Frontera 2.0l Sport V's Freelander Td4

[joe90]

Ok Guys

So which is the better tow car a SWB 2.0L Frontera Sport or a SWB TD4 Freelander ?

Thanks for voting

Joe

[Yoshi]

Ok, to the 1 person who voted for the immitation 4x4 produced by vauxhall, i have only 1 thing to say!!!


YAH BOO SUCKS!!!!

hehe

[Range Rover Blues]

Tough choice TBH, tough.

I've never spent a lot of time in either, but I have to say I know people who have had frontys and towed with them too, they do well.  They are also pretty tough off-road (anyone remeber Barry Scott?) and cheapish in parts being a recycled Cavalier.

Freebie TD4, hmm, good engine, the later IRD so less prone to failure, not sure if it will develop that annoying humm the early ones had (10 minutes and I'd rather walk).  Capable off road, but no low-box (don't know about the Fronty, but that is an Isuzu in drag).

As a tow car, well the Fronty is RWD with T-box, the Freebie is FWD with expensive IRD to bust.

Buy a RRC :D

[discowoman]

fronty is OK...bit light for 'serious' towing..freebie well has a bit more low down grunt and little bit more weight....Fronty has lo range but no diff lock - freebie hasnt got either, fronty will be cheaper...and slightly easier to fix............heavier on juice tho'

pretty much 'ya pays ya money and takes ya choice'

[666]

One person who dont know what they are talking about

Ok, to the 1 person who voted for the immitation 4x4 produced by vauxhall, i have only 1 thing to say!!!


YAH BOO SUCKS!!!!

hehe

And one very good answer.

fronty is OK...bit light for 'serious' towing..freebie well has a bit more low down grunt and little bit more weight....Fronty has lo range but no diff lock - freebie hasn't got either, fronty will be cheaper...and slightly easier to fix............heavier on juice tho'

pretty much 'ya pays ya money and takes ya choice'

The SWB frontera is a little on the light side for towing any thing bigger than a very small caravan, but having low range is a great little play toy

If i was buying just to tow, i hate to say it but i think i might choose the freaklander! unless i could get hold of an early 2.8TD Frontera ;)

Cheers

Mark

[Drift]

When you look at the age of the cars it would be hard to compare.

Having owned a Frontera Sport 20L I was surprised at how nippy it was for a small engine in a heavy car, but I reckon it would struggle a bit as a tow car, and be a bit thirsty.

Not having owned the Freelander I couldnt comment but if is a deisil I should imaging it would be the better of the two.

Now as commented, you wouldnt beat a good 2.8tdi though your car would be a bit older.

I wouldnt knock any car Ive never owned or put to the test even then you have good and bad ones.  ;)

[Bettyblue22]

Aha, but i did have a Frontera once, and i never would again!!  I didnt like it one bit!!!

[Yoshi]

Sorry, bettyblue22's post was mine, forgot to sign her out of her laptop before posting  :oops:

[EvilEd]

You may want to consider a SWB Pajero too. Comfort, bullet proof (2.8TD or 3.5 Petrol unless you can afford the newer shape) and very capable offroad too if that's your thing. Don't rate the 2.5 myself much.

If I had to choose between the above, then the Fronty would have it. Seen far too many freebies go wrong to ever recommend one. Even ex LR mechanics advise people not to buy them! (Especially the 1.8 petrol one) Don't know much about the TD4 though.

[Rich_P]

Fronty has lo range but no diff lock - freebie hasnt got either

It has a viscous unit instead of the diff lock, much like the later Range Rover Classics (and I think early P38?).

[Boggert]

How about a Terrano II The 2.7 diesel can pull very well and give a reasonable MPG if you don't gun it.
Great value for money, easy to fix and is as reliable as any jap car should be.

I love mine.

[Range Rover Blues]

Fronty has lo range but no diff lock - freebie hasnt got either

It has a viscous unit instead of the diff lock, much like the later Range Rover Classics (and I think early P38?).

It's similar fluid but the big difference is that in a RRC there is still a proper diff which is locked up with a thermoviscous fluid, a clever LSD if you like whereas the freeby uses only the fluid in the event that the front wheels spin out, so all the drive goes thorugh the fluid.

Think 4WD Cavaliler ;)

My mate has towed about 1,500kg with a SWB Funtera 2.0, quite capable but being him he sold it when someone wanted it, he's a car dealer after all, and my neighbour regularly tows well over a tonne with his.

However, someone mention the Bitsa'-missin' Pajero? sensible man ;) Not my cup of tea but a clever choice, reliable, capable etc etc.  Good tow car, as is the Terrano/Maveric TBH.

And what about a nice SWB Trooper :-k

Your best bet then is to look a little wider than funtera vs freebie, there are other choices out there that might make more sense.




(then say hang it all and buy a RRC :twisted:)

[Rich_P]

Fronty has lo range but no diff lock - freebie hasnt got either

It has a viscous unit instead of the diff lock, much like the later Range Rover Classics (and I think early P38?).

It's similar fluid but the big difference is that in a RRC there is still a proper diff which is locked up with a thermoviscous fluid, a clever LSD if you like whereas the freeby uses only the fluid in the event that the front wheels spin out, so all the drive goes thorugh the fluid.

Ahh, I wasn't aware that the RR still retained a proper central diff with the viscous setup.

[TDi90]

dont go for the gaylander  ;)

[discowoman]

theres also the RAV 4 ...CRV....Grand Vitara.....Isuzu Trooper.....SSanyong musso (cheap but capable + merc engine..) suppose it all comes down to what your towing - and where you want to get to whilst towing!
if its a pure on road tow vehicle dont rule out the good old Volvo estate.....

