Freelander 1 Auto or manual for offroading?

This thread is Freelander specific, and the MK1 rather than something newer or something else.
I believe there is quite a difference in the gearing between the auto and manual especially at low range??? The manual has hill decent too.

So given the option, with standard TD4's and some full mud terrains, which of the two would do the job best with a half competent driver?

I've had a Feelander 1 3dr as an auto and it did exactly what I wanted. The auto system did the thinking and I just concentrated on the driving. I'd have one again but there aren't many out there and they tend to demand a higher price. Also my children need some stick practice so thought a manual better!

Anyone have a take on which one?

If a majority of the driving is off road, then auto all the way. There's no clutch to take a pounding with the auto box, so no worries about being stranded with a burned out clutch. Throttle control is also better in the auto, helping to overcome the FL1's lack of low range.

The auto is also better to drive imho, but that's personal choice.

On the road, the manual is much better on fuel, and so is the economical and environmental choice, and will do double duty as a young drive training vehicle.
We had to overcome this young driver training issue, so I had to buy a cheap manual Citroen C3, so my eldest daughter could learn to drive a manual. The C3 got sold on as soon as she passed, so helping to finance her own first car, Fiat 500 1.2, which was just about affordable for her to insure.

I currently have a FL1 TD4 SE auto, and although my auto box has been troublesome at times, I'd still have it in preference to a manual box.

Auto is betterer oft road. If yer slipping the clutch a lot the manuals start to smell of burning. Auto's will allow you to trickle along slowly and yer can manually select gears to stop it changing up, when going down hill. You can also brake with no need for clutch activity.

In my opinion a FL is too big for a learner driver as it has betterer vision all round when compared to smaller cars like a fiesta. Learners need to learn to look, not look over, to see if something is coming when they pull out. Also a big vehicle is cumbersome to a learner. Its not recommended to learn in big vehicles anorl. It doesn't install required road craft discipline like smaller vehicles do.

Thank you for such great replies. I really loved my auto, and as said it did the off road part just brilliantly. On road too, far easier, and as I have a bust back was painless.
And I agree too about the learner driver thing. One of my children passed yonks ago the other too busy at uni. Loads of options when it comes to stick cars.
Ultimately the Freelander is for off road, local, and bad weather/snow use. For my voluntary Deer Warden work with RTA's. The search continues.

Thank you again for the advice.

Muskett said:

Thank you for such great replies. I really loved my auto, and as said it did the off road part just brilliantly. On road too, far easier, and as I have a bust back was painless.
And I agree too about the learner driver thing. One of my children passed yonks ago the other too busy at uni. Loads of options when it comes to stick cars.
Ultimately the Freelander is for off road, local, and bad weather/snow use. For my voluntary Deer Warden work with RTA's. The search continues.

Thank you again for the advice.

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Stick cars wtf you in America or something.......?????

As for off road, it depends what type of off road. The Freelander is an awesome vehicle, but has some rather major limitations. The auto's generally are a lot less fun to drive and a lot slower (bar the KV6). But lack of low range and a weak crappy clutch in the Freelander means for technical off roading the manual will stall and/or slip its clutch to buggery in short order. The auto helps to overcome some of these, but lack of low means you also lack wheel torque and there is no low speed control at all. HDC is way too fast for some situations. If you are talking faster off road or mild laning then the engine braking and control of a manual is still probably superior.

Actually Autos are "sooo American" in my mind. Used the phrase stick because its faster to type. and I like it. (I like Americans too.)

Farm, mud tracks, and mild laning, for shooting and land management. If I needed more I'd get a Hugglund; proper off road vehicle. Then there is always the tractor.
The Freelander is an upgrade to my Panda 4x4. I've witnessed too many "heavy" cars stuck in the mud and prefer the lighter the better solution. (Did my military in 90's and 110's.) Manpower can lift a Panda, and never got my Freelander stuck unlike everyone else's "big" machines.

Seems there are arguments for either. Still think the Auto might suit my circumstances more.

Thanks for the imput. Its just a discussion.

Muskett said:

Seems there are arguments for either.

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There always will be.
In my limited experience with such things. The FL1 (with suitable tyres) will go anywhere the big boys can go, providing A: the ground hasn't been deeply rutted by farm equipment, and B the ground isn't like a bog. On loose or slippery surfaces, the light weight FL1 has the edge, as it got less gravity to make it slide.
My FL1 V6 was called to pull out my mate's TD5 on 3 occasions, on the same slightly mudded hill, where his D2 was stuck, helplessly spinning it's wheels. Oddly my V6 FL1 didn't even spin the tyres, even when towing him out.

I've pulled out plenty of "big cars", Range Rovers. 90's, and Jap stuff, with my Freelander. However, there is a limit as Freelanders don't have enough weight for pure muscle power. The right tires help; Full Mud Terrains for me. I have other cars for the roads.
Freelanders, Pandas for that matter, being so narrow can ride the verges and centre piece of a rutted track. No need to blast a way through following the other idiot. Ha Ho its all fun.

And agreed sometimes the bog is too deep for anything. Heck I've witnesses a Hugglund stuck in liquid muck. Only another Huggland and hand winches with anchors got it out.

I'm not trying to churn up the countryside, just get from A to B without hitting a gatepost, or get stuck.

