Freelander

[JimmyB]

Hey all...

I have a bit of a loaded question...

I am looking a getting a new vehicle for work and was considering a Freelander (used).

I am after a small to medium 4x4.. I have had a Rav 4 in the past and it was great to drive around town but I never dared to take it offroad...
(Now when I say off road I will never be doing much more than a Rainbow Beach / Fraser Island run as my brother has a real 4x4 to do the rest... a Defender!!)

I don't want anything to large but do you think a Freelander is a good option??.. if not Freelander than what else?

Budget wise I will be looking around 15k - 20k.

Diesel is preferred but I have no real reason not to go petrol..

I know there are a few questions that I need to ask myself first but I just wanted to get your feedback (positive or negitive)..

Thanks
JimmyB

[dobbo]

For 15- 20k

Go buy a disco, great manners around town and it will talk dirty in the bush

[crump]

For 15- 20k

Go buy a disco, great manners around town and it will talk dirty in the bush

Maybe I should get one to, save me a fortune in 1800 phonecalls.:D

[Phoenix]

I'd partly agree about the discovery option, however size may be a factor, you would have to drive both and decide for yourself.

1.8L petrol freelander is a big no no, diesels are generally good. V6 is thirsty , but grunty.

[JimmyB]

This is the one that has caught my eye.... I haven't seen it in the flesh yet but it may be worth taking a look???

http://www.carsales.com.au/pls/carsales/!cs_content.dealer_vehicle'vehicle_id=3257606&current_rec=1&total_rec=2&sort_type=1&make_id=18&model_id=91&state_id=4&region_id=105&search_distance=25

(Hope the Link works)

[dobbo]

I still say they could've fit a V8 into the freelanders engine bay


Looks allright but who can tell from a photo really. I think you'll be better of with a disco though

[Phoenix]

The one in teh pic looks good, but I dunno about the 18 inch wheels and tyres, they wouldn't be soo good off road, and I bet tyres in that size are hard to come by.

[Scouse]

The same car's on eBay at the moment.
BTW, it had the clutch replaced last week.

Looks a nice unit & the diesel's the pick.

Check the rear tyres for unusual wear.
I'd choose a Disco over the Freelander though. It's in diesel Disco $ territory anyway.

[cartm58]

do yourself a favour if you want small 4wd just buy japanese a nice suziki vitari

Cartm58
Range Rover 93

[101RRS]

Couple of things to note on that particular car - the alloys are $1400 extra - it is a Di rather than the top of the range XEDi so doesn't have ABS brakes or hill decent and the standard wheels it will come with should be 15" steel wheels. 83,000kms seems a bit light for a 7 year old car.

Seems in great nick, even so I think it is a couple of $$ over priced.

As for the model - the diesel is a great engine, not as good as the TD4 on paper but on the road performs as well in most conditions. These pre 2000 model cars do have a design fault in the drive train and no amount of nuturing or servicing can get over it - the only way to manage the problem is exceptional monitoring of the viscous coupling condition and replacement as soon as it is suspect - they usually last about 130,000km before they lock and then cause other major issues.

For $16K you should be able to find an early TD4 with higher milage but has non of the issues. Definitely do not get a petrol 1.8 - it will bring hardache.

If you could get this car for around $14K I would go for it noting it is not a top of the range model. Be aware of the drivetrain issue and have fun.

Gazzz

[hiline]

do yourself a favour if you want small 4wd just buy japanese a nice suziki vitari

Cartm58
Range Rover 93

couldn't agree more:D :D


my mechanic has told me never to buy a freelander;)

[camel_landy]

The Freelander is a great bit of kit. TD4 Auto is by far the best. My Camel is based on the XEDi and she has performed well.

If you want to take it off-road then the TD4 Auto is the one to go for otherwise you may end up burning out clutches as they don't have a low box... (I've got the $2500 repair bill to prove it!!!)

HTH

Mark

[DiscoTDI]

Get a diesel freelander, very economical and they are not bad off road. Get an auto as the manual doesnt have a low range.

The one I had was brilliant and my parents still think it is great as I sold it to them:D

[Ace]

The freelander is an under-rated vehicle in my opinion, they did have their problems in the first couple of year but if you look for a post 2000 model you wont have the problems with the viscous coupling. As mentioned do not touch the 1.8L petrol model (nothing but trouble) the V6 is a good option but expect 12L/100km fuel economy) The TD4 diesel engined models are the way to go.

