First gen Land Rover Freelanders? Money pit?

[ga41]

What do you guys think about the 1st gen Freelander? I'm after a small-ish diesel SUV for a daily driver but with actual mild off-road capabilities. Noticed that used Freelanders are extremely cheap out here. I can get a 2000 2.0lt tdi model for around 3000 euro... What's the catch??

 

[Ewazix]

Your title nearly got it right, try - First gen Land Rover Freelanders? Money Pit! Everybody I know who has had one loved the vehicle but couldn't live with the problems.

The post 2000 BMW Diesel engine is better, and general build quality improved after 2002 but they are all renowned for transmission suspension and electrical problems which are expensive to fix as they get older. The Warranty Direct reliability rating puts the the pre 2003 at the bottom of list, lower than a rattlesnakes belly :thumbsdown:

http://www.reliabilityindex.com/reliability/search/151

 

[Carol M]

I've got an 01 plate Freelander with just 13k on the clock.
It's a petrol engine (yeah, I know) bit of a thirsty beastie but its a bad weather bus and its never missed a beat since I had it.
I love it.

 

[Ewazix]

I've got an 01 plate Freelander with just 13k on the clock.
It's a petrol engine (yeah, I know) bit of a thirsty beastie but its a bad weather bus and its never missed a beat since I had it.
I love it.

Freelanders are obviously easy to forgive :wink:

"Stupid car broke down!"
http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=44391&p=634048&hilit=freelander#p634048

 

[Carol M]

I've got an 01 plate Freelander with just 13k on the clock.
It's a petrol engine (yeah, I know) bit of a thirsty beastie but its a bad weather bus and its never missed a beat since I had it.
I love it.

Freelanders are obviously easy to forgive :wink:

"Stupid car broke down!"
http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=44391&p=634048&hilit=freelander#p634048

Omg Freelander police! olice:
If you read on, it was just a perished hose. For its age that's forgivable.

 

[Ewazix]

I've got an 01 plate Freelander with just 13k on the clock.
It's a petrol engine (yeah, I know) bit of a thirsty beastie but its a bad weather bus and its never missed a beat since I had it.
I love it.

Freelanders are obviously easy to forgive :wink:

"Stupid car broke down!"
http://www.z4-forum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=44391&p=634048&hilit=freelander#p634048

Omg Freelander police! olice:
If you read on, it was just a perished hose. For its age that's forgivable.

Nah I remembered mentioning the possibility of a head gasket when you were having problems at the time :lol:

 

[Toe-side]

The catch is .........the early diesel engines go 'bang' and land rover got away with it.
Apologies for over generalising but the the early Diesel engines are "problematic" :wink:

 

[Sae]

I can't remember but my only worry would be that 1st gen freelanders are 2* ncap... I think - although I'm sure because my old Fiat600 and early freelanders were 2*ncap from a safety test article I read a very long time ago...

 

[Breaker]

I've been running an old year 2000 Diahatsu Terrios. Been fantastic in the snow and has never gone wrong. A bit of rust underneath fixed last MOT but the engine just keeps going, and I haven't exactly maintained it!! Gets washed bi-annually!

 

[ga41]

The newer shape Terios would be perfect, pretty just the right size and economical but they're expensive.... Too much money for what you're getting. 2006 ones are more than 10,000 euro! The older shape ones are too ugly for me...

One i've just started looking at is the Pajero iO. Or Pinin, or Shogun Pinin. Whatever you call it it was Mitsubishi's small SUV, UK ones were also available with a 2.0lt but out here i can only get the 1.8lt 4 pot*. Like the looks, they're handy off-road and should be more economical than the Z for the daily grind in any case! What do you guys think?



*they're petrol only.

 

[Z4MO]

I had a 56 plate Adventurer diesel with the BMW engine which I kept 14 months, no problems whatsoever.
It was awesome and was able to deal with hills and slopes in the heavy snow with consumate ease. I'd recommend something similar although may be a little more money

 

[mike]

My wife had a 2004 Tdi - we bought it new - within 2 days it needed a new clutch. Thereafter it spent much of its life having warranty work done. At the end of the warranty it had required 2 clutches, 1 differential, a new gear-box, 3 new window mechanisms and new carpets (due to a leak they could never find). It was, however, fun to drive and utterly brilliant in the snow. I would just not have one without a warranty

 

[shawna]

Amazing mike were you jinxed??

 

[srhutch]

Sorry to go OT, but is your ///M up and running yet?

 

[ga41]

Sorry to go OT, but is your ///M up and running yet?

All the parts are here but now i need parts for my mechanic! He suffered an accident while biking and he badly broke his leg... Still slowly working on my car though... It'll get there eventually.