Stooby2

It's always been the saying in Australia that "if you want to go into the outback, take a Land Rover. If you want to come back, take a Land Cruiser." I've never known why, apart from a brief period from about 1992-1998, Land Rover can't make a reliable vehicle that isn't plagued with design faults.

I seem to remember the early Freelanders were a distaster for keeping water out. It was so bad that when the 3 year warranty ran out on our 1999 F1, the extended warranty that LR offered didn't cover water ingress. Both the front footwells suffered damp issues and as it happens to you when it rains, I would have a very close look at the door seals and the drain channels from the bulkhead scuttle.

Try AJS tyres - http://ajstyres.co.uk/ajs4x4servicing.htm For the money, I've found General Grabber AT2 are every bit as a good and somewhat cheaper.

Well thanks all for the help. Still can't make my mind up, but its given me more of an idea.

Thanks for the replies. Anyone got experience of towing with the F2?

Well that's an issue as I usually do my own servicing. What's the problem with oil changing then? And that camshaft defect just smacks of poor LR design!

Hi, New to the forum, but not Land Rovers, been driving them for about 30 years. Currently have a Disco 1. However, the Disco is showing its age and I'm looking to replace it. I was intending to get a Disco 3, but the newer Freelanders are catching my eye and I'm wondering if I'll get more for my money. I owned a 1999 1.8 Freelander for three years that was six months old when we got it and it was, without exception, the worst car I've ever owned. Just one thing after another going wrong with it. But apparently, the new ones are supposed to be a whole new world of better. So are they? I'm after the automatic diesel version around the 2006/7 mark. What are the known issues? I'm not worried about off-road performance as muddy scout camps is about the worst it'll suffer and my old Freelander coped with those. And I'll be fitting General Grabbers or something similar anyway. Towing - I have a twin axle 22 foot caravan, that weighs about 1.4 tonnes all up. Whilst I know this is within the Freelander's towing weight, will it tow that happily? For example, my current Disco, which has a 3.5 tonne towing capacity, struggles up hills with it (always has done) and I'm after a car that won't slow down to 40mph on the modest hills of the A303. I know I'll get the extra room / seats, better off-road and towing ability from a Disco 3, but for the money I have, will most likely get a GS / XS with 50-60,000 miles. However for the same money, I've seen a couple of HSE Freelanders with lower mileage. So are the swings better than the roundabouts?