Education

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It's 2:30am, I have to be up for work shortly, but I had to read this whole thread and put my two penneth in.

I've owned my '03 freelander kalahari TD4 for nearly 6months. That doesn't sound like a long time, but when it's your daily drive and your 'lifeline' 6months is long enough to get to know it and I love the damn thing.

It's my first Landy and I bought it because I'm on a budget. I saved for ages to be able to buy this. Previously I'd never bought a car for more than £800 so this was a massive leap at £2k+.

She had her faults, some knob hadn't put the retaining pins for the rear shoes in right and she had a sticky front calliper, two injectors went down not long after I bought it and then more recently she threw a UJ and diff mount, but she's at nearly 200,000 miles, so what can I expect?

Thing is, while all these problems were happening, she was still my daily driver (believe me I have no choice) and she still worked fine, she complained about it, but never stopped going.

I work in the city centre and park in a multi-storey and I can throw my freelander around it like I did my MR2, only now I have room to take home a massive chest of drawers the missus picked up, plus the dog, plus all the other **** that's floating around in there too.

The interior is half leather, half suede. It's pretty comfy, but that doesn't deter the dog from throwing up over it every now and again, or from running in there full of mud after a walk and covering the interior with mud and white hair and it always wipes clean and scrubs up with minimal effort and looks freshly valeted with not much more than a baby wipe and a Hoover out.

I regularly use the roof rack (and plastic roof) to carry logs for a friends various wood burners, big logs too, lots of them fastened on with rope, big manly rope.

The first thing I did when I fixed the injectors was to take her off road. Not just greenlaning, off road. I posted a pic or two on here. There was a couple of axle twisters and a bloody great hole where I turned it into a tripod (twice), so much so that the dog was stood on the back of my head rest. We were near vertical. It was great fun, we didn't get stuck and at this time the brakes were still iffy so the T/C wasn't working as it should.

I've also done motorway journeys, biiiiiggg ones too, Manchester to Barnstaple and back within a day then off to work at night for example. The drivers seat ain't the comfiest thing in the world, but it's far from bad. I'd have to be in a bad mood to call it 'uncomfy'

The best bit though is that it does all this while still returning 37-40mpg, on road tyres, at standard height while I sit deciding which of the CDs I would like to play from my cd changer, or how hot I would like my heater or how far down I would like my rear window (if it's warm).

I'll admit, I had a wobble a little while back when I thought my IRD and VCU had gone. I simply can't afford that sort of cash, but I couldn't do without a 4x4. I was going to trade her in for a 300tdi (only because I'd had the offer), but I really didn't want to get rid, so after I found out it was just a couple of UJs (I'd overlooked them, my bad) and a diff mount, I got them sorted and I'm really glad I kept hold now. She's the best of both worlds and I can't wait for the snow to get here. I hope she has no more problems anytime soon, but I know she'll have them eventually, because it's a land rover and land rovers have problems, all of them do, in my eyes if nothing else, then that's what makes her a 'real' land rover.

I'm sorry to bang on about mine, but sometimes people just need to read a story where someone's not always ****ed off and it's not all doom and gloom.

If the magazines don't feature every do, don't and mod on freelanders then boo hoo. It's the main reason we have places like this. If you're serious about owning or using a car like this properly then you come to places like this first. I've had nothing but support on here and I hope I can give some back.
If you don't research before buying a used car using every resource (not just magazines) then more fool you. Nearly every make and model has a forum now. It shouldn't just be left to magazines. They have a difficult enough job just selling the mags and staying in business in the current climate just so we can look at our preferred type of machinery porn, they have to cater for everyone and make their content interesting. I'm not saying they're doing the right thing by ignoring us, but it's difficult to make 'Barry's guide to correctly greasing your nipples' exciting enough to keep average Joe buying the mag. I'm sure if we look carefully they don't feature every preventative measure for keeping your defender or disco working perfectly.
I do however, agree that they should definitely show more freelanders getting muddy and stuck and climbing things and getting dressed up in chequer plate while making love to trees.

If people have pre conceived prejudice against the freelander then boo hoo to them too, it's their loss. Just means all the more for us and the fact that it's got a green oval on it means it'll always have decent parts support.

Ok, I admit the idea of a VCU rather than a locking centre diff is a bit wet, but only because it takes some control away from the driver. If it works though, then it works, we'll just call it a compromise.

