Land Rover Freelander 1997 - 2004 - Used car, experiences

Land Rover Freelander

Future buyers of used first-generation Freelanders should limit themselves to models manufactured after 2001. There are no "expensive issues" on this car, and several shortcomings are solved at surprisingly low prices. This Brit is cheaper to maintain than many compacts!

The UK is far away and their cars are still just exotics on our roads. If you want a British used car, the only rational choice is the Land Rover Freelander. Forget about MGs, at Jaguars, on the Lotus and other exotics. Freelander is the only British car that fully fits into the unique atmosphere of the European car market. That's why it was the best-selling small SUV from 1997, when it was introduced, until 2001, when it was only slightly modified. The real redesign came only in 2004. In any case, there is no shortage of first-generation Freelanders on our roads and in used car ads. It is easy to notice that diesel is still prevalent in this case, but there are also a good number of gasoline engines. Practically, the ratio of diesel to gasoline is 70 percent to 30 percent in favor of diesel. So, it is clear, after all, buyers of such cars, after all, still opt for those powered by a diesel engine.

With proper and timely maintenance, the Land Rover Freelander is as reliable as other cars from the period it was manufactured. Although all Freelanders are characterized by problems with stabilizers, cardan mounts and cardan crosses, cheap replacement parts allow regular replacement of worn parts, making Freeladner economically viable as smaller cars.

Freelanders with a 1,8-liter engine older than 2001 have problems with the cylinder head gasket. The old cylinder head gasket is quite delicate and needs to be replaced after 100.000 miles. The Land Rover is aware of the problem, so the replacement cylinder head gasket is significantly more resilient, meaning it will last much longer. So, if you are buying a Freelander with less than 150.000 miles and with an original cylinder head gasket, be prepared for the investment.

In addition, the Freelanders had problems with the window lifts. The five-door window lift is especially sensitive. Specifically, the tailgate opens sideways, and only the lower metal part opens, which means that every time the window is opened, it must be lowered slightly to allow the door to open at all (the same system as the coupe). However, during cold days, the entire electric window opening system can freeze, making it impossible to open the rear window and, therefore, open the tailgate. The easiest thing to do is wait for the thaw. These problems have been remedied since 2001.

Moreover, in 2001, the Rover two-liter diesel TCI was replaced with a BMWwith the TD4 two-liter engine. With similar power, the new engine consumed less fuel, but was also significantly more reliable than the Rover engine. Otherwise, this engine was installed in BMWs limousines. In addition to the new engine, the position of the PTO has also been changed, and the Freelander has received a new improved automatic transmission. The result was a significantly more reliable car, but over the years of exploitation, standard flaws have surfaced. The Freelander has obvious problems with the PTO crossbars and the PTO mounts as well as the suspension stabilizers. Namely, repairers noticed that cardan crosses, as well as cardan carriers in our conditions can withstand up to thirty thousand kilometers. That is low mileage, but these parts are also extremely acceptable. So Land Rover is aware of the short life span of these parts, so the price is adjusted for frequent replacement.

Stabilizers have an even shorter service life, changing after only 15.000 to 20.000 kilometers. Given that the prices of the parts are acceptable, Freelander successfully dispels the myth of expensive and difficult maintenance of British vehicles. In fact, it turns out that maintaining a Freelander is simpler and cheaper than maintaining a large number of compacts that were produced in the late XNUMXs and early XNUMXs.

The fuel pump on the two-liter TD4 engine is sensitive to fuels that do not meet high standards.

There are two body versions of the Freelander on offer in our market. The three-door was especially popular because of the unique way of removing the rear part of the roof, which is why this SUV practically turned into a convertible. However, the one with five doors is more functional. In addition, most Freelanders are richly equipped. Electric windows are certainly standard, while most models have air conditioning, multifunction steering wheel and the like. It was with such rich equipment that he separated himself from the classical representatives of the class to which he belonged.

Land Rover Freelander

Revoke

Land Rover The Freelander has been recalled five times. A total of 118.123 specimens were recalled and a mechanical problem was expressed on each. More than 68.000 copies were recalled due to hand brake problems. In special conditions, the parking brake could release itself. On all models, Land Rover replaced certain elements of the parking brake actuation mechanism, which completely nullified the problem. The recalls included models manufactured from 01.06.1997. until 18.03.2002. years.

This car even today carries the charm it had when it was just introduced. The unusual appearance, the Land Rover name and four-wheel drive, created an excellent image, while affordable replacement parts prices made it widespread. Judging by the experience of the driver so far, but also on the advice of a service technician, buyers of such a vehicle should choose models made after 2001, preferably with a two-liter TD4 engine.

Positive

Low maintenance costs and the availability of replacement parts are basic features of Freelander. Also, modern engines are up to today's standards.

Negative

Models manufactured before 2001 are significantly more sensitive than younger models. If you are a Freelander buyer, it is best to choose the more expensive and younger versions.

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Mladen

Hi there, I am Mladen and I am an auto enthusiast. I started this blog years ago to help like minded people share information about latest cars, car servicing ideas, used car info, exotic cars, and auto technology. You will find helpful articles and videos on a wide variety of cars - Audi, Mercedes, Toyota, Porsche, Volvo, BMW and much more. Ping us if you have anything cool to share on latest cars or on how to make older cars more efficient, or just want to say hi!