Landrover Freelander diesel........................... pros? .................. cons?

Brithunter

Well-Known Member
OK we might have to think about changing the old Cherokee. It's certainly not good on fuel being a 4.0L petrol and the rear Ltd slip diff is making more nosies due to a previous owner not adding the correct additive for the clutches after a re-build.

So with MOT due in 2 months we had better start considering the options.

What ever we get must be able to do normal car stuff and be comfortable for the two OAP's so normal landies are out. They also cost far too much.

A neighbour has a diesel Freelander which might suit our needs we do about 7-9k per year so not heavy usage, tow the small mower trailer and box trailer on occasion and it does as my shoot transport when needed and copes with the non treated roads around here in winter.

We are restricted to budget which causes problems to we are looking at about 98-2001 vintage ones.

As I know little to nowt about them apart from the head gasket problems that the petrols ones suffered, having picked up a few whilst driving a 6.4T slide and tilt for Dorking Autos (M23/M25) some years back and info or advice appreciated.
 
hi brithunter

the older freelander or freelander 1 if you like doesnt have a good rep im afraid

i know there are always people whi had a bad experince with a particular motor but these freelanders were renowned for their problems

i nearly bought one i liked them but was put off by personally knowing 12 people who had them and ALL had problems

stay away from the petrol ones the blew cylinder head gaskets
the gearboxes on both diesel and petrol were also known to go and when they went they usually went in style!! bang!

and i believe they also known for their viscous coupling going and electrical faults too........

all previous owners i spoke to said you soon get to be on 1st name terms with your local garage mechanic if you have one.

i ended up going for a suzuki grand vitara
2 wheel drive
4 wheel drive when you need it and they have a hi / lo gear ratio too and i can sing nowt but praise for suzuki 4 wheel drive

i believe the newer freelander 2 is nothing but the opposite of its predecessor and great reviews...out of my budget just now tho too


sauer / paul
 
Hi Kevin
I have had my Grand Vitara for 9 yrs now, nothing ever gone wrong and i have abused it really, has only been serviced about 4 times and has gone through the mot every time would reccommend it to anyone.Hope everything gets back to normal soon.
Geordie
 
Cheers for that the link are for ones way out of our price range.......................... we will have to be below £2000 as a budget well below actually. So will look at the Vitaras.


Edit:- ........

Hmmm not sure they have the leg room in the back....... will have to try and look at one and see. otherwise the Grand Vitara could be the thing. The normal Vitara is too cramped in the boot have to allow for the dog and wheelchair.
 
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Mate IMHO with a freelander your paying for a 4x4 which hasnt got the capability of one. I use to have a pajero for shooting and a focus st for work, but couldnt justify both lots of tax, insurance etc etc... so i just bought an Xtrail and even though it will never be as good as the pajero its both good on fuel and as yet, not through lack of trying she hasnt got stuck yet...! I went up to my parents at christmas which is a 600 mile round trip and with me the misses the three kids, presents and dogs and it wasnt too bad as the boots are masive.
I only paid 3k for mine on a 53 plate so im sure with a bit of looking you will get one for your money.

Good luck

Lee
 
The freelander is not a bad motor, I had 2 of the early ones new, the first one was a bud un and the engine blew just after I sold it with 10K on the clock the second one was fine with 30k on the clock when I got rid. Off road I though they were fine the biggest problem being ground clearance compared with a defender or disco. I never wanted to go any where that I couldn't with it. I am sure with some M&S tyres it would be even more credable off road.

I also had an old vitara and it was preped for trials competitions and it was fantastic off road better than a defender IMHO.

Dave
 
Have you considered an Honda CRV Brit ? reasonable running costs, reliable, i get 2 labs and bits n bobs in the back easily and should suit your 4wd needs.
 
Lee 308,

No I had not. Lost interest in vehicles except to move me and my stuff about soem years back so only look what's about when it comes time to change which is not often. We have had the Cherokee 5 years nearly, I had the BX Citroen estate for 8 years only needed a replacement due to nice white van man who give ways lines don't apply to wrote it off. Had a Mk1 BX Hatch back fr 3 years before that, nice builder chappie wrote that one doing a U-turn and took the drivers door post out of the sill along with both offside doors :rolleyes:. So i tend to keep vehicles for a while......................................... if I can.

