Discussion
Time for a change to the family car, and we have decided to wave "bye bye" to the Volvo XC60. Its been a great car (our second one) but I feel we are in for throwing lots of money at it this year, so we've decided to sell.
Its replacement is increasingly looking like a Freelander 2. I've been reading lots of good things about them, and the general consensus is that they are one of the better LR products. Mrs B sat in on e a few years back and declared she preferred it to the Evoque as she felt it had less of a claustrophobic feel to it. So, the search began.....
It must be an auto, and the XC60 we had was the SE Lux, so heated leather, elec seats and Bluetooth are all things we can't really do without. Also, our budget is around £7,500 maximum.
I spotted the TD4 HST and thought, "nice car" and the good lady seemed to agree. But then I stared wondering if I should just get an HSE. And then I saw I could get the newer SD4 engine, but more likely in an XS trim.......I'm now very confused!
So, great PH people-in-the-know, what should i be looking for?
Is the SD4 much better than the TD4? Is the HST trim worth considering over the almost identical HSE? Or should I go newer, XS spec with SD4 engine? Oh, and whilst we are at it, is it really 150k miles between cambelt changes?!?!?! Any advice appreciated.
Its replacement is increasingly looking like a Freelander 2. I've been reading lots of good things about them, and the general consensus is that they are one of the better LR products. Mrs B sat in on e a few years back and declared she preferred it to the Evoque as she felt it had less of a claustrophobic feel to it. So, the search began.....
It must be an auto, and the XC60 we had was the SE Lux, so heated leather, elec seats and Bluetooth are all things we can't really do without. Also, our budget is around £7,500 maximum.
I spotted the TD4 HST and thought, "nice car" and the good lady seemed to agree. But then I stared wondering if I should just get an HSE. And then I saw I could get the newer SD4 engine, but more likely in an XS trim.......I'm now very confused!
So, great PH people-in-the-know, what should i be looking for?
Is the SD4 much better than the TD4? Is the HST trim worth considering over the almost identical HSE? Or should I go newer, XS spec with SD4 engine? Oh, and whilst we are at it, is it really 150k miles between cambelt changes?!?!?! Any advice appreciated.
No expert on these but we have a 2011 facelift one that is an XS SD4 Auto. It has full heated leather electric seats (very comfy), heated front screen, Alpine stereo, sat nav, parking sensors front and rear. Tbh I'm not sure what else an HSE would give you, so its worth checking what options each car has.
They're a bit floaty through the corners (the upside of that is ride quality is good) and the engine is clattery compared to the opposition, but apart from that its a decent workhorse with loads of space and they seem to be more reliable than most JLR cars built before or since.
Nothing has gone wrong in 16 months of ownership, apart from the auto folding mirrors needing a squirt of GT80 every so often.
They're a bit floaty through the corners (the upside of that is ride quality is good) and the engine is clattery compared to the opposition, but apart from that its a decent workhorse with loads of space and they seem to be more reliable than most JLR cars built before or since.
Nothing has gone wrong in 16 months of ownership, apart from the auto folding mirrors needing a squirt of GT80 every so often.
camel_landy said:
FWIW - I would go HSE Auto and not be too bothered about the SD4.
The SD4 delivers a bit more power but the standard spec TD4 has plenty.
(IIRC - Physically, the TD4 & SD4 are the same, the only difference is a single 'bit' set in the ECU)
M
Interestingly this seemed to be the general consensus on the LR forums I read today. My only fear is that the XC60 is a 200bhp motor and although the majority of its life is on local runs, about 4 times a year it undertakes a big family trip to either Cornwall or Scotland, and I just worry I’d miss the power then.The SD4 delivers a bit more power but the standard spec TD4 has plenty.
(IIRC - Physically, the TD4 & SD4 are the same, the only difference is a single 'bit' set in the ECU)
M
That’s being said, I like the HSE spec, so I suppose it’s just deciding what’s more important to me, spec or the occasional bit of power.
Thanks for the replies.
I have an HSE TD4 auto. 2010
With your budget I'd suggest you to do the same as I did, which is get the latest best spec preDPF model you can find. TD4/ SD4 up to you, but the pre DPF is important imo. In those early days JLR really hadn't figured out DPF regens and there's an issue with oil dilution. It's arguable that they haven't sorted it out that well yet on newer engines and other models. When I was looking a salesman approached and when said looking for preDPF his response was "Oh you clearly know about the issue we have with oil dilution then?" In practice it might mean just more frequent oil changes, but I know someone who had a self dieselling experience with one, and as an auto you can't stall it.
