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Personally I don't like them but my friend has the van version TD4 and loves it. It's been very reliable, good economy, cheap to maintain but noisey and the interior sucks.
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AK,
I've just got back from Scotland having put the first 1,000 miles on my X Trail 2.2 Sport.
Got to say it's a great vehicle. Easy to drive, soldily built, good economy (even on 1st tank - 435 miles). Even has some character !
I think I've bought a peach of a car that will be with me a long time
How is yours ?
JD
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I have just got rid of a Freelander Station Waggon TD4 at 2.5 years old.
A great looking car with real presence on the road and a great image it was hopelessly unreliable and no way would I run one out of manufacturers warranty.
There was always water in the boot and back seat floor despite numerous attempts to rectify, including adjusting the doors to the extent it looked like a cut and shut.. It had a new clock, new aircon parts, new bushes on the front suspension (Dealer blamed it on speed humps!), a new front brake caliper, a new handbrake mechanism and just recently a new fuel pump and filter. Periodically all the warning lights came on whilst driving and when parked the back window unwound of it's own accord. I also think at 25,000 miles the transmission was getting noisy and there is an ominous knocking from the right back wheel area.
Ironically, I got a very good trade in price against a Honda CRV, but I pity the poor people who buy it now. The Landrover Dealers were simply overwhelmed by warranty work and dissatisfied customers and hence offered a consistently awful "service".
The TD4 engine was ok, but I never got more than 35 mpg.
Do yourself a favour and go Japanese. Sad but true.
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My wife bought an R reg Freelander with 86000 miles in November and it's been no trouble at all. She bought it privetely for 7K with a FSH and lots of extras, I was aware of their reputation but have seen nothing to complain about at all- it's been much better than I expected, AND it's a Landrover. Japanese 4X4s are such hairdressers cars!
At least the Rav looks vaguely OK, the CRV is hideous plus its a Honda so it's an old lady hairdressers car! Reliability isn't everything!
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''Reliability isn't everything!''
Tell that to your missus at 10pm on a rain- and wind-swept motorway as you wait for the recovery truck!
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I have to disagree with you, lordwoody,
"AND it's a Landrover. Japanese 4X4s are such hairdressers cars!
At least the Rav looks vaguely OK, the CRV is hideous plus its a Honda so it's an old lady hairdressers car! Reliability isn't everything".
You say "AND it's a Landrover"....I'm not too sure what to make of that - the Defender still maintains it's following for what it is but in recent years the other models have lost much of their practical appeal and are bought because it's percieved that it says something to be seen in one, despite the fact they they may well not get you to where you wanted to go.
I agree with nick. I usually choose what I and my Mrs. drive (she's not too worried as long as it does the job) and for me, the car she drives, required to do the job, primarily means not breaking down and being as safe as practical. Economy, looks, residuals, convenience for dealer etc. come later on in the equasion. To this end the Freelander would not be my first choice. I'm pleased that yours is OK and long may that continue but they have such a dreadful reputation that I can't see the point in taking a chance.
I wouldn't have said that the Japanese Toyota Colorado, Nissan Patrol, Mitsubishi L200 Double cab, were "old lady hairdressers cars" I also wouldn't have said that the mere fact that "it's a Honda makes" it so. I personally disagree that the CRV is hideous, but that's just a personal view. However, I'd sooner drive the Honda (or the X Trail or Rav4) solely on the grounds of their *actual* reliability as opposed to the perceived advantages of the Landrover.
As it happens, I think that the Freelander looks great and has many features that would appeal, and if I was in the market for a 4X4 would have considered one, but not with the reliability and continuing build quality questions hanging over it. Not many Manufacturers inspire full page articles in the Telegraph (a year or so ago) devoted to the problems at Solihull and focussing on the Freelander in particular and feature interviews with Management who openly admit the problems and agree there is work to be done to bring reliability up to an acceptable level.
A while ago, a Renault being driven by my Mrs. broke down on the A12 and, of course, it was at an inconvenient time and place, but, after much to-ing and fro-ing it got fixed and eventually (hours later) she got on her way. Nothing exceptional there, but in other circumstances it could have been worse (pouring rain + dark lane or motorway + no phone/no mobile signal etc. I really can't see the point in increasing the liability of her being stuck somewhere thoroughly inhospitable if it can be avoided.
