Hello group. I've joined to get advice on buying a new or less than 1 year old GS or XS.
I've been lurking on the forum for about a week & found that most technical problems revolve around the Haldex & the differential.
Can the old hands tell me if these are confined to older cars, automatics, cars that have done a lot of towing ?

As a follow up is this now fixed ?

The car I buy will be a TD4 150.

Thanks in advance.

I've owned 2 Freelander 2's, a 160 bhp 07 model and a 150 bhp 11 model. Have had no problems with the Haldex on mine. Early models had a Haldex Version 3, later models have Haldex Version 4. I think most problems on here relate to Haldex 3 units. According to LR Assistance the Freelander 2 is the most reliable LR/RR model.

You need to bear in mind that Forums attract posts with problems rather than posts which say, 'my car is wonderful, there is nothing that ever goes wrong and it's perfect in everyway'.

Have a search on the forum for auto v manual, TD4 v SD4 and you will quickly realise that those who drive an auto will swear by it, those that drive a manual will swear by that, those that drive a TD4 will be happy with it and those who drive an SD4 will be happy with that.

I drive a TD4 manual as my own car and love it, I also drive an SD4 auto at work and love that as well. What would I buy next, i really don't know but leaning towards a TD4 auto.

Suggest you try and get a test drive in a TD4 manual and a TD4 auto and then decided.

THanks Richard. I do understand that there will be more posts from people with a problem.
I suppose what I'm hoping for are replies like yours.
Thanks again

I dont think i could better Richards reply,Everything said is very true.
Me myself went for the auto and love it,cant ever see me getting another manual FL again.Only down side too it is the mpg but even with that said its well worth it.

I drive a manual but wish I had got the auto. (Coming) 2016 RR Evoque td4 180 HSE Dynamc
(Going) 2013 TD4 GS Auto - Santorini Black with black leather. Cold Climate, UK Lighting & Armrest Packs. Privacy Glass. LR Rubber Mats. Full size spare.
60 000 miles averaging 35mpg

(Gone) 2010 TD4 Manual GS - Stornoway Grey. Sold at 3yrs old & 64k miles. Final average consumption 39.2mpg.

I now have a 2011 HSE SDI, which as you may know is the 190ps automatic. I had a 2011 manual 150ps for three days and simply could not stand it. To my absolute amazement Land Rover Kings Lynn allowed me to return the car with the offer to have all of my money back. I did that and bought the HSE, as I should have done in the first place but... I love the car.
I also went on one of those Land Rover Experience days to try a Freelander in something more extreme than Sainsburys car park. It is worthy of note that the car that was used by the team was an HSE automatic. If ever I needed convincing that an automatic was the one to have, that was it.
Can I recommend that you get on to one of the experience courses? You will be astonished at just how good the Freelander is. I went to the one at Rockingham Castle. Great people and a great confidence builder.

Dave.. had mine for five years and the first thing has just gone wrong..The pipes on my headlight washer have come off...I also wish i had got the auto when i am sat in heavy traffic..

Sandlover2 wrote:

I now have a 2011 HSE SDI, which as you may know is the 190ps automatic. I had a 2011 manual 150ps for three days and simply could not stand it. To my absolute amazement Land Rover Kings Lynn allowed me to return the car with the offer to have all of my money back. I did that and bought the HSE, as I should have done in the first place but... I love the car.
I also went on one of those Land Rover Experience days to try a Freelander in something more extreme than Sainsburys car park. It is worthy of note that the car that was used by the team was an HSE automatic. If ever I needed convincing that an automatic was the one to have, that was it.
Can I recommend that you get on to one of the experience courses? You will be astonished at just how good the Freelander is. I went to the one at Rockingham Castle. Great people and a great confidence builder.

As a recent convert to LR, ive got a Freel 2 GS Auto and have changed the engine (only because the original owner never checked or serviced the car ever in 34K miles) so Ive read up on specs and have first hand experience now of FL mechanics.
The 150 and 190 engines are fundamentally the same; the 190 has a bigger turbo and some small mechanical changes.
I would check out the insurance costs between the 150 and 190 before deciding which one to buy and unless you really like a heavy right foot and search for high speed driving then the 150 should be more than enough power. My mpg average so far is 34.5 which for south Derbyshire hilly terrain is quite acceptable. The Auto box is superb and if you can drive with a featherweight foot the smoothness is exemplary and coupled with the sweet ride of the suspension it really feels like a quality executive car.
For Interior although I have the GS I would want the extra of the XS, you get the quality look yet have the fabric centre to keep ones backside firmly in place.
Conclusion - search for an XS Auto  2010GS Auto ex Celeb, Santorini Black, 2011 facelift , spoiler, spats, mudflaps, LED footwell lamps, Witter detach,
Other cars:-
1958 & 1959 Austin J40 Pedal Cars under restoration (I make many J40 parts)
If you have an Austin J40 or Pathfinder Pedal Car looking for a new home pls PM me.
2009 Meriva

davep1: I forgot to mention that your local friendly Land Rover dealer might just give you a free ticket for the experience if he feels that you might buy a Land Rover from him, new or used. These days out are designed to persuade potential, but perhaps hesitant, buyers to buy a Land Rover.
I hope that you enjoy the experience. I am certain that you will.

I love my TD4 auto GS and would recommend it. It does everything I want and is very smooth. Will never have another manual. Also very capable at handling IKEA flatpacks. 15 months old. just developed first fault. Tailgate release switch faulty. Being replaced under warranty next week. Anyone else had this fault?

Barry 12MY 61plate FL2 TD4 auto GS Orkney Grey Roof spoiler full size spare

Gone 07 Dodge Caliber 1.8 black
51 Nissan Primera
K Isuzu Trooper 3.1 SWB Citation