You'll have done the research on freel2.com to find things to look for. There are a number of known weak points eg rear diff, door latches.
Yes the cam belt is supposed to last 10 years / 150k, I lost my nerve early and did the big expensive service last year at 110k. Belt, water pump, all tensioners and pulleys etc. Change gearbox, diff, transfer box oils, strip clean and service Haldex.
Modification you must make is a second earth strap. These things have a lot of electrics and they go through a stack of checks on startup. If the battery voltage drops too far then you can get all sorts of worrying error messages, eg traction control reduced 4wd system inop. A cure is to run a second earth strap from battery to a point near starter motor, indeed JLR finally introduced it as a mod on new vehicles, not sure which model year, later than mine anyway.
What else? Probably too new for you but the projector headlights are utterly crap. Mine has the reflector H7 on both dip/main. Decent bulbs in and they're ok, the projectors with HB3 lamps are arguably dangerous.
When you do get one ask in freel2 for a recommendation for a good independent garage. Expert on diffs and Haldex is Bell Engineering near Bewdley.
They aren't bomb proof reliable tbh, but they are the model that JLR did best with reliability.
Good luck. Think that's it.
With your budget I'd suggest you to do the same as I did, which is get the latest best spec preDPF model you can find. TD4/ SD4 up to you, but the pre DPF is important imo. In those early days JLR really hadn't figured out DPF regens and there's an issue with oil dilution. It's arguable that they haven't sorted it out that well yet on newer engines and other models. When I was looking a salesman approached and when said looking for preDPF his response was "Oh you clearly know about the issue we have with oil dilution then?" In practice it might mean just more frequent oil changes, but I know someone who had a self dieselling experience with one, and as an auto you can't stall it.
You'll have done the research on freel2.com to find things to look for. There are a number of known weak points eg rear diff, door latches.
Yes the cam belt is supposed to last 10 years / 150k, I lost my nerve early and did the big expensive service last year at 110k. Belt, water pump, all tensioners and pulleys etc. Change gearbox, diff, transfer box oils, strip clean and service Haldex.
Modification you must make is a second earth strap. These things have a lot of electrics and they go through a stack of checks on startup. If the battery voltage drops too far then you can get all sorts of worrying error messages, eg traction control reduced 4wd system inop. A cure is to run a second earth strap from battery to a point near starter motor, indeed JLR finally introduced it as a mod on new vehicles, not sure which model year, later than mine anyway.
What else? Probably too new for you but the projector headlights are utterly crap. Mine has the reflector H7 on both dip/main. Decent bulbs in and they're ok, the projectors with HB3 lamps are arguably dangerous.
When you do get one ask in freel2 for a recommendation for a good independent garage. Expert on diffs and Haldex is Bell Engineering near Bewdley.
They aren't bomb proof reliable tbh, but they are the model that JLR did best with reliability.
Good luck. Think that's it.
Edited by FiF on Wednesday 12th February 22:24
[quote=MrB.]
Interestingly this seemed to be the general consensus on the LR forums I read today. My only fear is that the XC60 is a 200bhp motor and although the majority of its life is on local runs, about 4 times a year it undertakes a big family trip to either Cornwall or Scotland, and I just worry I’d miss the power then.
I have a DS with the same engine as the Freelander 2. And I travel from mid Surrey to Falmouth out of season twice a year. Last month I got back in 4 1/4 hours for 280 miles, so no issues about the performance of the engine.
I had the same concerns as you before I got the DS because preceding it I had 3 Jaguar V8s with loads more BHP. I need not have worried.
R.
Interestingly this seemed to be the general consensus on the LR forums I read today. My only fear is that the XC60 is a 200bhp motor and although the majority of its life is on local runs, about 4 times a year it undertakes a big family trip to either Cornwall or Scotland, and I just worry I’d miss the power then.
I have a DS with the same engine as the Freelander 2. And I travel from mid Surrey to Falmouth out of season twice a year. Last month I got back in 4 1/4 hours for 280 miles, so no issues about the performance of the engine.
I had the same concerns as you before I got the DS because preceding it I had 3 Jaguar V8s with loads more BHP. I need not have worried.
