Freelander 1 Any tips or Info' prior to purchase....

I have always fancied a Land Rover Freelander but, nearly everyone I say this to shake their heads and say the same old things; 'Load of trouble mate' or 'one problem after another', The other piece of advice is; 'If you want one, get one after a certain year'. .... I only use my own transport at week ends having a works van Mon-Fri so, I don't want to spend a great deal of money on one, perhaps £3-4000. Any advice appreciated.

My '99 Freelander has been boringly reliable for the 7 years I've had it.

There are threads on here about buying a Freelander which talk about which ones are more reliable etc. I just did a search in the Freelander section for "buying advice" and it lists what looks to be a reasonable list.

All cars can give trouble if maintenance is slack. The Freelander is just more susceptible than some other vehicles on the road.
Before looking for a Freelander. It's worth deciding on what body style and spec you want.
Then you need to look for whatever you model you chose, armed with a list of things to check.

The first thing I check is the condition of the bodywork and interior. These give a good indication of how well it's been looked after.
If the condition is good, then I move onto the mechanical condition. Tyres are my first check. The reason for this is simple. The Freelander's 4X4 system is very fussy on tyres. All tyres MUST be the same make, type and size. Also the least worn MUST be on the rear. It is preferable to rotate the tyres, front to rear, every 3,000 miles or so. Doing this means 4 new tyres can be fitted at the same time. If tyre rotation isn't done, then the fronts will wear out before the rear. This means that 2 good tyres get replaced before they are worn out, if all 4 are replaced together.
It is permissible to replace just 2 tyres. However the replacement pair of tyres must match what is already fitted. The new pair of MUST be fitted to the rear, the 1/2 worn rears being moved to the front.

The special tyre maintenance is crucial for the health of the 4X4 system. So you can get a good idea of how the vehicle has been looked after, just by checking the tyres.
If an assortment of different tyres are fitted, then maintenance has been slack, and trouble won't be far off.

My next check is to make sure that the propshafts are fitted. If they are missing, then walk away, or be prepared to spend out some serious cash on rectifying any potential problems.

The seller could well say that the props were removed to improve fuel consumption. This is complete bull, as there's no difference in fuel consumption, with or without them fitted. In reality, removing the props hides a damaged IRD (Freelander's transfer box). So be suspicious of any incomplete parts of the drive train.

The next check is the clutch (manual gearbox) for when it was changed. The clutch can wear out in 50K miles, if towing has been done, and never exceeds 100,000 miles. Auto transmission fluid changes need doing at 60K intervals, if problems are to be minimised.

Make sure everything that is fitted works. Pay particular attention to the windows, locks and rear door.

The rest of the Freelander can be treated like any other car.

GrumpyGel said:

My '99 Freelander has been boringly reliable for the 7 years I've had it.

There are threads on here about buying a Freelander which talk about which ones are more reliable etc. I just did a search in the Freelander section for "buying advice" and it lists what looks to be a reasonable list.

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Thanks GrumpGel, looks like an ideal feature you've found there, many thanks,...

I've had my '55' plate Freelander 'Adventurer', 3 door for over 3 years now. It had about 56,000 on the clock back then and now has 87,000, (so approx. 10k per annum).
I replaced the fuel tank cradle, just after purchase as it needed doing and gave the new one several coats of Hammerite before fitting. I get the oil and filter replaced roughly every 5,000 miles. It has been one of my most reliable cars that I've purchased in 46 years of motoring.
I've enhanced it with a few improvements, Polybushes fitted throughout and renewed the old turbo hoses. I'm not sure either job was imperative, that said, I don't have to think about them in the future. Also replaced all five old, but still legal tyres with A/T's, that made a difference (and the pressures are checked weekly), really reduced road noise. It's regularly washed and polished and given some interior T.L.C. (not as often as I should). New battery fitted just prior to last winter as the existing one had been on for 11 years and was beginning to struggle on a frosty morning. I also applied glycerine to all the door/window seals just before a non-existent winter set in.
My point being, take due care of any vehicle within your abilities, ask other's for advice and find a good local 4x4 garage for the jobs that need the specialist. Most importantly, before you buy, ask anyone on here in the Freelander forum that might live in your area to come and have a look at any vehicle that you think fits the bill.

