GrumpyGel said:
The auto is a good idea, a lot more flexibility in the Freelander - the red 3 door that was for sale recently would have been a good car to build from. I'm not sure which of the V6 or TD4 is most likely to expire when you're 50kms from tar seal or up to the doors in water. The TD4 is more reliable on road - but which is more likely to suffer problems on low crawling revs for long periods and getting wet?
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The G4 Challenge FLs were often V6s but a couple of TD4s were used iirc.
I think the TD4 would be my choice for off road use. It has better low speed torque and doesn't mind low RPM use so much. The V6 is very reliant on its cooling fans when just crawling along. Electric cooling fans don't like to hit water, if they are running at max chat!!
 
There's a listing just gone on the Kiwi eBay for a 2004 V6 Sport. Thought I'd share the main photo from the ad, its a cracking shot taken I believe on the shore of Lake Wanaka.

WanakaFreelander.jpg


Reserve is about £3,600 and I recon it will see bids at that price, wouldn't be surprised to see it go for quite a bit more than that.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/land-rover/auction-1351833389.htm
 
A bit rich and pimped up for me. Good for picking up kids from school, I guess.

I would have preferred a "sports" version to have more lift, not less.
 
Tony Reeves said:
A bit rich and pimped up for me. Good for picking up kids from school, I guess.

I would have preferred a "sports" version to have more lift, not less.
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The "Sport" was designed for road use. This ment dropping it by 30mm and adding low profile tyres to the 18" rims. It is a very well sorted road car. But with low profile tyres on 18" rims and the lowered suspension, it's not great off road.
 
Nodge68 said:
The "Sport" was designed for road use. This ment dropping it by 30mm and adding low profile tyres to the 18" rims. It is a very well sorted road car. But with low profile tyres on 18" rims and the lowered suspension, it's not great off road.
Click to expand...

I can confirm the great on road performance. My wife's Freelander is the sport model and it's a very different beast to drive than mine. The suspension is also stiffer. It handles very well through corners and is much more "chuckable" than mine, which wallows about like a boat if you try to drive it with the same enthusiasm. It's a shame the engine remains the same though. A performance upgrade there would have given the "sport" moniker much more credence. The chassis and suspension more than have the ability to cope with the power.
 
DefenderPilot said:
I can confirm the great on road performance. My wife's Freelander is the sport model and it's a very different beast to drive than mine. The suspension is also stiffer. It handles very well through corners and is much more "chuckable" than mine, which wallows about like a boat if you try to drive it with the same enthusiasm. It's a shame the engine remains the same though. A performance upgrade there would have given the "sport" moniker much more credence. The chassis and suspension more than have the ability to cope with the power.
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Ron box or remap are your only real options without going V6.
 
GrumpyGel said:
Nice fresh dumping of snow :) Lets hope there's some there during the ski season!
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Beautiful country. My niece has just got home from working there for the last 12 months. She had a brilliant time. Wish I was there for the Lions tour, which we'll probably win 2-1. :)
 
DefenderPilot said:
I can confirm the great on road performance. My wife's Freelander is the sport model and it's a very different beast to drive than mine. The suspension is also stiffer. It handles very well through corners and is much more "chuckable" than mine, which wallows about like a boat if you try to drive it with the same enthusiasm. It's a shame the engine remains the same though. A performance upgrade there would have given the "sport" moniker much more credence. The chassis and suspension more than have the ability to cope with the power.
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Looking at the pic, it does look like it should give the performance you describe :)
Alibro said:
Ron box or remap are your only real options without going V6.
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Probably 75% of Freelanders over here are V6 - and a big proportion of those have overheating issues and die young!
 
Colonial said:
Beautiful country. My niece has just got home from working there for the last 12 months. She had a brilliant time.
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Glad she enjoyed herself :)

NZ is a super place to spend time when you're young (or older!). What sort of work did she get up to over here, and did she move around much?