R.
I have a 2013 HSE Lux SD4 auto, which is outside your price range, but the combination of 190HP and auto box makes the
FL2 easy to drive and certainly not lacking in power.
It was built and designed by Ford, as they were the owners of Land Rover at the time, and that is why
the reliability is said to be better than the more traditional Land Rover models.
If you are not worried about speed then opt for the TD4 if you want an HSE auto on a budget.
Buy a later model SD4 with high miles if it has a full service history.
The SD4 auto uses more fuel than the TD4, but if you stick to the speed limits you should get 30-35MPG on a longer journey.
The TD4 manual may get you nearer to 40MPG on a longer run,
Personally I would go for the latest SD4 auto that you can afford.
2011 models onward had improved reliability of the rear diff issues that some owners have had.
Don't buy one just because it has a satnav, as they are not very good. Use Waze or a Tomtom instead, or you
can replace the pre 2013 models satnav with an Android unit.
FL2 easy to drive and certainly not lacking in power.
It was built and designed by Ford, as they were the owners of Land Rover at the time, and that is why
the reliability is said to be better than the more traditional Land Rover models.
If you are not worried about speed then opt for the TD4 if you want an HSE auto on a budget.
Buy a later model SD4 with high miles if it has a full service history.
The SD4 auto uses more fuel than the TD4, but if you stick to the speed limits you should get 30-35MPG on a longer journey.
The TD4 manual may get you nearer to 40MPG on a longer run,
Personally I would go for the latest SD4 auto that you can afford.
2011 models onward had improved reliability of the rear diff issues that some owners have had.
Don't buy one just because it has a satnav, as they are not very good. Use Waze or a Tomtom instead, or you
can replace the pre 2013 models satnav with an Android unit.
MrB. said:
Interestingly this seemed to be the general consensus on the LR forums I read today. My only fear is that the XC60 is a 200bhp motor and although the majority of its life is on local runs, about 4 times a year it undertakes a big family trip to either Cornwall or Scotland, and I just worry I’d miss the power then.
That's torque, not power... The TD4 will be fine.But let's face it, if you have the family in the car, you're not going to be 'making progress' but if you do, at least the leather seats are wipe clean.
M
Hello chaps, thank you for all your help, advice, etc. I also called upon an old mate who has been selling LR's for as long as I was with AML, and between you all, MrsB is now the proud owner of a 2010 Freelander 2 SD4 HSE in Santorini Black. She drove it back from the garage today in biblical weather and she is happy to report that it was the right choice. A bit more buffering in winds than the XC60, but she loves the driving position and the actual way it drives. Its had the cambelt and water pump done at last service which was October 2019, and its got a nice history. Spec wise, it has the newer 18" gunmetal alloys and privacy glass, and what looks like piano black veneer where the usual walnut is. It also has the roof rails which will e handy for this summer's trip to France.
Happy to be one of the gang now!
Happy to be one of the gang now!
Edited by MrB. on Saturday 15th February 17:37
We’ve had great service from our three Freelanders.
Our current car is a last-of-the-line Metropolis 190bhp auto which my wife bought new in 2014. It’s now on 67,000 miles and up for sale shortly, but won’t be replaced by a current model LR product- there’s nothing as good.
Economy hovers around 30 average, but 37 ish on a longer run.
Superb spec and user-friendly nature will mean it’s going to be hard to replace.
Our current car is a last-of-the-line Metropolis 190bhp auto which my wife bought new in 2014. It’s now on 67,000 miles and up for sale shortly, but won’t be replaced by a current model LR product- there’s nothing as good.
Economy hovers around 30 average, but 37 ish on a longer run.
Superb spec and user-friendly nature will mean it’s going to be hard to replace.
I have a 2014 HSE, and absolutely love it. I’ve driven the discovery sport (had one in loan for a couple of weeks) and it didn’t feel anything like the quality of the freelander. It genuinely feels like a mini Range Rover.
Handling is what you would expect for a car of that size/height/weight that isn’t a ‘sport’ SUV. Performance the same, but perfectly adequate. It feels like sitting in a comfy armchair.
Handling is what you would expect for a car of that size/height/weight that isn’t a ‘sport’ SUV. Performance the same, but perfectly adequate. It feels like sitting in a comfy armchair.
OP, good choice, hope your Mrs enjoys it. Mine commented at the time of purchase that compared to the short list of alternatives it was the nicest place to sit.
