Land Rover Free Lander 2003

cymruchris

Is it a bargain not to be missed? Are they letting it go for peanuts because you're a friend?

Supersonos

a 17-year-old Freelander is going to be more of a liability than anything else.

Even if it's being offered to you for free, I'd just say thanks but no thanks.

Goudy

I've been a Land Rover fan since I could walk and rebuilt a few. I know the Freelander is a bit of a dog, but there are a few plus points to them.
Most Land Rover parts are pretty easy and cheap to get hold of as there's plenty of specialists around which drives the prices down, there's a massive network of part manufacturers that knock out as good or better parts than LR ever did for a fraction of the price a dealer will sell them for.
They are also pretty easy to work on compared to other makes and models, though the Freelander is more like a normal car than other LR products, it's still pretty easy to work on.

The leaking steering rack is common, the seals have failed in it, the pinion seal is pretty notorious for letting go.
It's not too hard to replace the TD4 rack, the V6 though is a bit of a nightmare to access.
A power steering specialist should be able to refurb the rack you have for around £150 plus labour to remove and refit it or you could buy a refurb's unit and get someone to ft it for you.
When the rack is swapped they should throw on a couple of new track rod ends anyway, they are only a few quid.

The rear brake pipe flexi's appear rusty, that's no surprise.
Shouldn't be to bad of a job to swap them out, an online Land Rover specialist will sell you a set for less than £20 and shouldn't cost the earth in labour to swap them out.
The solid pipes themselves, who knows how bad they are until the grease is removed, but then again a LR specialist can sell you the parts pretty cheaply and it's not as if cars of similar age don't suffer the same.

I would be tempted if it was really cheap and drove well enough, you could spend far more and still have the same issues without knowing.
Don't forget to test the 4x4 system, select it on some loose ground and drive around in a few tight circles, if it bangs, grinds or groans there's a problem.

cymruchris

Goudy said:

drive around in a few tight circles, if it bangs, grinds or groans there's a problem.

Make sure your OH isn't in the car at the time - so you don't get the two confused 

Stubod

A 17 year old care is well beyond "end of life" for most cars. If it's offered to you free, or a few hundred with 10 months MOT it may well be worth taking a punt as any car you buy will be depreciating anyway. If it lasts you a year, (or longer) then fine, if it starts to cost then get rid and be prepared to lose your "investment"...

Ectophile

I had a 2002 Freelander.  It got an advisory on the brake pipes.

A few months later, I took it to my friendly local Land Rover specialist so that they could check the pipes.  They declared that they were the worst rusted pipes they had seen on a Freelander, and replaced every brake pipe on the car (including the flexi hoses).

I got rid if it about a year and a half ago, as it was turning into a money pit.

Astrozombies

Check the Prop shafts. Don't fall for the "I took one off to make it 2 wheel drive to save fuel" line.

pulliptears

Can I suggest a Facebook Group called 'landrover freelander owners club United kingdom'.  Knowledgable lot will talk you through any purchase if thats the car you want.

Ectophile

Astrozombies said:

Check the Prop shafts. Don't fall for the "I took one off to make it 2 wheel drive to save fuel" line.

It will be at the age where, if the viscous coupling unit (VCU) hasn't already been replaced, then it will be due for replacement.  Fail to do that in time, and it wrecks the transmission system.

Or bodge it, remove one of the prop shafts, and make it a 2WD Freelander.

facade

Ectophile said:

Or bodge it, remove one of the prop shafts, and make it a 2WD Freelander.

With the usual caveat that your insurer will gleefully refuse to pay out any claim unless it was parked if it is removed