[Range Rover Blues]

dont go for the gaylander  ;)

But it's a TDi

[Range Rover Blues]

suppose it all comes down to what your towing - and where you want to get to whilst towing!
if its a pure on road tow vehicle dont rule out the good old Volvo estate.....

That's a good point, what are you towing Joe?

[TDi90]

dont go for the gaylander  ;)

But it's a TDi

the man has a point  :oops:

[joe90]

suppose it all comes down to what your towing - and where you want to get to whilst towing!
if its a pure on road tow vehicle dont rule out the good old Volvo estate.....

That's a good point, what are you towing Joe?

Its a friend of ours who have brought it for towing a car trailer to and from Liverpool fetching cars for there business...they reckoned it was rated a better tow car than the freelander...They had a choice between an W reg Fronty or an X reg Freelander.

I have to admit ive got a TD4 Es and love it - pretty good off road as im sure Schuee can vouch - I've towed a big Ifor Williams Trailer with it  full of logs with Also use it at work for towing out a IRTEC Irrigation unit and never had a problem.

This leads to another question tho - if its used for business and the total train weight is over 3.5t am i right in thinking it needs a Tacho fitting?

[Drift]

W reg then its the 2.2 ecotec engine not the 20L cav engine.

Newer shape B serise with on the fly 4wd.

Very nice interior should have a few toys.

It will tow a car trailer very well, as its alot more powerfull than the old 20l engine, smooth ride to.

I like the swb sport, a good looking car IMO  ;)

About 30 mpg average  ;)

[Range Rover Blues]

This leads to another question tho - if its used for business and the total train weight is over 3.5t am i right in thinking it needs a Tacho fitting?

Glad to see you are on the ball Joe, yes it does need a tacho fitting though AFAIK it won't need a comercial test on either car or trailer.

Any sort of signwriting on either car or trailer and expect a pull to see the tacho, obviously "billy blog's trailer hire" won't raise any eyebrows, but "the tidy bush" landscape gardeners might ;)

For towing cars htough, I'd choose the Funtera, when it goes wrong (towing 1 1/2 tonnes minimum it will go wrong) it will cost less to fix and the tyres will survive better.

[666]

TBH if it was me (and i do tow a transport trailer) i would have to go for a LWB frontera or perhaps a disco just for the extra weight, extra power/engine braking (and perhaps being rated to tow more)


My Fronty hitched up ready to go quiet a few years ago before all the modifications :shock:






Cheers

Mark

[BK]

We had a isuzu trooper 3.1td and it was amazing at towing it would tow all day long at 60mph and I used to forget I had the van on the back,the frontera is a trooper in disguise but a mate of mine had a 2.0 petrol and it was VERY thirsty,get a diesel for towing

[EvilEd]

IMHO, most of these are not suitable for towing another car!

Avg light trailer is 750Kg. Basic 90 is what, 1700Kg without to many toys. Most of these have a towing weight of ~2000K don't they.

I use a Merc ML for towing, 3500Kg tow limit, used to use a Paj LWB which also had the 3500kg tow limit. IIRC the Daihatsu fourtrack was the only SWB to have a good towing weight last time I looked (a few years back) of ~2800Kg (I've not gone off to check these, they are just off the top of my head)

EE

[BK]

Yep,if your gonna tow summat big and heavy you need a big heavy motor with plenty of torque not power to do the job    (trooper,disco,lwb paj,4trak,landcruiser)if you dont youll knock 7 bells out of the clutch,cooling system and suspension, trooper was spot on 4 towing when we had it :D

[Rich_P]

IMHO, most of these are not suitable for towing another car!

Avg light trailer is 750Kg. Basic 90 is what, 1700Kg without to many toys. Most of these have a towing weight of ~2000K don't they.

3,500kg actually. 

[BK]

Yeah,the 90 has a towing limit of 3500kg but I wouldnt like to try it!!! maybe in a  110!!!

[EvilEd]

I was talking about the 90 on the trailer :)

If you tow more than the designed limit, you have no insurance and are a hazzard on the road (Like caravan drivers and tractors    :lol: :lol:)

Freelander is 1800Kg towing weight. less 750 (for a good ally trailer, nearer 1000Kg for a "Solid" ones) and you may be able to tow a motorcycle on it :)

97 - 03 Freelander TD4 - 1800Kg
http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/specs/Detail.aspx?deriv=20842

Fronty 2.0 Petrol - 2000Kg
http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/specs/Detail.aspx?deriv=5564

Fronty 2.2DTI - 2400Kg
http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/specs/Detail.aspx?deriv=15813

Fronty 2.5TDS - 2000Kg
http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/specs/Detail.aspx?deriv=12252

EE

[BK]

I had a caravan and I wasnt a hazard,I have a full HGV class one licence and I can drive anything on the road professionally as well!!! and I dont know whether you know,but there is a speed limit of 60mph for a car and caravan,just like all HGVs are limited to 56mph.But as far as the freelander is concerned you are just about right

[Range Rover Blues]

Our Brian James is 500KG empty and will carry 2,200Kg. Even so you won't find many cars that weigh less than 1,000kg and a family car will be around 1,200kg, perhaps more.

I think given an open choice it would be a 110 TDi, the extra wheelbase makes a difference with stability and the weight is certainly there, as is the grunt, but Joe was asking "given the choice between X & Y, which would you choose?", if I understand him correctly.

My personal choice for towing BIG things is my LSE, it has the same weight capacity as a 110, the same wheelbase  but it has more weight on the back end when empty which is important.

It's also got a hoofin' big V8 on LPG, uprated suspension with a monster rear ARB, that and the 108" wheelbase make it very stable, plus it has cruise.