It's no road racer but ok for wafting along in a comfortable armchair with genuine off road capabilities. Ours goes off metalled roads almost every day, not silly stuff beloved of bearded blokes in boiler suits and muddy wellies, but farm, forest, occasional moorland tracks. Will be off up later today up on the tops for sake of finding a different dog run away from claggy mud where we are and having a masochistic look at Dennis. Monday back to normal work. If you have something with the running gear that's really designed for off road then the inherent strength is there. Tbh it rarely does anything that would have defeated my previous 2wd and 4wd estates given decent tyres and a bit of care, except ground clearance was their really big problem.
It's no road racer but ok for wafting along in a comfortable armchair with genuine off road capabilities. Ours goes off metalled roads almost every day, not silly stuff beloved of bearded blokes in boiler suits and muddy wellies, but farm, forest, occasional moorland tracks. Will be off up later today up on the tops for sake of finding a different dog run away from claggy mud where we are and having a masochistic look at Dennis. Monday back to normal work. If you have something with the running gear that's really designed for off road then the inherent strength is there. Tbh it rarely does anything that would have defeated my previous 2wd and 4wd estates given decent tyres and a bit of care, except ground clearance was their really big problem.
We had a 2013 SD4 HSE (190bhp) until yesterday.
Pros:
Very comfortable, great on the motorway, quick enough (gets up to 70mph with no real fuss), reasonable on fuel, ours had enough toys and comforts to not feel lacking, smooth box, seemed more than capable 'off-road', good at getting the cabin warm and a fast heated steering wheel which is a must once you had it, superb long distance cruiser.
Cons:
Headlights pretty average, depserately annoying delay between planting accelerator and it actually repsonding in acceleration, useless satnav, for us the boot was not big enough, and the steering feel was 'springy' and not progressive. Coupled with the wallow it made it quite odd to drive because it was actually quite swift but it could not go around a corner without tipping your passengers/cargo around too. I realise this is not why you buy this car, but it made it annoying for us as a daily driver.
Ours had FSH but around 104,000 miles we had to have the front power transfer unit (as it's called), replaced. We also experienced a dying battery and the subsequent dashboard light show, but a new battery sorted that straight away.
Replaced it beacuse we ultimately needed more internal space, and the wallowy compromise was too strong, but overall it felt like a very good car and served us well.
Pros:
Very comfortable, great on the motorway, quick enough (gets up to 70mph with no real fuss), reasonable on fuel, ours had enough toys and comforts to not feel lacking, smooth box, seemed more than capable 'off-road', good at getting the cabin warm and a fast heated steering wheel which is a must once you had it, superb long distance cruiser.
Cons:
Headlights pretty average, depserately annoying delay between planting accelerator and it actually repsonding in acceleration, useless satnav, for us the boot was not big enough, and the steering feel was 'springy' and not progressive. Coupled with the wallow it made it quite odd to drive because it was actually quite swift but it could not go around a corner without tipping your passengers/cargo around too. I realise this is not why you buy this car, but it made it annoying for us as a daily driver.
Ours had FSH but around 104,000 miles we had to have the front power transfer unit (as it's called), replaced. We also experienced a dying battery and the subsequent dashboard light show, but a new battery sorted that straight away.
Replaced it beacuse we ultimately needed more internal space, and the wallowy compromise was too strong, but overall it felt like a very good car and served us well.
I have had the SD4 HSE for 4-5 years been faultless bar a Lambda sensor and new battery
just gone over 54k driven sedately sees over 40MPG.
I find it extremely comfortable and looks good to.
No issues whatsoever with DPF model the oil service reset needs to be done at service.
I will be selling later this year only as we are looking to emigrate.
I will be sad to see it go TBH.
otherwise I would keep it as not a lot of other vehicles appeal in the size and price range.
just gone over 54k driven sedately sees over 40MPG.
I find it extremely comfortable and looks good to.
No issues whatsoever with DPF model the oil service reset needs to be done at service.
I will be selling later this year only as we are looking to emigrate.
I will be sad to see it go TBH.
otherwise I would keep it as not a lot of other vehicles appeal in the size and price range.
Edited by V40TC on Thursday 27th February 17:53
My OH has just bought herself a Freelander 2, 2008, 2.2d, GS (basic? 
