LAND ROVER - FREE LANDER INFO NEEDED

[WICKED]

Hey you land rover geek's.

a friend of mine is thinking about buying one of these and he would like some info on them first.

good price for a late 90's model?
pro's?
con's?
after market parts?
price of said parts'?
Accerosry's (sp)?
Inherant problem's(sp)?
Vaule for money?
things to be wary off?
interior space?

he is only really looking at beach work but might do a LITTLE bit of different stuff

[RangingRover]

don't bother. Freelanders should never have been allowed to leave the factory, IMHO. Buy a discovery or old rangie instead. If you really must, the poms seem to love racing them, check their websites....

[WICKED]

don't bother. Freelanders should never have been allowed to leave the factory, IMHO. Buy a discovery or old rangie instead. If you really must, the poms seem to love racing them, check their websites....

ok why's that mate?????

[Simo63]

don't bother. Freelanders should never have been allowed to leave the factory, IMHO. Buy a discovery or old rangie instead. If you really must, the poms seem to love racing them, check their websites....

ok why's that mate?????

I've never owned one however a mate of mine works at a land Rover workshop and he says they are the biggest pile of shit ever built. I wish I could expand that for you but all I know is the 4 cylinder petrol motors are shit, the elecs play up, and the built quality is non existant. Also resale is not a word used in the same sentence as a freelander apparently.

Avoid it and buy something else.

Cheers
Simo

[RangingRover]

IRD units go on them (intermediate reduction drives), probably due to the amazingly stupid idea Rover had to run different diff ratios front and rear. Not at all cheap (think three zeros). Not uncommon for them to chew out rear diffs at the same time. The IRD is more a matter of time than a matter of if - much like Viscous transfer cases in Classic Rangies, except that you can't do anything to stop it.

The rubber mount on the front of the rear diff breaks (again, a matter of when, not if) very regularly (think 50,000kms ish), and generally leads to the diff flange smashing against the floor every time you take off.

Freeloaders all have an amazing ability to exhibit completely random faults (usually electrical, but not always), which have never been encounted before, and take many hours to find - often because they never do it when you are trying to find the problem.

The plastic coating on the inside of fuel tanks tends to delaminate (more common on diesels, I think) which then gets sucked into the intake filter screen on the fuel pump - signalled by the car running fine for about half an hour, then suddenly dieing in the ass. It will then run fine again after about an hour of sitting (when the plasticy shit has fallen out of the filter), until the filter clogs up again.

The wheel cylinders on the rear drums aren't particularly great, but thats not really freeloader specific....

As far as I know, there are no modifications easily available for them, and it wouldn't help much if there were - bigger tyres would only speed up the failure of the IRD unit (due to a now greater difference in diff ratios). They have idependent suspension, which to my mind is next to useless for any serious offroad work - although the Hilux owners might disagree there.


If you want a car to take offroad, get a real 4wd (one with a driver engagable centre diff lock, or locking hubs). Don't bother with a softroader, unless the wife wants something to drive to the hairdressers.

[-Scott-]

I recall reading of a Freelander stuck on a beach somewhere (Stockton?) because the traction control would cut power everytime it detected wheelspin, so the car could never get enough wheel speed to move far.

The only way the driver could get anywhere was to use high revs and slip the clutch - which quickly destroyed the clutch.

They may be OK on the hard packed shorefront - but so is my Sigma. Running down the beach through the soft stuff a Freelander might get away with - and so might my Sigma.
Climbing up the soft stuff to exit the beach? I wouldn't want to try it in a Freelander - or in my Sigma.

If you're serious about driving anything tougher than the mall, don't get any softroader.

Edit: If I lifted my Sigma to the same clearance as a Freelander - I can't think anywhere I'd take a Freelander I wouldn't take my Sigma.

My 2c.

Scott

[WICKED]

thanks for the tech feller's thats what i was after!!! thanks

[one_iota]

thanks for the tech feller's thats what i was after!!! thanks

I didn't see many of your mate's questions answered.

Mostly opinions from acquaintances of second cousins who once knew a mechanic who had an opinion.

I would recommend that he treads carefully and really understand what it is that he wants to do with the vehicle.

They have had issues but should be cheap by now according to advice above.

Maybe this place is not the place to find out about freeloaders. The best source would be forums that have freeloader owners.

Tell your mate to do his own research and form his own opinion rather than relying on others..maybe he should phone Alan Jones for an opinion as well.