Hence, for me at least, reliability IS everything
KB.
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"AND it's a Landrover. Japanese 4X4s are such hairdressers cars!
At least the Rav looks vaguely OK, the CRV is hideous plus its a Honda so it's an old lady hairdressers car! Reliability isn't everything!"
- I've owned a Landrover and now own a RAV4. Latter knocks spots of the Landrover for the type of driving I do
BTW guy at work has just got a brand new Freelander about a month before I bought my RAV4. My RAV4 is parked in the works car park daily, up to now his has been parked in the local Landrover dealership for 6 days out of the last 2 months!
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new bushes on the front suspension(Dealer blamed it on speed humps!),
Eh!? But it's meant to be a 4X4, even my Fiesta can handle a speed bump without needing suspension repairs! :)
Blue
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"Japanese 4X4s are such hairdressers cars!"
And the Freelander isn't? Shurley Shome Mishtake.
Good 4x4s know no national boundaries RR, Disco, Land Cruiser...etc. Anyway the fact that the style suits does not make up for the fact that LR's build quality is rubbish.
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What's your CRV like Woody? I've got a VW at the moment and I'm getting fed up with waiting for the VW Touran, quite fancy the CRV but a little bit concerned about MPG, The Bora's supposed to do 39 MPG on combined I usually get about 33mpg, so if I applied the same sort of rule of thumb I'd be getting about 25/26 on the CRV.
Aside from that I'd really appreciate your views on the CRV if you have time to reply
Cheers
Claybuster
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Hi JD,
Why are we looking at freelander?!
I can,t wait to go on a long run in X-trail. I too think it is a great car, though I bought it for my partner so I don,t get out in it much. Trying to go south West at Easter so should give it a run.Very pleased like sitting in an arm chair but a bit sportier on the roundabouts-though pulling away gears are short.
Just saw a freelander with total disgusting body kit-Is that what they are doing to sell them now?
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AK,
I think we are riding in the slipstream of this thread , but never mind.....
Let's just quietly enjoy our X-Trails running smoothly without problems whilst reading about the dreaded Freelander.
I was never going to look at a Freelander as they have never really done it for me, but I didn't realise there was so much vehemance towards them and their lack of reliablity.
Ah well, up to Scotland again next week with the family and dog for a week on a sheepdog farm.......
See you later
JD
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>Ah well, up to Scotland again next week with the family and >dog for a week on a sheepdog farm.......
Question: what do they use to round up their flocks of sheep dogs?
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Sheep! Have you never heard of the Irish method of shepherding?!? ;-)
Have to say, jd, that I'm insanely jealous of you. There is no nicer place to drive when the weather's good than Scotland. Where abouts are you going?
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Oban.
I've got a Border Collie that loves chasing sheep on the moors near where we live. Need to stop her doing this.,
We are going to a working farm, with 15 (yes, fifteen) working border collies, 600 cattle, 300 sheep, my lads (9 + 7) can feed the new lambs, tend the cattle and so on, plus my dog gets some sheep-training.
The technical term is 'de-sheeping' - when we get back the dog will have had her fill of sheep and will never, ever need to chase a sheep again - that's the theory anyway.
Plus I get to put another 1000 miles on my new X-trail, get some good fell runs in so all in all, a lot to look forward to....unless my X-Trail does a Freelander impression !
JD
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Hi jd,
probably not best thread to post this but "HonestJohn"has indicated a possible weeney fault on cam belt tentioners getting noisey mine seems ok but just wondered if you heard?
I was born north of Aberdeen but parents relocated to Midlands to get work, would like to go back as property is cheaper but it gets too cold-they get real snow and rain for weeks on end but if the weather,s good there,s no finer place.
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AK,
it's funny how these threads veer off at different tangents isn't it ?
Thanks for the note about the cam belt - nothing noticed at the moment. Another thing I like about my X Trail (2.2 diesel) is the sound it makes, a sort of metallic rasping sound not dissimilar to a Subura Forester S-Turbo I used to have. Under acceleration it even sounds sporty....
I'm from NW England but I take any chance on offer to get to Scotland - I love it and would move there if my situation was different
JD
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