Am I being daft getting a freelander?

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Marmaduke said:
Is that your opinion or personal experience?

I've just bought a project house in Spain and I'm needing to buy a tipbitch 4x4 that I'll ship out for a few months to save on car hire but also something the missus will drive.
Jimny, freelander or rav4 are currently on the list as I only want to spend 2k max then I'll bring it back to the UK and sell it so it's got to survive a 1500 mile mad dash door to door then get parked up at alicante airport....
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Personal experience. We ran a freelander a few years ago in between Rav4's, turns out the previous owner didn't like changing the tyres all at the same time. VC seized and took the IRD with out about 6 months after we got it. So we went back to another MK2 Rav4 2.0 and its been absolutely faultless just like the first one. Its now up for sale again due to upgrade, shame as its been a brilliant car. Both have taken us all over the country multiple times with caravan in tow.
 
P38-DFX said:
Personal experience. We ran a freelander a few years ago in between Rav4's, turns out the previous owner didn't like changing the tyres all at the same time. VC seized and took the IRD with out about 6 months after we got it. So we went back to another MK2 Rav4 2.0 and its been absolutely faultless just like the first one. Its now up for sale again due to upgrade, shame as its been a brilliant car. Both have taken us all over the country multiple times with caravan in tow.
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OK thanks. I'd seen a cheap 300tdi discovery that I'd be happy with as I know plenty about them and how to fix them but I need something the missus would be happy with and the disco is like driving a bus and it wouldn't help with any choices being rhd.
 
P38-DFX said:
Personal experience. We ran a freelander a few years ago in between Rav4's, turns out the previous owner didn't like changing the tyres all at the same time. VC seized and took the IRD with out about 6 months after we got it. So we went back to another MK2 Rav4 2.0 and its been absolutely faultless just like the first one. Its now up for sale again due to upgrade, shame as its been a brilliant car. Both have taken us all over the country multiple times with caravan in tow.
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Like you, I didn't know enough about the VCU and had the same result.

If you know about it though, its unlikely to happen. Keeping matching tyres and a regular check on the VCU will keep it healthy.
 
Marmaduke said:
OK thanks. I'd seen a cheap 300tdi discovery that I'd be happy with as I know plenty about them and how to fix them but I need something the missus would be happy with and the disco is like driving a bus and it wouldn't help with any choices being rhd.
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Can't comment on the disco's as i've not owned one upto now. Always had a hankering for a 3DR at some point.
 
GrumpyGel said:
Like you, I didn't know enough about the VCU and had the same result.

If you know about it though, its unlikely to happen. Keeping matching tyres and a regular check on the VCU will keep it healthy.
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That's all well and good but whatever I end up buying it'll be 14+ years old and who knows what tyres it's had fitted in its life
 
GrumpyGel said:
Like you, I didn't know enough about the VCU and had the same result.

If you know about it though, its unlikely to happen. Keeping matching tyres and a regular check on the VCU will keep it healthy.
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We already knew about the issues associated with Freelanders before buying one. The one we bought had a recent set of tyres all round along with receipts for a recent VCU that masked the problem initially but over time the issues surfaced. By this time the damage had been done to the IRD. Funny thing is, the K series wasn't an issue.
 
P38-DFX said:
We already knew about the issues associated with Freelanders before buying one. The one we bought had a recent set of tyres all round along with receipts for a recent VCU that masked the problem initially but over time the issues surfaced. By this time the damage had been done to the IRD. Funny thing is, the K series wasn't an issue.
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So did it end up two wheel drive?
 
GrumpyGel said:
Like you, I didn't know enough about the VCU and had the same result.

If you know about it though, its unlikely to happen. Keeping matching tyres and a regular check on the VCU will keep it healthy.
Click to expand...

I bought my 2004 FL Sport TD4 in the end of last year and read here about the VCU first time after the purchase. In other 4wd systems there are also weak points that can brake if oil changes are neglected. But stiff VCU taking IRD and Diff with it is of course thing that is not that common and can surprise.

What I have been amazed with my 16 years old and 280000km driven car is the lack of rust in body structures below the car. Here in Finland we have lots of snow and salt on the roads for like 4-5 months in a year and cars tend to rot easily.
 
Stance said:
I bought my 2004 FL Sport TD4 in the end of last year and read here about the VCU first time after the purchase. In other 4wd systems there are also weak points that can brake if oil changes are neglected. But stiff VCU taking IRD and Diff with it is of course thing that is not that common and can surprise.

What I have been amazed with my 16 years old and 280000km driven car is the lack of rust in body structures below the car. Here in Finland we have lots of snow and salt on the roads for like 4-5 months in a year and cars tend to rot easily.
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That's right - even the late Classic RR & P38 can break prop/drive shafts because of the viscous coupling in the transfer box - not as prevalent as Freelander's problem, but does happen.

