Hi Everyone

[SteveH0773]

Hi All,

I just thought I'd drop a note and say hello - I've been reading the forum over the past few weeks, and thank you all for providing such good first hand experience and advice on the minefield that buying a freelander seems to be!!!!

Hopefully this weekend I'll be able to get my hands on my first Freelander - My 02 Focus was written off a couple of weeks ago, and needs replacing - Now i decided that I've got to have one!!! I've read up on the issues I could face, so I'm going for a dealer, and only if the deal comes with a year warranty.... My first question is, does anyone know a good dealer in the York / Leeds area? I'm generally looking at spending £4500 ish, so a 2000 - 2002 TD4 with less than 90K would be ideal otherwise i'll be more than happy with an 02 or 03 1.8, but with only with a year's warranty!

My second question, is a bit more technical so any thoughts are appreciated!!!!

I've read the various posts here, and the MGF article on the K-Series, but are there any reasonably obvious mods to look for under the bonnet that aid realiability? I know to look for the central thermostat, as I've read many times that it helps reduce head gasket failure, but are any of the other "Fixes" as obvious? - Apart from recipts of course!!!

Thanks for your time folks - I'll let you know how I get on!! - I've only got until mid next week to find "The One", otherwise I'll have to go for choice 3, which is another Focus TDCi (Which I liked, but just lacked charicter!)

[Simon_CSK]

Hi All,

I just thought I'd drop a note and say hello - I've been reading the forum over the past few weeks, and thank you all for providing such good first hand experience and advice on the minefield that buying a freelander seems to be!!!!

Hopefully this weekend I'll be able to get my hands on my first Freelander - My 02 Focus was written off a couple of weeks ago, and needs replacing - Now i decided that I've got to have one!!! I've read up on the issues I could face, so I'm going for a dealer, and only if the deal comes with a year warranty.... My first question is, does anyone know a good dealer in the York / Leeds area? I'm generally looking at spending £4500 ish, so a 2000 - 2002 TD4 with less than 90K would be ideal otherwise i'll be more than happy with an 02 or 03 1.8, but with only with a year's warranty!

My second question, is a bit more technical so any thoughts are appreciated!!!!

I've read the various posts here, and the MGF article on the K-Series, but are there any reasonably obvious mods to look for under the bonnet that aid realiability? I know to look for the central thermostat, as I've read many times that it helps reduce head gasket failure, but are any of the other "Fixes" as obvious? - Apart from recipts of course!!!

Thanks for your time folks - I'll let you know how I get on!! - I've only got until mid next week to find "The One", otherwise I'll have to go for choice 3, which is another Focus TDCi (Which I liked, but just lacked charicter!)

Steve

Hi and welcome

Sorry I don't know much about the early models as I always have Rangies up until I bought a 53 Plate V6 for my wife. Snce then have has an 05 Plate TD4 and a 57 plate TD4.

Having had the head gasket problem with the V6 I would avoid at all costs the petrol engine models. I beleive that as with the MGB's there is a simple fix in terms of the head gasket type but I don't know what it is and am not getting my hands dirty at the moment fixing cars so am unlikely to find out.

Landrovering is good fun stick at it and don't buy a Ford.

You will get alot of help and sound advice here however maybe not from me.

[jules]

This is my wife's run around 98 2lt d we paid 2k for it had done 100k and she has now done 120k and apart from a new set to AT2 grabbers when we first bought it we have not spent a singe penny on it, in fact I didn't know she had done that mileage as its missed a few services

TD4's do suffer from minimal problems like fuel pumps etc..

the 1.8 lose money hand over fist due to the gasket minority but the risk is still there.

I have a 1.8 with a PTP race head and composite gasket and I don't have a bad word to say about the engine as I have won three championships with it

[SteveH0773]

Thanks for the tips folks - I've got a short list of 5 to get around today, so hopefully I'll have some success.....

I'll update you all when I get back - Wish me luck!

[SteveH0773]

I got one! It's an 51 TD4 GS 5 door, 78k £4600 - All in all it looks very tidy, a couple of small chips here and there, and a bit of scffing on the inside trim of the boot door but other than that it seems sound!! Can't wait to pick it up on Wednesday or Thursday now

The pics are the dealers.....

[Simon_CSK]

I got one! It's an 51 TD4 GS 5 door, 78k £4600 - All in all it looks very tidy, a couple of small chips here and there, and a bit of scffing on the inside trim of the boot door but other than that it seems sound!! Can't wait to pick it up on Wednesday or Thursday now

The pics are the dealers.....

Welcome to the club. It looks good well done.

[JCB]

Interesting mix of alloys from back to front!!

[SteveH0773]

Interesting mix of alloys from back to front!!

