Vitara or Freelander say 02 reg which would you buy

[Conygree]

Sorry if this has come up before, My 20yr old son wants to buy a S/H motor around the 02 reg, he fancies a Freelander but I'm up for a Vitaria on reliability. If he read the comments then it gives him an unbiased choice.

 

Also on Vitarias what A/T tyre sizes can you go up to. On Freelanders I have heard of probs with fitting A/T's to lo-profile wheels.

 

Thanks in advance

[BRYAN3]

Freelander PANTS.

 

I know as I drive one. 10 years old on 77,600 miles and looked after.

Now on its third fuel pump.

 

Bryan.

[bedwards1966]

He might like the Freelander, but unless he has very deep pockets and doesn't need a reliable car he'll be better off with something anything else.

[mungolee]

My freelander td4 no problems at all and it's done 165k and fuel it's very reliable , you get good and bad in all makes , and mine is a x reg !!

[V8 90]

I have an 05 1.8 Petrol - the kind everyone said "Never" buy 1 of those - & I wouldn't have done if I hadn't gone out shooting with a guy who had 1 ! It does what it says on the tin I guess I've had it over 3 years now - it's done 109000 miles & so far spot on Though it did have a new engine - courtesy of landrover @ 72k !!

 

Hope I haven't jinxed it

[hoggysreels]

Freelander diesels are the only ones worth considering and they dont make great towing vehicles, especially dragging a boat off the beach !! ... Suzuki Vitara's are okay, but dont think they are totally trouble free ! ... the truth of the matter is, odds are, the Vitara will be more reliable (but may not actualy be) ... Resale/image etc, the Freelander will have better residual (probably) ... both will have considerable history behind them and wear etc, so repair work would likely be cheaper with the Freelander (parts availabilty/cost) ... basically, you pays yea money, yea takes yea chance !! ... happy motoring

Edited April 14, 2012 by hoggysreels

[Devon Fox]

My Dad had a brand new hse free lander, only kept it 12months, nothing but trouble all the way, electrical problems by the bucket load, most worrying was when my gsd was in the back on the dual carriageway and the rear window just wound down on its own, put up and it instantly wound itself down again. Oh, it also leaked like an old bucket,cubby hole under the boot liner had to be baled out with a coffee mug on a regular basis, it stunk in there, he used the aa more in that 12 months than in his entire life.

 

This was a spanking new car, and the worst he has ever owned, your talking a fair chunk of cash he laid out to buy the thing.

 

I would vote for the vitara, would never in a million years own a freelander based on 1st hand experience, total rubbish.

Edited April 14, 2012 by Devon Fox

[BRAD1927]

I got a freelander 2.0 xedi 3 door loads of problems but wouldn't part with it if the truth be known. very comfortable reasonable on fuel 35 mpg and gets me across the fields.

[Shropshire_Lad]

We have had a td4 for 51/2 years now, it has done 135000 of which we have put on 80000 miles. It has been the most enjoyable car we have ever owned, far from the cheapest but for us a keeper. Get a bad one and they will cost you heavily, no one can say differently that goes for all Landrover/Rangerover models. I have been looking for a while at what to get next but nothing else inspires me if I'm honest, the bigger 4x4's are out of my reach and nothing else in the small class grabs me like the freelander does.

 

atvb Paul.

[wildtrax]

freelanders most are bad and cost a lot to maintain, vitaras most are good and very reliable

[FarmerSim]

freelanders most are bad and cost a lot to maintain, vitaras most are good and very reliable

 

Think this comment nails it squarely, had a few friends with freelanders when the wife had a vitara. The vitara never let her down, though did have a weird issue with the front suspension, where the O/S wishbone got metal worm, and just disintegrated..!?!?, the friends freelanders were always "being fixed", couldn't keep the water out, and the oil in. One friends has had three turbos, all under warranty, since sept or oct last year = not good.

 

Only my opinion, but vitara is better.

 

ATB

 

Sim

[leeds chimp]

vitara all the way...just put a good pair of tyres on and off you go

[Chr15j]

Freelander td4 is only one I would go for (and did) great car

[V8 90]

Mrs V8 90 had an 06 TD4 & had loads of trouble with it ! She now has a 2011 Rav4

[Boristhedog]

vitara all the way...just put a good pair of tyres on and off you go

 

 

I've put Yokohama Geolandar A/T-S G012's on my Vitara. They seem good on the road and, so far, more than acceptable on grass and dirt tracks. I've yet to try in silly mud though!

[andypaint]

Get a late fourtrak, very reliable, powerful, great offroad and well equipped and they can run in vege oil so cheap to run. They stopped in 2002

[ferguson_tom]

We got a 53 plate HSE TD4 freelander october last year and for the first 3 months of owning it it went back to the garage 5 times and was with them for 2 weeks at one point. Luckily all fixed under warranty for us, now its back and running though were gonna keep it as the misses cant bear to sell it as she loves it (her car). We get about 35mpg which will push up to 38 doing just motorway work. The engine is fine when running a light car but as soon as you tow or load it up the engine starts to feel underpowered but you can get a tuning box for it which is meant to work wonders which will be our next investment. This is personal opinion but the freelander is the better looking and does look the business when sat next to other similar 4x4s especially the vitara, if he can afford it go for 53 plate onwards as that was when they had the face lift. The interior as well is very good we have the leather and everything is nice big chunky switches, comfortable, very quiet on the road, interior wise its a lovely place to be as the seats are also comfotable with a good driving position. Only thing to mention is they are not a big car in the slightest very few cubby holes the glovebox is only good for a pair of gloves and nothing else, 3 adults in the back is possible but not for long periods and the boot is not very deep at all.

 

You get good and bad ones of all cars, i was very hesitant about getting a freelander due to their reputation but spoke to a few people who own them and most had no issues what so ever apart from general wear and tear things. Just remember people only go on the internet to complain.

[PAULT]

I've put Yokohama Geolandar A/T-S G012's on my Vitara. They seem good on the road and, so far, more than acceptable on grass and dirt tracks. I've yet to try in silly mud though!

Get in the mud i did didnt get stuck same tyres.

[Fib new]

I've had both, and still have a freelander. Had some problems with both ( both suffered head basket failure). On the other hand, both got used a lot.

 

For vitara: beware of tinworm underneath the car and beware of problems with transferboxes since these do not het used enough to keep them going.

 

For freelander: for petrol

 

For petrol freelanders: hgf

For all freelanders: check rear tires for abnormal wear

[mitch66]

freelanders most are bad and cost a lot to maintain, vitaras most are good and very reliable

I Will 2nd that, had my G Vit 2.0td 4 years, no problems at all, kept the standard 235 16s on & they are great for light to medium stuff, the only good bit about the freelander is the bmw diesel engine

[Piebob]

Oh, it also leaked like an old bucket,cubby hole under the boot liner had to be baled out with a coffee mug on a regular basis

That's condensation collecting and not able to dry out - you probably had the rubber mat or boot liner in all the time. Freelanders are prone to that.