Freelander - opinions

[Bren]

As above what are they like? Possible replacement for the filthy passat. Looking at derv as opposed to petrol.

Looking at not spending much and something 04/05 plate.

 

All opinions appreciated.

[Stanky]

Based on the number of them on here that seem to have endless problems, the number I still see broken down by the sides of major roads and the admission of even die-hard landrover lickers that they really aren't especially good, I;d say avoid. Especially cheap ones which will have been purchased by people who see tyres and servicing as optional rather than compulsory.

It'd be cheaper and probably less painful to just punch yourself square in the knackers every couple of days and get the bus wherever it was that you needed to go to.

[gadgetgricey]

Drive well enough.
bit of a weird way to get into the car, almost as though the door frame intrudes a bit too much. (Both myself and wife have clattered head on frame a couple of times)

Make sure that it has 4 matching tyres with the same tread depth. Causes real issues with the 4wd system if not. (Hence the many that are advertised as 2wd- prop removed for economy)

Now if I can interest you in a V6, step this way 

 

[Marm Toastsmith]

I own a Honda CR-V. It's pretty much faultless, apart from a bit of a thirst.

[sierraman]

Make sure it’s actually 4x4, that someone hasn’t took the rear prop off due to it failing. I’d keep the Passat personally they’re a lot of trouble especially when they get old. Many of the diesel ones will be absolutely flogged to death by now. 

I think there’s only 2 ways to run things like this, either a new one or a half decent one you’ve paid a grand for or so to run into the ground. Don’t get involved with big repairs. Sack it off. 

I saw a Signum recently, 1.8VVT, looked tidy enough, was a grand IIRC with full test on it, nice car to run about in for a year or two before it blows its bollocks big time and you throw it away. 

[Bren]

Cost us £280 for 12 months ticket. However it had advisories for all dampers. Rears are easy to swap - fronts can be a PITA - some workshops will turn you away. Plus it needs a timing belt/ water pump so financially it is starting to stack up.

It has had battery/alternator/new door lock and front tyres so in 18 months we have probably forked out just over £1k. It is having an aircon regas next week in anticipation of our trip to Devon - if it is leaking then the decision is made.

[sierraman]

Run it till it blows up. Tyres you have to pay out on any car, similar for servicing. Depends what you can live with, I wouldn’t bother with the air con or fixing minor issues. 

£300 isn’t too bad for a years motoring though. On any 15 year old car though you’ll have occasional agg like an alternator going. My starter motor went other week, £45 later it was working again. 

[cort16]

Ruffgeezer has a nice one for sale on the moderns forum all be it a k series 

 

 

[Spiny Norman]

1 hour ago, marm said:

I own a Honda CR-V. It's pretty much faultless, apart from a bit of a thirst.

A car once described to me as 'A Freealander that works'.

I had no trouble with my CRV and I'd have one over a L-R anyday.

 

[skattrd]

I think Mrs @ruffgeezer has one as a daily and likes it, I also seem to remember he fitted another prop shaft due to knackered viscous coupling or something.

I've no experience of them, aren't the diesels L-series? or is that just the older ones?

[sierraman]

Older ones L series, newer shape is TD4. 

[anonymous user]

I had a TD4, back in 2003/4, it was very nice, but even as a new vehicle suffered from strange electrical malfunctions  throwing up warning lights, which the main dealer would reset. The clutch hydraulics failed at about 30k miles (master cylinder). I got rid of it when the warranty ran out at three years old. They don't seem to wear very well.

[warch]

I'm surprised (on Autoshite) that no one wants the old L Series diesel, a proppa British made/British engineered engine. Yes it makes a distinctly old school 95 hp but Land Rovers are supposed to be hideously underpowered. The predecessor to this engine (the Prima) was a popular re'power' option for owners of Series Land Rovers.

[sierraman]

A lot of those left are old nails though. 

[Marm Toastsmith]

4 hours ago, Spiny Norman said:

 'A Freealander that works'.

Yeah, either that or the Freelander is a "CR-V that breaks". The CR-V came first, although only just.

Interestingly, according to the Wikipedia page, the Rover group did approach Honda in the development phase but Honda declined and developed the CR-V on their own instead. So they were developed at the exactly the same time and both share some lineage being based on smaller models which were developed with input from both firms, at least at some point in the line. Also both made in the UK...

It's a shame that they needed BMW's help to get their act together. I'd love a proper, good, British car.

[Cavcraft]

You know they're shit.

