Freelander for the winter

How good are these for the heavy snow? The hill descent was a huge bonus as I didn't know they had these.

I stay pretty far out in the country and bought this for the missis to use as her 535d won't go anywhere.

Hopefully not get stuck as I've just bought a RR classic and a 300tdi disco tonight haha.

Just need a defender! I wish

Use the disco or RR

My 300tdi's never let me down

Last year in the snow/ice my FL1 was in front wheel drive and still never even slipped once, mainly due to traction control.
I can't wait to see what i'll do in 4 wheel drive.
A much maligned motor, by some other Landy drivers, but still an excellent LandRover.

No wuckin furrys

Do a search like for snow and freelander or so.
http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f9/brill-snow-126850.html
might put you into the right direction.....

Brilliant in snow is an understatement - fantastic is more like.

Obviously there are limits - the tray under the engine can act as a sledge effect once the snow is over about 9" or so.

Re your BMW 535D - if my FL had the standard 535 summer tyres on it - it wouldn't go anywhere either. My 528i has a set of Conti winter/snow tyres on steel rims and it is pretty capable.

If you check the TV news when we have snow it's always the Mercs, Audis & BMs etc with summer tyres still on that we see sliding sideways. They never seem to film me on my way to work passing them all. Having said that none of my cars can jump over the ones in front who have blocked the road!

willo said:

Do a search like for snow and freelander or so.
http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f9/brill-snow-126850.html
might put you into the right direction.....

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Strange direction that, 1 comment about snow, some crash tests, rally cars and a freak giving himself a blow job..

Fwiw my freeby was great in the snow, much more stable than my bosses D3, decent tyres and reasonable weight vs heavy car and ****ty budget tyres.

I use the Freelander for a bit of off road fun with a local club and I have been able to keep up with the discos r/r and defenders in the soft mud they are a very able landy. But would never have standard road tyres on I am on mud tyres at the moment they are not too bad on Tarmac eithe

Thanks for all the replies guys! Its good to know it's no pussy then, my wife had an x5 last year and we sold it right in the bad weather because the deal was good. Got a 525d sport px, sold that and bought the 535d. Now I'm not wanting to have the wee one miss nursery or not be able to go open our shop.

It's got conti sports on it so hoping that helps but bought freelander just in case.

Find it cracking to drive, bought it as an mot failure and only 54k on it.

The abs light was on so hoping it's just a sensor that brings the abs light on as well as the hill descent light.

Cracking car to drive, definitely feel it would be safe enough for my girls.

I'll probably sell it next week mind you, find it hard to say know haha. Pajero went today that was apparently a "keeper" haha

Everything is for sale if the price is right

mine was fine in the snow on standard road tyres. As for hoyt protec's statement of it being in front wheel drive, I assume you had the rear prop off ?

Optimus Prime said:

mine was fine in the snow on standard road tyres. As for hoyt protec's statement of it being in front wheel drive, I assume you had the rear prop off ?

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Yep, the IRD & VCU were toast, i've got them done now and ready for some snow

i was really suprised by mine, I was convinced it wouldn't work until I leant out of the drivers window and floored it on ice, see the back wheels come in pretty much instantly.

few clicks and pings from the traction control and away we went

I've driven vehicles with diff locks, low range etc but i've never felt more in control than in my FL1 last winter. Remarkable traction.
I've shod it with Scorpion STRs so it will be even better.

mine is a td4 auto they are the best I have goodyear wranglers on all round and last winter I had to go through buxton regular and while the roads were closed to lorries and 2 whell drive cars I had no problems what so ever infact I pulled a couple of other 4x4s out and would not hesitate to buy another my wife has the petrol version 1800cc and yes she has had the head gasket problem td4 any time especially the auto with tectronic

All good reading! It's just an s reg freelander 1 I have, do they have traction control as standard? I'm guessing so since it has hill descent. Should get it back motd today, back box, brake pipes and a track rod end.

I can appreciate how people say they feel confident in them in the snow. They do drive remarkably well, I was expecting lots of body roll and nervous moments

Doozles are sluggish and don't do much more to the gallon than petrols, with fuel thats more expensive. I'll stick with my K-Series thank you

Doozles are also smelly and anti-social:5brant:

Mine was fantastic, I diddnt go very far coz I diddnt need to, but I was the only person who could get out the lane for about 3 days as its a steepish slope that gets covered in ice. I pulled an Omega out of a hedge, basically carried on as if nothing had happened. On standard tyres, like the original pirellies as I use it on light off road frequently.

Also mines TD4 ES, so FBH, Heated Seats, Heated Screen very very cosy.

Bought the Mrs a Td4 HSE last Jan for this very reason but just as the snow was clearing.I too wondered what they would be like in the snow but have not had the chance to try it out as we did not have any more heavy snow since buying. However recently I was in at my local LR independent specialists( 4muddypaws or feet,summat like that), a family business ran by LR enthusiasts who do some serious offroading and while chatting we got on to this very subject. They have use of most LR`s, RR`s and some serious tricked up home built off road machines but told me that in the snow they preferred their Mums Freelander to anything else,even defenders. Hope it comes down again this winter so I can try it out!!

Hopefully, from the long term forecast from exactaweather i think Scotland's getting it tough the next 4 months.

I've never considered Freelanders to be hardcore 4x4s but as my father in law said, if it was pish, Landrover wouldn't put their name on it.