landy19840: like Tigger and others, I can't see where on earth you're coming from with this. Tomtom, whilst not perfect, is pretty good. The crap is the factory-fit satnav which is expensive outdated technology. Can't even add your own POIS for instance

Back to the topic, the HSE is, IMHO, way overpriced unless you really want the sunroof and pretty-boy wheels. As others have said, the HSE's larger diameter wheels may look nice but in the real world give a worse ride and are very susceptible to damage.

Xenons are worthwhile if you drive a lot on unlit roads (which I guess a lot of Freely owners do). The other 'essential', if it's not already part of the spec for whichever model you get, is a winter pack. Oh, and front parking sensors. There's a big blind spot at bumper height at the front. Personally I wouldn't bother with side protection. Oh, and an SD4 is a must  Brian

MY11 FL2 SD4 GS
Extras to same spec as XS apart from the Satnav, plus Xenons.
Ipenema Sand, Ebony.

You can add poi's!! It's better than having something tacky stuck to your windscreen and cables running across the dash! You don't need to remove it everytime you park up and your not left with a dirty windscreen from the sucker thing.
And if you don't have a sat nav you are left with a great big hole to put your baby skin driving gloves!

Also the screen is so much bigger and I can watch filMs through my I phone on it!

landy19840 wrote:

You can add poi's!!

I guess we can make our own choices on satnavs then, but I judge mine on the basis of being a powerful navigation tool first and foremost. On that basis I'll stick with the TomTom and its single trailing cable.

If I want to watch films in the car, I'll use my 17.3" laptop screen thanks very much and I won't have to twist around at 45 degrees to watch it.

I got the basic radio in my FL2 and replaced it with a kenwood unit and a subwoofer in the boot. It costed me 6 euro's more then the LR satnav would have cost, including installation by a professional, and it's great. It's got a garmin satnav which is basic compared to a tom tom but this simplicity is more then enough in 99% of the cases. It's got traffic warnings and all (no speedcams, but I suspect it can be installed).

Sound quality is great and the subwoofer tops it off imo. I can even rip music-clips from youtube, put it on a usb stick and play it as a music-video on my screen. Even my parkingsensors still work and I can operate the unit both with my steeringwheel controls and by voice control.

By now there's a newer better version out there with probably more features.

Updating is easy: get the updatefile from the net and put it on an SD. Insert the SD in the car stereo unit and start the install.

For pictures look in my gallery.


I looked at other units (pioneer,alpine) but at the time they did not have a connector to connect my steeringwheel and parkingsensors to it. Pioneer had a better sat nav (new kenwood too by the way) and alpine had a unit you could also take out and walk around with. I even looked at instaling a car-PC but did not found a stable unit for that was powerfull enough to justify it's price.

Worth an investigatin imo.

I do not plan to do much offroading, the FL2 wll spend most all its time on the road. I spend 90+% of the time in a car on my own - do about 95 miles a day shuffling to/from work.

I have always had FF Sat/Navs (Audis/VWs and Skodas) and like the integrated nature of them. Hate the fact that most do not support 7 digit post codes - which the TomTom and Garmins all seem to do these days. Also convenience having not to fix it to screen and remove it every time you park etc., also integrated TMC is a bonus.

The HSE spec appeals due to all the things I like (Stereo upgrade, DAB, Sat/Nav, Leather, Sun Roof, Sensors etc.,) as you can see from this list I am mainly a to/from work kinda guy but keen photographer so hopefully FL2 will take me places I would not usually get to in the car.

Interesting comments on wheel sizes.

I hate waiting for AA/RAC/GreeFlag so FF spare wheel option alows me to change wheel as (said previously) I attract punctures.

What about best colour - is car prone to stone chipping?

NewCummr wrote:

..........What about best colour - is car prone to stone chipping?

Stone chips - I wouldn't say anymore than previous cars I've owned. Many on here have fitted the LR mudflaps front and rear (Including me) although I do think it spoils the lines a little. They are about £50 for each pair so when your buying see if you can get them in that final deal clincher @ our sponsors Lookers Park Royal (highly praised time and time again ).

