Advice for a newbie!

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freelange

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Hi!
I've gone and done it! I've bought my first Land Rover; a freelander 2000 mod with the notorious 1.8 engine! I've wanted a LR ever since I was a kid, and this is the first time I've bought one that isn't a matchbox.

So, I got it cheap. It hasn't gone very far, and it had a new engine after the first engine naturally died. The previous owner claims that he hasn't had any problems since the engine change (just regular maintenance). The whole exhaust system is fairly new, and the VCU is also just a couple of years old. I've had the car for a month now (LOVING it) and so far so good! (Touch wood.) I keep my eye on the coolant level, and check the oil from time to time. Have I been very lucky? Are all the horror-stories exaggerated?

Judging from what I've read about these cars, my luck might well run out, so I want to be a bit prepared, and do what I can to avoid an angry wife and a broken down car on our way to visit my in-laws... So, I'm asking for advice from the good people of this forum about the correct loving and keeping of my Freebie! Is there anything I should look out for (apart from the coolant) and is there anything I can/should do to avoid running into problems?

Thank you all!
Kind regards from Christopher, Norway.
(And by the way, winter in Norway with this car is absolutely epic!)
 

joey

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Well Christopher, in my experience the Diesel Freelander is an excellent vehicle the Petrol version on the other hand is a time bomb sadly. My very good friend and business partner buys and sell Rovers for a living and he will not even take one in on trade if that says anything.

Don't get me wrong there is always an exception to the rule, but in the case of the petrol Freelander the exception is a rare one.

Change fluids frequently and listen for odd noises.
 

freelange

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fingers crossed!

Oh dear!
That's not what I want to hear! But thanks for your reply! I didn't pay much for it, so if it does blow up in my face it won't be the end of the world. I'll keep checking and refilling fluids on a regular basis. It's just such a nice car. No rust (very rare here in Norway!) and an immaculate interior. All shiny red paint, and the design just LOOKS so much better than any of its rivals!






One day I'll have myself a nice, post 2003 Discovery... Or maybe even a Defender.
 

joey

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Sadly the price for either a Discovery or a Defender in Norway will not be cheap by any means. I remember what it cost for 5 people for dinner in Oslo... ouch.
 

Saru

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Christopher, there is no problem in keeping a Freelander for the long run. It could die by age and not by damaged. But there is one major aspect not to be forget when taking care of a Freelander. When it comes to spare parts change the whole chain. I mean if your clutch master let you down, change also plate, cover and bearing, when the rear diff mount breaks change the three of them plus the two intermediate propshaft bearings ;=) just for the sake of the longitudinal train harmony which is a huge pain in Freelander 1.

Good Luck!
 

LandySA

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Hi you all. Well ive had my LD 1.8l from new 2000 and have done to be exact, (I just ran quick to jot it down from the odometer), 981688.1 on the clock. True km. Not ever since I bought it changed major missions. I have kept a log book of every single either service or what ever. All done by myself of cause. Ive replaced the clutch pack once, brake shoes often and the rest is services by the book. Not once ever needed to remove majors. And she is still purring like a kitten. The only major item I have removed, but this I did two weeks after purchase was the prop shaft and viscous coupling which by the way is still rapped up from then lying in my garage. I removed this simply as I don't need 4x4 at all. And also at the time of purchase I had a hunch the drive train to the rear with different diff ratio's and a viscous unit was a very big mistake from the inventor. So I am proud to ride and own a LD1 for sure. My guess would be to others is looking after your woman, you will get respect.
 

Disco4Play

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My first Land Rover was a 2002 Freelander (Freeloader in my book). I purchased it in December of 2001. My dealer said it was one of the first brought into the states. However after 6 months of problems with the Freelander and in the shop for over a month straight with electrical problems, chassis issues, VCU issues, paint issues and a myriad of problems I can't even remember Land Rover North America bought it back. Bought a new 2002 Discovery Kalahari and wiped my hands clean of the Freelander. I have a 2012 LR4 which is awesome. They've come along way with quality issues and I hear the new LR2 has extremely high reliability.
 

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