Thanks for the report oldgeezer!
Hopefully I have made the right decision for us and won't live to regret it......
We currently have an estate as the main car but love the driving position and ride comfort of the freelander. Where we live, whilst impacted by snow, tends to be well served by the Gritters and I rarely venture on to a grass field let alone anything more hazardous. As such am unable to justify the benefits of the 4wd over the offered economy of the 2wd. I also had a £25k budget and wanted options like leather heated seats, DAB radio, metallic paint and Privacy glass so something had to go. That said if I lived in a more rural area or needed to tow something then I would probably have gone for the 4wd. Hopefully should I get stuck then the Doctor will kindly rescue me and remind me that I was an idiot for not buying 4wd although I will be suitably warm and entertained in my heated seats listening to DAB radio....
Again I appreciate you taking the time out to respond.
Scott

Hope you enjoy your eD4 Scott, and a very diplomatic answer
I would have said thank you for the positive comments and f k the others. Why someone should be derided for their choice of vehicle is beyond me (unless in jest), much personal input goes into the decision and peoples views that try to dampen the excitement is just wrong.

Yes Scott, enjoy it, I will keep an eye out in the North West for you

chicken george wrote:

Bit harsh that, slap some winter tyres on a 2wd, the clearance will help in deep snow and it will be pretty good on ice probably better than a 4x4 on normal tyres, the weight reduction will help braking in ice and snow too.

If someone wants a high car but isnt fussed about 4x4 nowt wrong with an ed4

EYorkshire wrote:

Why someone should be derided for their choice of leisure trailer is beyond me

 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

EYorkshire wrote:

Why someone should be derided for their choice of scones is beyond me too

 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

Joking aside...

You will love owning a LR no matter the version/configuration - it's the best car I've owned

My nephew climbed into my FL2 and said "Uncle Simon you've got loads of buttons!"


Yes there are issues - but all cars have issues...

My mate bought his third new TVR some years ago and whilst driving home a cooling hose split - he stopped called the dealership and it was taken back for repair. 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 recently bought a new land roller for the farm, used it for 1 hour and sent it back to the dealer, as the bearings got hot and nearly caught fire  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

I bought an RC helicopter once and it kept falling from the sky. But that can be just me...

Just to add to this strange moving thread...

I bought a wooden car - it had a wooden body, wooden seats, wooden wheels and a wooden engine
The problem was it wooden go....  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

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Just returned the ED4 this morning and collected more new bits to mine ! so we will see how long it last although when i went to reverse up the drive the reverse sensors have stopped working ! they also appear dry so will monitor that next otherwise yet another trip back to the dealers ! aaaaahhhhh

Filled the Ed4 up and it averaged over 400 miles 48.7 mpg and on refill had 717 miles on the range. Not bad at all.
To be honest got back in mine and there is no difference in the feel of an eD4 . I reckon with winter tyres it will cope really well and shouldn't be under estimated. I personally would go mud plugging in a field though.

I totally understand why LR have had to introduce a 4x2 variant, but I can't say I see the point of them and will never purchase one. Buying a 2WD LR is like buying a diesel Ferarri

Numerous people keep saying how great winter tyres are, and, to an extent they are, but they are in no way a replacement for 4WD. It's basic physics really. I spent a lot of time in last years snow, driving the Skoda Octavia 4x4 estates on summer tyres and they were superb in the snow, whereas a 2WD, FWD or RWD are totally sh t.

My car was faultless in the snow last year, running on Wranglers. I understand winter tyres will give bettter braking and steering, but I never had any issues. If you live in the UK, is it really worth the expense and hassle of having to have two sets of wheels and tyres, when the snow is so short lived

2WD FL2 - personal choice really, but if you're buying one for fuel economy, I think you should look elsewhere. 4WD will always laugh in the face of 2WD when the going gets tough  Gone - TD4 XS Auto, Sumatra Black, Mud flaps and side strips, clear indicators, private plate, privacy glass

philsh wrote:

I can't say I see the point of them and will never purchase one.
Buying a 2WD LR is like buying a diesel Ferarri

Oldgeezer, of all the people in this forum you are the one who gets my vote for having the roughest deal, and you deserve a medal for maintaining your focus and underlying belief in this car. I dont think we want to lose you to Ford!!! However, I sense a new deal brewing here. You obviously like the Ed4, and I too have read that is is VERY capable off road and probably towing too, and from your figures extremely economical. So, when your rear parking sensors don't work tomorrow, put a new battery in the pacemaker, drive to your dealer and make it very plain, in a polite way of course, that if he takes your crock of back for a reasonable price you will consider an Ed4 and no bad publicity will ensue. You are old enough to fill in the gaps in the detail - but worth a try?

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loaded twice and not even my fault fault fault

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