Hello All I'm new here and just wanted to pick your brains with my first post if I may.
I have been in love with Freelanders ever since the FL1 were first released but I've never owed one.
Having not long taken delivery of our bouncing baby son I've finally talked the wife into needing a new car and the FL2 is top of the list (actually it's the only car on the list). We test drove the latest HSE yesterday and of course I fell even more in love.
Trouble is I've no hope of actually owning one either that new or that high a spec.
The best I can hope for is 4/5 years old and between 70-80000 miles on the clock to get an HSE/maybe SE that I could afford.
So what is the wisdom in this? AM I barking up the wrong tree and should either lower my sites or work a lot harder to afford my dream car?
Or with good research could I find a very good clean tidy top of the range older higher mileage FL2 that I can be safe and happy driving my family around in for a good few more years? My wifes from Dublin so we drive there a couple of times a year and she also has a sister in Paris and we regularly vist by car also. So I'll be putting a lot more miles on it that should I guess be a consideration.
Thanks in advance for all your help and advise.
Ross

Personally I'd go for lower miles/age over spec, particularly if you're going to be putting a lot of miles on it. The GS is still a very good car, and tends to be significantly cheaper than the HSE.

pab wrote:

Personally I'd go for lower miles/age over spec, particularly if you're going to be putting a lot of miles on it. The GS is still a very good car, and tends to be significantly cheaper than the HSE.

I'd have to agree. I had a basic FL1 (S) followed by a very high spec D2. I'm now on an FL 2GS and am happy. Okay, I did a half day LRE in a 2013 MY freelander and it was lovely but after a little shopping around 9 months ago I got a 57 plate GS with 29K miles, FSH and 12 months warranty from a main dealer for £11.8K. Regardless of service history, components do wear out - there are many better experts on here than me but by 100K surely things are going to start getting more frequent/expensive ? FL2 2007 57 GS
D2 2005 Td5 - gone and not missed
FL1 2005 Td4 - gone and missed

I bought a 2008 HSE with about 67000 on the clock and its been fine but we only expect to do 7000 miles per year in it. If I was expecting to do a higher annual mileage, I'd go agree with what others have advised and go for a lower spec, lower mileage model for the same money. Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

I use mine for personal use only and still manage to put 16,000 miles on it each year, so in my case if I was looking at a S/H car I would sacrifice spec for low mileage.

The engine longevity on the FL2 is excellent so should run to a high mileage without problems but high mileage cars could be showing signs of wear in the suspension, joints, drivetrain etc.

Toys are nice but lower mileage is better if you intend to knock up the miles

I've just purchased a 2009 SE with 74k on the clock. Mainly to be used as a 2nd car and hopefully a god send in the bad weather I'm not expecting to put more than 6-7k on it per annum. Saying that did nearly 1,000 miles in it last week.

I was cautious of the high mileage but, hey, I like it.

It also has a full service history from a LR dealership

You may do better by putting you requirements in the for sale/ wanted section in this forum, you could get both as well as knowing that the car was owned by someone who looked after it. Prices usually just above trade in so a saving of about 2-3K my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.

Thanks everyone some definite food for thought there. It is very easy to get distracted by all the bells and whistles after all isn't a Freelander 2 that can cover most terrain I'll ever need in comfort basically one big bell and whistle. But what man doesn't like a gadget. I will broaden my search and when the time comes perhaps post on here.
Thanks Again.

I have two FL2s - one bought with 20k miles, the other with 125k miles (both diesel autos)

Both have performed very well and have been totally reliable.

Obviously higher mileage ones can have more wear on the vehicle but the FL2s seem to be able to take it well and you get can get a great car for little money. I also drove one with 148k that was still very good. They definitely do not appear to self destruct after 100k miles. As always:- your money / your choice

Last edited by donny on 27th Aug 2013 5:42 pm. Edited 2 times in total

Mine is an 07 HSE and had about 70k on the clock with it. OK I've had a few problems although I planned and expected them. TBF I did not expect the rear oil seal and that was a wallet killer but every thing else was about about what I thought.

If you do go for a higher mileage ( and that is dependant on what you plan to do as an individual ) I can recommend getting it Terracleaned ( search for my thread ).

Yes its got higher mileage than I would normally got but with some mechanical TLC & time detailing its like a brand new car at a fraction of the price.

Expect big problems ( like the clutch & DMF ) around 125k as an example of things to watch for.

Just which ever way you go make sure you are aware of what MIGHT happen and be prepared for it.

T Terran



'The' Car For The Modern Day UK Roads ( ie all the pot holes )

'A Freelander that leaks oil is just marking its territory' - Wise words

Now a member of the FL2 'Silly Bill' Club

Our 2009 FL2 TD4 HSE is great! It's not the best car i've ever driven in terms of handling but it eats up the road and sitting up high really makes things a great deal more appealing than sitting at eye level with the peasants It's not a driver's car, it's a car for someone who needs to drive a 2ton 4x4 at around 30mpg.

As others have said, your priorities should be low mileage and as high a spec as you can afford. Don't buy one in or around winter, get one in summer as the Winter premium makes a big difference. If you're going to need to drive it in anything worse than rain, you'll need to spend money on some decent 'Winter' or All Terrain tyres too. This can cost a few hundred extra pounds but it's worth it. I have a set of 17" wheels with General Grabber AT tyres (thanks to the very good people at AJS, our forum sponsor) stored in the garage and they're fitted when the weather gets bad. I drive on a set of 19" Continentals for general road use.

I could have done without armrests and the satnav is pretty crap but then in 2009, iPhone 5's weren't around and neither were some of the excellent Navigational apps you can now readily get hold of. So the HSE isn't really worth any extra money over any other spec.

If i was going to get my first FL2, I would not pay a premium for higher HSE specs and I would go for an SD4 over a TD4, even if they had the same mileage. I find TD4s have to work much harder than SD4s. I would make sure that the car had not been slogging around with a trailer or a caravan on the back for trips around Europe. I would pay someone who knew what they were doing to come with me when viewing privately sold cars.

Ask lots of questions and make a list of your priorities. Whereabouts unknown stop going to follow stream until reach civilisation stop message ends

Unfortunately given my experience of an FL2 in recent weeks I wouldn't touch with a barge pole. Buy japanese or German. yes, its great to drive, tows well but build quaility is questionable, breaks down and when you do the dealers don't care. eh tu?

Other manufacturers don't have trouble do they, Toyata have recalled thousands of vehicles for steering problems, then months later recalled 242000 vehicles for brake problems. p****d off with a Digital Keyboard Warrior

Adrian, You have posted this on other forums without detail, was it two separate defects or were they associated? I do think if criticising anything the detail should be included so as to inform others of problems or not just sounding off because you have become fed up, The indications were the car became disabled, but not as to the extent. With this type of vehicle there is no real difference between the manufacturing countries both Japan and Germany in regards to reliability, there are just as many complaints regarding MB VW BMW and Toyota, Mitsubishi, If you want bad service try the Korean models abroad where the warranties vary. No it's not nice when it happens but think twice before condemning the car, could cost more in the long run. my PC is slightly to the right of Genghis
2012 HSE SD4 In Orkney Grey now gone, best car ever.