[Micka]

Tell them to stay well away from Freelanders, Benny.

For the same sort of money ie. 12 - 22k, they can get a really good Rangie or Disco with a large amount of after market products available and problems that have been seen and dealt with before.

Freelanders are a poor excuse for a soft-roader, let alone a 4WD. Their power is pathetic. The parts from Rover are expensive. The interior on the up-spec models is good, but for beach work or anything remotely harder than speed bumps at Maccas, a Freelander is not the car.


Micka

[RangingRover]

I didn't see many of your mate's questions answered.

pro's?
con's?
Accerosry's (sp)?
Inherant problem's(sp)?
Vaule for money?
things to be wary off?

As far as I'm concerned, I answered all those questions. I see no pros with Freelanders, and there isn't much point in mentioning prices etc after shitcanning a car. He asked for opinions by posting here, and I replied with the information I've gathered from the large number of incapactated freelanders I have worked on.

[one_iota]

I said "mostly" .....so don't take it personally because it wasn't meant that way.

If I wanted to know about a rangie I would ask here.

If I wanted hands-on-info about day to day driving of a Freeloader used occasionally on sand I would be looking elsewhere as well.

I would never buy one.

But... and this was my point ....I would never send someone else out to buy one or anything else for me. I would do it myself and take the risk and the opportunity. Don't send a mate out to do your job.

WICKED (having already having formed an opinion before posting) will now go back to his mate and (being right) say that the Freeloader is absolute crap based on a few opinions informed or otherwise gathered on one forum.

WICKED jumped at the opportunity:

thanks for the tech feller's thats what i was after!!! thanks

What he was after but not necessarily his mate.

Too easy but hardly research or scientific.

so chill out ...just trying to lift the level of the debate and the credibility and usefulness of this good place

[-Scott-]

Wicked's mate wants to use one on beaches. What's the point of answering any of these questions if we believe a Freelander SHOULD NOT be driven on a beach?

The only Freelander owners I ever knew were mall cruisers. Other than that, I revert to what I've read (I read alot) in car magazines, 4wd magazines and general news media. Everything I recall reading said bad on sand (thanks to that intrusive traction control) but OK as a compact dirt road tourer. (BTW - 20 years ago, my Sigma was considered an OK dirt road tourer - and it's never intruded upon by traction control.)

If Wicked's mate wanted a Freelander for dirt road touring then the rest of the questions might be relevant.
If he wants a car to take off-road he shouldn't buy a Freelander.
If he wants to buy a Freelander he should expect trouble on a beach.

All of the above is my opinion - which is basically what was asked for, and worth exactly what Wicked has paid for it.

Scott

[one_iota]

Again you miss my point.... read my words.

He asked for information not opinion...read his questions.

BTW I could bog a Sigma,or a RAV 4 or a Freelander or a Rangie or a Cruiser in sand if I run with 40 PSI in the tyres.

[-Scott-]

You miss my point.

Mate wants to drive Freelander on beach.

Buying Freelander to drive on beach = bad idea.

Supplying the requested information would not be helping him.

What would you say if he wanted to buy the Freelander to tow a double horse float?

Scott

[Simo63]

thanks for the tech feller's thats what i was after!!! thanks

I didn't see many of your mate's questions answered.

Mostly opinions from acquaintances of second cousins who once knew a mechanic who had an opinion.

I would recommend that he treads carefully and really understand what it is that he wants to do with the vehicle.

They have had issues but should be cheap by now according to advice above.

Maybe this place is not the place to find out about freeloaders. The best source would be forums that have freeloader owners.

Tell your mate to do his own research and form his own opinion rather than relying on others..maybe he should phone Alan Jones for an opinion as well.

Hmmm ... no comment but like I said, never owned one myself but just trying to help out.

Hey good news .... I know another mechanic in town (yes another mate of a mate of a cousin who once porked the mumma of a freelander owner) who recently worked on a diesel one .. had to have the injector pump rebuilt at 100,000 kms (no comment needed there I guess) .... removed it, sent it away, got it back and tried to refit and then noticed there was no key way on the inj pump shaft shaft even though there was one in the gear .... thought to himself "how do you time these injector pumps then" .. called the diesel place that rebuilt the pump, no luck, called British Off Road, no luck, called Pacific Rover, no luck, Called MR Automotive still no luck. Nobody knew how to set the timing on these little shitboxes ..... customer not happy as the car was sitting in the workshop for a week or more waiting to find out that nobody knew how to time the thing. He eventually figured it out but it cost both him and the customer a small fortune.

