Land Rover Freelander?

[Cash]

Anyone got one? What do you think?
My dad's Jeep Grand Cherokee is giving up, and although he wants another 4x4 (and we need one to tow with), he says he would rather have a 'smaller' one... such as a freelander.. i have no idea about its towing capabilities at all, can someone please enlighten me?

 

[FestiveSpirit]

Our local Landrover dealer assured us when we asked about one that a Freelander would not pull the skin off a rice pudding

(well, OK, possibly they didnt quite put it like that

)

Seriously though, it does not have the towing capacity to pull anything other than a very teeny pony in a very small trailer

Best avoided for towing purposes!

 

[Pixxie]

Discovery's are very good

x

 

[eoe]

Well my friend has a Petrol Freelander and a Ifor Williams 505 and regularly tows a 16.2 WB to shows in it with no problems.

 

[FestiveSpirit]

[ QUOTE ]
Well my friend has a Petrol Freelander and a Ifor Williams 505 and regularly tows a 16.2 WB to shows in it with no problems.

[/ QUOTE ]

That might be the case, but I am willing to put money on the fact that your friend is towing wayyyyy over the recommended weight for a Freelander

 

[WoopsiiD]

Hmmmm not sure i would buy one. Lets just say had some one in 'the know'

 

[Tinkerbee]

They don't tow.
And they get laughed at by proper land rover owners

 

[TheBlackMoth]

Many people will tell you that you are probably not legal with a Freelander and you certainly wouldn't have the power to pull yourself out of trouble. I would agree with them. In my ignorance I bought a BMW 320d to tow with. Not for long though soon added a Shogun.

 

[eoe]

Husband works for Landrover but do know that the towing weights have all just been changed so will mention this to her as there are quite a few people around Essex that tow with Freelanders don't want VOSA impounding too many people.

 

[kendra2705]

Ive had two both diesels 2 litre towed 505 ifor and a europa with two cobs weight still under legal requirement, never had a problem , have heard that they dont tow load of cods wallop , wouldn't have sold it if my other half didnt want a sports car but we have a van that we tow with so had to be fair. a petrol one will cost you lots to run ,

 

[sueeltringham]

I'm towing with a Nissan X-trail which is a Freelander sized vehicle, but with a much better towing capability. It is rated very highly for towing by whattowcar and camping and caravanning club sites (you need to get one of the better models). I've matched mine with a Cheval Liberte trailer and I'm really pleased with how well it tows and the fuel economy. My car has to double as a family car and cope with a fair mileage to and from work and it is doing both jobs really well.

Sue

 

[Laafet]

I had one and my dad did a lot of testing on the Freelander. He hated it, couldn't tow the skin of a milk pudding was a phrase he used too and I found mine gutless. My friend has a suzuki and tows just one small horse with hers fine.

 

[FestiveSpirit]

I borrowed a Suzuki Vitara to tow my 450kg TB and an Ifor 505 and it wasnt gutsy enough to tow properly

I was very glad to stop using it when I got my lorry

 

[Cash]

Hmm... I really want a Disco, but dad says it is too 'big' and that he wants something smaller.. don't know why seeing as his current car is about as big as you could get

Even if it is capable, i don't want to be towing illegally <insert angel smiley

>

 

[Cobbysmum]

Never had any problems, even towed my shavings lorry out of a soggy field

 

[LindaW]

Tell him to get a swb misubishi 2.8, small as a freelander (almost) and will to 2.8 tonnes

 

[joeanne]

Get a Disco.
You will save yourself a lot of trouble in the long run AND people wont laugh at you as you drive along trying to tow your trailer!

 

[susannita]

huge difference between the freelander mark 1 and the freelander 2. I have had both, hated the old version utterly useless to tow anything, love my new Freelander2 which pulls at least 2tonnes and has yet to get stuck (despite being well and truly tested - took great delight in going straight past a mitsubishi L200 and a nissan x-trail!).

These"new" towing laws are only an issue if you passed your test after 1997. It is apparently possible to get the MAM of a trailer downgraded to be legal.

Al info here:
towing laws

Have to say - not a single person has laughed at my Freelander2 - it is rather bling but I love it!! the disco was simply too big to do the amount of mileage i do (used to have a range rover sport and it is no difference to tow with the freelander than the sport, (one horse and a cheval liberte)

I found the japanese cars (looked at pretty much eveything) were too plasticy inside and the X3/X5 were more expensive for less kit. If you solely want a tow vehicle get a defender!!

 

[Piccy]

I have a freelander and a Discovery and only ever tow with the discovery, the freelander is to feeble for the job, so that is only used for getting feed and bedding, honestly go for a discovery or similar

 

[Muddywellies]

They have a bad reputation for reliability, however, if you get a good one (i.e NOT the K series engine) then as long as you don't ask too much of it, it will tow fine. I have a 2l XEDi and it can tow up to 2t. My old Ifor Williams is 905 KG (confirmed by Ifor williams themselves) and my 15.2hh TB x is 500 kg. TOTAL 1405 kg. Obviously then need to add a bit for 2 people, a saddle, haynet, grooming kit etc, and we are still within the limit. I would not ask it to tow out of a muddy field, or on particularly long distances/very hilly terrain etc etc, but for nipping around locally, it is absolutely fine. Oh, and it is very economical. I love mine.

 

[doppler]

In slight defence of Freelander, we have had a few problems with ours but I tow a 505 with one horse and it tows fine, would not put two horses in it though. ALso, many times it has towed my off wet fields when many lorrys etc have been getting stuck! Maybe not the best around but certainly not as bad as some make out.

 

[lexibell]

I have a petrol freelander (1.8) I think - we pull 2 13.2's or one very chunky 15.1 shire cross in a rice trailer - I dont think it has the capacity to pull much more- but they are lovely to drive etc, hope that helps

 

[doppler]

Explain then why she would be towing over the legal weight.

 

[welshcobabe]

I have a 2.8 five door and it tows my Frisian with no problem I am over the kerb limit to tow two so if am taking my section D as well I borrow dads landrover but in a crisis my freelander did tow both horses so I have nothing but good to say about mine.

 

[kbsaff]

I tow a 505 with 2 sec D's in mine, have been on the weigh bridge and am totally legal.
Am yet to be "laughed at" as usually people are looking at what comes out of the trailer that what tows it.

 

[MrsMozart]

Another vote for a Disco, purely from the towing point of view. It has the turning circle of the average ocean going liner, but other than that is good for getting round and about

.

If you're talking a big trailer and two 17.2hh neddies, plus all your gear, you're going to need some weight and power

.