Low Milage Petrol vs High Milage Diesel?

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ReadySalted

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Hi all,
After selling the defender back in spring as it was too big, old, unreliable and unnecessary (aren't they all), and spending the summer just using my motorbike, I'm thinking now's a good time to get another car to see me through winter. Hopefully before the winter 4x4 price spike.

I've had a couple of tdi disco's, a couple of series 3s, and a defender so know what to expect with the green oval, but I'm now considering getting a freelander. Something I never thought I'd say!

I don't want anything flashy, so am restricting myself to under 1500 quid which would limit me to the K or L series models. Around 1999-2002. Something I'm struck by however is that petrol models make up the vast majority of those for sale, and diesels see to command more money and are always much higher mileage.

I know conventionally the advice is always to go for the diesels but considering a petrol model with around 80,000 miles can be had for similar money to a 160,000 diesel model it does make me wonder!
What do ya reckon?
 
The diesel engines are more reliable than the good old K series. However if you are OK with doing your own repairs, the K series is relatively easy to fix when it goes wrong. The 1.8 petrol is also faster.
 
Remember to compare a (£diesel) against a (£petrol+£300) for head gasket parts.

Equal price petrols and diesels are not equal cars.

Once the head gasket has been done with the SAIC replacement the petrol will probably be quite reliable.
 
The L series diesel is OK the TD4 the best engine of the lot . Major things that go wrong
on all models , viscous couplings , which then damages the IRD and rear diff.
K series engines. The auto is the most reliable for mileage, the first thing that usually plays up is the 2/4duty solenoid . does better than the clutches on the manuals. Minor probs usually what moves any of the glass.
At the price point you are talking about you are really playing Russian roulette . JMHO
 
L series is easy to tune, and will do starship miles. Far less electronics, injectors aren't considered a service item, and can be treated like a $5 hooker, and will still remain faithful.

Yes, gutless as stock, but physically stronger than a TD04 by a clear mile.
 
I've got my eye on a 2003 TD4 with 151,000 miles on the clock. The discoveries and defenders I've owner have all done over 140,000 miles and seemed okay with a bit of TLC but I'm very concerned about taking the plunge with a FL because of the terrible reviews they get from anywhere motoring related on the net.
 
Yeh I've been keeping an eye on freelanders for sale locally and around the £1500 mark there's one td4 with 170,000 miles on and several 1.8 petrols with under 90,000 miles on the clock. I'm tempted by a petrol just because there seems to be a fair few for sale and relatively cheap. Most seem to have had the cambelt done recently but the last thing I want is to buy a car with the expectation that the engine is either bodged, or soon to go bang with expensive consequences. It's difficult to justify taking the chance on a freelander because it feels like I'll be buying problems. They are better looking than other similar 4x4s imho, and also carry the landrover badge which is attractive. The interiors are a bit sharper, and even though landy's spell trouble, I sort of know what to expect with one and there's comfort in that.

On the other hand I've been looking at similar vehicles on offer for similar money. The Rav4 seems pretty good, the Shogun pinnin seems like one to avoid, but the Honda crv seems like the one to go for if I want a safe bet. If reviews are to be believed they are decent and reliable enough, and theres a model locally with relatively low milage for well under a grand. Despite its hideous interior, and the fact I'll be driving a honda, it does seem like the sensible choice. There's no option for customisation though, and whatever I get I'd like to atleast put a set of ATs and a roof rack on for the occasional greenlaning and camping. The freelander seems to lend itself more to that kind of thing.
 
The CRV need to be after 2002 IIRC they have the chain drive cam . The CRV is a very reliable vehicle ,
they are not the best on fuel , the auto is a good choice , and you dont get the drivetrain probs that you get with a Freelander. They are well equipped, but boring , the steering has a dead sort of feel , and the ride isnt as good as
a Freelander. They are bigger inside, particularly in the rear seating and boot, the seats are not quite as comfy .
So its a matter of choice really . JMHO
 
For £1500 you can get an 04/05 petrol with fairly low miles. Yes the engine can/will give trouble but if you can handle a spanner you can fix it yourself.
I was in the same boat late last year and decided to go with the petrol as I figured the rest of the car would be very tired with big miles. Suspension bushes, electrics and various mechanicals take a hammering with high miles.
Ask yourself which will cost more to fix, an old reliable diesel with the rest of the car knackered or a not so reliable petrol with a fresher younger body?
If the car is for off roading or towing though there is no choice to make, go for diesel.
 
