Saw a Freelander today

I thought it was the new Honday CRV, really!! Just thought maybe it was a cheaper version without the rear light indicators on the upper pillar like the Honda. It wasn't until I got in front of it that I realised it was the Freelander.

Seems pretty small. Not much visually. :(

No not much visualy but by far one of the best small SUV's on the market. Took one for a test drive the other day (for the wife) Have to say I love it. Handles great lots of low end torque and plenty of power. Fun and comfortable. The discovery/defender is more my speed but the freelander is great for under 25k

I should say one of the best (smaller than xterra) SUV's on the market. Dont want any confussion

Nice expensive car, That is all it is, Looks like a scraped budget version of all the good models Landrover has put out over the years....shame on them

Given the price of the other models they needed a budget version. And the freelander being a "scraped budget version" still blows away the compitition. One thing it is not is over priced at 25k, sure its ugly but all the "cars" in its class are i.e. RAV4 and Forester. If you haven't driven the Freelander you realy dont know what your talking about. Im no landrover lover couldn't afford to be, untill now but they have always produced 1st class vehicles and I suspect will continue to do so for quite some time

Buddy I do not need to drive it to feel that Landrover has lowered their standards to compete in the RAV4/ Escape/Mazda category. I agree if I was forced to drive a "Soccer mom mobile" I would prefeer the Freelander.. But in my mind they could have come up with something more suited to their image

I dont know where you come from but in CA soccer moms drive Tahoes and Expeditions. My wife drives a civic and has never been interested in anything other than a car. for us Guys looking to get their wifes interested in a 4x4 the Freelander is perfect and a lot closer to a "real" 4x4 than an Escape or a RAV4, but like I said you wouldn't know that if you haven't driven it. And yes you do have to actualy drive a car before you can have an intelligent conversation about it.

Originally posted by RticQl8
And yes you do have to actualy drive a car before you can have an intelligent conversation about it.

So I take it you've driven an Acura then :finger:. How else would you know about how much power one has.

the Freelander is perfect and a lot closer to a "real" 4x4 than an Escape or a RAV4

How, exactly? What makes it more "real", specifically? Did you take it offroad? How's the clearance? Does the rear end's Independant Suspension differ radically from the Rav4 etc.?

It's a minivan, nothing more. The cheap man's knock off wanna be "looks like" a real 4x4 but doesn't compete on any level. This is a 4x4 forum, why are you here talking about the Freelander? 8 inches of travel doesn't lend itself very well to anything other than parking lot speed bumps and the occasional train track. This is a vehicle designed for women and those that aspire to be.

Originally posted by superjens

This is a 4x4 forum, why are you here talking about the Freelander?

Easy big guy. :)

I started the thread about the Freelander. I was just surprised at how cheap it looked. I guess I was hoping that Land Rover wouldn't follow the "just keep rounding the corners every year" design concepts that have been so popular with the new SUV's this year.

By the way I'm offering $50 to the first person that posts a "real" picture of a FreeLander with an ARB snorkle. :eek:

Edmunds.com : "Small inside and lacking a low-range transfer case, the Freelander won't appeal to buyers looking for a seriously capable small SUV, despite the Land Rover name on the hood. Think Jeep Liberty."

"Land Rover freely admits that the Freelander won't go places a Defender can, but claims it leads the segment in off-road ability. We think Jeep may beg to differ."

"Unibody construction and a four-wheel independent MacPherson strut suspension won't impress hardcore off-roaders, but Land Rover has dialed in 7 inches of wheel travel in front and eight in back." (emphasis added)

LA Times : "This newest Land Rover is not the go-anywhere, haul-everything piece of automotive engineering that owes allegiance to Monty's World War II tanks and the locomotives of British Railways."

Carpoint : "As is the case with other vehicles in its category, the Freelander cannot travel very far off the beaten path given its average ground clearance, lack of skid plates and inadequate tires."

Granted I haven't driven the car yet, so I'm no expert. :D It does appear to be the most capable of the mini-SUVs off-road (present company accepted of course. The X is considered a mini-SUV ;)). I heard it referred to as a great "soft"-road vehicle.

Draw your own conclusions...

brad

Originally posted by scott.com


So I take it you've driven an Acura then :finger:. How else would you know about how much power one has.

Yes I've driven an Acura. My father in law wont buy anything else. I think hes had an acura from the minute they came off the boat. His latest is pretty peppy for a front wheel drive sedan but I woudln't even begin to call it powerfull. Hell Acura doesn't even make that claim.


