Warning Warning. Not as good as you think (Land Rover Freelander in general)

Member Name: andycharger

Product:	Land Rover Freelander in general
Date:	15/01/02 (1851 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Award winning

Disadvantages: Riddles with problems

With its high profile adverts set as playful animals on the African Plains, the Freelander has enjoyed a very modern and fun filled birth into the lives of many Land Rove owners.
True, it is a very nice looking, if somewhat sporty car, that looks like its built to go "offroad" in some ferocious conditions.
Yet it is its urban life that seems to let it down.


Built at Solihull, The Freelander has enjoyed a big sale on the worldwide market. In fact it is one of the more popular export models at present.
With its hybrid looks between offroader and car, it appeals to many type of people.
in fact, it has won a string of awards worldwide. It ranks as one of Europe's top selling 4x4 vehicles.

Interior is a bit cramped and it even looks it from outside. Very high wheelbase and a low roof is not going to suit tall people.

Handling "on road" is not particularly sharp but this is compensated for by its offroad capabilities. The other manufacturers such as Suzuki, Ford, Mercedes and BMW cannot hold a candle to this car.

Performance, well, it not exactly built for an aerodynamic super highway flyer is it? It drives quickly and efficiently for such a heavy car. The V6 will push you from 0-60 in just over 10 seconds.
The BMW Turbo unit is equally as quick but the 1.8 heavy breather is a bit of a no no.
You can opt for changing the gears yourself or letting an automatic 5 speed unit do the work for you.
It also boasts descent control for your hill falling and twin airbags. Add to this a set of Twin Alloy 16 inch Wheels and you have a sexy looking car.
Build quality...Hmm... Not as rigid as the Other marques in the fleet. Then again, it more of a car than a traditional Land Rover.

One of my pet design projects at work is the design and maintenance of the Land Rover Technical Hotline for Germany.
This system is only in its infancy at the moment but here is what i
t is for.
Dealers ring up and report faults found in their Land Rovers that they have either:
a) Never seen before
b) Have no solution to
The Technical Hotline is then able to advise the dealer what the problem could be and a possible solution. With this central data point, it is able to establish fault patterns and resolutions for future enquiries.

This is great as it allows me to tell you some of the more common problems facing some of their models. They may be German versions but they are still built here and suffer the same problems our cars do!

So here are the faults.
These have been reported by our German compatriots on the Technical Hotline and I can share them with you. Obviously this affects older models and the problems have been resolved, as far as I know, on the new models.
Firstly, the handbrake releases or slips from sudden jerks or jolts. This can be caused by Doors,bonnets or tailgates been closed firmly.
The Sprocket teeth on the handle were not deep enough and hence the lock would jump out of place. This is now resolved.
Acid test time.
---------------
Take the car for a test drive. Park on a hill where the handbrake is needed. Open the door and slam it hard while still inside. If you start rolling grab the handbrake quick! Oh, and dont buy the car. It should have been fixed as part of the recall and should not cost anything to be replaced.

Secondly is the Jamming Seat Mechanism. Driver's seats in Germany (Passenger seats in UK) have a habit of locking or jamming in certain positions. Reasoning has not been given to a fix apart from replace the mechanism. Apparently it does not affect new Freelanders.
Acid Test Time.
---------------
Get in. Using the seat adjuster at the side, Continually roll the seat forwards and backwards. If the seat stick in any position, dont buy it.

Thirdly, the Loom Harness on the engine. The unit that keeps the engi
ne electrical wires in the right place and secures them through the engine compartment. This has failed in the past resulting in chaffing and sometimes melting of wiring. Worst case senario leads to a new loom being required which can be expensive. This was fixed with a stronger and more rigid harness that prevents this.
Acid Test Time.
---------------
Open the bonnet. Find the wiring loom (left of the engine and disappears throught the bulkhead) and make sure there are no signs of melting or movement in the loom. It should be firmly attached.

I can't personally see where it won these awards as it is not one of my favourites.

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