Freelander or Not

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Got a Defender about 6 weeks ago. Mainly for my wife to drive But she feels that its to hard to drive, heavy clutch ect ect.
Im over the moon with the Defender and dont really want to part with it especially after spending money on it aready.
Anyway was toying with the idea of parting with it, swapping or selling and going for a Freelander for her cant afford to have one of each and maybe get a Defender later on.
She really needs it for looking after her two horses so needs the 4 wheel drive.
Nearly all the ads Ive looked at they have the props removed, whats going on here is it to save fuel or are the props a common failure on them??

 

[NoDosh]

Prop being removed is because the VCU and/or IRD have gone pop, usually due to lack of knowledge or understanding on the part of the owner. You will hear "it saves fuel" but that's utter horlicks, it's because they won't/can't pay £500 for a new VCU to be fitted.

Anyone who knows their way around cars and especially 4x4s will know long before the VCU gets to this stage, so avoid these ones like the plague as there are likely to be other issues where saving £ costs £££ in the long run.

Have you looked at fitting a Puma clutch cylinder or a red booster? Mrs Do$h has had two Defenders (a 2007 Truck Cab and a 2010 SW) and these both had very usable clutches. It's a common modification on earlier defenders to upgrade to give lighter clutch use.

 

[border]

Prop being removed is because the VCU and/or IRD have gone pop, usually due to lack of knowledge or understanding on the part of the owner. You will hear "it saves fuel" but that's utter horlicks, it's because they won't/can't pay £500 for a new VCU to be fitted.

Anyone who knows their way around cars and especially 4x4s will know long before the VCU gets to this stage, so avoid these ones like the plague as there are likely to be other issues where saving £ costs £££ in the long run.

Have you looked at fitting a Puma clutch cylinder or a red booster? Mrs Do$h has had two Defenders (a 2007 Truck Cab and a 2010 SW) and these both had very usable clutches. It's a common modification on earlier defenders to upgrade to give lighter clutch use.

Thanks will take a look at these options, depending on price. Dont really want to part with the Defender.
So its the VCU thats the common problem?
My defender is a 200tdi 1990, less to go wrong and cheaper to fix.

 

[teddywood1]

are you going to be towing the horse trailer if so I would advise staying with the defender as a horse plus trailer are on the heave side ,I am not saying that the freelander would not cope it probably would ,but the defender is already a heavier car and a bit better for the job. hope this helps

 

[border]

are you going to be towing the horse trailer if so I would advise staying with the defender as a horse plus trailer are on the heave side ,I am not saying that the freelander would not cope it probably would ,but the defender is already a heavier car and a bit better for the job. hope this helps

Thanks Mate. Will be towing ocasionally but also carrying water feed every day/ also driving up dirt tracks through fields every day ect, getting thrashed through trees bushes, not really the thing for a nice looking Freelander when you think about it.

 

[Epicuser]

The Freelander 1 is rated at 2000kg for towing, but it depends which model you get as to whether it is legal to tow that. I suspect as mentioned above, you already have the ideal tow car for your needs.

You can of course convert it to an automatic. Look at Ashcroft transmissions website.

 

[GrumpyGel]

TBH Freelanders with shot IRDs (ie props removed) might not be such a bad choice to buy - at least you know what you're in for. Basically 1K for a VCU & Recon IRD (if you fit yourself) so if the price is right, its worth considering - and shouldn't go pop 2 weeks after you buy it!

Just cos the IRD's gone doesn't necessarily mean a dogy car other than that. Mine went and its currently 2WD - but I know its in great nick.

In many respects for what you'll use if for, the Freelander may be a better choice than the Defender most of the time. Muddy tracks and fields are perfect conditions for the Freelander. As its AWD you've always got torque to front and back wheels - no stopping and clunking the Defender into diff lock. It'll probably have Traction Control as well complimenting the AWD, so it takes big obstacles or rutts to stop them (if you've got the right tyres). I drove Discos for 10 years before switching to the Freelander and do a lot of beach fishing - I prefer the Freelander on the beach (or did till the IRD went).

The towing though may be your decider. The Freelander is a great tow truck. I load the Freelander (mines a '99 L Series diesel) with 4 adults, hitch up the boat laden with plenty of camping gear and haul it all over the twisty mountain roads here in NZ - and it drives a dream - fantastic. But that's probably towing 1.25 ton. A big twin axle horse box with a horse in is probably nudging the tow limit. The Freelander will tow it, but you probably wouldn't want to do it too often or on rough tracks. The Defender is heavier and has the suspension setup for a 3.5 ton limit. It also has a low-range box that the Freelander doesn't.

If you go Freelander, a diesel is probably what you should go for, and if you're going to take it up to near its tow limit, various people have suggested an auto box to help where you might have wanted low-range.

BTW - I believe that a lot of IRDs go because of bad tyres - mine went because I ran long distance (over a short period of time!) with an underinflated tyre. If you get a Freelander be wary if the car feels like its binding on tight turns (that's the sure sign your VCU needs changing) and keep 4 tyres the same and pumped up correctly. You'd be very unlucky to lose your IRD if you keep to that.

Good luck.

