freelander

I have been thinking of buying a 4 to 5 year old TD4 Auto. Research has not left me with a good feeling about a Freelander. I was at my local independent garage who have serviced my cars for over 10 years. The owner has a Freelander so I asked him if they where as much trouble as reported. Yes was his reply. He then went on to say the petrol is the worst. Transfer boxes are a problem but replacing them has come down to about £900 ! Fuel pumps on the diesel work out at about £1800. He went on to say that if you get a good one they are good fun to drive but he could not recommend them. Japanese 4x4s don't seem to have many problems. but I don't think Xtrails come as Diesel Auto. Honda looks a possibility.

That's one severe haircut.

I think the prices of older ones, particularly the 1.8 (you can easily pick one up under 2k now) are very telling in terms of how problematic they are - buyers are obviously avoiding them. Having said that, many years ago my ex had one, and for what they are I thought it was pretty good, nice to drive with a decent ride and good handling. My father had a Honda CRV for a while - personally I didn't like it in comparison.

Matt

PS I still do fancy a Freelander. The TD4 ES Auto.

On or around Wed, 2 May 2007 21:03:35 +0100, "Brassed Off" enlightened us thusly:

saw a freelander 2 on the road yesterday. First one I've noticed - looks from the back like a slightly undersized range rover.

I saw one too recently, by the side of the road, hazards on ;-)

Presumably the cup holder is loose, causing the Check Engine light to come on.

The X trail is only available with 2.0 and 2.5 l petrols in Auto form. That said, the 2.2 Dci 6 speed is *very* good (turbo problems aside - twice as frequent oil changes as per schedule and they're fine)

Tim..

Ian Rawlings uttered summat worrerz funny about:

I like the look of the Freelander 2, as Austin suggests I think they are now more like a updated RRC than the current Rangerover which I personally think has lost it's way a bit.... or is that lost any likelyhood of me owning one in decent nick for sensible money?

Anyway I'd seriously look at a Freelander 2 come car change time.

All the current Landies are full of electronics so it's not really fair to take a pop at Freelanders, I know older ones had issues with Heads and Clutch hydraulics but don't all modles have there quirks? Timing belts TDi's? VM's Heads, V8's Slipped liners?

I think they are getting a raw deal by the "not a proper landy" observers. How many of us actually need a poper landy (tm) anyway?

Lee D

Yes they've all got their quirks but a 300TDi Defender has less electronics to bugger up in dusty or damp conditions, and the issues are fairly well known. Electronics aren't quite so predictable as the mechanical bits when it comes to ageing.

There's very few people who *need* a car of any kind, but we want them because while we could use public transport, we'd lose a lot of quality of life, and of course a lot of fun. So what use is a Freelander, it's shit on the the road, shit off it. Too large to handle well, too small to tow well.

We have had our TD4 Auto for almost two years now. The issue that we have had are

1, Had to replace the battery as the one supplied with the car lasted until winter, 6 months 2, recent issue with a cam sensor, £165 to diagnose and put right.

But after 135,000 you would expect something to fail....in our case the cam sensor.

On fuel comsuption, its about the same as the other car in the house, a for escort 1.6 petrol

The onlt other cost that we have had are servicing (not at Landrover dealer), and two new tyres on the front.

The car is my parners really, but we both have no problems with it at all.

Even though it is a 2001 model with close to 135,000 miles on it, we have no plans to part with it.

Ime the TD4 is a good caravan tug and capable of towing 1.5Ton long distances safely, with little effort and relatively economically (26mpg). Good as a single vehicle too as 'un-hitched' it will return 37mpg so little need for a 2nd car.

However, although the TD4 is supposed to be the better Freelander, I have found that Land Rover reliability is the weak point. I have driven various cars since about 1973 and regarding reliability this one is more akin to owning a car of that era. In particular the fuel system (pumps) seem very poor. I have had 2 fail (in tank and under bonnet at 75k and 83k respectively). These parts should not fail at such a low mileage. It has been recovered 3 times in the last 18 months.

So at vehicle change time Land Rover can shove their Freelander 2 where the sun don't shine _unless_ 'reports' are stunning.

