Freelander 2

There are two types of Freelander 2- ones with no/very few issues and ones that would break your heart with issues. It seems to be a pot luck. My wife bought one and it cost 2.5k in repairs in the first year alone. A lovely car to drive, very capable off road, good engines, but an absolute pig to work on. Most local mechanics turned down doing any remedial work for us and only a specialist garage could sort the majority of the issues (which cost a fortune as they have the monopoly). I think LR engineers went out of their way to make them as impractical to work on as possible. If it were me, I would avoid one like the plague. It just isn't worth the gamble. VRT is obviously going to limit your option of UK purchase and import, but it is worth pricing and comparing Vs buying locally. A chap from RoI bought an Amarok off me and saved himself €4k, even with the VRT added.
 
Had a brand new radiator fitted weeks prior to the head gasket failing, system was pressure tested and all seemed fine 🤷‍♂️ any way, I bought a Volvo xc60 instead…don’t get one of those either 😂
Sorry for going off topic. I have been looking at one to replace my RAV4, what are your thoughts.
For the OP the rav 4 has been superb. I may well buy another one this is my second one.
 
I use a crv with 1.5" lift springs fitted and semi chunky tyres good RELIABLE cheap soft roader.
Loved my MK2 Freelander but it died.😭 had a Suzuki Vitara but ground clearance was rubbish.
 
I bought a freelander 2 at 72k on the clock and sold it at over 160k. It never gave me any trouble that a YouTube video couldn’t fix. Plus it was decent off road. Get one you won’t regret it.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0027.webp
    IMG_0027.webp
    269.6 KB · Views: 14
We have 3 FL2s in our family, 2 older 59/60 plates and a slightly newer 63. The older ones are TD4 manuals and the newer is an SD4 auto. To be fair, they're pretty good. Niggles like any car but nothing major beyond wear and tear parts at higher mileages, good off road, comfortable on road (unless you're in the back!) SD4 is pretty quick for what it is and fuel economy about 33mpg even with a set of ATs on. Only downside is boot space. Due to the wheel arch boxes the boot space is quite narrow and with the seats up it is not that deep. I run mine with the seats folded flat which gives lots of space and the seats do split fold if needed. Personally I would recommend them.
 
Only downside is boot space. Due to the wheel arch boxes the boot space is quite narrow and with the seats up it is not that deep. I run mine with the seats folded flat which gives lots of space and the seats do split fold if needed.
Agreed - I’ve tried a variety of methods to accommodate 2 dog cages (Vizsla and Teckel) plus deer tray/box for carcasses and all the kit. Currently settled on this arrangement which does my roe/muntjac/ fallow needs. Roe box not shown fitted (the winch cross brace comes out and the plywood base plate has cut outs for the box wheels to stop it moving around). The plaster‘s tray has a cover to separate the carcass from the dogs.

IMG_6074.jpegIMG_6188.jpegIMG_6185.jpegIMG_7022.jpeg
 
I into landrover but the old stuff not series but 90 ect 110 ect , that been said I had Freelander 2 for years I found it good drives more car like . Off road it’s fine / good but it ain’t a defender . It’s not got a center diff but it has got well some have terrain control and that’s good off road very. Having said that the ground clearance is good but not defender like. The bad points are front axel or back can need the diff rebuilt . If it’s away loud noise like a wheel bearing , can be fixed but that’s more money. The engines fine . How far you wanting to go off road? I would not go too far off road , just the ground clearance I am thinking off. Go to YouTube your see guys with them lifted using them off road. I would buy one again , I would lift it a little this time , it won’t self destruct like the discovery 4 do. It also pulls trailer well . I had a trailer with 3 ton on it on a defender, the gearbox went. The Freelander 2 only ment to pull 2 ton , it pulled it better than the defender and it’s heavier than a 90 can’t understand the towing weights . I would go for it find yourself a good one.
 