 

We know they're shit.

 

Everyone knows they're shit.

 

Look at them like you would a hungry Japanese Akita that's just eaten 4 grams of it's owners Columbian marching powder and has woken up to find you climbing through the kitchen window.

[Bren]

I saw a silver td4 auto on ebay for £1500. Looked nice until the MOT history was viewed. As rotten as a pear.

[Tam]

They are the sort of vehicle that you can't really relax with always something looming on the broken list. Saying that I got this for £750 with clean MOT and 10 months left. Quite like it, the wife likes it which is a bonus! Big comfy and not too sluggish since I unplugged the MAF. Came with 2 sets of wheels both with pretty ropey tyres though. They are matching and loads of tread but aged and not as airtight as they could be. Which is an issue for 4WD system. So new tyres is a big commitment! Not decided yet.

 

[warch]

Earlier model CR-Vs are all petrol (the diesel didn't come along until the mid 00s. They aren't dreadful on fuel iirc, but won't get anywhere near the magic 40mpg everyone seems to want these days. That said they are plentiful, pretty cheap and usually in good nick. Hondas are often owned by the same old git for twenty years who lavishes a fortune on the thing long past the point where it would make more sense to run it into the ground.

Freelanders on the other hand do suffer a bit from declining quality of care as they become older and rattier. People can't be arsed to replace esoteric 4wd bits like the transfer box, viscous coupling or whatever Freelanders had. They also usually neglect to change all the tyres at the same time to minimise rolling radius induced wear on said drivetrain components, especially when tyres are 80-100 quid apiece. 

My Qashqai, which is sort of the modern 2wd descendent of this sort of thing is used for a fair amount off road work, usually driving across fields or parklands. It has yet to actually get stuck, although I have improved it's nascent off road ability by fitting a set of winter tyres which have coped with things like steep climbs on wet grass or reduced traction caused by vast amounts of freshly deposited sheep shit.  

[ruffgeezer]

I've done a lot to mine, it is at best "OK", if you don't need the 4x4 bit, don't bother as nothing else it does is that good.

[Tayne]

Several years of LR ownership taught me that if you want one, be it a Freelander, Defender, Discover or Range Rover, then what you should do is buy the highest spec’d Range Rover you can find.

 

It will be the nicest to sit in whilst you wait for the AA man.

[vaughant]

Stay well away, everyone I know who's had one has had nothing but major issues with them and a host of minor ones.

I personally have never been stupid enough to own one but I've had the misfortune to drive a few and they are truly terrible.

Plus people who own them seem to think they're driving a new RR or the like.

 

Get a rav-4, much nicer car and because Toyota they don't really break.

Also only ever heard good things regarding the CR-V. 

A bloke I knew owned one in Greece and told me he'd done nothing major in 5 years on it which he also told me is something of a minor miracle considering the terrain in Greece in the part he lives.

Someone I worked with had one for free yet it still cost him more than the Japanese equivalent and he hated every minute of it, something about using tyres alarmingly quickly as well.

Even Kia/Hyundai make far better 4x4's.

[DVee8]

As always,a Nissan X-Trail is the car to buy.

https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/328059114808250/

[chompy_snake]

Ah the freeloader 

Looks like a hippo

Looks more like a hippo when wading

Drives like you would imagine a hippo would.

Don't expect it to be fantastic and you may get a pleasant surprise. Like all L-R products it is designed to keep you alert in case it explodes ?

[The Old Bloke Next Door]

Bought around this time last year with prop shaft still attached and almost a full mot for £700. Done about 8000 miles since with no ftp, L series diesel, about 35 mpg local, cost £217 for mot last month.

Recent first signs of viscous coupling problem, will be doing figure of 8 test soon.

Overall a good steer and bargain basement price compare to anything similar.

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

On 7/16/2019 at 10:40 PM, Tam said:

They are the sort of vehicle that you can't really relax with always something looming on the broken list. Saying that I got this for £750 with clean MOT and 10 months left. Quite like it, the wife likes it which is a bonus! Big comfy and not too sluggish since I unplugged the MAF. Came with 2 sets of wheels both with pretty ropey tyres though. They are matching and loads of tread but aged and not as airtight as they could be. Which is an issue for 4WD system. So new tyres is a big commitment! Not decided yet.

 

We had one of these sport models in green for a while. The half leather/ suede interior was nice. No problems with it at all until my sister stuck it down a ditch and hit a tree, in a way not approved by landrover. Repaired well enough but sold it off.