Im not trying to argue with everyone on the board. All im saying is that I test drove the Freelander expecting the worse, rolling my eyes at every mention, but when I actualy got behind the wheal and drove it on the road and through the dealerships Mok off road course I was pleasantly suprised.

Ok. Road Trip!

Next meeting of PNWX will be at the Land Rover dealership. We'll all go take the Freelander through their obstacle course. Maybe if we bring donuts they'll let us run the Xterras through it too. :D

Originally posted by brad77
Edmunds.com : "Small inside and lacking a low-range transfer case, the Freelander won't appeal to buyers looking for a seriously capable small SUV, despite the Land Rover name on the hood. Think Jeep Liberty."

"Land Rover freely admits that the Freelander won't go places a Defender can, but claims it leads the segment in off-road ability. We think Jeep may beg to differ."

"Unibody construction and a four-wheel independent MacPherson strut suspension won't impress hardcore off-roaders, but Land Rover has dialed in 7 inches of wheel travel in front and eight in back." (emphasis added)

LA Times : "This newest Land Rover is not the go-anywhere, haul-everything piece of automotive engineering that owes allegiance to Monty's World War II tanks and the locomotives of British Railways."

Carpoint : "As is the case with other vehicles in its category, the Freelander cannot travel very far off the beaten path given its average ground clearance, lack of skid plates and inadequate tires."

Granted I haven't driven the car yet, so I'm no expert. :D It does appear to be the most capable of the mini-SUVs off-road (present company accepted of course. The X is considered a mini-SUV ;)). I heard it referred to as a great "soft"-road vehicle.

Draw your own conclusions...

brad

Bingo! Brad hit it right on the head! I saw one at the Auto show and it looked real cheap and felt real cheap!

Mosi's Disco II is a real 4WD! 4hi and lo range! That is one sweet 4WD!

Originally posted by RticQl8


Im not trying to argue with everyone on the board.

I know you're not. Christ, someone has to have a differing opinion or it's going to get real booring. Just watch out for the Canadians here. They hunt in packs ya' know. ;)

Originally posted by rrdstarr


Mosi's Disco II is a real 4WD! 4hi and lo range! That is one sweet 4WD!

Too bad his girlfriend won't let him take it to Moab!! :evillaugh

Originally posted by superjens


How, exactly? What makes it more "real", specifically? Did you take it offroad? How's the clearance? Does the rear end's Independant Suspension differ radically from the Rav4 etc.?

I originaly based my oppinion on perception. Its a landrover that alone makes it more of an offroad vehicly than a toyota RAV4. I realize thats a bit ignorant so I took a quick look at carpoint and compared the two. The RAV4 only has 6.7" of ground clearance compared to the whopping 7.2" of the Freelander. Another fact that carpoint doesn't touch on is that the Freelander puts you pretty high up like its bigger brothers the seats are high in the passenger compartment. I did actualy drive it on the dealers little rock course its about an 1/8th of a mile long wrapping around the dealership and has steep approach and decent angles. Like I said I was pleasantly suprised. (not impressed by any meens)


Originally posted by superjens


It's a minivan, nothing more. The cheap man's knock off wanna be "looks like" a real 4x4 but doesn't compete on any level. This is a 4x4 forum, why are you here talking about the Freelander? 8 inches of travel doesn't lend itself very well to anything other than parking lot speed bumps and the occasional train track. This is a vehicle designed for women and those that aspire to be.

Check out the thread title...:flipa: .. Listen nobody is saying the Freelander is an Offroad machine. All im saying is that if your wife is looking for a new car and you realy want her to take a step in the right direction the Freelander wouldn't be a bad choice. Obviously the Xterra or the Liberty would be better but my wife hates them both

"Canadians hunt in Packs..." Dammit! I just blew beer out my nose!:hehehe:


The freelander is interesting but has horrible interior room and the lack of a decent T-Case is inexcusable for its name. I think you'd find a lot in common with the Escape underneath. After checking them out I dont think you'd be able to leave a dealership easily without a $29,000 or so deal.

I took a ride in a new Range Rover the other day......sweet.....

On second thought maybe I should just trade my wife in for a used Defender;)

Ok, point taken RticQl8, I know what you're getting at. The "wife" issue brings up a good point, but when the time comes for my girlfriend to upgrade from her FWD car to something more safe when the road gets icy, it's Subaru all the way. Say it like an angry Japanese chef "Zuuuuubaroo!"