If the freelander ain't a real Landy to you because it doesn't have beam axles or 'eau du cow sh*t' as standard well that's fine, don't buy one, but I know when winter hits and the only place I have to work on my Landy is outside in my yard, I'd rather be curious as to why I have a little lighty on my dash saying my brake light switch is menopausal as i sit in front of the fire with a hot chocolate and the WIFE, than rolling about on the floor in the wet/snow/ice/dog turd (delete as appropriate) getting full of oil, grease and other unmentionable crap trying to wrestle free some great piece of machinery or a stubborn bush from underneath my 'real' Landy in the dark while it rains buckets/snows/hails/dog wees (delete as appropriate) on my weary head.

When mine stops doing what the 'big boys' do, I'll let you know...
 
Last edited:
moomintd4 said:
it's 2:30am, i have to be up for work shortly, but i had to read this whole thread and put my two penneth in.

I've owned my '03 freelander kalahari td4 for nearly 6months. That doesn't sound like a long time, but when it's your daily drive and your 'lifeline' 6months is long enough to get to know it and i love the damn thing.

It's my first landy and i bought it because i'm on a budget. I saved for ages to be able to buy this. Previously i'd never bought a car for more than £800 so this was a massive leap at £2k+.

She had her faults, some knob hadn't put the retaining pins for the rear shoes in right and she had a sticky front calliper, two injectors went down not long after i bought it and then more recently she threw a uj and diff mount, but she's at nearly 200,000 miles, so what can i expect?

Thing is, while all these problems were happening, she was still my daily driver (believe me i have no choice) and she still worked fine, she complained about it, but never stopped going.

I work in the city centre and park in a multi-storey and i can throw my freelander around it like i did my mr2, only now i have room to take home a massive chest of drawers the missus picked up, plus the dog, plus all the other **** that's floating around in there too.

The interior is half leather, half suede. It's pretty comfy, but that doesn't deter the dog from throwing up over it every now and again, or from running in there full of mud after a walk and covering the interior with mud and white hair and it always wipes clean and scrubs up with minimal effort and looks freshly valeted with not much more than a baby wipe and a hoover out.

I regularly use the roof rack (and plastic roof) to carry logs for a friends various wood burners, big logs too, lots of them fastened on with rope, big manly rope.

The first thing i did when i fixed the injectors was to take her off road. Not just greenlaning, off road. I posted a pic or two on here. There was a couple of axle twisters and a bloody great hole where i turned it into a tripod (twice), so much so that the dog was stood on the back of my head rest. We were near vertical. It was great fun, we didn't get stuck and at this time the brakes were still iffy so the t/c wasn't working as it should.

I've also done motorway journeys, biiiiiggg ones too, manchester to barnstaple and back within a day then off to work at night for example. The drivers seat ain't the comfiest thing in the world, but it's far from bad. I'd have to be in a bad mood to call it 'uncomfy'

the best bit though is that it does all this while still returning 37-40mpg, on road tyres, at standard height while i sit deciding which of the cds i would like to play from my cd changer, or how hot i would like my heater or how far down i would like my rear window (if it's warm).

I'll admit, i had a wobble a little while back when i thought my ird and vcu had gone. I simply can't afford that sort of cash, but i couldn't do without a 4x4. I was going to trade her in for a 300tdi (only because i'd had the offer), but i really didn't want to get rid, so after i found out it was just a couple of ujs (i'd overlooked them, my bad) and a diff mount, i got them sorted and i'm really glad i kept hold now. She's the best of both worlds and i can't wait for the snow to get here. I hope she has no more problems anytime soon, but i know she'll have them eventually, because it's a land rover and land rovers have problems, all of them do, in my eyes if nothing else, then that's what makes her a 'real' land rover.

I'm sorry to bang on about mine, but sometimes people just need to read a story where someone's not always ****ed off and it's not all doom and gloom.

If the magazines don't feature every do, don't and mod on freelanders then boo hoo. It's the main reason we have places like this. If you're serious about owning or using a car like this properly then you come to places like this first. I've had nothing but support on here and i hope i can give some back.
If you don't research before buying a used car using every resource (not just magazines) then more fool you. Nearly every make and model has a forum now. It shouldn't just be left to magazines. They have a difficult enough job just selling the mags and staying in business in the current climate just so we can look at our preferred type of machinery porn, they have to cater for everyone and make their content interesting. I'm not saying they're doing the right thing by ignoring us, but it's difficult to make 'barry's guide to correctly greasing your nipples' exciting enough to keep average joe buying the mag. I'm sure if we look carefully they don't feature every preventative measure for keeping your defender or disco working perfectly.
I do however, agree that they should definitely show more freelanders getting muddy and stuck and climbing things and getting dressed up in chequer plate while making love to trees.

If people have pre conceived prejudice against the freelander then boo hoo to them too, it's their loss. Just means all the more for us and the fact that it's got a green oval on it means it'll always have decent parts support.

