coolant leak. Previously my Disco was pretty much dry underneath (rare for a LR I know!) but since getting it back I now have oil leaks on the rear diff, gear box, and prop shaft - as well as a coolant leak from the back of the engine. The garage reckon the coolant leak is the P-Gasket on the water pump - but the leak is coming down behind the steering damper. With the vehicle parked downhill the drip is still behind the steering damper - with it parked up hill, the drip is in the same place. They insist it is the P-Gasket and/or water pump but I cannot see how it would drip at the back, and not at the front. Could it be any pipework for the heater matrix - and could it be anything they've not done correctly when they did the head gasket? It's already been back due to 2 things they did wrong when they did the head gasket. Any advice etc. really appreciated.