Schlud started this topic? Figures ... those damned ex-Canadians. :D

Originally posted by Schludwiller


I know you're not. Christ, someone has to have a differing opinion or it's going to get real booring. Just watch out for the Canadians here. They hunt in packs ya' know. ;)


We do not hunt in packs. I just get a bit miffed about someone telling me I can not have an intelligent conversation without having test driven the car. If you read above you will see I was simply stating an opinion to which a snotty reply was followed.

Good word again, He could not pick a fight if he tried. :devil:

You cheap bastard Schlud !. $50 for something you KNOW is never going to happen :p

So when are going to see some pics from the big Mod day !?

Originally posted by Xlax

So when are going to see some pics from the big Mod day !?

Working on it. I'm just having trouble balancing my keyboard on the giant stomach I developed from "the Feast" last night.

Originally posted by RticQl8
On second thought maybe I should just trade my wife in for a used Defender;)

Can we do that!? How, where? Come on...inquiring minds want to know. :sun:

Originally posted by Schludwiller


Working on it. I'm just having trouble balancing my keyboard on the giant stomach I developed from "the Feast" last night.


Run It's gonna blow !!!...I wish I could have been there..there are words that we are hitting Chad's parents in blaine up for some mod space next weekend?.

I am sitting here and trying to figure out when we should do our first club Wheel trip...man I am itching to go.

C

It could happen - I gotta check with them first. I got rear brake shoes to put on and some miscellaneous front end noises to trace. Theres room for three rigs there and its flat (unlike my place). A certain ISP starting with "E" decided to totally bungle some DNS/rDNS stuff on a job I was working on and pretty much blew this weekend to hell for me........the joys of IT I guess.

Its the one time I wish my in-laws to be were nearby. We used to work on 8 or 9 cars/trucks at once at their ranch in Texas.

I am still bloated from all that home raised pork we had at WQBang's in-law's place last night! Thanks again to WQBang for the space and the grub!

I just need to install the Cb, perhaps do the shckles (hmm shocks first?) adn drewl over Jens' gear

C

Originally posted by Xlax
I just need to install the Cb, perhaps do the shckles (hmm shocks first?) adn drewl over Jens' gear

C

Nah, you'll be drooling over my 10-leaf spring pack. Rides like buttah! ;)

Ill be drooling over eveyones mods.... Ive stopped for now - gotta save my pennies for a Subaru WRX.

I might pick up a TCase skid plate though & Ill be due for some new rubber in the next few months on my X.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by ozxterra
[B]- gotta save my pennies for a Subaru WRX.

Save your money for another year or so, they're coming out with an even faster model pretty soon. A buddy of mine has one and is already shaking for the new model. Something like another 40 hp, Bremo (sp?) breaks, better suspension... the works.

Yeah - the "Ti" version or something they have in Europe and Asia.

Im going to need to make a move on another car soon though.
I took a Jetta 1.8T out for a spin too. I was very impressed. Silver with black leather... Ive had three jettas though so I would dig trying something different.

Ill probably get a WRX by June I reckon.

Originally posted by brad77

"Unibody construction and a four-wheel independent MacPherson strut suspension won't impress hardcore off-roaders, but Land Rover has dialed in 7 inches of wheel travel in front and eight in back." (emphasis added)

Draw your own conclusions...

brad

Both the Grand Cherokee and the Cherokee are unibodys and the Grand will beat the snot out of most trucks off-road.

Both the Grand Cherokee and the Cherokee are unibodys

Yeah but they also have solid axles front and rear! That pro outweighs the con of having IFS IRS, no matter what frame style a vehicle has.

Which leads me to something I was thinking about this morning, I'd like to vote for Schlud as Most Likely To Be First To Do A Solid Axle Conversion, especially after seeings pics of his insane 11-leaf springpack -- sick! ;)

Originally posted by rrdstarr
I am still bloated from all that home raised pork we had at WQBang's in-law's place last night! Thanks again to WQBang for the space and the grub!

I am glad everyone had a good time. My arms are sore from cranking, decranking, and recranking torsion bars all day....

I am sure we can use his place in the future too. I am thinking it would be a good after run meet-up spot after checking out Elbe Hills OHV area.

Originally posted by Schludwiller
I thought it was the new Honday CRV, really!! Just thought maybe it was a cheaper version without the rear light indicators on the upper pillar like the Honda. It wasn't until I got in front of it that I realised it was the Freelander.

Seems pretty small. Not much visually. :(

ya, and the tires are way puny. might look ok jacked up about 4 inches with bigger meats