Now to find a Facelift 3dr Auto that doesn't fall into the stupididly expensive Road Tax bracket. Not many out there by the looks of things.

there was a piece in one of the many mags some years ago about a landrover meeting and every one had to book in the booking in office was in this field and it had been absolutely peeing it down for a few days as soon as anybody went onto this field they got stuck discos defenders all were stuck then a freelander 1 auto came along and went strait to the hut where they booked in I know which I would use .

Does it have to be a 3 door? There's not many 3 doors as most peeps who buy bigger vehicles go for 5 doors when buying new. There will be more auto 5 doors available.

Nodge68 said:

There always will be.
In my limited experience with such things. The FL1 (with suitable tyres) will go anywhere the big boys can go, providing A: the ground hasn't been deeply rutted by farm equipment, and B the ground isn't like a bog. On loose or slippery surfaces, the light weight FL1 has the edge, as it got less gravity to make it slide.
My FL1 V6 was called to pull out my mate's TD5 on 3 occasions, on the same slightly mudded hill, where his D2 was stuck, helplessly spinning it's wheels. Oddly my V6 FL1 didn't even spin the tyres, even when towing him out.

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It depends on what you mean by off road, if it is just a track or across a field, the TCS equipped Freelanders go well. But they have problems with technical off road situations. They stuff their bumpers into the ground and have poor approach and departure angles. They also have a poor breakover angle making them prone to getting beached or simply just bashing the underside. Lack of low means you end going way too quickly and are just more likely to damage stuff.

Having driven 3 Freelanders on this terrain, they all sucked! And either got stuck or required you to drive in a manner that repeated use would cause damage and mechanical issues. A mildly rutted lane, wet grass, sand or snow is a different story and they are very capable.

I sometimes go lamping, and the 3dr is easily converted to a shooting truck.

I have a heavy duty aluminium sump guard from my first early Freelander, just hoping it will fit the Facelift. This ensures some skip off steep approaches without hanging up. Just taken it off and it has a few scratches and dings but fine. Never got round to getting a rear tank and exhaust guard, but then if the front gets through the rest will follow!

Sure its a soft off roader but for East Sussex most has had horse and cart over it, or ploughed plenty of times enough through the years. Some wood tracks can be a bit sticky. So nothig is that off piste.

I have a 1.8 litre K-series manual 3-door FL1. Probably the last one you'd choose. But for the laning I've done (that doesn't include rock climbing), it has proven remarkably capable and the only thing that has ever stopped it is a lack of ground clearance. It means you have to be more savvy in the lines you take - and isn't that sometimes part of the fun? Testing yourself, knowing that your car is not an all-singing, all-dancing off-roader that is doing all the work for you?

300bhp/ton said:

It depends on what you mean by off road, if it is just a track or across a field, the TCS equipped Freelanders go well. But they have problems with technical off road situations. They stuff their bumpers into the ground and have poor approach and departure angles. They also have a poor breakover angle making them prone to getting beached or simply just bashing the underside. Lack of low means you end going way too quickly and are just more likely to damage stuff.

Having driven 3 Freelanders on this terrain, they all sucked! And either got stuck or required you to drive in a manner that repeated use would cause damage and mechanical issues. A mildly rutted lane, wet grass, sand or snow is a different story and they are very capable.

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I'd agree with that synopsis. FL1s are blooming awesome in the snow, and any slippery situation where you need AWD. More gound clearance you can modify the car for, but the lack of low range is tricky.

But to your question: auto versus manual? I've only tried the manual, but if you're rock climbing stuff on sides of mountains, then I believe what the others have said: auto. But I don't think you'll be disappointed with a manual if your off-road use is more about green-laning.

rob_bell said:

But to your question: auto versus manual? I've only tried the manual, but if you're rock climbing stuff on sides of mountains, then I believe what the others have said: auto.

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Convert to electric, then there's no issue at all. Oodles of torque, and control, and no clutch or auto box to worry about.

That conversion is on my bucket list!

I've never driven a car with all the modern electrickery that makes a 4x4 work off-road, but with a clutch you have full control, with an auto, you have only indirect control over the torque converter via the throttle. with a manual, you get to choose how many revs are applied and how much clutch slip, if its needed.
I'd rather replace a clutch than a gearbox. Plus, its easier to rock a car when you're stuck, if you have a clutch

I'm looking forward to trying mine on Salisbury plain. Just worried that with full muds and a 50mm lift-kit I'm probably going to break something.
It is a real shame there is no low ratio box on these, even Jimny's have one FGS!
A friend of mine builds electric cars, so if I destroy the engine maybe I'll go that way

bukko said:

I'm looking forward to trying mine on Salisbury plain. Just worried that with full muds and a 50mm lift-kit I'm probably going to break something.
It is a real shame there is no low ratio box on these, even Jimny's have one FGS!
A friend of mine builds electric cars, so if I destroy the engine maybe I'll go that way

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Keep yer speed low and you'll be ok. Pick the route carefully and know yer limits. LR eggsperiance peeps teach yer to drive slow oft road. The wacky racer types splashing through puddles at speed etc are going about it the wring way. They are also more likely to break something.

bukko said:

A friend of mine builds electric cars, so if I destroy the engine maybe I'll go that way

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No that's a plan!