 

[Brack]

TBH Freelanders with shot IRDs (ie props removed) might not be such a bad choice to buy - at least you know what you're in for. Basically 1K for a VCU & Recon IRD (if you fit yourself) so if the price is right, its worth considering - and shouldn't go pop 2 weeks after you buy it!

Just cos the IRD's gone doesn't necessarily mean a dogy car other than that. Mine went and its currently 2WD - but I know its in great nick.

In many respects for what you'll use if for, the Freelander may be a better choice than the Defender most of the time. Muddy tracks and fields are perfect conditions for the Freelander. As its AWD you've always got torque to front and back wheels - no stopping and clunking the Defender into diff lock. It'll probably have Traction Control as well complimenting the AWD, so it takes big obstacles or rutts to stop them (if you've got the right tyres). I drove Discos for 10 years before switching to the Freelander and do a lot of beach fishing - I prefer the Freelander on the beach (or did till the IRD went).

The towing though may be your decider. The Freelander is a great tow truck. I load the Freelander (mines a '99 L Series diesel) with 4 adults, hitch up the boat laden with plenty of camping gear and haul it all over the twisty mountain roads here in NZ - and it drives a dream - fantastic. But that's probably towing 1.25 ton. A big twin axle horse box with a horse in is probably nudging the tow limit. The Freelander will tow it, but you probably wouldn't want to do it too often or on rough tracks. The Defender is heavier and has the suspension setup for a 3.5 ton limit. It also has a low-range box that the Freelander doesn't.

If you go Freelander, a diesel is probably what you should go for, and if you're going to take it up to near its tow limit, various people have suggested an auto box to help where you might have wanted low-range.

BTW - I believe that a lot of IRDs go because of bad tyres - mine went because I ran long distance (over a short period of time!) with an underinflated tyre. If you get a Freelander be wary if the car feels like its binding on tight turns (that's the sure sign your VCU needs changing) and keep 4 tyres the same and pumped up correctly. You'd be very unlucky to lose your IRD if you keep to that.

Good luck.

Shhh......or all the Freelanders for sale with props on will be going up by £1K

Nice write up BTW

 

[Nodge68]

TBH Freelanders with shot IRDs (ie props removed) might not be such a bad choice to buy - at least you know what you're in for. Basically 1K for a VCU & Recon IRD (if you fit yourself) so if the price is right, its worth considering - and shouldn't go pop 2 weeks after you buy it!

Just cos the IRD's gone doesn't necessarily mean a dogy car other than that. Mine went and its currently 2WD - but I know its in great nick.

In many respects for what you'll use if for, the Freelander may be a better choice than the Defender most of the time. Muddy tracks and fields are perfect conditions for the Freelander. As its AWD you've always got torque to front and back wheels - no stopping and clunking the Defender into diff lock. It'll probably have Traction Control as well complimenting the AWD, so it takes big obstacles or rutts to stop them (if you've got the right tyres). I drove Discos for 10 years before switching to the Freelander and do a lot of beach fishing - I prefer the Freelander on the beach (or did till the IRD went).

The towing though may be your decider. The Freelander is a great tow truck. I load the Freelander (mines a '99 L Series diesel) with 4 adults, hitch up the boat laden with plenty of camping gear and haul it all over the twisty mountain roads here in NZ - and it drives a dream - fantastic. But that's probably towing 1.25 ton. A big twin axle horse box with a horse in is probably nudging the tow limit. The Freelander will tow it, but you probably wouldn't want to do it too often or on rough tracks. The Defender is heavier and has the suspension setup for a 3.5 ton limit. It also has a low-range box that the Freelander doesn't.

If you go Freelander, a diesel is probably what you should go for, and if you're going to take it up to near its tow limit, various people have suggested an auto box to help where you might have wanted low-range.

BTW - I believe that a lot of IRDs go because of bad tyres - mine went because I ran long distance (over a short period of time!) with an underinflated tyre. If you get a Freelander be wary if the car feels like its binding on tight turns (that's the sure sign your VCU needs changing) and keep 4 tyres the same and pumped up correctly. You'd be very unlucky to lose your IRD if you keep to that.

Good luck.

This^^^^

 

[Tannaton]

I think the problem is that most people selling Freelanders with props removed seem to be under the utterly mistaken belief that they have improved it and hence won't discount it to cover the repairs.

There is little to beat Freelanders (with traction control) on muddy farm tracks, I have got mine across fields on road tyres where I my 300 Disco got cross-axled. They are nice to drive too.

However if you are going to be towing a heavy horse box with two horses in it - the Defender is the one to go for. You might be right on the legal limit with the Freelander and it will be easier/safer with the Defender.

 

[sharpe]

I have one of each - Mrs Sharpe wont drive the Defender (thank god) and we bought the FL for her to go to the horses in. Ive towed with both, and TBH both are fine. Both will get where you want to go (assuming the track is a track and not a bog!) Personally, I prefer the Mrs driving the FL just because it will auto go into 4WD when needed, she wouldnt have a clue which gear to use or range to use in the defender for various conditions. In the FL she lets the car do the work. We have the petrol but I wish I had held out for a diesel - def a better choice. Have you considered picking up an older FL (mines only going to get me £1000 for a 51 reg in mint condition with everything working and running and looking sweet - admittedly I have just overhauled her pretty much) for peanuts and keeping both?