Not posted on here for some while. I've lurked but had little to report. I was just about to post, after my latest service and first MOT, my very positive thoughts on 3 years of completely trouble-free motoring. Such thoughts were, in a nutshell, very happy with overall ownership experience, but fuel economy is dreadful in relation to the competition and is a bitter pill to swallow.

As it turned out I did not have 3 years of trouble free motoring. During a holiday in Wales we were returning to our caravan site (apologies CG) when the dreaded "traction reduced" message flashed up on dash info panel. I then realised that my car's warranty ran out at midnight and this had occurred at about 7.30 pm! There followed a nervous few miles drive while I attempted to get a signal for my mobile (we were in deepest west Wales). Eventually got through to Land Rover Assist who said the only technician anywhere near could not be called out to me because he would exceed the prescribed driving time limit. I was anxious to have the fault examined before the warranty expired to cover myself in the event of any expensive repairs. LRA agreed to send out the AA to the caravan site. They duly arrived, plugged in the diagnostic computer and confirmed oil pressure fault on differential. The fault was logged less than a hour and a half from the end of the warranty!

To cut a long story short, car went in to nearest dealer, who after several calls to Land Rover and various questions such as "was this the first Land Rover I had owned" eventually decided they could carry out the repair under warranty. They fitted a new Haldex control module. Having read various posts here I assume it must have been the pressure sensor at fault and not the Haldex unit itself. However, I have now transformed from someone who had developed complete faith in the product (after much scepticism as the previous owner of a Subaru Forester that was faultless for 7 years) to a paranoid driver thinking of the next horrendous bill.

Sadly, I find myself one thinking I must get rid, in much the same way I did after a Nissan X-Trail I had, suffered gearbox failure at 2.5 years. Is this the normal Land Rover experience?

In Summer 2013 I had exactly the same message and fault occur on my FL2 whilst holidaying in West Wales- spooky! Oil pressure pump on diff got replaced. This was 3 months after I had the Haldex unit replaced (vehicle was 2 years old at this point) 2 months after the pump got replaced I had to have another (yes another!!!) Haldex unit fitted and a further 2 months after that a bearing on the rear diff failed. Upto the first Haldex unit replacement I had enjoyed 2 years of trouble free ownership but the third year was an absolute disaster, I had it serviced just before it went back at an indi specialist who advised he thought the turbo was also on the way out!!

And that is why i no longer drive a LR product - perhaps I have been unlucky but this was the most unreliable car I have ever owned. I now drive an X3 and 'touch wood' have not had a single issue with it (6 months old now). Now - 2017 BMW X3 M Sport Carbon Black
Gone - 2014 BMW X3 M Sport Space Grey, faultless!
Gone - 2011 Freelander 2 SD4 HSE Bali Blue with xenons
Gone - 2008 Freelander 2 TD4 HSE Rimini Red with bodykit

Its a pity that this sort of thing affects the enjoyment of owning the freelander. I feel a bit similar about the whole haldex/diff thing.

I think its a bit of fudge to have a unit like it on the freelander which advertises itself as a full 4x4 ... and I think its programmed to do too much work biasing the torque all the time. Personally, I'd rather it weren't there and simply have a straight through connection to the rear axle and a normal diff setup between the front and rear axles.

Shilen, that is spooky. Was it in Pembrokeshire? Regarding the X3 - I was considering that. But just like 3 years ago there's a six month wait at least. I don't suppose this forum is the place to give your positive thoughts on the X3 - perhaps you could PM me. Am I correct in thinking BMW use there own type of Haldex clutch?

No I was on the approach to Dolgellau heading towards Barmouth. I have put up some photos and my thoughts on the X3 and they were banished, sorry I mean relocated into 'the off topic' section - have a look!

I lease my vehicles and found the FL2 more expensive than a loaded X3 or Q5 (which quite frankly is ridiculous!) but after my experiences with the FL2 I knew in my heart is was time for a change. I had to wait 6 months for the X3 but it was well worth it. The X3 walks all over the FL2 in every respect other than off-road ability but as I never went off-road this wasn't an issue to me. It is more comfortable, better quality of fit and finish, loaded with better tech, bigger boot, sweet 8 speed auto and loads more economical (45mpg is easily achieved and have managed to get up to 53mpg)

Have a look at the thread and if you want any further info let me know.

http://www.freel2.com/forum/topic19424.html

So you have completely brushed aside Land Rover after one fault in three years?

I agree with Shilen about certain aspects of the X3 being better than the LR, but all manufacturers have good and bad products.

I have a friend who is on his 2nd X3, the first was 5 years old and was faultless in 105000 miles. His second is coming up to 2 years old and has been a complete nightmare for reliability.

But he has just ordered his third, his reasoning, all manufacturers have bad cars, but doesn't mean the next one will be bad as well.

I have over 6 years trouble free motoring with my first FL2, and nearly a year with this one. All good so far but I wouldn't dismiss LR if mine did develop a fault. Freelander 2 HSE Lux 2013MY - Barolo Black with Ivory Leather. Alpine DVD - Privacy -Evoque 20" Dynamic Wheels and more to come.........

