Hi all,
Firstly I must say that I have read sooooo much advice on this site since buying my first Freelander TD4 (2002 SE) about 5 years ago now - thanks to all.
Owned a second hand Range Rover many many moons ago (about 1992) and really enjoyed driving it until it died one day and have never been brave enough to repeat the experience - always stuck with smaller cars.
In 2010 after major problems with a Vauxhall, decided to look and price up a second hand Range Rover But after a few test drives of various pieces of rust around my price range, decided to go with little brother, the freelander.
This is where, this and the other landrover sites became invaluable to my quest - and thank you for all the tips and advice that I read here.
Hopefully my experiences with my Freelander TD4 can help others.
Did much research and like the majority opinion plumped for a manual Freelander TD4 SE 2002 - one previous owner, 76,000 miles, leather seats (figuring that whoever owned it first bought top model to look after) and the bullet proof BMW M47 engine. Colour I wanted and clean.
Live in Wales and traveled to see about 7 before finally getting a good deal (with a 2006 part exchange Vauxhall Meriva) in Cambridge area.
Drove like a treat back to Wales - very impressed !!
After reading advice on here about NOT buying cheap parts, etc I have since always used OEM or Genuine LR parts. I can do some work myself and my local garage does plenty of 4x4 vehicles and are trustworthy.
Although the selling Garage in Cambridge said that a full service had been carried out prior to them putting an MOT on it, I thought "oh yea, Hmmmm ?"
Following is a list of some of the jobs I had done on her(over the years) and she continues to give great and faultless driving.
1) Engine oil and filter change plus top up IRD, Gearbox and rear diff oils every 2 years
2) complete change of coolant/antifreeze after flush trough with liquid dishwasher cleaner.(to get rid of any gunk lurking in the pipes) - have only done this once in 5 years.
3) replaced diesel fuel filter (under drivers rear wheel panel) - have only done this once in 5 years.
4)Replaced the hidden turbo toilet roll type filter with the BMW cyclone filter (thanks to you guys) - my God, the toilet roll filter was literally dripping with oil/gunk and looked like the one fitted from the factory in 2002.(so 8 years without changing!!!)
Bit of a job dismanteling the fuel rail, etc but well worth the switch for worry and maintenance free driving.
5) replaced turbo air filter (the little plastic filter hanging at the rear of the engine). every 3 years - same with air filter (back of engine cover) and pollen filter ( Front passenger footwell).
6) At 97,000 (advised at 70,000) I changed the VCU (new hardy spicer) and bearings (FAG) - wow expensive but well worth the piece of mind as I did not have a clue if the VCU and/or Bearings had been changed or not but thinking about the toilet roll filter, aired on the side of caution!!
7) Cleaned EGR valve - my god, I could not believe how much carbon and oily gunk buildup.
8) New handbrake cables fitted at 106,000.
9) New front vented disks and pads at 106,000.
10) new rear shoes at 106,000.
11) Replaced rubber to silicon intercooler, egr, air pipes at 120,000.
She is now on 127,000 and running sweet as a nut - I love this bloody beast:smokin:
I can honestly say that the forums gave me the confidence, advice, tips, etc on virtually every aspect of owning her. and If I can be of help to anyone else I will try.
The only thing, and I mean in my experience that I found was bad advice (and not saying it does not work for most on here, as it clearly does for most) was the EGR blanking (at 126,000). Bought the top of the range allisports EGR - fitted correctly, etc, etc - I found that although there was no real difference in performance or MPG, the engine ran ROUGH - very throaty and noisy (thought it might have been just me being paranoid or something) - ran for about 3 months until I read on another forum that it could be the MAF sensor picking up more air passing through the system, so changed the EGR back to original (remembering I already fitted the BMW cyclone modification filter) - and now running sweet again.
Hope this helps some others and now after writing this I do not put the BOK on my beast !!! ha,ha
Happy and trouble free driving all.
