Should Be Buy A Freelander?

Hi All,

Having had disco's in the past (300's), we have realised that getting a decent Disco Td5 is out of our price range for a lowish miler and decent chassis. We also fear another head gasket problem early on.

So we have been looking at Freelanders. Now I hated the original ones, but the newer shape (05 and 06 plates) look much better. And we can afford a reasonably low miler. Whatever, it has to have 5 doors as we have a disabled son.

We will be looking to have it remapped (I have no idea about remapping other than everyone seems now to do it)

The one we have seen is a 2.0 TD4 HSE AUTOMATIC,06, the only problem is we aren't fans of automatics normally, for controlling through to MPG (although this does apparantly get 45MPG).

Will we be disappointed with a Freelander in comparison to a Disco. The Disco still has the iconic look and is an amazing work horse, but it's just to expensive. Oh, and we won't be towing.

Thanks for your time

NO FL is going to do 45mpg remapped or not and especially not an auto.

I had a 300TDI and V8 over about 10 years and swapped to Freelander about 5 years ago.

I really liked the Discos and like you would have preferred to go for a TD5 but the cost and the wife wanting a Freelander - meant there was only ever going to be 1 outcome!

I didn't so much as hate it - but was very 'indifferent' at first. However, I love it now - even though its a early one you hate so much! They are very good cars both on and off road. Mine's been almost perfectly reliable over 5 years - when I treat it right.

To quote a 45mpg figure for the TD4 is optimistic. 40mpg on the run is more realistic - and although on a run the auto shouldn't drop to much - you can recon on it using at least 20% more fuel overall.

What you're looking at though isn't the Freelander 2 - its a Facelift Freelander 1.

Test drive a Freelander and see what you think. There's many pro's and con's to Freelandering. It's down to what you need, and what you want. Yer looking at vehicles nearly 10 years old. In disco terms thats a rusty heap. In Freelander terms the mot inspector will leave his hammer in his tool box.

Hi my hippo does really well on fuel (td4) on a run to norfolk from just outside Alton Towers filled up before leaving filled up on return same garage it returned 48 mpg but it is a manual ,towing nearly 1.5 ton and local to work about 34mpg.
Trev.

well mine is only a freelander 1 2.0tdi does bout 45mpg, 1st freelander I have had and while ok to drive I would not have another, a friend of mine has a 2, and hes not to sold on it either, shame its a good looking car, just seem to get soo many problems, I would stick to an older disco or rangy, you will still need to work on them all, but at least you will have more room and the good looks

I don't know how some people quote mpg way higher than even LR claim, which is, as with all cars, a gross exaggeration.
Tell us your secret

Downhill?

I've owned FL2's for a total of 4 years and around 135,000 miles and would quite happily buy another. Even if I am in the process of trading No 3 FL2 for a Disco!

It's not economical though. My SD4 auto regularly returns 31mpg and I'm a gentle driver. If I'm not driving in Cornwall (where there are lots of lanes, no motorways and plenty of hills), I might get 34-35, on a long run, if I'm lucky. Even my manual TD4's would only add 2-3 mpg to those figures.