Please help me decide on 05 Freelander

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spiceman

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Hi Everybody, Just found this very active forum and hoping that you guys and girls can help me out on a decision I need to make.

My next door neighbor is selling his Freelander HSE 1.8 05 plate car which I'm very interested in buying. At the moment he has signed to trade in for a new Peugeot RCZ, they offered him 6000 pounds.
Basically its mint condition, like brand new with only 27000 miles on the clock. Nobody has ever sat in the back or passenger seat its that nice! It has all the usual comforts of the HSE model plus running boards fitted. its always been serviced on time at landrover and he has never had any problems...

However I'm worried about reports I hear about head gaskets, leaking back window etc.. Most people I've told about this deal tell me to stay well clear of the Freelander and its associated problems!! I've taken it for a drive and love it, so smooth compared to my mini. I really want the car but don't want to be spending loads of money getting things fixed in the future.
The car is due a mot and service. The only problem he has is with the sunroof, can't use it because it comes of its running tracks. He took the car to Lookers which they explained it was from lack of use!

So really my question is "would you buy this vehicle"? Would love to hear people experiences who have owned this 05 model and if they have had any real problems..

Thank you so much.
 
Mine is a late 2005 model although its a TD4 so different in that respect. I did buy a new Freelander back in 2001 and that was 1.8 and it was good, also my father in law had a 1.8 Freelander (also 2001) for 5 years and it never needed so much a light bulb changed.

HGF is an issue though and can happen although 'your' 2005 model should have a low coolant warning light fitted - something they should have fitted much earlier. This will give an early warning of low coolant so hopefully if you stop, this will prevent HGF due to a coolant leak. If the coolant leak is caused by the HG failing then no light will stop that but should allow you to stop before the engine overheats so the cylinder head wont warp.

Our 2005 model has been good - its currently just over 40K on the clock, the fuel pump needed to be replaced and the anti-roll bar links started rattling but new links are only £10 a side so no hardship there. Our back door was leaking recently but altering the position of the rubber seal sorted that.

The HSE is a nicely spec'd model and you know its been looked after, probably worth buying if you like it, and put £300 away to get the HG done - should the worst happen.
 
Is £6K the right kind of money for it? Seems a bit pricey to me. Petrols are much less desirable than diesel and therefore loose more money. From experience you can get as many problems on a low mileage engine as you can a high one. Mines a 55 HSE TD4. I had a 1.8 previously but much prefer the TD4 engined car. The petrol is a bit heavy on juice I found and if you want to tow with it, its not most torquie engine. Reliabitity (i.e head gasket etc) should be much better on the later vehicles though. Nothing wrong with it though. I loved my petrol till I bought the diesel. The spec is fine. Only thing with the 17 inch wheels is you can only get true road tyres which are not as good in the winter conditions or mild off road. I wish mine had 16 inch wheels with A/T tyres!
Would I buy it - no. Look for a diesel and you won't be disapointed.

Hope this helps.

Tony
 
Mantamad said:
Mine is a late 2005 model although its a TD4 so different in that respect. I did buy a new Freelander back in 2001 and that was 1.8 and it was good, also my father in law had a 1.8 Freelander (also 2001) for 5 years and it never needed so much a light bulb changed.

HGF is an issue though and can happen although 'your' 2005 model should have a low coolant warning light fitted - something they should have fitted much earlier. This will give an early warning of low coolant so hopefully if you stop, this will prevent HGF due to a coolant leak. If the coolant leak is caused by the HG failing then no light will stop that but should allow you to stop before the engine overheats so the cylinder head wont warp.

Our 2005 model has been good - its currently just over 40K on the clock, the fuel pump needed to be replaced and the anti-roll bar links started rattling but new links are only £10 a side so no hardship there. Our back door was leaking recently but altering the position of the rubber seal sorted that.

The HSE is a nicely spec'd model and you know its been looked after, probably worth buying if you like it, and put £300 away to get the HG done - should the worst happen.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your reply, you have made me feel at ease. Sounds like you have been fairly happy with your car. 300 pounds on a head gasket doesn't sound too bad...Hopefully its been fitted with the low level coolant indicator, is there anyway I can def find out if its been fitted, I'm crap with motor's..

