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know anything about land rovers?

twoodcc

twoodcc

macrumors P6
Original poster
Feb 3, 2005
15,307
26
Right side of wrong
so i just sold my wrecked truck, and i was looking around and found a 2002 Land Rover Freelander - 2.5L V6 with 64,000 miles on it. it seems to be loaded - leather seats, all power, nice rims (stock), etc. they want $8900 for it, but i'll try to talk them down.

i just don't know much about land rovers, so i thought i would ask
 
They're some of the most poorly built cars of all time.

Consumer Reports gave the 1999-2004 Model (2002 included) Land Rover a 37/100 rating (horrible).

Its extremely surprising to see one from the early 90's-mid 2000's make it to 100k miles, even with tons of regular maintenance. My uncle has one and the engine died at 50k; I've heard the same comments from everyone who owns them.

They are getting better, every year they've improved (1995 era was the worst) but I don't think they're quite there yet. I'd balk at a used one.
 
taylorwilsdon said:
They're some of the most poorly built cars of all time.

Consumer Reports gave the 1999-2004 Model (2002 included) Land Rover a 37/100 rating (horrible).

Its extremely surprising to see one from the early 90's-mid 2000's make it to 100k miles, even with tons of regular maintenance. My uncle has one and the engine died at 50k; I've heard the same comments from everyone who owns them.

They are getting better, every year they've improved (1995 era was the worst) but I don't think they're quite there yet. I'd balk at a used one.
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thanks for the reply. i've been searching reviews, and i've seen plenty of bad reviews, but plenty of good ones as well.
 
As a land rover owner and enthusiast don't buy a Freelander, they're really not that great of cars. The interiors are horrible on them, their fuel economy isn't great for what they are, their reliability is poor, and they're basically a joke.

I also hear they have bad engines and once they go, you cannot really get a replacement (I suppose unless you got one from a junk yard) as they've stopped making the engine.

Also be advised that the before 2003 the Freelander does not have cupholders if I remember correctly. I personally think the 03+ models look a lot better too- they have a minor face lift and improved interior. The 2003 cupholders aren't that great either, located on the top of the dashboard. We've had them as loaner cars and they're just nothing that special. I must say though that the LR2 is a HUGE improvement interior wise. The Freebie's/Freeloaders interiors are a little on the cheap side. They compare nothing to the Discovery interior or the very nice Range Rover/Range Rover Sport interiors.

$8900 is an ok price but I don't think its worth it. For that much I am sure you could get an 01 or 02 Discovery with a V8, cupholders, and an over all better designed and more practical car. It also will have a low range transfer case, making it a real SUV. The Discovery also has a lot more parts and resources available here in the US.

I should also add, if you want to buy a Land Rover, do your research. Be advised that parts cost literally 3x as much as domestic cars, they have ranked lowest in reliability for years, dealers are scarce, and a lot of mechanics won't touch them.

I love LR's and honestly would drive no other SUV.

In conclusion. Want a Land Rover- don't buy a freelander, buy a Discovery. They're great cars if you find a maintained one and you take care of it.
 
ErikCLDR said:
Also be advised that the before 2003 the Freelander does not have cupholders if I remember correctly ... The 2003 cupholders aren't that great either, located on the top of the dashboard...$8900 is an ok price but I don't think its worth it. For that much I am sure you could get an 01 or 02 Discovery with a V8, cupholders ...
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you seem very interested in cupholders!!
 
sananda said:
you seem very interested in cupholders!!
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I know, but who makes a $35,000 car without cupholders. Basically freelanders are garbage. Actually, about a year ago the service manager referred to them as "disposable".

Which also brings me to the point of this is how a Land Rover dealer works. Priority from greatest to least: Range Rovers, Range Rover Sports, LR3, LR2's, Discoveries, Freelanders. Also the newer the car, the greater the priority. They're really jerks in that sense.
 
ErikCLDR said:
As a land rover owner and enthusiast don't buy a Freelander, they're really not that great of cars. The interiors are horrible on them, their fuel economy isn't great for what they are, their reliability is poor, and they're basically a joke.

I also hear they have bad engines and once they go, you cannot really get a replacement (I suppose unless you got one from a junk yard) as they've stopped making the engine.

Also be advised that the before 2003 the Freelander does not have cupholders if I remember correctly. I personally think the 03+ models look a lot better too- they have a minor face lift and improved interior. The 2003 cupholders aren't that great either, located on the top of the dashboard. We've had them as loaner cars and they're just nothing that special. I must say though that the LR2 is a HUGE improvement interior wise. The Freebie's/Freeloaders interiors are a little on the cheap side. They compare nothing to the Discovery interior or the very nice Range Rover/Range Rover Sport interiors.

$8900 is an ok price but I don't think its worth it. For that much I am sure you could get an 01 or 02 Discovery with a V8, cupholders, and an over all better designed and more practical car. It also will have a low range transfer case, making it a real SUV. The Discovery also has a lot more parts and resources available here in the US.

