Opinions on Freelander?
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Rednut05 said:
Have heard stories about the new Hummer that can put an electric force field around itself for defence against stingers etc.
+ 
I know nothing about this so if anyone else has links i would appreciate a post as i cannot even remember where i heard it now.
Yes, but it's likely to be very old for the money - you are looking at 1992-1994 examples of something like a Land Cruiser for the money.
People are willing to pay a premium for the exceptional off road ability. If you need this, then sure. If you don't, you will be driving your family around in an car well over a decade old making a compromise in order to get an ability you will never use.
For context, you'd get a 2001 Focus or Mondeo, a more traditional and infinately more suitable family car, for the same money. Safer, too, especially the Mondeo as it has 'IPS' - a posh name for loads of airbags linked to various electronic drivers aids.
People are willing to pay a premium for the exceptional off road ability. If you need this, then sure. If you don't, you will be driving your family around in an car well over a decade old making a compromise in order to get an ability you will never use.
For context, you'd get a 2001 Focus or Mondeo, a more traditional and infinately more suitable family car, for the same money. Safer, too, especially the Mondeo as it has 'IPS' - a posh name for loads of airbags linked to various electronic drivers aids.
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Ask my bro why he left a Land Rover dealer to work for VW/Audi.
Yep thats right, the warranty failure rate, purely on the Freelander was utterly stupid! The other models were ok, suffered no more than a normal car, but the Freelander's fail weekly.
Moved to VW/Audi and he did 10% of the warranty claims over the years he was there.
Working for Skoda (same issues as VW), Saab (very few claims, snotty customers) and Alfa (yep, as bas as you hear on here!).
oh and IF you buy a Freelander, best make sure the re-call's for water leaks have been done. Will kill your CD changer and Engine Management unit's (two seperate leaks BTW!).
Yep thats right, the warranty failure rate, purely on the Freelander was utterly stupid! The other models were ok, suffered no more than a normal car, but the Freelander's fail weekly.
Moved to VW/Audi and he did 10% of the warranty claims over the years he was there.
Working for Skoda (same issues as VW), Saab (very few claims, snotty customers) and Alfa (yep, as bas as you hear on here!).
oh and IF you buy a Freelander, best make sure the re-call's for water leaks have been done. Will kill your CD changer and Engine Management unit's (two seperate leaks BTW!).
Freelanders, should be just that, free, then everyone could have one, and not feel guilty about scrapping it 
I have had a couple of friends who bought them , and all sold them due to reliability issues. AirCon on all of them failed, many electrical issues.
What is it with people on this forum? A persons choice of car, should be just that, a PERSONAL choice. The OP asked about foibles the Freelander, not wether he should buy a mondeo, (insert any other crap saloon) etc. Get a grip
Personally, I would rather set fire to a Mondeo than own one, same with many of the 'box car' saloons of the modern era.
I have had a couple of friends who bought them , and all sold them due to reliability issues. AirCon on all of them failed, many electrical issues.
What is it with people on this forum? A persons choice of car, should be just that, a PERSONAL choice. The OP asked about foibles the Freelander, not wether he should buy a mondeo, (insert any other crap saloon) etc. Get a grip
Personally, I would rather set fire to a Mondeo than own one, same with many of the 'box car' saloons of the modern era.
If you want plenty of room for baby stuff, then get a decent estate car. They look nicer, driver better and are more economic than a 4x4, and also have more space than most soft roaders. Failing that, get a mum truck (aka MPV).
FakeSnake said:Freelanders, should be just that, free, then everyone could have one, and not feel guilty about scrapping it
I have had a couple of friends who bought them , and all sold them due to reliability issues. AirCon on all of them failed, many electrical issues.
What is it with people on this forum? A persons choice of car, should be just that, a PERSONAL choice.
having lived with Land/Range Rovers for all of my 27 years on this earth, i may be biased, but when it comes to OffRoad performance there really is nothing better out there that is as versatile on the road as it is off.
Reliablility IS an issue (which has been greatly improved With the Disco3 and new RRover) but even the "lowly" freelander is a brilliantly capable offroader.
(This post is aimed at those people who diss them as offroad vehicles - everything else they say may well be their opinion, but its fact offroad they are class leaders)
My family have owned, drive and raced (www.britishoffroadchampionship.co.uk 3rd overall) Landys for years, so we kinda have an inkling for their performance off tarmac
That said, if you're not going offroad there are probably better cars for you (Unless you can afford a Dsico 3 - great all rounder - awesome things really)
Reliablility IS an issue (which has been greatly improved With the Disco3 and new RRover) but even the "lowly" freelander is a brilliantly capable offroader.
(This post is aimed at those people who diss them as offroad vehicles - everything else they say may well be their opinion, but its fact offroad they are class leaders)
My family have owned, drive and raced (www.britishoffroadchampionship.co.uk 3rd overall) Landys for years, so we kinda have an inkling for their performance off tarmac
That said, if you're not going offroad there are probably better cars for you (Unless you can afford a Dsico 3 - great all rounder - awesome things really)
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Pug.
Can we clarify are you talking about Bog standard Landys etc or heavily modded Lightweights as we both know they are a world apart.
I also have to say my comments do relate to models over a couple of years old and i have No experience with the New models.