I work for Budget Backpacker Hostels (BBH) - she sounds like one of our customers :) Hope she stayed at some of our backpackers - any feedback appreciated!
Colonial said:
Wish I was there for the Lions tour
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The Brit tours down here, Barmy Army etc, do create a great buzz and atmosphere - you tend to get stung with prices going up though! The Rugby tours are in winter as well - so probably best to follow the cricket :)

Having said that - there's planes arriving every day of the year - and the first pint's on me when you get to Christchurch :)
Colonial said:
Wish I was there for the Lions tour, which we'll probably win 2-1. :)
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I would have said you were dreaming a week or so ago - but the Lions are beginning to play good rugby - so you're just being very very optimistic now! They should be great games.
 
GrumpyGel said:
Glad she enjoyed herself :)

NZ is a super place to spend time when you're young (or older!). What sort of work did she get up to over here, and did she move around much?
She worked in a girl's school as a house matron and all-round comforter for students
from all over the globe. She enjoyed every minute and got around both Islands.

I would have said you were dreaming a week or so ago - but the Lions are beginning to play good rugby - so you're just being very very optimistic now! They should be great games.
Click to expand...

We're still warming up. Got to get over some injuries and properly acclimatise, but should be ready for this week-end.
(This next bit got lost in the post).
She worked in a girl's school as a house matron and all-round comforter for students
from all over the globe. She enjoyed every minute and got around both Islands.
 
Last edited:
Nodge68 said:
The "Sport" was designed for road use. This ment dropping it by 30mm and adding low profile tyres to the 18" rims. It is a very well sorted road car. But with low profile tyres on 18" rims and the lowered suspension, it's not great off road.
Click to expand...

I would suggest that the standard Freelander was designed for road use with some basic off road capabilities. As As it is a Land Rover clearly intended for some off road capability I would expect any "sport" use would be intended to increase the off road capabilities, which would be useful.

No way could the on-road capabilities be improved to make it a competitive road "sport" machine.

So a reasonable assumption is the the word "sport" in a LR context would enhance the off road capabilities, as most of the sports minded people on this forum do to their fine machines.
 
GrumpyGel said:
Probably 75% of Freelanders over here are V6 - and a big proportion of those have overheating issues and die young!
Click to expand...

An unfair assessment, I believe.

Having recovered several V6's, not one actually had overheating issues, although 3 were accused of that. More likely a "mechanic" has thrown his/her hands in the air, given up, and reported to the owner that the FL is stuffed as it is cooked - a common problem. No doubt helped by a mate in a car yard with just the right replacement vehicle.
 
Tony Reeves said:
I would suggest that the standard Freelander was designed for road use with some basic off road capabilities. As As it is a Land Rover clearly intended for some off road capability I would expect any "sport" use would be intended to increase the off road capabilities, which would be useful.

No way could the on-road capabilities be improved to make it a competitive road "sport" machine.

So a reasonable assumption is the the word "sport" in a LR context would enhance the off road capabilities, as most of the sports minded people on this forum do to their fine machines.
Click to expand...

Lowering and stiffening the suspension and fitting larger diameter/wider wheels with low profile road tyres would definitely not improve off road performance. I'm pretty sure LR know that the majority of Freelanders never venture off-road further than an event field and as such designed it to perform well on road as that's where they spend most of their lives, but to have reasonably good off road performance where needed. Hardly surprising when you consider the Freelander 1 was designed when BMW owned LR. BMW have a well cultivated reputation for producing well driving cars and they made the Freelander to appeal to a new market for LR. It's now that they're an old model and pretty cheap to buy that people aren't bothered about thrashing them off road.
 
DefenderPilot said:
Lowering and stiffening the suspension and fitting larger diameter/wider wheels with low profile road tyres would definitely not improve off road performance. I'm pretty sure LR know that the majority of Freelanders never venture off-road further than an event field and as such designed it to perform well on road as that's where they spend most of their lives, but to have reasonably good off road performance where needed. Hardly surprising when you consider the Freelander 1 was designed when BMW owned LR. BMW have a well cultivated reputation for producing well driving cars and they made the Freelander to appeal to a new market for LR. It's now that they're an old model and pretty cheap to buy that people aren't bothered about thrashing them off road.
Click to expand...
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