RE: The worst used car in Britain
Discussion
In fairness to the K-series, it's a good engine if the head gasket issue is sorted with the uprated parts kit. Used to have a 1.4 K in a 1994 Rover 214 and it was revvy and lightweight, made good power for the size.
L-series diesel seems to be reliable, though a bit underpowered in the Freelander. Can be tuned to cope better with the weight.
The K-series got a bad rep. but, as an example, the Mercedes M103 straight six, regarded as bulletproof, also has a habit of regularly blowing head gaskets at around 100k miles or less but was not trashed as unreliable rubbish in its day.
Seems to be another example of Brits bashing Brit cars....
L-series diesel seems to be reliable, though a bit underpowered in the Freelander. Can be tuned to cope better with the weight.
The K-series got a bad rep. but, as an example, the Mercedes M103 straight six, regarded as bulletproof, also has a habit of regularly blowing head gaskets at around 100k miles or less but was not trashed as unreliable rubbish in its day.
Seems to be another example of Brits bashing Brit cars....
FWIW, I had a 1.8 Freeloader from new in 2001 - kept it for five years without a hitch. Suspect the head gasket was on it's way out when I sold it on though.
Pretty good off-road for a softroader with a petrol engine - kept up with my brother's classic RR around the Abingdon off-road course.
I liked it.
Pretty good off-road for a softroader with a petrol engine - kept up with my brother's classic RR around the Abingdon off-road course.
I liked it.
I had 2, both 04 facelift TD4 SE 3 door manuals.
First one was superb, only 2 flaws were an inch scratch on the bonnet and a scratch on the centre console.
It was written off after 7 weeks by a lorry skidding on black ice.
2nd one, was a bag of s
te. First owner had neglected it, ran it on petrol and generally shagged it right out, even at 37k on the clock it was not a patch on the first and that had 20k more miles on the clock.
Everything broke on it, it cost me a fortune to keep right and was not helped by 3 separate garages, 1 a LR indy as well. Screwing it up with diff repairs and cheap st parts.
When it worked it was a great car, but i got rid at 74k as it needed 4 new injectors, a fuel pump and the replaced slave cylinder was acting up.
With good tyres it went round off road courses better than 90s and RRC's due to traction control and light weight, superb in snowy conditions as well, very happy to be thrown about and they handle pretty well.
I used to take mine on Scottish PH runs, and i was never the last car in the groups...
First one was superb, only 2 flaws were an inch scratch on the bonnet and a scratch on the centre console.
It was written off after 7 weeks by a lorry skidding on black ice.
2nd one, was a bag of s
te. First owner had neglected it, ran it on petrol and generally shagged it right out, even at 37k on the clock it was not a patch on the first and that had 20k more miles on the clock.Everything broke on it, it cost me a fortune to keep right and was not helped by 3 separate garages, 1 a LR indy as well. Screwing it up with diff repairs and cheap s
t parts.When it worked it was a great car, but i got rid at 74k as it needed 4 new injectors, a fuel pump and the replaced slave cylinder was acting up.
With good tyres it went round off road courses better than 90s and RRC's due to traction control and light weight, superb in snowy conditions as well, very happy to be thrown about and they handle pretty well.
I used to take mine on Scottish PH runs, and i was never the last car in the groups...
300bhp/ton said:
Toaster Pilot said:
Note to self - ignore those cheap Freelanders you keep seeing....
You could. But read the article above and it's sqaurely aimed at the 1.8 K-series. And the motoring media always seem to forget the 2.0 L-Series diesel, almost as powerful as the Td4, slightly better on fuel and even more reliable than the often fickle BMW engine.Make sure you read up on IRD and VCU issues.
It also broke down a lot, electrical gremlins, VCU gave up, ruined the IRD and rear diff immediately. Clutch slave cylinder, windows, leaky rear drums.
All in all not a good car. Looked nice though.
I'm sure you take the less defended opinion on here for the sake of something to argue about
300bhp/ton said:
IrishAsal said:
Does anyone have any info on the Freelander 2??
My sister insists on buying one (I mean really insists) but if the problem is solely related to the head gasket / engine trouble of the K series, perhaps other model years / engines are okay?