What motor do you run Pug as i will look out for it whilst walking my dog. You are in my town mate. 
Can we clarify are you talking about Bog standard Landys etc or heavily modded Lightweights as we both know they are a world apart.
I also have to say my comments do relate to models over a couple of years old and i have No experience with the New models.
What motor do you run Pug as i will look out for it whilst walking my dog. You are in my town mate.
Hehe, i should have known this thread would deteriorate into landy bashing by a bunch of people who have never driven one let alone actually owned one!
Anyone who says the Freelander is crap off road is talking out of their backsides, they might not be the best, and sure a defender will whoop its backside in the tricky and sticky stuff but then a defender will do that to 99% of vehicles off road! Freelanders are very capable off road.
On road, well its a 4x4 not a car so it doesnt behave like one, safety is ok, performance is ok but seriously consider either the V6 or more preferrably the TD4 diesel which are both excellent in reliability and return reasonable economy too.
If you want to go bigger then yes a Disco is an option but you'll be looking at a series 1 for that money which will be old and tired!!! The disco's became good with the series II which was TD5 engined and then even better with the face lift, but that wasnt around long before the disco 3 came about and thats an awsome car but rather expensive!
If you want real advice from owners, then think about asking on a landrover forum - not here. Most of the comments come from people who have read a review of one and thats it...hardly real world now is it, "i drive a *insert standard boring rep-mobile here* so therefore i can give great advice on 4x4's or any other car which i have never driven but have read about!!"
Anyone who says the Freelander is crap off road is talking out of their backsides, they might not be the best, and sure a defender will whoop its backside in the tricky and sticky stuff but then a defender will do that to 99% of vehicles off road! Freelanders are very capable off road.
On road, well its a 4x4 not a car so it doesnt behave like one, safety is ok, performance is ok but seriously consider either the V6 or more preferrably the TD4 diesel which are both excellent in reliability and return reasonable economy too.
If you want to go bigger then yes a Disco is an option but you'll be looking at a series 1 for that money which will be old and tired!!! The disco's became good with the series II which was TD5 engined and then even better with the face lift, but that wasnt around long before the disco 3 came about and thats an awsome car but rather expensive!
If you want real advice from owners, then think about asking on a landrover forum - not here. Most of the comments come from people who have read a review of one and thats it...hardly real world now is it, "i drive a *insert standard boring rep-mobile here* so therefore i can give great advice on 4x4's or any other car which i have never driven but have read about!!"
I had a 1.8 freelander hirecar once. Way underpowered and ended up with that nasty clutch burning smell when trying to hill start on anything more than a slight incline.
Deffender/Disco for the win. I'm assuming the standard rover build quality applies.
try here for more info: http://www.landrovernet.com/forum/ ...there aint nothing these chaps don't know about landrovers.
Deffender/Disco for the win. I'm assuming the standard rover build quality applies.
try here for more info: http://www.landrovernet.com/forum/ ...there aint nothing these chaps don't know about landrovers.
malc30 said:Pug.
Can we clarify are you talking about Bog standard Landys etc or heavily modded Lightweights as we both know they are a world apart.
I also have to say my comments do relate to models over a couple of years old and i have No experience with the New models.
What motor do you run Pug as i will look out for it whilst walking my dog. You are in my town mate.
heh small world.
well, my father used to race a pretty much standard defender (many, many, years ago) but my brothers is as you can imagine vastly specialised, but still running on some Landy kit. The lump (cant recall what he's running this season) produces in the region of 380BHP, and a wall of torque, and he's moved to a non-syncro close ratio box as well this year - you need ear defenders as the whine is deafening).
But working for Landrover enables my dad to play around with "normal" road going affairs, and i'll be honest they're brilliant offroaders. Even the freelander, with descent control as standard would go where no Suzuki would even DREAM of treading.
I should say he works in the Service (repair) side of things, and believe me he IS busy, so yep reliability is an issue - that i'll admit
BUT as i said, if the OP isnt offroading, its ability is for him... Early freelanders (with the 1,6 <- why oh why!?) were pretty pants, but the newer ones (even pre-facelift) were actually getting better, but they're definately budget end of the range, and as such offer little in the way of extras...
As for MY car, its a Toyota (
) Celica TSport (190), Red, and you'll know its me 'cos its got "DAX" on the plate (21st bday present before you think i'm pretentious!!)I'll toot at anyone with a dog
(btw, if anyone wants to know what i'm on about this is my brother racing at a Hillrally event. It may look like a defender, but really it's special: Racing vid (i'd "save target as" its not tiny...
Excellent vid mate.
Sounds fantastic and love the way he is hassling the dude in front.
The only real whiney Landy i can think of local is a White one covered in stickers that i see go out most Sundays following a white Tranny but i don't s'pose thats your dads.
I do know your motor though the plate makes it memorable.
Next time you see a Tall dude walking a Huge Black and white staff he will be waving at you so wave back.
Sounds fantastic and love the way he is hassling the dude in front.
The only real whiney Landy i can think of local is a White one covered in stickers that i see go out most Sundays following a white Tranny but i don't s'pose thats your dads.
I do know your motor though the plate makes it memorable.
Next time you see a Tall dude walking a Huge Black and white staff he will be waving at you so wave back.