But as mentioned above you will get a much better vehicle for your money if you bought a TDi disco and they are much less prone to problems if well serviced, 20k would even get you a TD5 disco with slightly higher Km.

If you are after simplicity then go a late model TDi, try and get a 98 or early 99 model with the bosch electrics they are more reliable due to the lack of Mr Lucas and his electrical dramas. A TDi disco would be cheaper to run around town than the V6 Freelander, and you have far more to choose from than a TD4 freelander, because there are more the prices are cheaper and you are getting alot more vehicle for your dollar. Have a drive of both the Disco isnt as big as you might thing and Stacey my partner finds parking the Disco easier than parking our little for laser. A Disco compared to a freelander in terms of size would be like comparing a 100 series cruiser to a Disco 1, well pretty close anyway. And most important of all you get low range and real off road capability incase you need it.

Matt

[stevesub]

Don't touch a Freelanader of any sort. We bought a new V6 in 2001 and it is the most unreliable vehcile we have ever owned. It is now for sale and we are having to accept under $15,000 for it and even that deal may not go through. This means we have lost 10's of thousands on the vehcile in 5 years, plus the heartache and cost of it constantly having something wrong with it. Fix one thing, 2 more problems arrive. We have got to the stage that we could not afford to keep it on the road with the number of repairs that is needed to keep it going.

However the replacement is a Rangie that we are more than happy with and have had no problems at all in 15,000km, unlike the Freelander that would have spent half the time in the workshop.

If you want a small 4WD, do Jap. We also own 2 Jap 4WD's and have nothing but praise for them, and no problems.

[sumo]

Mate, in that price range you can't go past the subaru forrester , even thought the looks are not their reliabilty fuel consumption performance off road abillity, Its got the lot!!.AS stated above don't buy a petrol freelander bad news!.

Cheers Sumo.

[Reads90]

Freelanders are great . I am back in the UK for a couple fo weeks and i am useing my brothers wife's racer for a couple of days
Last night took a motorway roundabout at 120kph and got it sideways with the power on full. great fun. Funny looks though from a disco and freelander waiting to come on to the roundabout. As all they could see was a freelander going round the round about with the whole thing power sliding .

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/11/273.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/02/611.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2006/07/125.jpg

[Ace]

I agree there are alot of horror stories associated with the Freelander but as a car they are good. You hear lots of horror stories regarding Discos and mine hasnt missed a beat. Its really the luck of the draw if you get a dud and you can minimise the chance of getting a dud buy really doing your homework, which you are doing.

If you buy a post 2000 model diesel with a good service history you cant go to far wrong. Matt

[camel_landy]

I agree there are alot of horror stories associated with the Freelander but as a car they are good. You hear lots of horror stories regarding Discos and mine hasnt missed a beat. Its really the luck of the draw if you get a dud and you can minimise the chance of getting a dud buy really doing your homework, which you are doing.

If you buy a post 2000 model diesel with a good service history you cant go to far wrong. Matt

I think you'll find most of the horror stories are around the petrol engine versions (The 1.8K & 2.5KV6).

M

[DirtyDawg]

I still can't get my head around a freelander being a landrover to me they look like a Rover Rav but those pictures posted above have given me a new respect for them.Not!

But for $16000 there has to be better options .. I was at a stealership the other day getting a aircon belt and a young Freelander driver was going off his nut at the 2nd replacement of his leaking heater matrix, whilst the guy was off chatting with his boss the young owner said to me its the biggest piece of crap he ever bought new..poor dude all those headaches and still no low range. Oh well each to his own I suppose...goodluck jimmy sounds as if your going to need it.

[dobbo]

They've always reminded me of a Rav as well, which one ripped the others design off? I like the Freelanders styling a bit better, though I don't think I'd ever be tempted to buy either vehicle.

[Reads90]

I still can't get my head around a freelander being a landrover to me they look like a Rover Rav but those pictures posted above have given me a new respect for them.

This a vid of my brother racing his freelander. The one above was his but is now the one his misses races
http://shop.lro.com/shop/rally/Rally-lrg.mov

Thsi is His

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/11/270.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2009/11/271.jpg

[DionM]

Well coming along a bit late in this thread but my 2cents ...

I have mixed feelings about our late 02 Freelander.

Ours is the updated model V6 - there was the first generation 01 models (which stevesub has), then our update model (characterised by less garish interior, blacker bumpers and clear rear indicators), then the model with the 'pocket' headlamps.

