(Late) Freelander S1 'Adventurer' - worth spending money on?
Discussion
I've happily owned for seven years a (very late....) 2007-registered Land Rover Freelander TD4 (Series 1) two-door 'Adventurer'. The model that comes complete with detachable hardtop: a novel feature which - to my shame, and not being a surfer - I've never actually removed.
Mine must be one of the very last Series 1 'Facelift' two-door Freelanders to leave the LR production line (which ceased in 2006) as it's May 2007 registered and comes in a rather nice, light metallic-blue which I suspect was actually a new-for-Series II colour.
In 7 years I've added 85,000 miles to the odometer, which now stands at 124k, and throughout that time it's been a really useful, reliable, comfortable, practical car - both at home and abroad. The good news is also that it's a type newly covered by the Land Rover Heritage scheme - officially, it's now a classic!
However, its tax runs out today and the MoT does so shortly; while I've got other cars available to me (in a time when, thanks to COVID, there's not very much call to drive anything with 4 wheels to anywhere) so I've decided to put my Freelander away into storage, all clean, smart and vacuumed, while I decide at leisure what to eventually do with it.
So my simple question of all you wise 'Pistonheads' Land-Rover experts on this forum is - what is this car worth now, and is it really worth spending the money on it which a list of known defects will surely require, if only to pass the MoT?
These faults are:
(i) Poor starting when hot - and sometimes from cold - which I know is down to a bad micro-connector beneath the induction manifold, because this has been successfully fixed before, when I was told it might eventually need a short length of the wiring harness leading to that connector also being replaced; and
(ii) Clouds of blue smoke on conclusion of said start-up procedures, as above. (A consequence of the abortive firings, or else do the valve-stem oil seals need replacing?) and
(iii) Handbrake pretty feeble again (it's needed sorting a few times already in this Freelander's lifetime); and
(iv) Horrible vibration over 2000 revs and at around 50 mph. This is the worst fault and the one I'm most uncertain about. The car has had the mid-centre transmission bearing ('VBR'?) replaced twice in its lifetime - is it that again, and if so, how expensive would that be? It graunches from somewhere at the back on setting off and turning, but that test where you reverse slowly in a circle does not produce this noise/sensation, so I'm pretty unsure about what it actually is....... any suggestions, please?
All contributions/advice/observations gratefully received!
Mine must be one of the very last Series 1 'Facelift' two-door Freelanders to leave the LR production line (which ceased in 2006) as it's May 2007 registered and comes in a rather nice, light metallic-blue which I suspect was actually a new-for-Series II colour.
In 7 years I've added 85,000 miles to the odometer, which now stands at 124k, and throughout that time it's been a really useful, reliable, comfortable, practical car - both at home and abroad. The good news is also that it's a type newly covered by the Land Rover Heritage scheme - officially, it's now a classic!
However, its tax runs out today and the MoT does so shortly; while I've got other cars available to me (in a time when, thanks to COVID, there's not very much call to drive anything with 4 wheels to anywhere) so I've decided to put my Freelander away into storage, all clean, smart and vacuumed, while I decide at leisure what to eventually do with it.
So my simple question of all you wise 'Pistonheads' Land-Rover experts on this forum is - what is this car worth now, and is it really worth spending the money on it which a list of known defects will surely require, if only to pass the MoT?
These faults are:
(i) Poor starting when hot - and sometimes from cold - which I know is down to a bad micro-connector beneath the induction manifold, because this has been successfully fixed before, when I was told it might eventually need a short length of the wiring harness leading to that connector also being replaced; and
(ii) Clouds of blue smoke on conclusion of said start-up procedures, as above. (A consequence of the abortive firings, or else do the valve-stem oil seals need replacing?) and
(iii) Handbrake pretty feeble again (it's needed sorting a few times already in this Freelander's lifetime); and
(iv) Horrible vibration over 2000 revs and at around 50 mph. This is the worst fault and the one I'm most uncertain about. The car has had the mid-centre transmission bearing ('VBR'?) replaced twice in its lifetime - is it that again, and if so, how expensive would that be? It graunches from somewhere at the back on setting off and turning, but that test where you reverse slowly in a circle does not produce this noise/sensation, so I'm pretty unsure about what it actually is....... any suggestions, please?
All contributions/advice/observations gratefully received!
CostaBrava1974 said:
(iv) Horrible vibration over 2000 revs and at around 50 mph.
I'd suggest that's probably the centre prop-shaft bearing again.. As for the 'graunching', you might find it's the top diff mounting bush. The bush is simple to replace in-situ (assuming it is that) and if you whip the prop-shaft off, you'll be able to confirm the condition of the bearing. Take it for a drive without the prop shaft connected and that should give you a good indication if that was the source.
As for the handbrake, it might be a case of needing a new set of brake shoes and/or adjustment.
M
Edited by camel_landy on Monday 1st June 00:05
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