As many of you aware I have decided to change my Yeti.

I wanted to get rid of my fixed monthly payments, so sold the Yeti so that I could buy a vehicle outright.

We wanted a higher driving position, 4x4, diesel automatic. And also not a big 4x4 like a Discovery or old Range Rover. All at a price I could afford.

The only vehicle that I could find that met what I wanted was a Freelander 1.

Having done some research I decided that I would buy one that was as new as possible, with full service history, with the BMW engine.

This was the best of the bunch that I looked at.

2006 Freelander 1 TD4 auto HSE, some sort of metallic red with beige leather.

The leather is dirty, but not worn or ripped (unlike some I looked at).

It has a properly functioning sunroof and all the electrics work fine. The a/c works now that it has been re-gassed. It drives well, but feels huge!!!! It has cruise control, the Harmon Kardon Becker Navigation (at the moment no CD-dealer couldn't find it when I picked up the car, or the owners manual, but they have them somewhere).

It is fitted with General Grabber UHP tyres. The VCU appears to be okay, I can hold it comfortably after it has been driven for 100 miles.

In reality it isn't much bigger than the Yeti, but at the moment it feels it.

The wife likes it especially the colour, which is good!

It has a full Land Rover service history and has 113,000 miles on the clock.

Overall I'm impressed, but I'm going to have to get used to turning on and off my lights, the wipers, locking the doors when I drive off, having to shut all the windows before turning off the ignition etc. what a pain, or have I just got soft and lazy in my middle age?

:lol:

First impressions. It is slow compared to my breathed upon Yeti. Very slow :lol: it is more comfortable on the potholed roads and does speed bumps better. It is quieter. It feels comfortable. It feels huge at the moment and the turning circle is bigger.

I like it and it is mine! :lol: (not VW Finances!)

I have a few thoughts on what to do to personalise it and will let you know in due course.

Oh, and it cost me £100 to change. I'm happy.

I will post some photos later.

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I hope it serves you well.  Has Elsie gone to a Briskodan?

Sounds good Rockhopper, is probably the Rimini Red paint. (Dad had his first FL in that colour)

Okay, here are a few photos

 

 

 

 

 

I started off by cleaning all the rubber and the felt around the sun roof. Next job is the interior. I have cleaned the steering wheel and the drivers seat. So much to do and too much getting in the way of me working on the car, like the dreaded W word.

That's not a good colour interior for a land rover.

Good looking car though.

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Happy new car! As with all cars, keep up the maintenance and I am sure you will have many years of happy motoring from it.

 

 My wife likes the Freelander and is currently talking about swapping the Fabia for one, not sure of the outcome though as other cars mentioned so far are;

 

Golf MK 5 R32 DSG

BMW 3 Series although this is rank outsider as they rust!

Defender 90

 

 All of the above have to be automatic!

 

 I bet we still have the Fabia this time next year lol  

I like the colour.

So glad you got a Td4.

Mike

 

I am sure you have researched and chosen well.

 

It's an interesting move.

 

I went from a 2.5 year old Tiguan 170SE to a 12 year old Saab 93....and I enjoyed it. Very different getting out the spanners and work not chipping in most of the running costs.

 

Nigel

Looks good, and the Grabber UHP's are a good AT tyre!

 

Can't open your PM at work (??) so I'll reply tomorrow.

I like the colour.

So glad you got a Td4.

 

I really like the colour as well.

There was only ever one choice of engine for me..... and it has to be automatic.

 

 

Mike

 

I am sure you have researched and chosen well.

 

It's an interesting move.

 

I went from a 2.5 year old Tiguan 170SE to a 12 year old Saab 93....and I enjoyed it. Very different getting out the spanners and work not chipping in most of the running costs.

 

Nigel

 

Yes, loads of research.

 

It is quite different to the Yeti. It is slightly bigger, but most of the length is due to the rear wheel.

The turning circle isn't as good and I really miss the tiny turning circle of the Yeti. I guess I was spoilt!