Tell ya what Wicked .. pm me and i will give you the names and contact numbers of these mechanic mates of mine. Again like I said in my original post, one of them works for a land rover specialist and I'm not sure I shoud be giving details out like that over this public forum.

Then you can speak to them yourself and make up your own mind. Micks right .... get him to buy a Disco or Rangie as they are plenty cheap enought these days and a lot of fourby for the money.

Cheers
Simo

[one_iota]

You miss my point.

Mate wants to drive Freelander on beach.

Buying Freelander to drive on beach = bad idea.

Supplying the requested information would not be helping him.

What would you say if he wanted to buy the Freelander to tow a double horse float?

Scott

And my point is that he is not here to ask the questions.

[Simo63]

Okay okay .. after much consideration (and to keep one_iota happy ), I've answered all your questions:

Hey you land rover geek's.

a friend of mine is thinking about buying one of these and he would like some info on them first.

good price for a late 90's model? Whatever the scrappy will give ya for it
pro's? Got Nothing going for them
con's? Everything about them
after market parts? Probably not other than basic servicing items such as brake pads and oil filters... needs to be a demand before anyone will make aftermarket parts for them
price of said parts'? See above
Accerosry's (sp)? fluffy dice $9.95 at Autobarn.
Inherant problem's(sp)? Major birth defects .... good argument for automotive birth control
Vaule for money? Not ever
things to be wary off? Any Freelander
interior space? Limited but they have plenty of storage spaces (viva the ?? storage spaces??)

he is only really looking at beach work but might do a LITTLE bit of different stuff No idea if one has ever made it to the beach ... maybe okay as I think they have a real transfer with high and low range but maybe they don't .... I've seen commodores and other 2wd vehicles up the beach so I guess anything can do it given the right circumstances (and a tow over the soft dunes/blows)

Do your mate a favour and steer him into a Disco or Rangie. Hope that helps

[tony cordell]

suitable for road work only really in standard guise
we have a TD4 very reliable nice to drive with the Auto box

offroading one may be a receipe for problems IMHO

[SANZY]

Hi I own a 1998 Desiel Freelander.

These are acutally quite nice cars for daily driving around and light off road use. (as with any vehichle know your limits and the cars and you will be fine).

The 4 cyl Petrol models are know to have the head gasket let go at random. some have had three in a row go while the dealer was testing having replaced them.

The desiels are good with few specific problems. there are two types of desiel the old 2 litre rover desiels in teh early models and the BMW TD4 in the later one's. (TD4 is the most common in Austas the early models are mainly the petrol 4 which is bad). If you can find a V6 petrol they are quite good with few specific problems. but LR only sell the TD4 in Aust now so they are hard to find.

AS for problems well yes they have some drive line problems mainy with the IRD i belive. Also there are some electrical glitches but most are just stupid littel things that do not affect teh car day in and day out. But generally if the car does not have problems it is fine. if it has problems it is a lemon and will cost a fortune to try and fix while never getting fixed.

As for accorories they are out there and can be found. Not to many companies sell the gear but if yopu put the time in you will find the stuff. Again most of the really good stuff is from either the states or UK so you get stung for shipping. As with anything LR if you by from the dealer you will pay dealer prices for it.

As for making it more off road frendly there are two companies that make lift kits for it one is an Aust company Ironman who make 1.5 Inch springs that are considered one of the best mods you can do to your Freelander as they also help stiffen the ride when cornering (i can tell you they corner well but this helps make it better).

Interior space is very good for teh drive and passengers. I had 5 big guys travel from Penrith to Newnes in it and every one was comfortable. Lugge space is a bit small for my liking but it is a small 5 door softroader.

Hope this has given a bit of help for your mate. other wise get him to check out Muddy Oval it is a big freelander forum fron the states which will have any info he needs.

Sanzy

[stuee]

Regarding accesories I recall reading an article about the Ford WRC team producing a kit in limited numbers which they used on the freelander for testing rally stages and what not (I don't think their allowed to use the same car as what they race to test stages??? could be wrong). I think the kit was nearly a full underbody replacement (new suspension components, drive shafts, diffs etc). So I'm sure even with enough money even one of the worst land rovers ever designed could be alright off road .

I think I also recall reading in an LRO that originally the engineers wanted a hi/low transfer case but I think budget restrictions meant that was never going to happen. Wonder what coul've been .