They look exactly the same to me...?

[jules]

Looks like the stock 15" rimms to me front and back.

Nice clean looking freebie

[DEANO3528]

Well spotted JCB: 5 spokes on the back and 6 spoke on front and spare!

[SteveH0773]

Well spotted JCB: 5 spokes on the back and 6 spoke on front and spare!

How did I not notice that? I was thinking of having the alloys properly repainted, so maybe I'll get a matching set too!!! As long as they are all round and the same size, that's what counts!!

[JCB]

Glad I could be of some assistance.

Both types of alloy are the same size (15 inch) and hopefully have the same size tyres.

It should have the six spoke ones as the five spokes were on earlier vehicules, plenty of the six spokes on ebay.

[SteveH0773]

Thanks for the help JCB...

I'll check the sizes tomorrow when I pick it up, and then keep an eye out for replacements!

I wonder if I'll have any problems getting wheels as a pair instead of 4?!?

[Blippie]

What good taste you have Steve ...

Soon you will be ...

(ours has six spokes all round! )

Cheers

Blippie

[SteveH0773]

What good taste you have Steve ...

Soon you will be ...

(ours has six spokes all round! )

Cheers

Blippie

Thanks Blippie! Silver is the better colour I think..... I took it out for "First Mud" on Saturday.... Since it was the first timein a Freelander, I decided to take it fairly easy... (I couldn't take action shots as I was out by myself!!)

[Simon_CSK]

Thanks Blippie! Silver is the better colour I think..... I took it out for "First Mud" on Saturday.... Since it was the first timein a Freelander, I decided to take it fairly easy... (I couldn't take action shots as I was out by myself!!)

Steve

Sorry to be a bore but you should not go off road by yourself. If you roll in the middle of nowhere you could be seriously injured and no be in a position to get help.

[jules]

Steve

Sorry to be a bore but you should not go off road by yourself. If you roll in the middle of nowhere you could be seriously injured and no be in a position to get help.

Simon is completely right

If you go it alone who will take the photo's while laughing and pionting if you get it wrong

Then can tow you to safety

(Sorry if we are teaching you to such eggs)

[SteveH0773]

I understand what you mean fellas - The trip consisted of a farm track and the grass area in the pics, but that's all I'm going to do until I can get together with others in the area who can show me the ropes!

Is there anyone else from the York area on here?

[discojmz]

headingley/leeds here, so only 25 minutes or so from york

id love to do a bit of gentle laning since my disco is stock running gear wise plus some underbody protection, but im a relative beginner too

jim

[jules]

The Freelander club was alway very active up that way they could be worth a try.

(I was the old chairman for the first 5yrs but I can't remember the name of the Yorkshire Rep)

www.freelanderclub.co.uk

[SteveH0773]

Thanks for the tips Jim & Jules, I haven't seen that site yet... I'll have a look and join!

I did quite a lot of off-roading in my Army years in 110's & 90's, but it's different when it's your own vehicle - I use the Freelander as my main car too, so I don't want to go too extreme with where I take it! Also, it's currently totally standard, including the road tyres (For now anyway!)

Jim - I've had a quick look on the M.A.D Freelanders site (http://www.mad-freelanders.org.uk/), and the members greenlaning forum seems to have a few people on there too from our area, so maybe between the two sites we could get people together and have a beginners trip?

Cheers,

Steve

[Simon_CSK]

Thanks for the tips Jim & Jules, I haven't seen that site yet... I'll have a look and join!

I did quite a lot of off-roading in my Army years in 110's & 90's, but it's different when it's your own vehicle - I use the Freelander as my main car too, so I don't want to go too extreme with where I take it! Also, it's currently totally standard, including the road tyres (For now anyway!)

Jim - I've had a quick look on the M.A.D Freelanders site (http://www.mad-freelanders.org.uk/), and the members greenlaning forum seems to have a few people on there too from our area, so maybe between the two sites we could get people together and have a beginners trip?

Cheers,

Steve

Steve

Don't knock the standard Frellander. I had my 05 plate FL offroad and alledgedly had it airbourne. The only problem that I encountered was the ride height other than that went most places that the Range Rovers went.

[SteveH0773]

As far as mods go, at the moment I'm just thinking tyres & a bit of underbody protection - Maybe further down the line as I get more into the hobby, then I'll start to think about a lift etc.

The main reason for starting with tyres (And in fact one of the reasons for buying a Freelander!) is that I'm also an Astronomer, so many a cold winters night is spent driving up onto the North York Moors to find a dark site to set my scope up, avoiding light pollution so the darker and more remote the better - Certainly not the type of place to get stuck! My old Focus used to be very limiting in this department!