I should also add, if you want to buy a Land Rover, do your research. Be advised that parts cost literally 3x as much as domestic cars, they have ranked lowest in reliability for years, dealers are scarce, and a lot of mechanics won't touch them.

I love LR's and honestly would drive no other SUV.

In conclusion. Want a Land Rover- don't buy a freelander, buy a Discovery. They're great cars if you find a maintained one and you take care of it.
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thanks for the reply. it seems like i should stay away from this thing, though i do like it.

QCassidy352 said:
hey buddy, what happened to your truck?
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hey. i wrecked my truck (i made a thread about it), and i couldn't afford to have it fixed (and the frame was bent), so i sold it 'as-is', and now i have to purchase a new car for around $8000. let me know if you can think of a good car for that price
 
What kind of car are you looking for?

If you want an SUV now's the time to buy. Dealers can't sell them, they're sitting, and the prices are dropping.

I would suggest a Land Rover Discovery if you like them (since you seem to like Land Rovers, which is fine, just don't buy a Freelander :p). Just be advised that there are some things you should check out before buying one. If you're handy and don't mind getting your hands dirty every once and a while, they're not too bad to own. There's a lot of used parts out there and a lot of resources. Best advice is get the lowest end model- without the air suspension, without the hydraulic sway bars, and if you can find it, one without the dual sunroofs (usually known as the SD version). Here is one in GA (i assume you live there) for sale http://atlanta.craigslist.org/car/727521076.html. From what I can see your prices might be slightly higher down there compared to up here in New England. Take a Disco for a ride, seriously no other SUV drives like it. You cannot beat the visibility of a Land Rover. It's not going to drive like a freelander which weighs 1/2 as much, but its still quite enjoyable.

Jeep Grand Cherokees are also pretty good. My sister hit a deer and totaled her 01 about a month ago and we replaced it with an 03 Grand Cherokee. We picked it up for $11,000 from the dealer loaded (Limited trim line- leather, heated seats, sunroof, High Output V8, Quadradrive, etc) with 59,000 miles, in mint condition, 1 owner trade, 12m/12,000mile warranty, and unlimited powertrain warranty- how about that. The G.C. is a bit cushier than the Land Rover the way it rides, but I prefer the stiff feel of the LR.

4Runners are good but they'll cost a lot more than a Jeep/LR. I am a big fan of the pre 05 Pathfinders, I think they're very good cars but they'll probably cost a bit more too. It's kind of a trade off- more reliable car, higher price and higher mileage. Less reliable car, lower price, lower mileage. It always seems to work out that way.
 
thanks for the reply.

i'm not really sure what i want exactly. not necessarily an SUV. i've been looking at some VW jetta's also.

basically i want something reliable and good on gas, but something i'd like to drive - so not a corolla.

in the past, i've had an xterra and tacoma. so i'm not used to a car really, but i could get one
 
twoodcc said:
thanks for the reply.

i'm not really sure what i want exactly. not necessarily an SUV. i've been looking at some VW jetta's also.

basically i want something reliable and good on gas, but something i'd like to drive - so not a corolla.

in the past, i've had an xterra and tacoma. so i'm not used to a car really, but i could get one
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I'm not going to recommend a VW just because of my family's experience with our Touareg and my extended family's experience with Passats. Very very expensive to fix and they always seem to be breaking. Oil changes are also absurdly expensive and if you want to do them your self stay away from the 1.8t- the oil filter is stuck right on the side of the engine so I don't even know how it is accessed.
 
ErikCLDR said:
I'm not going to recommend a VW just because of my family's experience with our Touareg and my extended family's experience with Passats. Very very expensive to fix and they always seem to be breaking. Oil changes are also absurdly expensive and if you want to do them your self stay away from the 1.8t- the oil filter is stuck right on the side of the engine so I don't even know how it is accessed.
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well, the main thing i'm having trouble deciding it whether to go for an $8000 vehicle, or a $3000 one and save some money. i'm just not sure which way i want to go. at $8k, the mileage is still going to be around 80,000 miles in the cars that i would even consider. at $3k, everything is over 100,000 miles, but some might not be too much
 
First things first: decide how much money you are going to spend. Assume your final cost is going to be 30% higher than what you've budgeted. If you really have no idea what you want, go ride around with your friends and see which of their cars feels good to you. Then, go on Autotrader/craigslist and search out any similar cars in your pricerange; and go from there.
 
Ford Taurus. You can't beat them- very cheap, run forever, pretty reliable. Thats why they're always used as fleet vehicles.
 
ErikCLDR said:
Ford Taurus. You can't beat them- very cheap, run forever, pretty reliable. Thats why they're always used as fleet vehicles.
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If you're looking for reliable, look into Hondas as well. My mom's entire side of the family owns or drives extensively at least one, and all of them love them to pieces. Some of them have been Honda owners for decades, and have had very few problems with them. My uncle's '98 Odyssey has more than 180,000 miles on it, runs without any problems, has remarkably good gas mileage for it's size(it's not too hard to push 30 out of it on the highway), and he fully expects to get another 70,000 miles out of it, minimum. Keep up on the maintenances and they'll last forever.
 
taylorwilsdon said:
First things first: decide how much money you are going to spend. Assume your final cost is going to be 30% higher than what you've budgeted. If you really have no idea what you want, go ride around with your friends and see which of their cars feels good to you. Then, go on Autotrader/craigslist and search out any similar cars in your pricerange; and go from there.
Click to expand...

well, i wrecked and sold my truck for $7800. so i could spend $8000, or anything less. but that is the question: spend it all on a nicer car, or spend less on something that has more miles and is older?

