freelander advice

hi guys,im new to the site and land rovers.im looking to buy a freelander but want some tips on things to look for also i have viewed 1 today with the prop removed he says its to improve mpg and it did drive well but could he be trying to hide a problem?all your advice and tips will be greatly appreciated.thanks,phil.

HAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAH thats fookin hilarious!!

Get a disco or a defender.

fella, dont do it, get wat nelly said, if ur serious bout landys, get a fender

dont listen to them...

if you want a freeebie then under no circumstances should you buy that one or any petrol ones!!

prop removed is to hide a shagged vcu/ird!!

go for a TD4 and buy the best you can find and get the best warrenty you can.

there's loads to choose from!

whats your budget if you dont mind me asking?

well i do like the disco and the range rover but my missus wont drive a disco and the range's are unreliable so im stuck.i got bout £3000-£3500 spend.

erm.... ALL landrovers are unreliable! From what I've heard the TD4 gaylander isn't too bad, but if you don't want to repair it, stay away from the green oval!

if ye want advice dont by a ****in freelander

Andy is right, go for a TD4 diesel with the BMW diesel engine fitted. They started making them in 2000 on an X-plate, so you've got plenty of choice at around the £3-£3.5k mark. As Andy says propshafts removed are a huge no-no. Check for usual noises, clunks, loud whines etc. Also put the steering on full lock & reverse. If it feels like the handbrake is on then the Viscous coupling unit on the propshaft could be seized. A little resistance is normal. If the VCU is knackered then it puts extra strain on the intermediate reduction drive gearbox which eventually fails. The TD4 was modified & the gear ratio of the IRD changed compared to the earlier Freelanders, so they're not quite so prone to this failure but it can still happen.
Make sure all the electrics work & that the tail door opens & closes properly & it's window goes up & down properly. Also check that all the warning lights come on when the ignition is turned on & go out when car is started.
On the move, the car should have torque from as low as 1500rpm with the turbo coming in at 1800rpm. If it feels gutless till about 2300rpm then the Bosch MAF sensor is faulty & it's about £150-£200 for a replacement. Intercooler hoses can split affecting top end power, but are cheap & easy to replace.
With the engine running take out the dipstick & watch for oil coming out. The crankcase breather filter blocks up & the pressure forces the oil out. Eventually it forces the oil past the turbo seals & ruins the turbo. problem is, they only realised this about three years ago & never included this filter on the service schedule until then, so there are lots of cars which have never had this changed. Before it gets terminal though the car will usually put out a lot of black smoke from the exhaust.
Check for hesitation or lumpiness on the move as it could be dirty injectors which cost about £150 each.


The TD4 is a good car which will reward you with good performance & economy, excellent ride/handling for a 4x4 if you get a goody, as Andy says service history is very important. Change your crankcase breather immediately & use a good quality injector cleaner regularly to keeps things running smoothly.
One more small point, with the new road tax bull**** possibly coming in you might be well advised to look for an X-reg model as it wouldn't be affected.
Parkers have an excellent VED Calculator on their website which will help you decide. Best of luck & let us know how you get on.

just dont bother buying one

I've just bought one...also look out for sunroof leaking, oil leaks, power steering fluid leaks, rear diff knackered...somepeople on this site do talk about removing viscous coupling and shaft to improve fuel economy, get the seller to put it back on so you can test drive it properly?!
Good luck.

oh yeh and check it's not an import (expensive insurance) and you get the card with all the codes on x

nymptonite said:

somepeople on this site do talk about removing viscous coupling and shaft to improve fuel economy, get the seller to put it back on so you can test drive it properly?!
Good luck.

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better still, walk away from this one without the prop. as andytd4 says, it's the best way of hiding a knackered vcu/diff.

I bought a 2000 (X) reg and to be fair don't mind repairing things when they go wrong - its more fun than watching telly ne ways and its a good excuse for having to buy nice new shiny i really must have it tools!

So far nothing what I would call major mechanical - changed oil and filter, fuel filter, brake fluid, crankcase breather, gearbox oil and IRD oil, topped up rear diff, rear brake shoes, lost all power steering fluid over asda car park without warning, tightened clips on pipes n cured that, antifreeze change... errr think thats it. So just general service stuff in 2 years - oh and i get 40 mpg on average - mainly decent runs for that though!

One word of advice if you do get one - be prepared for it to go wrong but there are loads of happy hippos out there.

I also changed the under engine tray bolts and screws etc for new and greased em well - makes taking the bloody thing off easier.

Mines an import, doesn't cost any more to insure than a non import. Its also a V6 and haven't had any real problems, but it doesn't do many yards to the gallon. TD4 go wrong just the same as other cars, but if you change filters, injectors etc. regularly they do seem to be your best bet and X reg or earlier will save you alot on road tax. Check sunroof and window operation they break regularly on all models if not well lubricated.

rustymark said:

I bought a 2000 (X) reg and to be fair don't mind repairing things when they go wrong - its more fun than watching telly ne ways and its a good excuse for having to buy nice new shiny i really must have it tools!

So far nothing what I would call major mechanical - changed oil and filter, fuel filter, brake fluid, crankcase breather, gearbox oil and IRD oil, topped up rear diff, rear brake shoes, lost all power steering fluid over asda car park without warning, tightened clips on pipes n cured that, antifreeze change... errr think thats it. So just general service stuff in 2 years - oh and i get 40 mpg on average - mainly decent runs for that though!

One word of advice if you do get one - be prepared for it to go wrong but there are loads of happy hippos out there.

I also changed the under engine tray bolts and screws etc for new and greased em well - makes taking the bloody thing off easier.

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At last er proper gaylander owner