It's the wheelchair plus dog which take up room, sometimes we have three dogs with us, not that often though. I will look at the Honda ;) had a chat with the mechanic chappie today and he sort gave the nod to the X-Trail with a definate thunbs down to any petrol Freelander and was cautiously non commital on the diesel ones. The Grand Vitara's seem to be a bit juicy for what they are. With 225 75R15 General GS60's on the Jeep I can get 26 MPG towing a loaded car trailer, the figures for the Grand Vitara arw a bit better but not much, so the research and head scratching and brain numbing considerations continue :confused:.
 
Have a look for a Disco 1 with a 300tdi or a later td5 for a bit more money, a disco 1 shouldn't be too far off the same money as the freelander and a damn sight better.
 
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Hmmmm I know little to nowt about the Disco's except to avoid the automatic versions. Seem they were prone to box probs which is why my old boss swopped to Jeeps after his box failed whilst in the Highlands............................ it was under warranty but the dealer didn't want to be bothered and he had complained it was playing up and they said nowt wrong with it :rolleyes:.

We need to get better fuel consumption that the Cherokee which gives 18-26mpg depending on usage. I see the Discos have really dropped in price but our price range still means an early to mid 90's Disco and not sure how prone to rot they are. The Jeep is a 93 and showing signs of it now.
 
If you can find a well looked after one, i.e. one that some one has bothered to waxoyl the chassis on, it should be in decent knick. Obviously there could be the odd worn part, susupension, steering etc but the engines are bullet proof, my 300tdi defender has done over 300k now and sounds better than a lot of newer engines. The auto's aren't that bad, with regular oil changes it should stand the test of time.
 
For the money you want to spend you could get a late 90's diesel jeep, car you already know and are used to plus you will get improved mpg with the Tdi.

John
 
For the money you want to spend you could get a late 90's diesel jeep, car you already know and are used to plus you will get improved mpg with the Tdi.

John

John,

It's not what we wish to spend it's what we can spend. Whilst I cannot go into the financial drain and what is going on here the fact remains we are stuck at the bottom end of the price range but you suggestion has merit and I will look ans see what's out there on the Cherokee diesel front.
 
I have a disco auto and its as sweet as a nut, in fact its just about to go for sale
1995 300TDI Jap import so rock solid under neath as well as everywhere else, just been motd and had £500 of rubber fitted in dec (general grabber AT2) Air con blah blah. let me know if your intersted
 
Thanks for the thought but I expect it's way beyond my price. I will have to sell my old Cherokee first in fact I washed it yesterday ....................... :eek: first time in 22 months about.... now I have to clean the seats and hoover it out and see if there is anything obvious for the MOT. Then see how much folding I can scrape together.
 
if your looking at a Freelander? DONT go for anything from 2004 or before I am afraid, BMW got involved in 2004 and they improved no end after then, I have had a Nissan Terrano and absolutely loved it, huge boot for the dog, selectable 4 wheel drive, was getting about 26/28 to the gallon, but I dont have the lightest of feet :oops: and even managed to get the back end out a time or two on the wet roads :D
often had it towing trailers through fields and did everything I asked of it and looked great.

having moved back into the back of beyond I have to admit the "family estate" is now off and I will have another 4x4, I am looking at the Freelander but it will not be from before 2004, or I will be back to the Terrano :)
 
:lol: sorry but BMW is not a recommendation to me............................. whilst driving that Slide and tilt recovery the most common make I picked up was ................................... yep BMW. Their dealers are the most ignorant and arrogant I ever encountered mostly, a few were good but the big ones are real assholes to deal with. Coopers of Thames Ditton took the biscuit on that front. I had to take a 3 series convertable there with 1800 miles on the clock. it was the 5th time going back for the same problem. The BMW dealer in Crawley Sussex had a line of the new Mini's all awaiting fault correction yep I dragged a few of those in too as a result I would staye very clear of anything BMW has anything to do with. The most helpful garages were ofter the smaller independents and of the main dealers Mercedes and Porsche and TVR were the best to deal with as a recovery driver. One small family run BWM dealer in Hailsham i seem to recall was exceptionally helpful butt hat was the exception rather than the rule. The others have the attitude that they're doing you a favour deeming to take you money and let you have one of their cars.
 
:lol: sorry but BMW is not a recommendation to me............................. whilst driving that Slide and tilt recovery the most common make I picked up was ................................... yep BMW. Their dealers are the most ignorant and arrogant I ever encountered mostly,

like a lot of the people who drive the cars too then :D I swear indicators come as an optional extra with them, I have to agree with what your saying, but they did make a heck of a difference to the Freelander with their input
 
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