Ours has only done 45,000kms. In that time things that have been replaced have been the fuel pump, variable intake manifold (common problem) ... and the gearbox. Apparently many of the early 01/02 models had problems with the gearboxes and ours was no different.

So it has had a few issues. BUT I will say that it has never left us stranded at the side of the road. And it is still beautiful to drive, handles well, and is moderately capable off-road (however ours has been retired from off-roading, we use our 01 XJ Cherokee for that). So it is a hard call - it is such a great vehicle ... if we had not had the few problems we have had with it then we would be over the moon with it. But with the few problems it always leaves just that tiny lingering bit of doubt.

The very early V6s and TD4s did have a number of issues and Stevesub's is an example of this. The main things I have heard the V6 having issues with is the variable intake manifold (the only consequence being you lose a bit of power as it no longer varies) and the throttle body. The KV6 is a pretty good engine otherwise. It also sounds damn rorty when you get up it ... love the sound of ours.

The Jatco automatic is generally pretty good except for some of the early ones. I think only post-03 you can be confident of zero problems.

IRDs were fixed with the introduction of the TD4 and V6. The tyres on our V6 are wearing wonderfully, still on the originals with heaps of tread left and no uneven wear at all.

Many of the early coolant bottles cracked/crazed. Ours did. It got replaced with the improved version fitted to the 'facelifted' Freelanders. Much better - no cracking or crazing.

So my advice is to hunt down as late a model as you can, and do some research on its history and see if things have been replaced! If you can find one like ours - where the problems have been sorted out - I think you'll be set.

We are thinking of selling ours later this year. But strangely we're not in a rush to get rid of it; in fact the three reasons are (a) it'll be 4 years old and time to trade for us (b) we don't use it offroad anymore and (c) the boot space is too small with a child coming into our family soon.

Note that I don't mention anything about wanting to get rid of it because it has been "unreliable". I don't think that has been the case. It's not been "unreliable" ... its just had a few things that fail that make you wonder. But not to the extent of wanting to dump it. And those 3 reasons about could apply to any vehicle in the Freelanders class ...

[FenianEel]

MMMM, freelander.........

They should never have put a green oval on them anywhere.

Seriously though, disadvantages:
Too small and uncomfortable interior
No good offroad, especially sand
Ridiculous fuel consumption for a small model
Expensive parts and maintenance

Advantages:


Ok, we're all done!:twisted:

[Wortho]

FenianEelMMMM, freelander.........

They should never have put a green oval on them anywhere.

Seriously though, disadvantages:
Too small and uncomfortable interior
No good offroad, especially sand
Ridiculous fuel consumption for a small model
Expensive parts and maintenance

Advantages:


Ok, we're all done!:twisted:


I disagree , i had a 1.8 freelander and while it broke down on me(snapped two timing belts in the space of a month,full top end rebuild both times) it was great off road for what it is, especially i found on sand it was better than my tdi disco only thing lacking was a bit more clearence. They actually have a slightly longer wheelbase and slightly wider track than a disco1 so there not that small really, a lot comes down to perception.
In the end it's what you'll do with it that counts, on road and round town it's heaps better than the disco, offroad it's not. I love my disco to death and never want to part with it but i still fondly remmember getting the tail out on gravel in the freelander going flat out.

[camel_landy]

MMMM, freelander.........

They should never have put a green oval on them anywhere.

Seriously though, disadvantages:
Too small and uncomfortable interior
No good offroad, especially sand
Ridiculous fuel consumption for a small model
Expensive parts and maintenance

Advantages:


Ok, we're all done!:twisted:

I'd have to disagree with that comment too.... Being sooo light, they're great on sand and off-road in general. The interior I find very comfortable but the trunk/boot is very small.

If you're serious about getting one, TD4 Auto is the one to get.

M

[camel_landy]

BTW - Ali... Is that you co-driving in the pics???

M

[Reads90]

BTW - Ali... Is that you co-driving in the pics???

M

Well spotted Mark. It was me co driving

[Ace]

I cant get the link to work, a blank page opens and it stays that way. Matt

[DionM]

Seriously though, disadvantages:
Too small and uncomfortable interior


The only part that is too small is the boot. The rest is excellent (a Freelander is the same size as a D1/D2, you know ...). I am 2metres tall so I like my room ...



No good offroad, especially sand


Never had ours on sand, and yes offroad it is a bit low ... but it is the most capable in its class thanks to the traction control.



Ridiculous fuel consumption for a small model


No different to any other small capacity V6 ...



Expensive parts and maintenance


No different to any other LR ...