As for colour well that's where the subjective war starts there's been changes by all car manufacturers recently due to the problems in Japan where some of the pigments (I think that's the problem) are made. Many of the colours 'we' already have are no longer available or have been changed slightly.

I'm certainly not going to suggest to you any particular colour as I wouldn't want to be involved in starting the war But anything close to Stornoway/Lago Grey is best - avoid Bl@ck with privacy glass as people will think your driving a hearse and bow their heads and take their hats off when ever you drive past. One members just got a Green (Kosrea - spelling ) with the light almond/creame leather looks classy IMHO but he got a manual .

My subjects bow their heads and take their hats off when ever I drive past in any vehicle At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

and people are always waving at me when I'm towing my tintop must be the colour, Lago Grey

chicken george wrote:

My subjects bow their heads and take their hats off when ever I drive past in any vehicle

As well they should!

mcphersonstrut wrote:

One members just got a Green (Kosrea - spelling ) with the light almond/creame leather looks classy IMHO but he got a manual .

Cheeky sod!

NewCummr wrote:

I do not plan to do much offroading, the FL2 wll spend most all its time on the road. I spend 90+% of the time in a car on my own - do about 95 miles a day shuffling to/from work.

I have always had FF Sat/Navs (Audis/VWs and Skodas) and like the integrated nature of them. Hate the fact that most do not support 7 digit post codes - which the TomTom and Garmins all seem to do these days. Also convenience having not to fix it to screen and remove it every time you park etc., also integrated TMC is a bonus.

The HSE spec appeals due to all the things I like (Stereo upgrade, DAB, Sat/Nav, Leather, Sun Roof, Sensors etc.,) as you can see from this list I am mainly a to/from work kinda guy but keen photographer so hopefully FL2 will take me places I would not usually get to in the car.

Interesting comments on wheel sizes.

I hate waiting for AA/RAC/GreeFlag so FF spare wheel option alows me to change wheel as (said previously) I attract punctures.

What about best colour - is car prone to stone chipping?

Sounds like you've got you're choice about right then I bought the spare, but beware - the standard jack is pretty hopeless Get a better jack if you plan on actually using it. When I plan to go off road, I put a high rise trolley jack in the boot.

Tigger wrote:

NewCummr wrote:

I do not plan to do much offroading, the FL2 wll spend most all its time on the road. I spend 90+% of the time in a car on my own - do about 95 miles a day shuffling to/from work.

I have always had FF Sat/Navs (Audis/VWs and Skodas) and like the integrated nature of them. Hate the fact that most do not support 7 digit post codes - which the TomTom and Garmins all seem to do these days. Also convenience having not to fix it to screen and remove it every time you park etc., also integrated TMC is a bonus.

The HSE spec appeals due to all the things I like (Stereo upgrade, DAB, Sat/Nav, Leather, Sun Roof, Sensors etc.,) as you can see from this list I am mainly a to/from work kinda guy but keen photographer so hopefully FL2 will take me places I would not usually get to in the car.

Interesting comments on wheel sizes.

I hate waiting for AA/RAC/GreeFlag so FF spare wheel option alows me to change wheel as (said previously) I attract punctures.

What about best colour - is car prone to stone chipping?

Sounds like you've got you're choice about right then I bought the spare, but beware - the standard jack is pretty hopeless Get a better jack if you plan on actually using it. When I plan to go off road, I put a high rise trolley jack in the boot.

What about one of those bottle jacks - are they any good - halfords have a 4 tonne one in stock???? 2002 Honda VFR800
2002 Toyota Celica 140 Silver (mid life crisis - again!)
2007 FL2 GS Manual Army Reconnaissance Green + freel2.com sticker
2004 Toyota Celica 140 Black - Gone
2000 Toyota Celica 140 Silver - Gone
1998 Toyota Celica ST Pearl Green - Gone
1996 Nissan Primera 1.6 - Gone
1994 Rover Montego 1.6 Auto - Gone

I know the 2 ton trolley jacks won't go high enough to jack the car!! Shame you can't use my high lift jack!

[/list] At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race