Hi there - new Freelander owner

[Vectrolosys]

Hi All,

On a slight whim, and in need of a run around family car (to save mileage on my company car) I decided to purchase a Freelander a friend at work was parting with. I like to get my hands dirty, so a freelander, with their various mechanical challenges, was right up my street.

This evening, I took delivery of the vehicle. It's a 1999 Freelander XEDi, with the following.

- 5 door
- Nightfire Red
- Recent VCU (bonus)
- L series diesel with recent cambelt (another bonus)
- Utterly silent IRD (thank goodness, though easy enough to replace)
- 131,000 miles from new.

I am rather impressed with this bizzare mix of Austin Rovers parts bin (I spied a load of Rover 800 bits, smooth as silk PG1 Honda gearbox for starters).

My intentions for the car, are as follows....

- General family runaround and tip run car (but keeping it clean!)
- Maintain in much the same way as the previous owner (fastidious)
- Try some basic green laning (something I have always wanted a go at)

I acknowledge that the freelander (gaylander or hippo ) attracts some derision from traditional landy and Rangie owners, but....I have my hair grooming products on standby and can take a joke !

Hope to contribute soon to the technical side of things, once I have completed my first job, IRD and rear diff oil change!.

James

 

[Vinniejb]

Hi All,

On a slight whim, and in need of a run around family car (to save mileage on my company car) I decided to purchase a Freelander a friend at work was parting with. I like to get my hands dirty, so a freelander, with their various mechanical challenges, was right up my street.

This evening, I took delivery of the vehicle. It's a 1999 Freelander XEDi, with the following.

- 5 door
- Nightfire Red
- Recent VCU (bonus)
- L series diesel with recent cambelt (another bonus)
- Utterly silent IRD (thank goodness, though easy enough to replace)
- 131,000 miles from new.

I am rather impressed with this bizzare mix of Austin Rovers parts bin (I spied a load of Rover 800 bits, smooth as silk PG1 Honda gearbox for starters).

My intentions for the car, are as follows....

- General family runaround and tip run car (but keeping it clean!)
- Maintain in much the same way as the previous owner (fastidious)
- Try some basic green laning (something I have always wanted a go at)

I acknowledge that the freelander (gaylander or hippo ) attracts some derision from traditional landy and Rangie owners, but....I have my hair grooming products on standby and can take a joke !

Hope to contribute soon to the technical side of things, once I have completed my first job, IRD and rear diff oil change!.

James

Ok... Impressed with BL (British Layland),:welcome2: mate

 

[Vectrolosys]

Thankyou .

I have been a fan of BL products for a number of years, and have a love of the underdog, hence why I also own an early XJ40!.

I've just been looking the previous repair receipts over, and can see a number of eye watering repair figures!! £600 for a replacement VCU (not a tough job or expensive item from some sources) £193 for a chassis rail repair.....I am trying to find out more about this apparent weakness.

Still, a lot of previous work has been done, so hopefully I'll get away with routine maintenance!!

 

[The Mad Hat Man]

:search: in the FAQ secction for "freelander". read and weep. but yu will be prepared.

chassis cracking and rear subframe attachment are known failure points.

 

[Vectrolosys]

Ahhhh, the classic and well documented K series issues . A shame as they are (dons flameproof suit) a great engine, compact, powerful for the size and smooth. I discussed the issues with a MG Rover engineer at 2010's NEC Classic car show (in the MPH section you get access to), they were showing off the new MG6, which uses the N series (a revised K series) to power it. MG Rover knew for years about the issues, but management would never let them bring the oil rail, headbolts, gasket or dowels mods online.....he said it caused him no end of frustration.

Failure of said engine also seems a lot higher in the freelander, than, say the 75 1.8 Turbo.....it's overworked in the Freelander environment, less so in a normal road car. TO add, the lower capacity units (1.1 and 1.4) do not fail anywhere near as much, 1.8 litre was pushing it a bit....shame they did not throw in the T series 2.0 instead (wonder if that would fit!?), though the T series was coming to the end of its life, in light of newer emissions regs, etc...and hand head gasket issues (oil leak, gearbox end) all of it own to contend with....

That said, I am glad I went for the L series diesel!

 

[The Mad Hat Man]

the XEDi is not a K series

 

[Vinniejb]

You are a clearly one of hight intalect. (facts and figs in your head just incase you need to prove a point).
Mate nothing to prove here, if you had been less intelagent then ok.
How ever you still own a GayLander, as they say the window lickers choice

 

[Vectrolosys]

the XEDi is not a K series

I know , hence why I put on my last post....Glad I went for the L series .

For an older diesel, I was impressed....it's not smooth or quiet, like the relatively loud Fiat JTD unit in my Vectra 1.9 CDTi 150, but it's not all that bad and pulls well at m way speeds in 5th, though 65-70mph seems to be a comfortable, upper cruising speed.....(mainly my choice a I was making sure no odd noises were coming from anywhere!)

 

[Vectrolosys]

You are a clearly one of hight intalect. (facts and figs in your head just incase you need to prove a point).
Mate nothing to prove here, if you had been less intelagent then ok.
How ever you still own a GayLander, as they say the window lickers choice

LOL! No points to prove, I just have an interest in cars, and an unfortunate memory which only seems to remember car related trivia, rather than anything worthwhile, such as the wifes birthday.....childrens birthdays....that sort of thing.

Appreciate the Window Licker comment , although inclined to do that from time to time, I do ultimately aspire to a P38 Rangie (4.6 HSE), though I think that just makes me clinically insane and a glutton for punishment!

 

[Vectrolosys]

:search: in the FAQ secction for "freelander". read and weep. but yu will be prepared.

chassis cracking and rear subframe attachment are known failure points.

Thanks all for the welcome, and thanks for the above FAQ link.....there are some rather interesting faults in there I must say!! The example I have seems to have suffered a few, looking at the previous receipts, such as the rear diff mounts issue....VCU...Cracked chassis rail...etc...etc!!!??!

Ah well, onwards with the fun and ownership!!