Freelanders are good vehicles period. Just read up on the problem areas. You'll find all cars have these, no matter what make or model. Only some get publicised more heavily.My sister insists on buying one (I mean really insists) but if the problem is solely related to the head gasket / engine trouble of the K series, perhaps other model years / engines are okay?
te, much like most LR products of that Vintage.blindswelledrat said:
My post from the "worst cars you've owned" thread:
Land Rover Freelander.
That fking of a car was the biggest stinking pile of st that has ever disgraced our roads.
Everything, and I mean everything about it was fking dire and made out of what I can only assume was actual crap moulded vaguely into a shape that resembled a car.
Bear in mind it was 3 years old and with about 30k miles when I bought it, every month something very expensive went wrong with it.
THe list was fking endless and ludicrously expnsive to fix. Which is a massive double insult if they build parts out of cheap plastic and then charge you ridiculous amounts to replace the st inferior parts that they provide you with.
I think running costs were something in the region of £1000 per month over the short period I owned it, which worked out at around double the Maserati I owned at the same time (which included a £2k service and £2k for discs all round).
When I came to sell the fking dgst of a thing, I threw a ludicrous amount of money at the dealer to sort everything that needed doing for him to call me back and tell me that the chassis had sheered in half (or similar) despite the fact it had never done anything but the school run.
I hate that with a fking passion that I cannot even adequately put into words and I despite Land Rover forever for subjecting me to it's ownership. I owned that about 10 years ago now and it still puts my blood pressure up writing about it
Im going to go out on a limb here, I dont think he liked the Freelander!Land Rover Freelander.
That f
king of a car was the biggest stinking pile of st that has ever disgraced our roads.Everything, and I mean everything about it was f
king dire and made out of what I can only assume was actual crap moulded vaguely into a shape that resembled a car.Bear in mind it was 3 years old and with about 30k miles when I bought it, every month something very expensive went wrong with it.
THe list was f
king endless and ludicrously expnsive to fix. Which is a massive double insult if they build parts out of cheap plastic and then charge you ridiculous amounts to replace the st inferior parts that they provide you with. I think running costs were something in the region of £1000 per month over the short period I owned it, which worked out at around double the Maserati I owned at the same time (which included a £2k service and £2k for discs all round).
When I came to sell the f
king dgst of a thing, I threw a ludicrous amount of money at the dealer to sort everything that needed doing for him to call me back and tell me that the chassis had sheered in half (or similar) despite the fact it had never done anything but the school run.I hate that
with a fking passion that I cannot even adequately put into words and I despite Land Rover forever for subjecting me to it's ownership. I owned that about 10 years ago now and it still puts my blood pressure up writing about itI remember I got a loan of one while my car was in the garage, dayinsured it and drove it back home.
The first roundabout I came across I nearly fell off the seat, huge bodyroll, no support, I had to wrestle myself back onto the seat (note: not 'into' the seat) using the steering wheel, it's a good job nothing else was on the roundabout, I was all over the place.
Noisy, slow, thirsty, unsafe pile of ste.
The first roundabout I came across I nearly fell off the seat, huge bodyroll, no support, I had to wrestle myself back onto the seat (note: not 'into' the seat) using the steering wheel, it's a good job nothing else was on the roundabout, I was all over the place.
Noisy, slow, thirsty, unsafe pile of s
te.Devil2575 said:
300bhp/ton said:
IrishAsal said:
Does anyone have any info on the Freelander 2??
My sister insists on buying one (I mean really insists) but if the problem is solely related to the head gasket / engine trouble of the K series, perhaps other model years / engines are okay?
Freelanders are good vehicles period. Just read up on the problem areas. You'll find all cars have these, no matter what make or model. Only some get publicised more heavily.My sister insists on buying one (I mean really insists) but if the problem is solely related to the head gasket / engine trouble of the K series, perhaps other model years / engines are okay?
te, much like most LR products of that Vintage.
Love the quote 'all cars have these'. They don't.
Silverbullet767 said:
I remember I got a loan of one while my car was in the garage, dayinsured it and drove it back home.
The first roundabout I came across I nearly fell off the seat, huge bodyroll, no support, I had to wrestle myself back onto the seat (note: not 'into' the seat) using the steering wheel, it's a good job nothing else was on the roundabout, I was all over the place.
