Hi there,
Been lurking about here for a while now. I have been considering buying a Freelander for some time now and was tossing up between that and something else in the same size/price bracket (CRV maybe?).
This forum hasn't done alot to sway my decision towards a Freelander though, in fact quite the opposite.

I realise the 1.8 petrol is the motor to steer clear of but that seems to be only one of a huge amount of problems the Freelander experiences.

The model I am looking at is a 2005 2.0L Diesel with 21k on the clock.

Is there anything to look out for and any reason why I would hesitate to buy this car (apart from 99% of posts on here! )

Thanks in advance,
Tenrohle.

TD4s are ok.

ffs anything's better that a CRV!

except fur a Nissan - hey Trewy?

lot come ere fer elp wiff problems. . .if yer all twitchy then dunt buy it, git yerself er slitty or wurse still er crv [smirk] its your call . . . .

Any landie is better than a crv even a freelander, at least the freelander will go off road having a bit of ground clearance unlike the jap crap that is mainly designed for the californian teenage market

as ming rightly states, lots of people only come on here for help with problems, ergo, most of the members have problems. Not going to tempt fate, but so far, well happy with my 53 td4 auto.

I see.

Do any of them come with cruise control?

I mainly do motorway miles, up to 700 a week sometimes. Is it the kind of car that is going to serve me well if I'm constantly doing 3-5 hour trips around the country?
I'm currently driving a '00 Volvo S40 and find it perfect for this, I'd like something a little bigger though hence looking at the Freelander.

tenrohle said:

I see.

Do any of them come with cruise control?

I mainly do motorway miles, up to 700 a week sometimes. Is it the kind of car that is going to serve me well if I'm constantly doing 3-5 hour trips around the country?
I'm currently driving a '00 Volvo S40 and find it perfect for this, I'd like something a little bigger though hence looking at the Freelander.

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Get a disco be a real man not one of these gaylander shirtlifters

My TD4 GS Auto 2002 has cruise (and it works)

Freelander isnt that much bigger though

I don't need an oversized hog of a car to prove my manliness.

redhand said:

Get a disco be a real man not one of these gaylander shirtlifters

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phookin tratter wiff a pig in the back un one driving ,dunt ya mean. . . . .

ming said:

phookin tratter wiff a pig in the back un one driving ,dunt ya mean. . . . .

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More ov a sheep man meself.

tenrohle said:

Do any of them come with cruise control?

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TD4 Autos and V6s

Cheers

Rog

tenrohle said:

I realise the 1.8 petrol is the motor to steer clear of but that seems to be only one of a huge amount of problems the Freelander experiences.

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Really? There are two main problems that the early models had - early transmissions and the 1.8 head gasket. Filter those out, because neither of them apply to your prospective vehicle and you will see that the majority of other problems are niggles or technical problems that can occur to any car.

The model I am looking at is a 2005 2.0L Diesel with 21k on the clock.

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The Freelander you are looking at has the BMW TD4 engine. This is a stonker of an engine with a really good reputation. You might even get 40mpg out of a manual version.

It's low mileage and you have the benefit of Land Rover's 3 year warranty that will transfer to your ownership.

We have had a 2002 TD4 GS from new. (The GS is the mid range model - I think cruise control was standard on ES and HSE models) 60,000 miles of trouble free motoring. Only breakdown was running out of fuel on the way to the filling station!

The Freelander compares well with the Nissan X-Trail and the CRV. I have driven both extensively on and off road, rural and urban, at work.

The '02-plate X-Trail is simple enough - and nice and cheap. We could have bought a fully specced X-Trail for the pirce of our mid-range Freelander. However the diesel engine is comparable in performance and refinement with the older L-series Rover diesel that is in the pre-2000 Freelanders and not a patch on the TD4. (I expect/hope they have a more modern diesel in the range now.) Also the Nissan's dash has a plasticy feel and is falling apart. After a shift in the Nissan it was a relief to get back in the Freelander. Feels much more robust and like a "proper" Land Rover.

The '55-plate CRV is horrid. Purely an on-road fun car. Cramped, gimmicky interior. Uncomformatble ergonomics.

It's horses for courses really. We have two Freelanders and are deligted with both. One is a road-biased car, used for my wife's business and she has to travel to clients in all weathers, then cross tracks, farms and yards. Despite being a comfortable road car, the Freelander is suprisngly capable, even with no off road modifications. She can then drive home, hitch up a horse trailer and tow one horse or two ponies with ease.

Our other Freelander has off road tyres and some sensible off road protection and performs brilliantly off road.

Cheers

Blippie

rriggs said:

[Cruise control standard on] TD4 Autos and V6s

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... also on the ES / HSE models or as an option on the others. Fairly simple to have fitted as an add on, I assume.

Cheers

Blippie

tenrohle said:

I'm currently driving a '00 Volvo S40 and find it perfect for this, I'd like something a little bigger though hence looking at the Freelander.

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Hmm. They are a similar size, really. From a driver's perspective you will get a much more confident position in a Freelander.Check that you are happy with the Freelander's boot space. Is the S40 an estate?

Cheers

Blippie

Blippie said:

Hmm. They are a similar size, really. From a driver's perspective you will get a much more confident position in a Freelander.Check that you are happy with the Freelander's boot space. Is the S40 an estate?

Cheers

Blippie

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wise wurds blippie. . . .porky un muffin like blippie

Blippie said:

We could have bought a fully specced X-Trail for the pirce of our mid-range Freelander. However the diesel engine is comparable in performance and refinement with the older L-series Rover diesel that is in the pre-2000 Freelanders and not a patch on the TD4. Also the Nissan's dash has a plasticy feel and is falling apart. After a shift in the Nissan it was a relief to get back in the Freelander.

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The X-Trail diesel is noisy, rattly and thristy. I had a 2003 X-Trail diesel immediately before I bought my Freelander and the difference is amazing. The Freelander is quieter, smoother and rides much better. Handling is about the same. Also, the Nissan has no cloth surfaces inside (the non-leather seats are some sort of polyester that looks wipe-clean but stains like a bugger) so it all feels like a van inside. The uncarpeted boot floor adds to this feeling. My X-Trail averaged 33.4mpg; the Freelander averages 39.8mpg - Same driver, same journeys...

My Freelander had a couple of niggles when I picked it up from the dealer (every car I've ever bought has arrived with faults). They're sorted and all is now well and I'm loving it. I normally get bored of a car after 3 months and end up selling it (I've far more money than sense ) but four months of the Landy and it's not going anywhere!!

BTW This is my car history - RIGGS-NET.com

Cheers

Rog

titter. . . . nice one rrigs porky un muffin like rrigs

Blippie said:

The '55-plate CRV is horrid. Purely an on-road fun car. Cramped, gimmicky interior. Uncomformatble ergonomics.

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Totally agreed. Waste of space with the off road credentials of a bus. Proper school run 4x4 that is.