Another Richard

I'm talking absolutes here, you can use taxis but they're expensive, and hire vehicles when you need to lug a load about and all that, it's not particularly practical but you wouldn't die if you didn't have a car. I've lived in the countryside all my life other than 6 years spend in Reading so I know how much I use my car.

Sure but an MPV would be better as a family car. I can't see what a freelander or similar has over a van-like car, other than looking tough to those who never stray off the tarmac.

By the freelander not being a proper Landrover, do i also assume that the newer rang rovers are also not "proper landrover" due to the fact that most of the owners of them have no intention of ever taking their shiny 50grand off the tarmac?

What about the Disco 3? Although capable off the road, the majority of them will never go off the road, are they then, also not proper Landrovers?

Well, except those who live in the country side, where there is no public transport. In a few places it may be possible to get to the shops, but if you want a job a car is essential (you won't get the job unless you drive). There's very little work in rural areas unless serving cream teas is ones chosen career), since councils actively discourage anything "industrial" or "commercial" in rural areas by manipulating the planning rules, in direct opositon to supposed Government policy I might add.

A little harsh? While being firmly in the "Freelander isn't a Land Rover" camp, I have to grudginly admit that they are a very practical family car, and are pretty good caravan tugs judging by the numbers arriving here for the weekend.

Richard

I wouldn't consider them to be worth buying, and are a blight on the marque, but appreciate that the world is full of those who want to flash the cash and so land rover are mining their wallets with a vengance.

The proper ones stopped with the Defender IMHO, the new one is OK but I'd rather stick with the old 300TDi.

Land rover these days just make expensive wannabees and the Defender, which is a shame but at least the toys finance the Defender, they've got that going for them.

Absolutely. To take them off-road "properly"[1] would knock hundreds of pounds worth of trim off on each trip. As Michael Eavis observed in LRO, "What's the point of fitting a snow plough when you use it off-road" when talking about his new Discovery I with front apron some years back (he took his off). I'm sure they are wonderful cars, 4x4's if you like, but they 'aint off-roaders in stock form by any stretch of the imagaination, which is what LR used to be all about. Every conversation I have with owners of use their vehicles for off-road work contains the phrase "lost the plot" when discussing current models. Oh, and I'm sure they are wonderful for towing, but again that's not what LR made it's name for per se. Having an LR badge != off-road vehicle these days.

I'm perectly willing to be loaned any LR vehicle and try it out to be proved wrong (I won't go anywhere my 110 hasn't been), but I'm not going to pay the repair bill. No takers?.......

Richard

[1] defined as going from A to B, where no one has driven before, in the expectation that the chassis will be hitting the ground and/or rocks etc, the body will be "leant" against things, and the front bumper and rear crossmember will at some point be taking the weight of the vehicle, possibly quite suddenly! A minimum would be the ability to complete an decent RTV trial (NOT Shiney Vehicle trial) with any non-clear sections being due to driver error rather than vehicle constraints.

On or around Thu, 3 May 2007 13:26:51 +0100, "Lee_D" enlightened us thusly:

though the problems there were, AIUI, mainly down to inadequate maintenance, in particular neglect of the needed head- re-torque after running it in.

Have you ever actually driven one? I have driven over 120,000 miles over 6 years in two Td4 auto Freelanders, neither of which put a foot wrong. It's an ideal vehicle for me both at work (on and off road) and for domestic use. It is very capable off road for what it is (and for what I need) - but it wasn't designed as an expedition off-roader or to be another Defender. Similarly, if I wanted to tow anything substantial I'd choose a different vehicle.On road it is as comfortable as most saloons I've had the pleasure of driving and handles well. Mine have both returned a steady 32mpg - about

10% more than the last car I ran.

Having read your later posts in this thread I should just point out that it's not used as a famly car (we have no kids), I don't want an MPV (they wouldn't be too hot in quarries or farmer's fields) and its not a wannabee - it's what it is and I will probably buy another - I'm test driving the Freelander 2 on Saturday.

On or around Thu, 3 May 2007 13:39:36 +0100, Ian Rawlings enlightened us thusly:

Seems to me the problems with electronics are mostly down to poor quality or inadequate connectors. Although the 300 type window regulator module has an issue with dry joints, which is not a connector problem but a failure inside the module. Mind, it's doubtless a poor bit of design that lets it make the dry joint in the first place.