ErikCLDR said:
Ford Taurus. You can't beat them- very cheap, run forever, pretty reliable. Thats why they're always used as fleet vehicles.
Click to expand...

sorry, but my family tends to stay away from american made cars, so it's kinda been beaten into me to do the same.

d_and_n5000 said:
If you're looking for reliable, look into Hondas as well. My mom's entire side of the family owns or drives extensively at least one, and all of them love them to pieces. Some of them have been Honda owners for decades, and have had very few problems with them. My uncle's '98 Odyssey has more than 180,000 miles on it, runs without any problems, has remarkably good gas mileage for it's size(it's not too hard to push 30 out of it on the highway), and he fully expects to get another 70,000 miles out of it, minimum. Keep up on the maintenances and they'll last forever.
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yeah, i've heard good things about hondas. my family loves toyotas, but both honda and toyota have such high resell values, it's hard to get a good deal.
 
twoodcc said:
well, i wrecked and sold my truck for $7800. so i could spend $8000, or anything less. but that is the question: spend it all on a nicer car, or spend less on something that has more miles and is older?



sorry, but my family tends to stay away from american made cars, so it's kinda been beaten into me to do the same.



yeah, i've heard good things about hondas. my family loves toyotas, but both honda and toyota have such high resell values, it's hard to get a good deal.
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I said Taurus just because you'll get a newer Taurus with less miles compared to something Japanese. So if you're really on a budget I would go with a Taurus . Otherwise I would go with an Accord, Maxima, or Camry. But with those in the 8,000 price range, they're going to be typically in the early 2000's with 85,000+. With a civic for that price you can get an early 2000's model with like 70,000 miles. Compare that to a Taurus where you could get an 03, 04, maybe even 05 for your price with 30,000 - 50,000 miles.

Or for $8000 you could get an 01/02 Discovery with probably 70,000 miles, a 2000 or earlier BMW with 150,000 miles, higher mileage (100-120k) Acura or Infiniti.
 
twoodcc said:
basically i want something reliable and good on gas
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Dude, you want something reliable and good on gas and the two brands you're interested in are LR and VW? I think there's a disconnect between what you want and reality. :p

Although there will always be somebody who claims their LR or VW was rock solid, going by statistical evidence, you're better off with a Honda Accord/Civic.
 
Hit up autotrader.com, It's a great resource to see what cars go for.
Find a deal there, or research there & find a deal from an individual seller, (NO Tax). Good Luck
 
twoodcc said:
sorry, but my family tends to stay away from american made cars, so it's kinda been beaten into me to do the same.
Click to expand...

Ah, no auto manufacturer makes perfect cars. My boss drives a Mercedes S550 (MSRP ~$88k) and the AC went out in it in less than two months of owning it.
 
ErikCLDR said:
I said Taurus just because you'll get a newer Taurus with less miles compared to something Japanese. So if you're really on a budget I would go with a Taurus . Otherwise I would go with an Accord, Maxima, or Camry. But with those in the 8,000 price range, they're going to be typically in the early 2000's with 85,000+. With a civic for that price you can get an early 2000's model with like 70,000 miles. Compare that to a Taurus where you could get an 03, 04, maybe even 05 for your price with 30,000 - 50,000 miles.

Or for $8000 you could get an 01/02 Discovery with probably 70,000 miles, a 2000 or earlier BMW with 150,000 miles, higher mileage (100-120k) Acura or Infiniti.
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thanks. i just don't know what to do. i'm starting to think about just getting an older car, like mid 90's, for around $3,000. that way i can save some money

madoka said:
Dude, you want something reliable and good on gas and the two brands you're interested in are LR and VW? I think there's a disconnect between what you want and reality. :p

Although there will always be somebody who claims their LR or VW was rock solid, going by statistical evidence, you're better off with a Honda Accord/Civic.
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well, i just found that LR. i really know nothing about them. i don't think i'm going to get it now though.

i'm guessing VW's don't have a good rep either?

mperkins37 said:
Hit up autotrader.com, It's a great resource to see what cars go for.
Find a deal there, or research there & find a deal from an individual seller, (NO Tax). Good Luck
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yeah, i've been on autotrader a lot lately.

GSMiller said:
Ah, no auto manufacturer makes perfect cars. My boss drives a Mercedes S550 (MSRP ~$88k) and the AC went out in it in less than two months of owning it.
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yes, i know this. and no matter what i get, i'm taking a chance...
 
I can tell you that I work for an extended warranty company and we won't touch Land Rovers. All but one or two don't cover them. FWIW.
 
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