Noisy, slow, thirsty, unsafe pile of ste.
What a load of misguided and inaccurate info. I'm guessing you don't actually drive any other 4x4's then?The first roundabout I came across I nearly fell off the seat, huge bodyroll, no support, I had to wrestle myself back onto the seat (note: not 'into' the seat) using the steering wheel, it's a good job nothing else was on the roundabout, I was all over the place.
Noisy, slow, thirsty, unsafe pile of s
te.will261058 said:
blindswelledrat said:
My post from the "worst cars you've owned" thread:
Land Rover Freelander.
That fking of a car was the biggest stinking pile of st that has ever disgraced our roads.
Everything, and I mean everything about it was fking dire and made out of what I can only assume was actual crap moulded vaguely into a shape that resembled a car.
Bear in mind it was 3 years old and with about 30k miles when I bought it, every month something very expensive went wrong with it.
THe list was fking endless and ludicrously expnsive to fix. Which is a massive double insult if they build parts out of cheap plastic and then charge you ridiculous amounts to replace the st inferior parts that they provide you with.
I think running costs were something in the region of £1000 per month over the short period I owned it, which worked out at around double the Maserati I owned at the same time (which included a £2k service and £2k for discs all round).
When I came to sell the fking dgst of a thing, I threw a ludicrous amount of money at the dealer to sort everything that needed doing for him to call me back and tell me that the chassis had sheered in half (or similar) despite the fact it had never done anything but the school run.
I hate that with a fking passion that I cannot even adequately put into words and I despite Land Rover forever for subjecting me to it's ownership. I owned that about 10 years ago now and it still puts my blood pressure up writing about it
Im going to go out on a limb here, I dont think he liked the Freelander!Land Rover Freelander.
That f
king of a car was the biggest stinking pile of st that has ever disgraced our roads.Everything, and I mean everything about it was f
king dire and made out of what I can only assume was actual crap moulded vaguely into a shape that resembled a car.Bear in mind it was 3 years old and with about 30k miles when I bought it, every month something very expensive went wrong with it.
THe list was f
king endless and ludicrously expnsive to fix. Which is a massive double insult if they build parts out of cheap plastic and then charge you ridiculous amounts to replace the st inferior parts that they provide you with. I think running costs were something in the region of £1000 per month over the short period I owned it, which worked out at around double the Maserati I owned at the same time (which included a £2k service and £2k for discs all round).
When I came to sell the f
king dgst of a thing, I threw a ludicrous amount of money at the dealer to sort everything that needed doing for him to call me back and tell me that the chassis had sheered in half (or similar) despite the fact it had never done anything but the school run.I hate that
with a fking passion that I cannot even adequately put into words and I despite Land Rover forever for subjecting me to it's ownership. I owned that about 10 years ago now and it still puts my blood pressure up writing about it
Devil2575 said:
No they are not. They are utter ste, much like most LR products of that Vintage.
So is your opinion coming from actual first hand experience?te, much like most LR products of that Vintage.I'll raise you:
2 x Freelander
2 x 4.6 HSE p38a Range Rovers
5 x Range Rover classics (V8 and VM)
4 x Disco 1's (V8 and Tdi)
3 x Defenders
5 x different Rover cars with the 1.8 K-Series
1 x Rover 825 (uses a KV6)
1 x ZS180 (again KV6)
If I include close family this count rises by 4 x Disco 2's, a few more 90's and 110's, a couple of D1's, a D3, D4 and a couple more classic Range Rovers and at least 2 more Freelanders.
300bhp/ton said:
Devil2575 said:
No they are not. They are utter ste, much like most LR products of that Vintage.
So is your opinion coming from actual first hand experience?te, much like most LR products of that Vintage.I'll raise you:
2 x Freelander
2 x 4.6 HSE p38a Range Rovers
5 x Range Rover classics (V8 and VM)
4 x Disco 1's (V8 and Tdi)
3 x Defenders
5 x different Rover cars with the 1.8 K-Series
1 x Rover 825 (uses a KV6)
1 x ZS180 (again KV6)
If I include close family this count rises by 4 x Disco 2's, a few more 90's and 110's, a couple of D1's, a D3, D4 and a couple more classic Range Rovers and at least 2 more Freelanders.