 

 

The interior colour is okay. I am in the process of cleaning the inside at the moment. I will at some stage get the rubbed away leather touched up on the drivers offside of the seat, where all leather dye wears. It isn't damaged.

 

I will keep it well maintained, with the money I'm saving on paying for the Yeti, it should be fine. It is going in for a service and gearbox oil change in 2 weeks.

 

This week I am going to fit a towbar and electrics. It will have to be the horrible 7 pin as I can't find a 13 pin that fits to the plug in the rear of the car. I will convert at my leisure, as I want to tow on the Bank Holiday.

 

I will be fitting a Rocket Ron 2a tuning box, as they seem to be recommended for the Td4, and are switchable on the move from the cockpit.

 

I also have to find somewhere to fit my rear facing camera. There is not obvious place, as the rear tailgate window opens and closes. The front one should be easy when I get the time.

 

My wife likes the car already and thinks we have made a wise choice. 

I am not convinced with the wind deflectors. I can't see half the nearside door mirror! They may not last that long!

Even the avatar has changed! Yeti is a distant memory already.   I   :love: my Freelander 

Even the avatar has changed! Yeti is a distant memory already.   I   :love: my Freelander 

 

 

Gone, missed, but not forgotten, but the thing I don't miss are the monthly repayments 

I know what you mean, I only have the Yeti as it is a company car, this time next year I will get to choose something else, not sure what yet but it won't be anything with big CO2 emissions so I can save a heap of money, might even be a Rapid or Octy green line!

 

 I used to have a defender a few years back and enjoyed the weekend tinkering to keep it running smooth. New cars are over rated lol 

So I have missed something

 

Enjoy the FL, it does look a nice motor.

 

 

TP

I really like the colour. Within your constraints this is a great choice. Enjoy Mike.

Nice colour and looks good overall. Enjoy your monthly fee free motoring

I fitted the BlackVue camera to the front today. Straight forward and used same wiring from the Yeti..

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Nice, looks smart. The only experience I've had of these is driving one at work (for 5 min) and I couldnt fit in it. I like the look of them though, decent bm engine in it cant be bad either. 

The auto's very capable off road, I drove one for a couple of hours at the Honiton LRE, I had a manual on an 02 plate the only thing I would say is the 16" rims give a much more comfortable ride than the 17's I ordered mine with 16's but it came with 17's at no extra charge but after a year I swapped them for the 16's.

Today I fitted a new Pierberg MAF and a Ronbox 2a, which will give the car a little more go and should slove a hesitation when moving off from rest and improve fuel economy.

 

I will have the car serviced when I get back from holiday in September and have a new fuel filter, PCV and EGR fitted, as well as the gearbox oil changed. Then it will be almost like new, but with 114,000 miles on the clock 

I drove it to Norwich today. Gave it a good workout, including visiting several car parks run by NCP, the first they call the M25 Dartford crossing. Took an hour to do 20 miles. The there was the other one they call the A11.

Anyhow, Slip the car into sport and plant the right foot in the carpet and it moves at a respectable pace, nowhere near as quick as the revvy CR140ish did. But it still surprised me. You need to keep the revs between 1500-3500 to get the most out of this TD4. The CR140 pulled like a train up to the redline, whereas there is no point in going over 3500 in this. Feels weird. The 530d I had before was quite a revvy unit as well. But it had twice the power :lol:

I'm happy. Rough back of envelope calculations suggest that my first tankful of fuel averaged about 32.5mpg, which was a mixture of motorway, lots of town work and some brisk country road use. Not too bad, but with this magic box, things might improve, it I can restrain myself :lol:

Today I fitted a new Pierberg MAF and a Ronbox 2a, ....

 

For the sake of any heathens like me, please: what are these?!  :think:

MAF mass air flow sensor genuine on about £200. One fitted to a Merc, £60 but needs compensation which is where the Ronbox cones it. It can compensate for the Pierberg MAF but it is also an adjustable digital tuning box that lots of TD4 Rover 75 users recommend.

Boosts torque and power improving fuel economy.

The car only has 110bhp for a heavier car than the Yeti.

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^ Ah.  Enlightened.  Thank you, Mike.