The TD4s command a premium because everyone says in their ads, it has the "BMW Engine". So your paying a premium for absolutely nothing. They are a good diesel engine, but so is the L Series. The TD4 is a bit more refined and doesn't have belts that need changing, but the L Series are bullet proof and do not suffer from the various electrical and fuel delivery problems that the TD4 has.

I've run a '99 L Series for 5 years now, and a transmission melt down aside, the whole car has been almost perfectly reliable and is still as strong as an ox, comfortable and cheap to run. You'll get TD4 owners coming back saying the same - my point is, the TD4 is not necessarily "the best engine of the lot", I'd have an L Series over a TD4 any day of the week and for £1,500 in the UK you should still find one in great nick with reasonable mileage.

People usually buy the 1.8s knowing nothing about them and spit a dummy when the HG blows 2 weeks later. There's plenty of people on here though who rate them and can change the HG before they go to church on Sunday - but then they've had lots of practice :) You could of course 'go posh' and splash out on a V6, if you've got any holiday money left at the end of the month after supplying it with copious amounts of fuel you could also get some HGs for it and then have a life-long passion trying to understand why it is 'still' overheating.
 
The V6 is a lifestyle choice; get a bad one and you could spend your life working on it. Get a good one though and they are brilliant (if thirsty).
+1 on the L Series.
 
tacr2man said:
the auto is a good choice
Click to expand...

AVOID any Honda with an auto box from about 97 to 2003 ish - they used a dodgy supplier and they're ridiculously prone to exploding.

For some spectacularly bad reason they buried the oil filter deep inside the gearbox casing and it's a non changeable part - the gearbox ends up being a service part with about 100k change interval.

Of course, I only found this out when I bought a 95k '99 Accord a few years back...
 
davidsmith1307 said:
The V6 is a lifestyle choice; get a bad one and you could spend your life working on it. Get a good one though and they are brilliant (if thirsty).
+1 on the L Series.
Click to expand...

My V6 was a spectacular Freelander. It was fully loaded with leather and toys. It never missed a beat in the years I had it. It shifted too with almost hot hatch performance. The only downside was the spectacularly high fuel consumption. It averaged 19 Mpg. Great in the USA or Dubai, not so great here in the UK.
 
I went to look at a Honda the other day. 150,000 miles on the clock. Due a cambelt change, and pulled heavily to the left which I think can be sorted with the renewal of some dodgy looking bushes. Long MOT though. It's around 850 quid so a bargain really, and although the interior is old and miserable and the fuel economy is dismal the engine pulls like a train and the drive of the car is relatively enjoyable.

I've been umming and arring about it all weekend but thought sod it I'll go for it, (having researched them heavily and being blown over by their reputed reliability). I would prefer a nissan x trail but they are slim pickings, so figured the honda is my best bet.

To throw a spanner in the works, I've just been having a final look to see if any good freelanders have been listed over the weekend, and there's one fairly close. It's a green 5 door station wagon, with 158,000 on the clock! but it is the L series 2.0ltr xdi engine. It's on for 899, and the interior is tatty as can be. I figure if I get it for around the 800 mark, then even with any repairs which will no doubt be looming on a car of this price, I should have a reasonably sorted freelander for under 1200 quid. Freelander are more desirable than the honda, but with all the reports of unreliability, it feels like the sensible choice is to get the honda!??? Need to make a decision today really so need to get thinking.
 
L series is a REALLY solid unit. Check whether the belts have been changed. I started a thread a week or so ago and there was lots of useful advice.
 
When you buy 2nd hand cars you might get a good one or a bad one - luck of the draw and doesn't matter that much what the make it is. Toyota Hilux have great reputations but they blow head gaskets, leak oil and need the pumps & diffs worked on quite a bit. Land Rovers have bad reputations, but my '98 L Series has been boringly awesome. The IRD failure I had was my fault and other than that just a couple of little bits.

It amazes me how people in the UK won't travel to buy a car. Over here it is common place. I've driven 6 hours to pick up a car, made a long weekend out of it and had a good time :) Admittedly there's fewer cars here so you're more likely to need to, but if you're after something specific, gota be worth casting the net a bit further.
 
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