Thanks again
 
tonyt37 said:
Is £6K the right kind of money for it? Seems a bit pricey to me. Petrols are much less desirable than diesel and therefore loose more money. From experience you can get as many problems on a low mileage engine as you can a high one. Mines a 55 HSE TD4. I had a 1.8 previously but much prefer the TD4 engined car. The petrol is a bit heavy on juice I found and if you want to tow with it, its not most torquie engine. Reliabitity (i.e head gasket etc) should be much better on the later vehicles though. Nothing wrong with it though. I loved my petrol till I bought the diesel. The spec is fine. Only thing with the 17 inch wheels is you can only get true road tyres which are not as good in the winter conditions or mild off road. I wish mine had 16 inch wheels with A/T tyres!
Would I buy it - no. Look for a diesel and you won't be disapointed.

Hope this helps.

Tony
Click to expand...
Hi mate. Thanks for your reply. I have never thought about buying a freelander until last week. I know of the car's history and thats why im so interested. So you think it could be over priced, Oh:eek:.
I've looked in auto trader and have seen similar priced at 7500, hence why I thought it was the deal of the century.

Thank you.
 
I think you could get a good diesel for that money, and £6k for trade in means your neighbour is getting a good deal, I reckon, but I'm no expert on prices.

Personally I would have a look round and may be screwy drive of a diesel before you make your final decision. Buying from someone you trust, and getting a vehicle you know the history of, is always reassuring, though.

Cheers

Blippie
 
I would only consider a petrol if it were really cheap otherwise I'd look at a diesel. Also, if I were you, I'd get some ballpark prices from some local specialists re getting a gead gasket done & find out how long the warranty they offer would be. You might just get a surprise there & find that figures being bandied around here aren't relevant to real world prices from your local area.
 
spiceman said:
Hi Everybody, Just found this very active forum and hoping that you guys and girls can help me out on a decision I need to make.

My next door neighbor is selling his Freelander HSE 1.8 05 plate car which I'm very interested in buying. At the moment he has signed to trade in for a new Peugeot RCZ, they offered him 6000 pounds.
Basically its mint condition, like brand new with only 27000 miles on the clock. Nobody has ever sat in the back or passenger seat its that nice! It has all the usual comforts of the HSE model plus running boards fitted. its always been serviced on time at landrover and he has never had any problems...

However I'm worried about reports I hear about head gaskets, leaking back window etc.. Most people I've told about this deal tell me to stay well clear of the Freelander and its associated problems!! I've taken it for a drive and love it, so smooth compared to my mini. I really want the car but don't want to be spending loads of money getting things fixed in the future.
The car is due a mot and service. The only problem he has is with the sunroof, can't use it because it comes of its running tracks. He took the car to Lookers which they explained it was from lack of use!

So really my question is "would you buy this vehicle"? Would love to hear people experiences who have owned this 05 model and if they have had any real problems..

Thank you so much.
Click to expand...

Rover 45 at 33,000 1.8 k series tipped and loose liner=****ed
Rover 75 at 47,000 1.8k series hgf

several freelanders hgf, and sequential hgf which I diagnosed as liner loose, height

Don't do it, a 1.8 is just too unreliable
 
spiceman said:
Thank you for your reply, you have made me feel at ease. Sounds like you have been fairly happy with your car. 300 pounds on a head gasket doesn't sound too bad...Hopefully its been fitted with the low level coolant indicator, is there anyway I can def find out if its been fitted, I'm crap with motor's..

Thanks again
Click to expand...

Yes very happy with it:) From memory the low coolant light is within the temp gauge - it should come on when you turn on the ignition then go out - not sure on the emblem (its not on the diesel) possibly something like a radiator symbol I would think.
 
Six grand for a 1.8 does sound a tad high and would probably get a decent td4 for that price, I got a 55 plate td4 (not HSE) from a dealer( not LR) for the same money, with a warrenty.
The ones you saw for £7.5g were probably from dealers with a warrenty. It does sound in good nick and maybe too good to miss, and if it does go wrong the previous owner only lives next door !!
 
Why would anyone even consider a petrol freelander? The problems are so well documented! If you want to throw six grand down the toilet, go ahead, but dont say you werent warned!
 
No matter how good an example it appears to be the 'k series' is notoriously unreliable. Of course people can quote exceptions, but are you feeling lucky.........
 
I own a 1.8 petrol '04 plate liked the looks, didn't know about the faults, rash decision wish I had got a diesel now, MPG is terrible and HGF on mine was at about 43000 miles 2 weeks after buying and luckily under warranty. I don't think you will stay on good terms with your neighbour if you buy it
 
any rac/aa inspection can only give you a report on the motor as it is..they dont have a crystal ball to tell you when the hg will fail which im sure it will or any other probs likely to arise

as mrbeaker says what happens if you buy and summit goes wrong which it will will you still be on good terms with your neighbour?

if you are set on buying a gaylander then seriously look at the doozil and disregard the 1.8 petrol.
 
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