Newbie, what to look for?

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.
R

rickster30

New Member
Posts
81
Hi,
New to site, I am after some advice really. Going to view a freelander in next couple of days, it's a td4 02 plate, 139k miles, states fsh, and no faults. What should I look for when viewing? I have heard these cars suffer quite a few problems? It will be used for towing our caravan and nothing else, although I may give it a run to work and back 1 day a week! Are they expensive to maintain, this car has 139k miles, should clutch have been done by now? All help most appreciated.

Thanks
 
Welcome and good luck

I'd post quickly on the Freelander site - you may find a bit of teasing from those that are lesss keen on the Freelander, but if you've looked around the site you'll already know that:rolleyes:

Can't help myself, never owned one
 
rickster30 said:
Hi,
New to site, I am after some advice really. Going to view a freelander in next couple of days, it's a td4 02 plate, 139k miles, states fsh, and no faults. What should I look for when viewing? I have heard these cars suffer quite a few problems? It will be used for towing our caravan and nothing else, although I may give it a run to work and back 1 day a week! Are they expensive to maintain, this car has 139k miles, should clutch have been done by now? All help most appreciated.

Thanks
Click to expand...

First of all welcome to the mad house. Got a 2005 td4 (the facelift one) and i like it its around 40 mpg, clutch will probably have been doon look through your history, look for all usual things excessive smoke etc. otherwise enjoy! personally ours we have found to be a good car, i much prefer the facelift but whatever floats your boat especially if its reasonably priced.
 
Welcome to the site.

I am relatively new too, however, I am learning fast.

I can however share a tale with you that may end up costing me dearly.

July 2012 I bought a 2001, 3dr TD4 with just over 100,000 on the clock. I looked at the MOT history and there was nothing there to concern me, I looked around the car and she was tidy, took her for a test drive and all was well.

In the time I have had the car I have put a few thousand miles on the clock and again no issues, well that was until I took her for a new MOT.

They failed the car on "excessively corroded brake pipes" and an "inoperative ABS light"

£470 later for the brake pipes to be sorted (they cut them at the rear and put a union in, otherwise the price would have been higher as they are one piece from each wheel station through to the ABS module) I then moved onto the ABS light.

Fuse wrecked out ok so then moved onto the bulb (you need to strip the dash down to get to this) only to find that it is actually LEDs and the ABS, TC and HDC LEDs had been removed. A little searching on this site soon educated me that this is a common trick if someone is trying to hide a fault with the ABS system..!! So I ordered a new Speedo cluster (£30 from ebay) and sure as eggs is eggs, there is a fault with my ABS. I am still investigating but it looks like it could be my ABS Module that is cooked.

So after all my waffle above, my advice is that when you insert the key and turn it to position two, ensure that the ABS light illuminates, it should extinguish for approximately 1 second and then come back on again. It should then remain on after you start the engine and then extinguish when you reach approx 5 MPH, if it remains on after this then you may have a fault. If you see no lights whatsoever, then I personally would not touch it (unless the fuse has gone) as you could end up spending a lot of money on your new purchase.

I hope I have not scared you away as I do like the Freelander and hope that my post is of use to you.

Regards
Bev
 
Bluenose5709 said:
Welcome to the site.

I am relatively new too, however, I am learning fast.

I can however share a tale with you that may end up costing me dearly.

July 2012 I bought a 2001, 3dr TD4 with just over 100,000 on the clock. I looked at the MOT history and there was nothing there to concern me, I looked around the car and she was tidy, took her for a test drive and all was well.

In the time I have had the car I have put a few thousand miles on the clock and again no issues, well that was until I took her for a new MOT.

They failed the car on "excessively corroded brake pipes" and an "inoperative ABS light"

£470 later for the brake pipes to be sorted (they cut them at the rear and put a union in, otherwise the price would have been higher as they are one piece from each wheel station through to the ABS module) I then moved onto the ABS light.

Fuse wrecked out ok so then moved onto the bulb (you need to strip the dash down to get to this) only to find that it is actually LEDs and the ABS, TC and HDC LEDs had been removed. A little searching on this site soon educated me that this is a common trick if someone is trying to hide a fault with the ABS system..!! So I ordered a new Speedo cluster (£30 from ebay) and sure as eggs is eggs, there is a fault with my ABS. I am still investigating but it looks like it could be my ABS Module that is cooked.

So after all my waffle above, my advice is that when you insert the key and turn it to position two, ensure that the ABS light illuminates, it should extinguish for approximately 1 second and then come back on again. It should then remain on after you start the engine and then extinguish when you reach approx 5 MPH, if it remains on after this then you may have a fault. If you see no lights whatsoever, then I personally would not touch it (unless the fuse has gone) as you could end up spending a lot of money on your new purchase.

I hope I have not scared you away as I do like the Freelander and hope that my post is of use to you.

Regards
Bev
Click to expand...

£470 for a few feet of brake pipe :eek: that's extortion. It's a few hours work tops to replace every pipe!!
 
Check everything works. And it's got it's propshaft / VCU too. A bad Freelander can be a money pit especially if you have to rely on garages to do the work. The best way is the diy way ;)
 
yes mine is working out to be a bad buy

since owning it from new years eve i have had the VCU pack in Transfer box blow a hole in

4 abs sensors and rings ( they were all fooked) and a Abs pump ive also got problems with the CV joint and bearing on one corner....

i have done a few little things like i fitted a arm rest console, fitted roof rails, and 4 A/T tyres

also £470 for brake pipes.... you need to find a new garage mate coz the one that charged that for pipes is shafting you without the lube LMAO
 
Some great info there guys, not scared me off, just gives me the info needed, they guy selling did not even know what the vcu was when I emailed him!! I do have some ideas as I work at the land rover factory in Solihull, but we don't make the freelanders! :)
 
Went to have a look at the car today, bodywork as described, all electrics work :) there was a clunky noise coming from front n/s wheel, but only when on bumpy ground? there was an advisory on last MOT that the front n/s ball joint had some play, could this be the issue? either way he has the part, and he has a family member who owns a garage local to me who did a bit of work on it recently and will fit part for just £10!! Other thing I noticed was when the car was in gear the gear stick had play in it, ie moved about sort of loosely, I have had this on other cars before but was told nothing to worry about, can I tighten this up? Clutch pedal also felt a bit heavy but no slipping in gears etc, but just for info what would this cost to replace? Also brakes felt a bit spongy, had to put foot down quite hard to stop, is this just a case of changing pads/discs, or is this the brakes on the freelander?

Thanks
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

M
FL2 SD4 2014 Service
Replies
4
Views
318
Arctic2
Arctic2
M
SHOULD I BUY
Replies
7
Views
361
GrumpyGel
GrumpyGel
B
Back to 4x4 Questions
Replies
7
Views
585
waxer
W
D
Fix or Ditch?
2
Replies
24
Views
938
WhiskyLassie
WhiskyLassie
W
Whats it worth? Freelander 2 GS TDS 4 2009 Automatic
Replies
7
Views
774
Nodge68
Nodge68
Back
Top