I want to buy a Freelander

Any suggestions on which options to get? Im want to get the SE model.

Are you buying new or second hand?

Also, what do you want to use the Freelander for?

When ever I look to buy a new vehicle, I list what i want from it first, then write down they things that would also be nice to have.

I hate packing everything into my car when I goto the beach, which I go almost every weekend. So the car get filled with skimboard, and boogie boards. Plus RWD sucks for winter, so I want something awd too.

Sounds like a freebie would do you fine.. They do some good roof racks for the five door versions, which would mean you could fixed the boards on the roof.. means you could use the interior space better.  Not sure how big the boards are though.

Yes, I drove a BMW in the winter, with snow and ice on the ground, too scary, didn't even dare to have fun with it.  Much prefer the landies for that.

Exactly. Yes there is traction control on my E46, but that doesnt mean anything with 333 BMW hp behind it.

The BMW I drove didn't have traction control, and was the estate version, so the rear was even more happy to go where it wanted to.

Have you had a chance to test drive a Freelander yet?  I think you will find it quite different from the BMW.  (not as fast for a start )

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Not yet. Got an appointment to meet with them next week.

Best of luck, by the way, how old is the Freelander your looking at?

 

2004.

2004, that is new... no problems there then..

I just got an 05 se in october. we were in washington dc and were wasting some time so we went on a test drive. needless to say, we had to cancel our flight reservations back to texas. from virginia to texas was a fun and interesting drive. there are a lot of hicks between the two. nevertheless, it was fun. the se beats the crap out of the bronco II i drive to school, i want to do a comparison test between the Bronco II, the se and a friend of mine has a jeep liberty, i want to see how they stack up. my guess is the 86 will be last, lol, oh well

Don't do it!!!! I have a Freelander 2002 and I've had nothing but problems with it. Landrover has actually discontinued the model. You can check on their website...it doesn't even list it as a model any more. I've had my rover in the shop 12 times and 11 of those times was for replacement of defective parts!! Not a good percentage.

They advertise that this vehicle is the most travelled vehicle on earth and yet I can't get it out of the driveway!!! They talk about adventerous, quality, and supermacy but I have not seen any of these qualities. Save your money and buy something else.

Dont Buy, I work for a land rover dealership and those ****ing freeloaders are nothing, but fancy ford escapes. They are based on the same platform as the escape and share many similar parts. They have many problems, mainly the trans. It lags, jerks and anything you can think of. The ride quality is not really that good and they dont preform like other land rovers. I would suggest you look else where. Maybe a honda or something like that.

Wow... just joined and I'd have to say that I'm leaving now. This site pretty much is crap. I've read threed threads and two of them said "freelanders suck"

I'm about to buy one and here is my .02:

friends who have them love them. People who don't but have "heard" they have problems say don't get them. Yes, they are not the most dependable car. If all you are interested in is dependability then buy a toyota and quit your bitching. If you want something that you like and that looks unique and is fun to own, work on, modify, etc.... yea, join the Land Rover club.

I'mm outta here.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Gangplank

Wow... just joined and I'd have to say that I'm leaving now. This site pretty much is crap. I've read threed threads and two of them said "freelanders suck"

I'm about to buy one and here is my .02:

friends who have them love them. People who don't but have "heard" they have problems say don't get them. Yes, they are not the most dependable car. If all you are interested in is dependability then buy a toyota and quit your bitching. If you want something that you like and that looks unique and is fun to own, work on, modify, etc.... yea, join the Land Rover club.

I'mm outta here.

Gangplank, I totally agree. I love my freeland '05. People who don't like their vehicles are more inclined to talk about it. Those people who do, thanks for letting us know your problems. Just remember, every brand has it's bad seeds but thank goodness mine is not one of them. I get plenty of compliments about my car and I take care of it like it's my baby. I haven't heard many problems with 04's and above. The gear shifting is a little loose from my last vehicle 525i BMW '00 and the trunk space is a bit small but I needed something AWD. Oh and definitely buy used. All those kinks people talk about are usuaully worked through after 2-3 years of use. Also, maintenance is everything. You can find sites that tell you what you need to do at each mile marker. Do Them!!!! You can make any car last as long as you take care of them. Learn how your car works and figure out things you can do yourself. That will cut down ur maint. costs substantially (ex. brake pads, oil changes, spark plugs, etc.). Never go to the dealership (stealership) unless you have to. They are just like anyother dealership, they will be expensive and a pain in the tail.