I agree, one issue in three years is pretty good I'd say. I have a friend who had an X5, and got snowed in last year when my mondeo could cope.

Every car has it's faults to brush aside 3 years of ownership because of one? Give the old girl a chance....

Good point Mav71. I had a BMW 3 series in 2001 when the new valvetronic engine was being produced at Hams Hall, after a year or so it kept going into limp mode - the technician lived about 5 mile from where I worked and he passed comment on how many times he had visited my place of work to fix 'yet another fault'. BMW even sent a German technician to my home one day to see if he could sort it! Despite this I am now back with BMW and no doubt one day I may return to the LR brand.

Just to report I have jumped ship and gone back to Subaru. Bought a new Forester XT 2.0 petrol turbo which, believe it or not achieves 33 mpg compared with the 30 of my FL2, despite being a smooooooth petrol that gets to 60 mph in a little over 6 secs! Don't get me wrong the FL2 is a great car and I'm sure the new Discovery Sport will be even better, but for £29k the Forester at £10k cheaper is a bargain.
All the best.

Not just a bargain, but a great car too. Good luck with your new car mate.

Machines break, for me its about what happens when that occurs
Having had three Mercs, 3 BMW's and a total of 38 cars in 41 years of driving I cannot praise LR enough for their customer service - A large % of my job is Service - so I can be the 'nightmare' customer- never had to do that with LR- but had to threaten legal with Merc & BMW at various times
My experience was so 'changing' that I bought another LR product albeit an Evoque- most other Manufacturers I would have 'Run' like I had to with a 9 month old Merc
I think one aspect that I saw was that JLR are 'smaller' that BMW , Mercs, Audi and thus in my experience threat you better ( based on Dealership + JLR Factory) 2011 XS,Sumatra Black, GONE MARCH 2014- RR Evoque Prestige 5 door ,MY 2014,Loire Blue, Silver Roof, Panoramic roof.
MY 2016 Disco Sport HSE Auto Scotia Grey,REJECTED
Mercedes E220D AMG line with air suspension(Gone)
DS 200 SE Dynamic my 21 (Gone)
DS 200 SE Dynamic my 22 (Gone)
Audi Q5 40TDI S line (gone)
Discovery Sport D200 S 2024 MY

We have had 4 Freelander 2s in the family over the past 3 years and currently own 2
Here is the history
1. 08 reg went to 100k miles only fault was a blocked fuel filter giving the reduced engine performance message. Now sold on.
2. 10 reg bought at 30k miles this was a disaster it needed new throttle body, new clutch (manufacturing fault) , new front half shaft then when the manual gearbox started playing up we got rid of it at 50k miles.
3. 60 reg. Seems to be going OK. No probs so far at 40k miles
4. 11 reg. Has had the hesitation problem which LR don't know how to fix and gearbox problems requiring it to be sent off for a rebuild. Now done 54k miles .

The last two are on extended warranty but will go before they expire. Overall I would not now consider owning one without a warranty.

wizking wrote:

Not just a bargain, but a great car too. Good luck with your new car mate.

GJH0702 wrote:

Machines break, for me its about what happens when that occurs
Having had three Mercs, 3 BMW's and a total of 38 cars in 41 years of driving I cannot praise LR enough for their customer service - A large % of my job is Service - so I can be the 'nightmare' customer- never had to do that with LR- but had to threaten legal with Merc & BMW at various times
My experience was so 'changing' that I bought another LR product albeit an Evoque- most other Manufacturers I would have 'Run' like I had to with a 9 month old Merc
I think one aspect that I saw was that JLR are 'smaller' that BMW , Mercs, Audi and thus in my experience threat you better ( based on Dealership + JLR Factory)

The biggest problem with the servicing departments is staff. Back in 2005 I had a new 3 series Coupe and after 3 weeks had to call BMW Assist out due to a flat battery. They jump started it and told me to go straight to the dealer which I did, when there they were very arrogant and told me I had to book it in for next week or leave it with them and make my own way home. I protested until the point a technician went to take it into the workshop and couldn't get it to start - then they changed their attitude and gave me a courtesy car - albeit a 5 series that smelled like an ashtray. When I had another problem about 2 years later a different dealer I went to bent over backwards to help me - even gave me a top spec courtesy car with 12 miles on and kept me fully up to date of the repair.

LR is a similar story, local dealer was very unhelpful, never had a courtesy car available and often failed to fix issues that it went in for, I was told the sliding drivers seat (a common problem on early FL2's) was fine as it was a 'special seat' and 'to go elsewhere' because they couldn't fix a knocking noise (they had the car 3 times to fix it). The next dealer I went to diagnosed the issue with the drivers seat (needed a new seat!) and eventually fixed the knocking noise and were a lot more friendly and helpful. Now - 2017 BMW X3 M Sport Carbon Black
Gone - 2014 BMW X3 M Sport Space Grey, faultless!
Gone - 2011 Freelander 2 SD4 HSE Bali Blue with xenons
Gone - 2008 Freelander 2 TD4 HSE Rimini Red with bodykit