What makes Freelanders betterer than other 4x4's?

Hippo said:

I loves ma hippo I does. He makes me happy. Been driving it for 6.5 years. Many happy motoring miles covered with some great days out oft roading. I didn’t choose it. Mine was inherited. Ever since that fateful day I int stopped forking out for repairs. It’s comfortable on long journeys and doesn’t give the same tiredness of travel I get from hire cars at work. Never had an auto before myself. Driven them at work and liked them. The Jatco seems to be set-up just right to vary the balance of power against cruising. When I parks up at my destination I can’t wait to get back in and continue driving. Air conditioning, a heater that works and comfort. I loves ma little pocket range rover I does. He makes me happy.

Passengers often comment how comfortable it is to ride in. Bit more roll on corners than the average car but this can be tamed a bit with careful driving. Mines the v6 so power int a problem. Put yer foot down and it drops gears un revs to 6000. More stress equals more repairs. I prefer to drive it gently rather than thrashing it. Fool economy is poor. But yer can’t really expect anything less from a furra bred.

After a period of good service from my local main dealer I started having problems with them. Bills getting higher. Work carried out not fixing the problem and a massive argument, which they still remember. I’d been doing some of my own repairs for a while so I started to service it myself. Been learning ever since. Parts prices int as cheap as the average car and it’s had more than it’s fair share of replacement parts. But I forgets all that when I’m happily driving it. Yer can’t beat that special moment when it starts first time, or you complete yer journey without something felled oft or it breaking down.

Peeps poke fun at ma hippo. The doors int falled oft and they never will. Onlookers have been surprised at what he can do oft road. If I wanted a proper oft roader I’d buy a Unimog. Anything else is just a pretender. Many don’t realise the capabilities of a Freelander. That dun’t mean he dun’t get stuck. Once bellied out needing a push and twice needing a short pull due to bellied front end and no traction to reverse. Slittys used for recovery.

If I were to listen to the bullies about ma hippos potential faults, I’d be a nervous wreck. All this crap about gaskets, autos, ird, chassis splits… makes yer think it’s the only car in the world that has “design features”. All cars have their own common faults. It’s as if they think they’ll last forever.

I loves ma hippo I does. He makes me happy. We’ve had some sad times when he’s been broke’d but we’ve always got through it so far. I’d miss him if he was proper broke’d, or beyond the point of a feasible repair when considering the cost. It’s my choice to keep him and that’s what I would like to do. I loves ma hippo I does. He makes me happy.

Click to expand...

emandem said:

i would'nt go down the x-trail root, looked at them myself, just as many issues as the f/lander, but a damn site more expensive to fix!!!! as for me, not had mine long, but i must say i love it:lvheart-beat-019: (vcu changed as a precauction) comfy to drive, good on fuel, (td4), & i must say, i like the look of it, would'nt trade it for anything......... ( maybe a l322 tdv8 lol) & i use mine to comute, 60 miles a day, reason being the crap winters of late have played havoc getting to & from work, so, it's the ideal vehicle for me

Click to expand...

willo said:

Hi Singvogel,
That circular sunroof/escape hatch was to mount a .30 or .50 anti aircraft gun on.

Click to expand...

Series71 said:

i'm jealous as it would be an ideal way of storing parts that fall off while i'm driving me series

Click to expand...

emandem said:

been given all sort's for my knee, seem's to be the only thing that work's

Click to expand...

Spacemonkey... said:

Try standing on one leg.... seriously!

I've knurdled my ligaments and standing on one leg (the bad one mainly) strengthens everything else to help compensate and increases balance awareness. It's been found the most effective physio..

Click to expand...

misterodd said:

I've got that warm fuzzy feeling when I drive the Hippo dunno if it's because it's my first diesel or my first 4x4 (rented a Hi Lux in Thailand ).....
Maybe it's simply because it's a Landie and it's mine ....

Click to expand...

WLJayne said:

You got it ! Hell of an entrance, welcome aboard . If only more people's 1st post was aboot why they loves their Hippo and not sobbing coz it's broked.

Funnily enough, my old man took it for a spin down to a local farm to pick up some eggs when I was visiting (rural much ?) and when I asked him what he thought of it he got this faraway look in his eyes (back to his Series, 90 and Disco owning days I presume) and sez "it's like driving a proper car again."

Well. He could have got three Freelanders for the price of his new V50.

I'm glad I started this Fred .

Click to expand...

ian mitchell said:

stupidity.

Click to expand...

Nodge68 said:

Or loyalty to the brand? I love LRs myself as they have character.
I have a modern family car and it's soulless, but it is nice to drive.
The Freelander has a soul and character in spades.

Click to expand...