FREELANDER - What do you think???

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Hi, am looking for a new (well new to me!) 4 x4 and am considering a freelander. Has anyone got one? do you find them reliable? How economical and how do they tow? Any glitches to keep an eye out for??

Am looking for one which is around 8 to 10 years old, 2L Diesel to tow an Ifor 510 with one horse (he is quite big). Will this do the job?
Many thanks!!
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No no no no no no.......There was a post not so long back about Freelanders

They are rubbish, no power alsorts of engine problems...etc etc
 
I have a jeep cherokee, my horse is 793 kg and use a 511 trailer and my car is hungry for more!

The towing capacity of my jeep is 2,500 kg braked, a trailer is about 1,000 kg which still leaves enough for a 2nd horse if required.
 
I've had my Freelander for 6 months now and I haven't had one signel problem with it. It's quite economical with fuel. I can't comment on towing as I haven't towed anything as yet
 
My husband has got a freeland er for his company car and I have got a discovery for towing the neddy. In extreme circumstances we have towed our 510 with my big hunter in, but it wasn't the best. It wasn't really a power thing but you are right up to the weight limit. I much prefer having the disco to tow. We've never really had any mechanical problems with the freelander and we're on the second one.
You might be better looking for a discovery of that age. I think the earlier freelanders did have some problems.
 
I would advise getting a Freelander 2. I've had one for a year now and it fantastic. Apart from having it's first service last mkonth it's never been into the garage and it can to 2000kgs which is enough for the trailer and horse.

Not heard good things about the older Freelanders though.....
 
Search the threads on here - there have been countless listing all of the Freelander's faults - they are endless!! Steer well clear!!
 
Freelander 1 is useless for towing. Had one for years and towed twice - 2nd time by accident!! It is the tail wagging the dog syndrome i.e. the trailer when loaded is heavier than car and takes control - v. dangerous. Freelander 2 is much better.
 
A 2.0 freelander, especialy the older version is not heavy enough or anywhere near powerful enough to tow a 510 and 1 heavy horse (let alone 2). Your towing vehicle needs to have a high kerb weight, it needs to be heavy so the trailer does not end up taking over the car or anything awful like that. look for something with at least 2.5 engine, as you are going to be towing an extremly heavy box, without the horse.
 
We have a Jeep Cherokee and an old Nissan Terrano. Jeep is brilliant and the Nissan is like an old tractor it does the job.
But my friend has a Freelander and it is useless.
She can only pull her 505 with one horse in it at a time!!
They are just not up to the job and appear to have engine problems, also seem to be gas guzzlers too.
It think its best to choose anything but one of these.
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I liked my freelander - towed a large trailer with one horse in it. It did the job nicely for my budget at th time. Try and find the TD4 engines rather than the older original diesel engines.
 
If you're looking for an older car, my friend tows her trailer (one horse only though) with a daihatsu fourtrak. Think it's about 4ltr or something so has some power as far as I'm aware. I know nothing about towing trailers though but may be worth having a look at something like that. Don't know what it's like for fuel mind!
 
Freelander is a seriously bad idea, It is a great market to buy 4X4s at the moment as they are so cheap.
Go for a Jap vehicle pre 2001. ( no major tax hike )
I tow with an Isuzu Trooper 3.1 fantastic car. You could easily pick one up in good nick for under £2000. I have yet to find an economical cheap to run 4X4. Mine does about 25 mpg dropping to about 18 towing.
Good luck and there are lots out there so be a bit picky because you probably will have a job selling it again.
 
I did alot of research into jeeps. If you want something around the £4k mark (or cheaper) go for a fourtrak or freelander and at a push at shogun.

Steer clear of the others as the electrics start to go and at a 00 reg they'll start to have gearbox probs etc....I know alot of people don't have problems but my 01 terrano was anightmare!
 
Land Rover must love it when people ask about Freelanders, the replies are always so negative
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Would echo what others have said, no personal experience of freelanders but have heard poor reports of them as a towing vehicle.
 
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