Firstly I must say that I have read sooooo much advice on this site since buying my first Freelander TD4 (2002 SE) about 5 years ago now - thanks to all.
Owned a second hand Range Rover many many moons ago (about 1992) and really enjoyed driving it until it died one day and have never been brave enough to repeat the experience - always stuck with smaller cars.
In 2010 after major problems with a Vauxhall, decided to look and price up a second hand Range Rover But after a few test drives of various pieces of rust around my price range, decided to go with little brother, the freelander.
This is where, this and the other landrover sites became invaluable to my quest - and thank you for all the tips and advice that I read here.
Hopefully my experiences with my Freelander TD4 can help others.
Did much research and like the majority opinion plumped for a manual Freelander TD4 SE 2002 - one previous owner, 76,000 miles, leather seats (figuring that whoever owned it first bought top model to look after) and the bullet proof BMW M47 engine. Colour I wanted and clean.
Live in Wales and traveled to see about 7 before finally getting a good deal (with a 2006 part exchange Vauxhall Meriva) in Cambridge area.
Drove like a treat back to Wales - very impressed !!
After reading advice on here about NOT buying cheap parts, etc I have since always used OEM or Genuine LR parts. I can do some work myself and my local garage does plenty of 4x4 vehicles and are trustworthy.
Although the selling Garage in Cambridge said that a full service had been carried out prior to them putting an MOT on it, I thought "oh yea, Hmmmm ?"
Following is a list of some of the jobs I had done on her(over the years) and she continues to give great and faultless driving.
1) Engine oil and filter change plus top up IRD, Gearbox and rear diff oils every 2 years
2) complete change of coolant/antifreeze after flush trough with liquid dishwasher cleaner.(to get rid of any gunk lurking in the pipes) - have only done this once in 5 years.
3) replaced diesel fuel filter (under drivers rear wheel panel) - have only done this once in 5 years.
4)Replaced the hidden turbo toilet roll type filter with the BMW cyclone filter (thanks to you guys) - my God, the toilet roll filter was literally dripping with oil/gunk and looked like the one fitted from the factory in 2002.(so 8 years without changing!!!)
Bit of a job dismanteling the fuel rail, etc but well worth the switch for worry and maintenance free driving.5) replaced turbo air filter (the little plastic filter hanging at the rear of the engine). every 3 years - same with air filter (back of engine cover) and pollen filter ( Front passenger footwell).
6) At 97,000 (advised at 70,000) I changed the VCU (new hardy spicer) and bearings (FAG) - wow expensive but well worth the piece of mind as I did not have a clue if the VCU and/or Bearings had been changed or not but thinking about the toilet roll filter, aired on the side of caution!!
7) Cleaned EGR valve - my god, I could not believe how much carbon and oily gunk buildup.
8) New handbrake cables fitted at 106,000.
9) New front vented disks and pads at 106,000.
10) new rear shoes at 106,000.
11) Replaced rubber to silicon intercooler, egr, air pipes at 120,000.
She is now on 127,000 and running sweet as a nut - I love this bloody beast:smokin:
I can honestly say that the forums gave me the confidence, advice, tips, etc on virtually every aspect of owning her. and If I can be of help to anyone else I will try.
The only thing, and I mean in my experience that I found was bad advice (and not saying it does not work for most on here, as it clearly does for most) was the EGR blanking (at 126,000). Bought the top of the range allisports EGR - fitted correctly, etc, etc - I found that although there was no real difference in performance or MPG, the engine ran ROUGH - very throaty and noisy (thought it might have been just me being paranoid or something) - ran for about 3 months until I read on another forum that it could be the MAF sensor picking up more air passing through the system, so changed the EGR back to original (remembering I already fitted the BMW cyclone modification filter) - and now running sweet again.
Hope this helps some others and now after writing this I do not put the BOK on my beast !!! ha,ha
Happy and trouble free driving all.