Also one of my experiences with them was when I was getting the fuel pump replaced in the disco. The guys viscous coupling in the transfer went and they were quoting upwards of $2000 to fix it. Poor fella wanted to just sell it but seeing as how its nearly worthless with a buggered centre diff he can't really get rid of it .

[RangingRover]

I'm sure with enough money spent they could be too, as a lot of poms seem to race them offroad quite happily....

Recent posts reminded me of two things - one was a certain freelander which arrived for a roadworthy - first glance in the car revealed an underbody neon controller, so of course this had to be investigated straight away (all in the name of roadworthying of course!). Quick look under the car revealed an interesting fitting method - to make them fit, the owner had cut a hole (via drilling multiple holes in a circle and cold chiseling) which was about 2.5 inches round - STRAIGHT THROUGH THE OUTRIGGER OF THE SUBFRAME. Intelligence Quotient: Not applicable in this case. Needless to say, that was one of the fastest roadworthy fails in history.

The other thing was on 4 cyl petrol freelanders - the intake manifolds are sealed with basically rubber o-rings, which are prone to leaking straight into the cylinder.

And while I'm on manifolds, V6 freelanders have a butterfly in each runner of the (plastic) intake manifold - these have been known to break one or two linkages internally, causing much rattling (as it flaps around under manifold vacuum), and slightly reduced performance. The only fix is to replace the whole manifold, as the butterflies are completely internal to the manifold.

[justinC]

Just MY 2c's worth then,

I concur with just about all but the more extreme remarks, and just to add that the 4cyl diesel freeloaders are all running the electronic bosch injector pump, and as such MINIMUM price for a rebuild of one of these, at about 100,000km usually, is around $3800.
We also have encountered this stupid lack of a key on the pump shaft, although there is a keyway, there is no key!!!! This took us about 4 hours to rectify, firstly by timing the engine to TDC No1, then fitting the pumpbelt, then fitting the pump with the smallest of bareley visible marks left behind on the gear where the old pump keyway was. Then we just hit the key and away she went. HORROR story.

Please don't recommend he buys one, and no one has mentioned yet the lack of a low range in the transfer case...


JC

[justinC]

Just MY 2c's worth then,

I concur with just about all but the more extreme remarks, and just to add that the 4cyl diesel freeloaders are all running the electronic bosch injector pump, and as such MINIMUM price for a rebuild of one of these, at about 100,000km usually, is around $3800.
We also have encountered this stupid lack of a key on the pump shaft, although there is a keyway, there is no key!!!! This took us about 4 hours to rectify, firstly by timing the engine to TDC No1, then fitting the pumpbelt, then fitting the pump with the smallest of bareley visible marks left behind on the gear where the old pump keyway was. Then we just hit the key and away she went. HORROR story.

Please don't recommend he buys one, and no one has mentioned yet the lack of a low range in the transfer case...


JC

[one_iota]

Well having stirred this up a bit

This is what I said (no one bothered to read that because maybe they were too busy defending their positions):

If I wanted hands-on-info about day to day driving of a Freeloader used occasionally on sand I would be looking elsewhere as well.

I would never buy one.

If his mate sacked his solicitor (WICKED) and went to this place, he would get a broader view:

http://www.landroveraddict.com/ubbthrea ... =0&page=21

And the thread is appropriately entitled

And no I am not a lawyer but I rest my case

[WICKED]

thanks for all the news and info guy's.

we were after (tech) short coming's and problems that the have. these question's were answered.

very helpful info.......... mate is now lookin at suzki Grand Vitara's

[RUFF]

Ben call Hans at Rover Park he will tell you what he thinks of Freelanders. He got rid of his last year after it spending more time at Landrover being fixed than at his place being driven.

[WICKED]

Well having stirred this up a bit

This is what I said (no one bothered to read that because maybe they were too busy defending their positions):

If I wanted hands-on-info about day to day driving of a Freeloader used occasionally on sand I would be looking elsewhere as well.

I would never buy one.

If his mate sacked his solicitor (WICKED) and went to this place, he would get a broader view:

http://www.landroveraddict.com/ubbthrea ... =0&page=21

And the thread is appropriately entitled

And no I am not a lawyer but I rest my case

i print out everything that get's posted and he reads it for himself.

[WICKED]

Ben call Hans at Rover Park he will tell you what he thinks of Freelanders. He got rid of his last year after it spending more time at Landrover being fixed than at his place being driven.

thanks ton