Shall I buy a Freelander?

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slob said:
aye if yer twist it about alot, stand on yer head and drink a few tins of brasso then yer answer could be specific to the bit about petrol gaylanders. otherwise it dint really answer his question which was about the price difference and not whether petrol ones was ****ter than the not petrol ones.
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ave heard that in some coastel parts o yarkseer that brasso,windoline and red bull passes fer a cocktail:D
 
oh ok so there are still problems with the earlier diesels? I see looks like I am going to have to save more..!
 
basically every car has problems so if i was you id looked for a well looked after freelander make sure its got full service history and no major problems drag a mechanic along with you to have a quick look and you should be ok td4 are newer but like there say more pricey but you should get a decent diesel under 3k and petrol for less but there blow head gaskets from time to time
 
There are two diesel engines. The earlier L-series Rover engine (68bhp) and the later TD4 BMW engine (110bhp).

The changeover was at the 2001 model year (2001MY), which was in 2000. So basically X and after are TD4s.

The L-series has a reputation as a bombproof, reliable engine. They were the used in the Montego car, which whilst in itself is not much to go on, remember that they were popular for minicabs and taxis because you could get 250,000m out of them without raising an eyebrow.

The TD4 is more exciting and is the same engine as the BMW 3 series. It also has a reputation for reliability. The one characteristic known problem of any note is the Mass Air Flow (MAF) failure which is easily recoignised and simple to fix. See Tuning-diesels for cheaper diesel tuning. for more info on that).

You have already determined that petrol Freelanders are not a safe buy, unless you are a keen enthusiast and/or amateur mechanic. There are people who swear by them, but the risk of Head Gasket Failure is enough to put most people off.

When selecting a Freelander you also need to throughly check the transmission. You need to ensure the VCU is not seized and there there are no thumps or bumps or other funny noises from the vehicle's drivetrain. If you do detect problems - don't panic - just return to the forum for a diagnosis. Reading the forum, there are many cases of "terminal failures" being resolved with a £20 part!

To summarise, there are pit falls in buying a Freelander, but get a good one and you will have as fine a car as you could want. The difficult thing is finding one that you are confident enough to buy.

Cheers

Blippie
 
Blippie said:
There are two diesel engines. The earlier L-series Rover engine (68bhp) and the later TD4 BMW engine (110bhp).

The changeover was at the 2001 model year (2001MY), which was in 2000. So basically X and after are TD4s.

The L-series has a reputation as a bombproof, reliable engine. They were the used in the Montego car, which whilst in itself is not much to go on, remember that they were popular for minicabs and taxis because you could get 250,000m out of them without raising an eyebrow.

The TD4 is more exciting and is the same engine as the BMW 3 series. It also has a reputation for reliability. The one characteristic known problem of any note is the Mass Air Flow (MAF) failure which is easily recoignised and simple to fix. See Tuning-diesels for cheaper diesel tuning. for more info on that).

You have already determined that petrol Freelanders are not a safe buy, unless you are a keen enthusiast and/or amateur mechanic. There are people who swear by them, but the risk of Head Gasket Failure is enough to put most people off.

When selecting a Freelander you also need to throughly check the transmission. You need to ensure the VCU is not seized and there there are no thumps or bumps or other funny noises from the vehicle's drivetrain. If you do detect problems - don't panic - just return to the forum for a diagnosis. Reading the forum, there are many cases of "terminal failures" being resolved with a £20 part!

To summarise, there are pit falls in buying a Freelander, but get a good one and you will have as fine a car as you could want. The difficult thing is finding one that you are confident enough to buy.

Cheers

Blippie
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Hi Blippie, thanks very much for the informative reply. It would appear that the BHP difference might make the TD4 engine more fun, but I am guessing more costly to insure for a young driver?

Also can you be a bit more specific about the things to look out for? How would I know the VCU is siezed? I know NOTHING about cars.
Thanks!
 
poppoppop said:
Hi Blippie, thanks very much for the informative reply. It would appear that the BHP difference might make the TD4 engine more fun, but I am guessing more costly to insure for a young driver?

Also can you be a bit more specific about the things to look out for? How would I know the VCU is siezed? I know NOTHING about cars.
Thanks!
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Given that you now know that a freelander is a useless heap with loads and loads of known expensive to fix problems Don't you think you should start looking elsewhere for a suitable motor???
 
redhand said:
Given that you now know that a freelander is a useless heap with loads and loads of known expensive to fix problems Don't you think you should start looking elsewhere for a suitable motor???
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I think your statement really only applies for the older petrol models, no? The TD4 Freelander is ideal for many, including myself. I'm in a similar position as the OP. I want to get into the hobby of off-roading, so obviously I am going to need a 4x4. I've tried it in my current car (Old BMW 316) and it just went horribly wrong and I end up looking like a prick in the process. It would be nice to just go out and buy a Discovery II, However, I'm only 21, as a result, insurance premiums are still pretty expensive (in general) and I'm also concerned about the cost of fuel. So for me:

1. That rules out large 4x4's such as the Disco, even the Diesel model. (The 2.5TD Disco does an average of just 30mpg compared to the Freelander's 37mpg average. In addition, Disco's cost quite a bit more to insure for someone around my age)
2. Yes, I could get a smaller 4x4 such as a RAV4 or a Suzuki Vitara, but then I'd look like a gay boy whenever I get seen driving it. (Not meaning to be offend, but I gotta be honest!) I can only imagine that I'd look a lot worse when I find myself having to be towed out of the mud by a Land Rover every time I decide to go offroad.

So that's why the Freelander TD4 seems ideal for me personally. It may be of no match compared to a Defender or a Disco, but it certainly ticks a few boxes which the others don't, and from what I've heard, it seems to be a better performer than most competing/same class models on the market. The only problem is that low mileage TD4's currently exceed that of my budget. The OP may be in a similar situation as me.

Personally I think the OP should save up for a decent TD4 Freelander, that's what I'm currently doing. :)
 
1. That rules out large 4x4's such as the Disco, even the Diesel model. (The 2.5TD Disco does an average of just 30mpg compared to the Freelander's 37mpg average.

37mpg average??? i think thats the best you'll get.. average is around 32mpg. Hard drivin around town can see mpg drop to mid to high twenties.
 
probably been said before -
but the silver ones are more reliable, i have loads of stuff to fit a freelander for sale if interested.
inc removeable towar, tuning box etc
 
redhand said:
Aye Ah was gunna say that but you can only flog a dead horse for so long then it becomes a bit boring.

Did yer get yer 110's lifted and shifted then???
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not yet hoping to get it later this week :(
some bastrid in a slitty :mad: parked across the entry to the yard its in an fecked off on sunday so gonna get it first chance we get with the wagon n hiab (without ma gaffer wondering where his wagons disappearred to:D )
 
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