4x4 or not.

I"m on my sixth Freelander. all TD4s but ! In all honesty I do not need a 4x4 now except both my wife and I like the driving position and height so we do not want to change it for anything else. I have previously looked at the Nissan Qashqai which is normally a 2WD but has a similar driving position but is only taxed £155 p/a where my Freelander is around £300. Could I legally convert my Freelander to a 2WD? and if so would the Road tax be cheaper and would there be any significant increase in MPG?. Or is there someone out there who wants a 4x4 Freelander and has a similar SUV 2WD and wants a Swap?
Being Pensioners we now need something cheaper to run.

Several answers.
If you don't need a 4X4, but like the elevated driving position, then there are loads of suitable vehicles out there, I would avoid anything from Renault though.
If you want to stick with LR, then look out for a Freelander 2 in 2WD.
They have a really elevated driving position, higher than the FL1, and are cheaper to tax (it's call VED these days), and have better MPG too.

As for converting a FL1 to 2WD, then no, it makes no measurable difference to MPG (dispite the claims made by some), and while technically not illegal, it does change the vehicle specification from the manufacturers original spec, so the insurance company would need to be aware.
No you can't change the emissions based VED, once the vehicle is built, emissions based VED remains for the vehicle's full life.
Not even changing the engine for electric power alters the VED, which is really annoying.
Hope this helps.

There are plenty off crossovers to choose from, they're the in thing currently. Ford kuga, cx5 from Japan, qasqai (started it all off) and almost every other brand. They will give you the driving position but none of the traction. Don't get a mokka, you have drive like a nutter to own one of them.

mudinuri said:

I"m on my sixth Freelander. all TD4s but ! In all honesty I do not need a 4x4 now except both my wife and I like the driving position and height so we do not want to change it for anything else. I have previously looked at the Nissan Qashqai which is normally a 2WD but has a similar driving position but is only taxed £155 p/a where my Freelander is around £300. Could I legally convert my Freelander to a 2WD? and if so would the Road tax be cheaper and would there be any significant increase in MPG?. Or is there someone out there who wants a 4x4 Freelander and has a similar SUV 2WD and wants a Swap?
Being Pensioners we now need something cheaper to run.

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So £145 difference in road tax is enough to break you? Yet you want to consider modding vehicles???

Not sure I follow. And not trying to be mean. But pensioner or not. If you can’t afford £300 for road tax. Then it sounds like you can’t afford a car at all!!!!

As for 2wd conversions. Yes they are possible. But if you aren’t doing the work yourself would likely cost quite a bit more than your road tax to get converted.

2wd will likely give 0-0.2mpg savings. Or there abouts. And all other costs the same. You should also tell your insurance that you have modified your vehicle. Which depending on the insurer may want an extra fee for. Or might even refuse to insure it. As the vehicle was never Type Approved in 2wd format. So in theory could impact how the vehicle reacts in extreme conditions.

As said, converting to 2WD won't save much in the way of fuel - unless you're VCU is knackered or your tyres are not pumped correctly.

It will reduce the possibility of some expensive faults and other maintenance costs - such as support bearings and diff mounts, possibly drive shaft wear. It may also shorten the life of engine mounts. It will give you much better flexibility in how and when you replace tyres, but there again you may find front tyres wear faster.

First thing to check though would be with your insurance company - as that may end up being the biggest money difference!

I've been running my L Series 2wd for 8 years now - but had the crown gear on the IRD rear pinion removed, so still carry the props/VCU. Its been fine.

There's also things like spare parts cost to consider - Freelander parts are generally available very cheaply, would that be the same for a replacement? Even down to tyres, are they a particularly expensive size?

However, as time marches on - the biggest cost for a vehicle is the fuel, so if you do reasonable mileage, maybe taking advantage of retirement for mid-week breaks, MPG must be a major factor. A 1.3 Honda Jazz will probably cut your fuel bill by 1/3rd - even more as you won't want to go out in it as much

My advice would be to get a couple of local homes that need their lawn mowed. Couple of hours work a week and you can get yourself a 7th Freelander.

Depreciation costs more than road tax

Here's a curveball idea, if the OP doesn't want a 4x4, but likes the elevated driving position, why don't they consider a people carrier such as the megané scenic?