Agreed - I’ve tried a variety of methods to accommodate 2 dog cages (Vizsla and Teckel) plus deer tray/box for carcasses and all the kit. Currently settled on this arrangement which does my roe/muntjac/ fallow needs. Roe box not shown fitted (the winch cross brace comes out and the plywood base plate has cut outs for the box wheels to stop it moving around). The plaster‘s tray has a cover to separate the carcass from the dogs.

View attachment 314034View attachment 314035View attachment 314036View attachment 314037
I had a similar issue when moving the dog and kit. I solved it by buying a discovery 4…
 
I had one for a few years, great off road and good on fuel, but the haldex pump failed also one of the fuel senders, which was a pig to replace. All known problems with the FL2 .
Forced to sell due to ULEZ coming where i work, otherwise i would had keept it a few more years.
 
I had one for a few years, great off road and good on fuel, but the haldex pump failed also one of the fuel senders, which was a pig to replace. All known problems with the FL2 .
Forced to sell due to ULEZ coming where i work, otherwise i would had keept it a few more years.
Recently saw an imported i6 being used in London - bet that was pricey to import :oops:
 
Recently saw an imported i6 being used in London - bet that was pricey to import :oops:
Depends when it was imported…

Four years ago I imported a V8 Discovery 2 from Japan - the car cost me $1,500 to buy & all in, including shipping, import duty, handling fees at the dock, shipping this end, registration fee, MOT & some minor mechanical work it was on the road for £3,900.

Had a look the other day & same age D2 V8s are selling at $12,000-15,000 before shipping etc. 😳 - seems Mr Khan isn’t the only one coining it in due to ULEZ!!
 
Well I have owned mine for 4yrs now(08 auto) and it has 170,000 on the clock, it owes me nothing it has been uber reliable apart from the normal wear & tear. Reasonable mpg 30 ish, it has been my work vehicle in the forest, I was changing ball joints and bushes every 6 months, but had poly bushes fitted, and changed the lower arm ball joints to bolt on's, can change them in less than 15 mins. never had an issue since, more than capable in all conditions, but unfortunately there good ones and bad ones, I seem to have been lucky..
 
These cars suit me very well. I keep the back seats down and put in a large lintran dog box that fits the spaniels well. There’s space in front of the box for a deer tray for munties/roe, or boots, game etc when not stalking.

I’m in my 5th freelander - 2nd FL2 - having just changed the last one for a 63 plate with only 31k on the mileage. This should last me well for quite some time.

I think it’s important to get good AT tyres but even then I know there are one or two places I don’t go for fear of getting stuck.
 
Agreed - I’ve tried a variety of methods to accommodate 2 dog cages (Vizsla and Teckel) plus deer tray/box for carcasses and all the kit. Currently settled on this arrangement which does my roe/muntjac/ fallow needs. Roe box not shown fitted (the winch cross brace comes out and the plywood base plate has cut outs for the box wheels to stop it moving around). The plaster‘s tray has a cover to separate the carcass from the dogs.

View attachment 314034View attachment 314035View attachment 314036View attachment 314037
Hi
Can I ask what winch you use please? I really struggle getting fallow into my FL2.
Thank you
 
Hi
Can I ask what winch you use please? I really struggle getting fallow into my FL2.
Thank you
El Cheapo (ish) off eBay - this one:


I have an Anderson plug hard wired into the back of the battery (where the siren is) and use a long set of leads (used to use with a Warn portable winch and for quick jump starting other vehicles) to connect to the battery on the strut that temporarily bolts onto the rear seat restraint loops. The Plaster's bath is reinforced with a stainless steel plate and a bar with a eye that the winch rope connects to. I changed the winch rope out for Dynema that fits the pulleys on my tow-bar mounted swivelling deer hoist.

f0c8384c-f265-4d38-b7de-a10aa8821d35.jpeg4d339e63-f33c-4929-b609-bf9008bf1c80.jpegIMG_0485.jpegIMG_0484.jpeg
IMG_7087.webp
 
Last edited:
Back
Top