My sister loves her 2002 Freelander, even though it's spent more than 60 days (collectively) in the shop, over the past four years.

Some facts to consider:

J.D. Power 2006 Vehicle Dependability Study
http://money.cnn.com/2006/08/08/autos/jdpower_dependability/index.htm
"The lowest-ranking brand in this year's survey was Land Rover, which had 438 problems per 100 vehicles, compared to just 136 for Lexus and 151 for Mercury. Saab was second worst with a score of 326."

Consumer Reports Best & Worst
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/pricing/best-worst-in-car-reliability-1005/best-worst-models/index.htm
"These 2006 models earned the highest and lowest Predicted Reliability Ratings, based on CR's 2005 reliability survey."
"Least Reliable Mid-sized SUVs" includes (but is not limited to): Land Rover LR3, and Land Rover Range Rover.

Bryan, I have a 2004 SE-3 (removeable roof) and I love it. Great handling, exceptional stability in rough weather (rain, snow). I frequently drive up to the CT to visit parents - mostly during the winter. All wheel drive all the time - love it. In the past 2 years I've put 40,000 miles on it (mostly highway) - I drive it ALOT! If you are interested, make sure you get the HSE model, if interested the 5 door. Or get a loaded SE-3 like mine. We do some jetskiing in the summer and it tows the ski's without a complaint. Take the roof off, and leave the glass panels in the carrying bag and I'm off.

-Stefan

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Seeing that you are in the USA, you will be have to be out of your mind to by the Freelander with the KV6.. The motors are junk, so many go out that they are now hard to get. Not to mention that once the motor goes out, and if it gets replaced, who knows how long the tranny will last.

As for the TD4, you will have to ask the mates overseas.

Other problems, window regulators were a big problem, sunroof rails and motors jam up. Thermostat housings leak, lower control arms go loose..

Do yourself a favour and buy a Disco instead, you'll save yourself a fortune and you're be buying a proper Landrover.

quote:

ORIGINAL: lr66

Seeing that you are in the USA, you will be have to be out of your mind to by the Freelander with the KV6.. The motors are junk, so many go out that they are now hard to get. Not to mention that once the motor goes out, and if it gets replaced, who knows how long the tranny will last.

As for the TD4, you will have to ask the mates overseas.

Other problems, window regulators were a big problem, sunroof rails and motors jam up. Thermostat housings leak, lower control arms go loose..

 
I'm assuming mine is the KV6 (2.5L 24V DOHC works great for us US guys) then we know exactly WTF you're talking about.
 
Mine has the 2.5L 24V DOHC and I love it. I cut off the resonator and gained 3-4 mpg hwy and I've had a best of 26mpg going to Fort Worth. It's fun to drive, I've had it up to 123mph and it handled great. it's my daily driver along with an f-150.
 
only thing i don't like about it is the lack of low range.

If you are interested, here is a resource I created to help buyers (and sellers) figure out the best prices for their cars. Here are some ACTUAL prices for the Land Rover Freelander:

http://www.pricehub.com/price/Land+Rover/Freelander

If you like the site and have suggestions, let me know. If it sucks, I want to know too. Thanks!

I love my 2002 freelander.  Never had a problem with it.  My wife says it's got to go.  She wants a new house.  I'm bummed.  I suppose it's overpriced, so I'm open to suggestions.
 
http://www.tusco.net/index.cfm?handler=classified-detail.cfm&classifiedads=yes&recid=%25%295%2BX2%2FH%20%0A

Did you buy one? If so, how has it held up?

WOW I have always liked Land Rovers so when I was finally in the market for one the 2002 or 2003 Freelander seemed the best choice for my needs. Not too bad on gas, not too big, half decent trunk space, pretty good price wise and I particularly like the looks. But after joining 4 Land Rover forums the one thing common thing I've been noticing is the terrible reviews by owner's.
 
Repairs, repairs, repairs. I've always perceived Land Rovers to have such great reliability & quality but for some reason the Freelander seems to be a lemon. So did Land Rover introduce this model for the sake of having a mini-SUV in the marketplace and disregarded their reputation?
 
It's a true shame because Land Rover has just lost a potential customer, a brand loyal one to boot.

The main issues for the 02-04 FL are the sunroof, pwr window modules failing. The biggest complaint, Engine Failure and mostly caused by the timing belt slipping or breaking. Being an interference engine, this will damage the engine - $$$$$. Good Luck..