) with 75k miles. But it's got leather, cruise and auto wipers so trumps her Audi A4 Conv. in the toys stakes.
I was quite dubious about buying a Freelander, always thought them a poor relation to the LR brand., but after looking at this one Saturday we did the deal there and then and took it home.
I gave it an oil change on Sunday and a quick check over. She's used it all week and is really enjoying the change from the A4. Seems pleasantly well screwed together with no discovered faults as yet.
Happy so far, more so than I was expecting to be honest.
) with 75k miles. But it's got leather, cruise and auto wipers so trumps her Audi A4 Conv. in the toys stakes.I was quite dubious about buying a Freelander, always thought them a poor relation to the LR brand., but after looking at this one Saturday we did the deal there and then and took it home.
I gave it an oil change on Sunday and a quick check over. She's used it all week and is really enjoying the change from the A4. Seems pleasantly well screwed together with no discovered faults as yet.
Happy so far, more so than I was expecting to be honest.
Deerfoot said:
OP, can I ask how you're getting on with your FL2?
We've previously had a D5 XC60 (which I didn't rate) and are looking at something to replace my V60. On paper the FL2 (I'll be looking for an SD4 HSE) looks like a possibility.
Are you pleased with it?
So, first of all, apologies for taking so long to respond to this. The Freelander has been serving us well so far, fingers crossed. Part of the reason I haven't been back here for a while is due to my daughter having to have a little spell in hospital, and so I got to spend quite a bit of time with the car with having to drive to the hospital from home as my partner stayed in with her.We've previously had a D5 XC60 (which I didn't rate) and are looking at something to replace my V60. On paper the FL2 (I'll be looking for an SD4 HSE) looks like a possibility.
Are you pleased with it?
I'm in the motoring press, and have a long-term test car, however when my partner woke me at 2am to get the car ready to rush her to A&E, I grabbed the keys to the Land Rover, and they pretty much stayed in my pocket over the next 4 days, so got used to the car quite well. There is very little I don't like about it to be honest. I hadn't realised how high the Freelander is even in comparison with the Volvo. Its more akin to our previous Jeep Grand Cherokee in stature of driving position, which is the main thing MrsB loves. I concur with that, and will add that the slightly "boxy" look to the car helps to position it when manoeuvring. Seats are also excellent, and I love having a proper arm rest! I also love the chunky feel of the controls in the cabin, and I'm surprised how well they (and the rest of the car) have stood up to the miles on ours. We definitely bought on condition, and the car looks like it has done a third of the mileage shown. In fact, I did a double take the other day as I had completely forgotten it had done the miles it has!
The things I don't like, or find irritating comes down the following, which are proper First-World Issues;
1. Can't see the seat memory controls when the door is closed.
2. Handbrake is awkward to use when the armrest is down.
3. Boot is noticeably smaller than the Volvo, and so the first garden rubbish of the year was a pain to load on yesterday's tip run.
That's it so far. The engine is fine, considering the Volvo was a 5 cyl unit, and I am glad we went for the SD4 with the extra power. The only other thing I would criticise is the steering feels a little vague and light, but I have yet to check tyre pressures, so may attribute it to that. It could also do with a four wheel alignment at some point, but its not high on my priority list at the moment.
Overall, I am really pleased with the car and can see why they are so popular. We had been planning a trip to the west coast of France this summer, but with the current health situation in the world, it looks like that is off, so I don't know when I will get to do a proper long run in the car to really judge it as a comparison to the Volvos and Jeep that came before it. So far, however, we are falling in love with it!
I bought new an 08 SE
These have by far the most comfortable seats known to man. NOT leather, but a heavy duty seat, with heating the base and back. Electric control on position of sear too.
SatNav get latest dvd on eBay.
Foolishly sold as went onto Motability, lm since better, so bought a 57 plate SE.
I put a blanking plate on the ECR, which was only issue on previous version. Todate going like a train 110k and rising.
Best Land Rover ever made, but don’t let everyone know.
These have by far the most comfortable seats known to man. NOT leather, but a heavy duty seat, with heating the base and back. Electric control on position of sear too.
SatNav get latest dvd on eBay.
Foolishly sold as went onto Motability, lm since better, so bought a 57 plate SE.
I put a blanking plate on the ECR, which was only issue on previous version. Todate going like a train 110k and rising.
Best Land Rover ever made, but don’t let everyone know.
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