I take what is said above about not being able to tell what condition the transmission is in when buying the vehicle. Its also a bit of a PITA to check, but it can be done and if on the way out fixed pretty cheaply. The IRD oil can be changed as a guide, but this isn't fool proof because that can be changed prior to sale, but removing the pinion and checking bearings and gears will tell you what condition it is in. It all depends on the condition of the gears. If they are worn, they are not cheap, but the bearing/seals/cooler kit I got was under £150 for a reconditioned IRD.

If you add in a recon VCU you are talking £500 - which is a sizable chunk if you're buying a £1,500 motor - but you know its transmission will be good for years so long as you don't mismatch the tyres.
 
Stance said:
I bought my 2004 FL Sport TD4 in the end of last year and read here about the VCU first time after the purchase. In other 4wd systems there are also weak points that can brake if oil changes are neglected. But stiff VCU taking IRD and Diff with it is of course thing that is not that common and can surprise.

What I have been amazed with my 16 years old and 280000km driven car is the lack of rust in body structures below the car. Here in Finland we have lots of snow and salt on the roads for like 4-5 months in a year and cars tend to rot easily.
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Its obviously not as cold a Finland here! It is though very similar to the UK and we have heavy frosts for 3 months of the year, but no ice is put on the roads (and there do not appear to be any more accidents :rolleyes:) My Freelander is in great condition underneath.

I do cringe at some of the pictures of UK cars though, rust on the suspension pieces looks horrendous. There have been a few instances of quite severe rot as well. People who have taken the linings off from the inside of the rear wheel arches have found some gaping holes that on investigation spread out down the sills. Not common though, and overall, I agree they are pretty sound.
 
GrumpyGel said:
That's right - even the late Classic RR & P38 can break prop/drive shafts because of the viscous coupling in the transfer box - not as prevalent as Freelander's problem, but does happen.

I take what is said above about not being able to tell what condition the transmission is in when buying the vehicle. Its also a bit of a PITA to check, but it can be done and if on the way out fixed pretty cheaply. The IRD oil can be changed as a guide, but this isn't fool proof because that can be changed prior to sale, but removing the pinion and checking bearings and gears will tell you what condition it is in. It all depends on the condition of the gears. If they are worn, they are not cheap, but the bearing/seals/cooler kit I got was under £150 for a reconditioned IRD.

If you add in a recon VCU you are talking £500 - which is a sizable chunk if you're buying a £1,500 motor - but you know its transmission will be good for years so long as you don't mismatch the tyres.
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What ever I buy it's got to survive a 3000 mile round trip with half decent mpg and have loads of rubble and tree roots in the back. After 6 months it'll be gone to a new home or the scrappers. Re registering a car in Spain is an arse so I'll do it with something worth the hassle or buy something out there
 
Marmaduke said:
What ever I buy it's got to survive a 3000 mile round trip with half decent mpg and have loads of rubble and tree roots in the back. After 6 months it'll be gone to a new home or the scrappers. Re registering a car in Spain is an arse so I'll do it with something worth the hassle or buy something out there
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Unless you want to take a load of stuff down with you, wouldn't it just be best to get 1 down there?

If you do want to flip it on, you don't have the agro of having to get it back to the UK then as well.

If you're going to be lugging around a load of rubble and other debris, wouldn't it be better to get a trailer down there to? You can definitely flick that on when you're finished with it.
 
Marmaduke said:
What ever I buy it's got to survive a 3000 mile round trip with half decent mpg and have loads of rubble and tree roots in the back. After 6 months it'll be gone to a new home or the scrappers. Re registering a car in Spain is an arse so I'll do it with something worth the hassle or buy something out there
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Seem to remember a while back @fredi250 helped out a stranded 1.8 Freelander that had HGF on the motorway by him in Spain. They were trying to get back to Blighty. Think they put a bottle of radweld in it or summat and it got them home.
 
GrumpyGel said:
Unless you want to take a load of stuff down with you, wouldn't it just be best to get 1 down there?

If you do want to flip it on, you don't have the agro of having to get it back to the UK then as well.

If you're going to be lugging around a load of rubble and other debris, wouldn't it be better to get a trailer down there to? You can definitely flick that on when you're finished with it.
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We've got stuff to take down there and second hand vehicles are pretty expensive.
 
GrumpyGel said:
My brother has done a couple of those Gumball Runs (or what ever they are called) around Europe. Something like 9 countries in 4 days in a car that can cost no more than £500. He's got back each time without serious problems.
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Diesel is the equivalent of £1 per litre in Spain so that's the reasoning behind it. I only want it while we're working on the house after that we'll get something left hand drive like a fiat barchetta :D
Personally I like the panda cross but they're to expensive for a short term vehicle. I also like the look of the 3 door hippo so I can remove the rear portion to get more stuff in
 
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150,000 miles
 
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