Colonial said:

I've had my '55' plate Freelander 'Adventurer', 3 door for over 3 years now. It had about 56,000 on the clock back then and now has 87,000, (so approx. 10k per annum).
I replaced the fuel tank cradle, just after purchase as it needed doing and gave the new one several coats of Hammerite before fitting. I get the oil and filter replaced roughly every 5,000 miles. It has been one of my most reliable cars that I've purchased in 46 years of motoring.
I've enhanced it with a few improvements, Polybushes fitted throughout and renewed the old turbo hoses. I'm not sure either job was imperative, that said, I don't have to think about them in the future. Also replaced all five old, but still legal tyres with A/T's, that made a difference (and the pressures are checked weekly), really reduced road noise. It's regularly washed and polished and given some interior T.L.C. (not as often as I should). New battery fitted just prior to last winter as the existing one had been on for 11 years and was beginning to struggle on a frosty morning. I also applied glycerine to all the door/window seals just before a non-existent winter set in.
My point being, take due care of any vehicle within your abilities, ask other's for advice and find a good local 4x4 garage for the jobs that need the specialist. Most importantly, before you buy, ask anyone on here in the Freelander forum that might live in your area to come and have a look at any vehicle that you think fits the bill.

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Thanks for your input and advice Colonial, much appreciated, the more I learn, the less paranoid I will be come the time of possible purchase...thank you.

The drive train issues as described by Nodge is "the" problem with Freelander. As he says, if the tyres, or Viscous Coupling (VCU) are not maintained, then problems will occur. However, if you look after them, they are extremely reliable cars - at least the diesel ones are. The 1.8 petrol ones suffer from head gasket failure - but so long as you expect it at some time, they are usually easy to fix. The 1.8 owners on here are usually very happy with their cars. The V6 petrol ones, while giving a great ride, consume huge quantities of fuel and suffer overheating issues (which are often not so easy to fix!).

So if you want a very reliable and cheap to run car, a diesel Freelander's not a bad bet... so long as you look after the tyres and keep an eye on the VCU...

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/tests-new-freelander-owners-should-do-on-their-car.312863/

All the talk here is about the Freelander 1 (ie up to 2006). Not sure if £4K will get you an F2 in the UK, but if it can you'll need completely different advice!

GrumpyGel said:

The drive train issues as described by Nodge is "the" problem with Freelander. As he says, if the tyres, or Viscous Coupling (VCU) are not maintained, then problems will occur. However, if you look after them, they are extremely reliable cars - at least the diesel ones are. The 1.8 petrol ones suffer from head gasket failure - but so long as you expect it at some time, they are usually easy to fix. The 1.8 owners on here are usually very happy with their cars. The V6 petrol ones, while giving a great ride, consume huge quantities of fuel and suffer overheating issues (which are often not so easy to fix!).

So if you want a very reliable and cheap to run car, a diesel Freelander's not a bad bet... so long as you look after the tyres and keep an eye on the VCU...

https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/tests-new-freelander-owners-should-do-on-their-car.312863/
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rover/tests-new-freelander-owners-should-do-on-their-car.312863/
All the talk here is about the Freelander 1 (ie up to 2006). Not sure if £4K will get you an F2 in the UK, but if it can you'll need completely different advice!

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No, £4k won't. Not even for a 2007 high mileage.

Colonial said:

No, £4k won't. Not even for a 2007 high mileage.

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Definitely won't get a FL2 that's worth having. £4K should get a nice, clean, higher spec FL1 with around 70 to 90K miles and good history.

Jackplug1 said:

I have always fancied a Land Rover Freelander but, nearly everyone I say this to shake their heads and say the same old things; 'Load of trouble mate' or 'one problem after another', The other piece of advice is; 'If you want one, get one after a certain year'. .... I only use my own transport at week ends having a works van Mon-Fri so, I don't want to spend a great deal of money on one, perhaps £3-4000. Any advice appreciated.

Click to expand...

Have you found one yet?