Ok, i admit the idea of a vcu rather than a locking centre diff is a bit wet, but only because it takes some control away from the driver. If it works though, then it works, we'll just call it a compromise.

If the freelander ain't a real landy to you because it doesn't have beam axles or 'eau du cow sh*t' as standard well that's fine, don't buy one, but i know when winter hits and the only place i have to work on my landy is outside in my yard, i'd rather be curious as to why i have a little lighty on my dash saying my brake light switch is menopausal as i sit in front of the fire with a hot chocolate and the wife, than rolling about on the floor in the wet/snow/ice/dog turd (delete as appropriate) getting full of oil, grease and other unmentionable crap trying to wrestle free some great piece of machinery or a stubborn bush from underneath my 'real' landy in the dark while it rains buckets/snows/hails/dog wees (delete as appropriate) on my weary head.

When mine stops doing what the 'big boys' do, i'll let you know...
Click to expand...

+1
 
I agree, however "they have to cater for everyone and make their content interesting", is the point I'm trying to make. They don't cater for everyone. Least of all the Freelander and P-38 owners.Although the P-38 thing is now being addressed.

Also "Just means all the more for us and the fact that it's got a green oval on it means it'll always have decent parts support." I fear not. As more get scrapped leaving less on the road, there will be less profit in manufacturing replacement parts and prices will rise.
By featuring the Freelander more in the mags, dispelling some of the myths in the process, then maybe more will get bought as second or even a third vehicle, it may just make manufacturers of off road parts take notice too.
Once again,it's just my opinion.
 
How about a Freelander event?
We take over a site for a day, get muddy, film it, send copies to LR Mag and Top Gear.
We can invite traders etc, one or two of which may even turn up.
If all else fails, it'll be a larf :)
 
bukko said:
How about a Freelander event?
We take over a site for a day, get muddy, film it, send copies to LR Mag and Top Gear.
We can invite traders etc, one or two of which may even turn up.
If all else fails, it'll be a larf :)
Click to expand...

Yes, up for that.
 
RealBeale said:
Just my opinion, I'm not telling anyone I'm right.
Ok, so I've had enough now.
I'm talking about the Land Rover Magazines. So quick to berate the Freelander's faults.So quick to tell you not to buy one because of said faults.However, I've noticed one thing these magazines all have in common. They never educate the Land Rover owning public on the possible causes of the most common faults, rather they just say what the faults are and warn against buying one.
In the November issue of LRM there is an article "What Land Rover can you buy for £3000?"
QUOTE:
That £3000 burning a hole in you'r pocket will buy you a very good Freelander, but make sure it's a late model Td4. Petrol and diesel models that went before aren't really up to scratch. Sorry to be blunt, but unless you've really got you'r heart set on a Freelander we recommend you look at a similarly priced Discovery instead.It's a much more versatile vehicle in every respect.VERDICT: £3000 will buy a good one, but is that what you really want?

If the magazines want to attract true enthusiastic customers (like wot I am coz I luv mi Hippo) and my money then they are going about it the wrong way - I would have to agree with the burn it gang for this mag...sorry to be blunt but I wont be buying :p
Click to expand...
 
One of the main problems with the Freelander's are the people who buy them who don't maintain them, or the people who buy them and buy a dog cos they don't know what they're looking for! Not the car's fault that it hasn't been maintained correctly!
 
SES88 said:
One of the main problems with the Freelander's are the people who buy them who don't maintain them, or the people who buy them and buy a dog cos they don't know what they're looking for! Not the car's fault that it hasn't been maintained correctly!
Click to expand...

So do tell.

How do you maintain your VCU :boink: :D
 
Whoever buys this Ebay "bargain" , item no.281202571568 will be looking at IRD problems. Notice the seller is keen to point out "new tyres on front". I wonder if they even match the rears ??????
 
RealBeale said:
Whoever buys this Ebay "bargain" , item no.281202571568 will be looking at IRD problems. Notice the seller is keen to point out "new tyres on front". I wonder if they even match the rears ??????
Click to expand...

Sorry to hijack the thread, but it is kinda about education.

From the seller:

Hello, thanks for your concern, However Landrover advise that tyres can be changed in axle pairs,
If there was any issue that the differential couldn't cope with you'd find that the tread would be scrubbed off on the slower rotating tyre as it is forced to rotate at the same speed as the faster one.
I was also taught as a trained mechanic that the whole idea that all 4 tyres should be changed is rubbish. what happens when you go around corners? all 4 wheels rotate at differing speeds
Just a though?
Anyway if you want to buy it ill make sure there are four new tyres on it
:)
Click to expand...

Ooo ok then, I'll buy that!

:focus:
 
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