300bhp/ton said:
Devil2575 said:
No they are not. They are utter ste, much like most LR products of that Vintage.
So is your opinion coming from actual first hand experience?te, much like most LR products of that Vintage.I'll raise you:
2 x Freelander
2 x 4.6 HSE p38a Range Rovers
5 x Range Rover classics (V8 and VM)
4 x Disco 1's (V8 and Tdi)
3 x Defenders
5 x different Rover cars with the 1.8 K-Series
1 x Rover 825 (uses a KV6)
1 x ZS180 (again KV6)
If I include close family this count rises by 4 x Disco 2's, a few more 90's and 110's, a couple of D1's, a D3, D4 and a couple more classic Range Rovers and at least 2 more Freelanders.
It's based on the experience of my sister.
Bought a 2.5 year old Freelander. Drivers side door window failed. Took it to LR who told her the window runner had corroded away due to a failed seal. Not covered under warranty.
Had no end of s
te with it, from mechanical to electrical failures. In the end took it to her local mechanic who produced a list of problems. He recommended that they fix the urgent ones and trade it in which they did.The experience of a work colleage.
Bought a J reg Disco at about 6 years old with 70k on the clock. Needed a new gear box amongst other things. Traded it in for a P reg nearly new one that blew it's head gasket and consumed it's own oil till it siezed. Had it repaired and it dripped oil on his drive no matter how many times he had it back. Straw that broke the cammels back was it went into the dealer for a recall on the fuel line. Drove it home and filled the tank with diesel. 10 miles later ran out of diesel. Full tank on the A19/A174. 5 cars crashed, all of whom tried to claim on his insurance. LR refused to take any responsibility or help in any way, Dealer took over a year to accept any sort of responsibility but then only one claim at a time. My colleague was tied up in legal issues for about 2 years. Replaced with a brand new one. Aircon held charge for less than 1 year. Dealer said this was normal. After a big service started dripping oil. Eventually saw sense and replaced with a Volvo, but the px price that got for the Disco was poor and even when they tried to sell it to the dealer that had sold it to them they were not interested, sorry "we don't want it". Lost something like 15k in 2 years IIRC.
The experience of a bloke who runs an offroad experience.
Used to work for LR at their own offroad centre showing customers what the cars could do. Started up his own place with Defenders. Him and his dad had crossed Africa in a defender so knew their stuff. His opinion was "They break all the time, we modify them to make them more reliable but Japansese stuff is much better made. Nothing beats them off road, when they aren't broken, though"
On more than one occasion driving behind a Mk1 Freelander suffering from the Tailgate window randomly going down. One time the kids in the back had to grip the dog very tightly to stop it jumping out.
Finally, we had two MK1 Freelanders as pool cars at work from the local dealer. We got rid of them becuase they broke constantly.
So yes, utter s
te. Edited by Devil2575 on Thursday 7th November 13:11
Mr2Mike said:
Yes they do. You are either supremely ignorant or in denial if you think every car ever made apart apart from LR products don't have problem areas.
Some of the cars I have owned and their issues. 'nothing' denotes outside of service items.Mini - rust killed the car
Mini - clutch/rust
Metro - Gearbox failure
Rover 800 - HGF
Caterham K - HGF
Honda NSX - Thermostat
Honda DC2 - nothing
Nova 1.2 - nothing
Nova 1.4 - nothing
Volvo V40 - nothing
Volvo s60 - nothing
Toyota Corrolla - nothing
Audi A3 - nothing
Escort mk3 - nothing
Escort mk4 - nothing
Gold tdi - nothing
A short list but do you see a pattern? The K series is a great engine but it's a s
t installation in the Freelander simple as that. This Rover love in is quite frankly hilarious.300bhp/ton said:
What a load of misguided and inaccurate info. I'm guessing you don't actually drive any other 4x4's then?
Agree on this. I've owned lots of 4x4's, and the Freelander was probably the most car like to drive. It handled tidily if I recall. Don't ever drive a 90 running M/T's at a fair old lick is all I can say - now that is an experience! (But not as terrifying as an L200 <2006 on very near the limit Bridgestone H/T's in the wet Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff