Freelander 1 Variations in the Freelander V6 Steptronic

Hi everyone ! I'm new here, and I have one (and maybe more later) question about the freelander MK1, as I'm considering buying a used car and it seems like this car is great.
Also, english is not my first language, so please be patient if some sentences are wrong or seem odd.
Two Freelander's are for sale "near" me, with the 2.5 V6 engine (I cannot choose diesel engines for important reasons), one is a SE Steptronic, the other one a SX Steptronic.

I cannot seem to find any useful info to understand the difference between these two, I know it's the "package", but what has one of them over the other one?

Thanks so much and have a great day !

I had a 2000 V6 and a 2005 V6, both seemed identical to me, except the 2005 one didn't break.
Not sure there is any difference, but I'm sure @Nodge68 will be along to confirm

Think you'll find the SE and SX are trim levels. The steptronic gearbox is the same in both. Hadn't heard of an SX but a quick look on the web suggests that an SX (or Serengeti SX at least) does not have a sunroof or leather seats - otherwise it looks almost identical to the SE in features.

Mechanically they're the same, and to be honest, the trim level is irrelevant. Maintenance in the past is far more important, as the engine has an appetite for head gaskets, if the cooling system hasn't been looked after correctly.
Also the gearbox must have had fluid changes at 60K miles intervals, or it can give trouble.

Also don't expect any kind of fuel economy, as the V6 FL1 has a real drink problem.

You would be best to find a brochure (online or elsewhere) describing the trim levels as sold in France.
I have a 2004 SE V6 but mine is the North American version and the trim level may be different.
Mine has heated seats, heated windshield, sunroof, and leather/alcantara mix seats.
I agree that maintenance is the most important thing with these vehicles. Make sure the cam belts have been done within
the last 2 or 3 years and also make sure the driveshaft to the rear wheels hasn't been removed.

Yeah, I know those are trim levels, the problem I encountered is that apparently in France Land Rovers are not common at all, and you can’t find anything online for older models (probably because the web was not as developed back then).
I had deduced that SE was « full options », thanks Andyfreelandy for confirming this ! For the SX, your research on the web was more successful than mine, maybe because I don’t know what to look for. I had seen that on more recent years, one of the trim levels was called « XS », not sx, but there are not much info on the french websites, if at all.

Also, I’m looking at all Freelanders for sale in France and around (even Germany, Belgium etc, as long as the drive wheel is on the left side), because I consider spending a train ticket and a day to get the car you want is ok, but the downside is that there is far more choice, and it is very difficult for someone that doesn’t know what to look for to choose between let’s say a SE with 160000km for 4500€, and a SX with 130000km for 4200€... I cannot guess how good (or bad) was the maintenance because my eye is not trained for this, and after this it all comes down to « are a few kilometres less worth a few bucks more? Is a higher trim level worth 30000 kilometers more if the price is the same?... etc ». For a newcomer, those type of dilemma are very overwhelming.

Nodge68, I know the V6 has a drinking problem, but my thinking was this: most heavy duty cars die of engine failure, and I’m far more relaxed buying a 20yo car with a beefy engine that probably was not used at its full potential, than a smaller engine that could have been too close to its limits for years... In my family, all the cars that aged « well » (read here: that continued to function correctly after 15+ years) were those with bigger engines... Also, I already have a motorbike for daily use, and I’m not planning on driving the Landy very often, maybe once of twice a week max (mostly when I need to haul big amounts of stuff, or in case of heavy rain/snow). Also, the average « official » fuel economy is about 12L/100, and it seems to me that it’s still acceptable, even if bad in the grand scheme of things, because you do get a nice V6 with automatic transmission, 4x4, and it is an older car (so no wonder it drinks more), and I can find it here for less than 4000€, which is very reasonable for a nice car...

Kinthoriour said:

it is very difficult for someone that doesn’t know what to look for to choose between let’s say a SE with 160000km for 4500€, and a SX with 130000km for 4200€... I cannot guess how good (or bad) was the maintenance because my eye is not trained for this, and after this it all comes down to « are a few kilometres less worth a few bucks more?

Click to expand...

If you don't know what you're locking at, and don't know how to tell a good or bad Freelander, let alone a V6 Freelander. Then personally I'd look elsewhere, at something more normal in your part of the world. The Freelander has some design peculiarities, which need careful maintenance, if seriously expensive damage is to be avoided. The V6 engine adds a whole other dimension to the peculiarities, which really can bite you in the wallet, if maintenance hasn't been absolutely spot on.

Kinthoriour said:

I know the V6 has a drinking problem, but my thinking was this: most heavy duty cars die of engine failure, and I’m far more relaxed buying a 20yo car with a beefy engine that probably was not used at its full potential, than a smaller engine that could have been too close to its limits for years...

Click to expand...

The V6 is working hard in the Freelander, so makes far from ideal, for someone that doesn't know it, or how to look after it.


Why not buy the more reliable and less fussy TD4 instead?

Thank you Nodge68 for taking the time, this is exactly why I joined the forum !

I’m not saying that I’m not able to tell anything about anything concerning cars, the truth is that I’m probably much more mechanically enclined than the average guy. I do my motorcycle’s maintenance myself, even if it was my first one and I never knew anything about it beforehand. I was hoping to do the same with my car: I know I could’t be aware of all the specificities of a particular model (not only the Freelander) when buying it, so I would rely on the same kind of checklist I had when buying my bike, helped by knowledgeable people that had this particular model (« look if the drive belt teeths are used » « check under the engine for oil leaks » « check the suspension for leaks » etc).
After this, I would treat any vehicle well, as I’m serious about maintenance, so even if the model I choose need specific attention on some things, I feel that it wouldn’t be a problem, especially if I keep an eye on what previous and current owners tell about theirs, I learn fast and am willing to do what’s needed to have a car that I really like, even if it means more time under the hood than with a more mainstream car.

As for the TD4, I just can’t go with it: here in France, the government has begun a ban wave against diesel vehicles: next year they won’t be able to drive less than 50km from Paris (I live in this area so I’m f#cked), and the zone will extend to potentially all the country in less than five years...
This leaves me, for the Freelander, with choice between a few V6, and even fever 1.8L petrol engines which are MORE expensive... hence why I’m looking at the V6, even if it means more maintenance.

EDIT : I got confused between TD4 and those 1.8L petrol, changed the end of the message.