I'm torn between buying SD4 or TD4, but a little background first... (Waffle alert!!!)

Three years ago I embarked on a car-buying journey with a shopping list comprising three cars:
1. Subaru Legacy 2.0D RE
2. Alfa 159 2.4 Ti
3. Freelander 2 XS

Against my better judgment I bought the Subaru which is a good car but dull inside and out, slow, and doesn't handle - but did have 4wd and HIDs.

So after 3 months of pure tedium I bought the Alfa which looks great, "almost" does 40mpg, has been 100% reliable but 2.5 years on, costs are beginning to mount, for example servicing costs:
2011: £460 - Change oil
2012: £1200 - upper wishbone bush, 2xtyres* font pads and discs, change oil
2013: £1700 - cambelt, water pump, 2xtyres*, rear pads and discs, change oil

*It has 19" tyres that cost £270-300 per corner that only last 9000 miles unless you buy ditch-finder specials at £140 each (hence it is fitted with ditchfinder specials) and the ride comfort is non-existent on the Fosse Way

So it has come to the point where I'm considering to buy the car I should probably have bought in the first place... the Freelander and need to make a decision

Annoyingly employee discount doesn't cover first year depreciation so won't be using that and can't be bothered waiting for 2013MY to become affordable. Hence I'm looking at secondhand (about £18-20k max).

Now I've been getting very used to an Evoque SD4 Dynamic recently through work (it's a hard life - but don't have £40k so forget that!) and having 210 bhp in the Alfa, the boy-racer in me is immediately thinking "go for the SD4" and because I like a fair amount of standard kit, I'd like a HSE but SD4 HSE is still the wrong side of £20k.

Key questions...

1/ Is the performance difference between TD4 and SD4 noticeable? I don't think I've driven a TD4 auto only ever 3.2s.
2/ Range per tank - Would I get 500 miles out of a TD4 / SD4 without having to drive like a nun? Normal commute = 25 miles average of 55 - 60 mph with very little stop/start

Now I could compromise with a SD4 XS maybe but must have pano-roof, HID and rear spoiler (for the inner chav!)

Advice from you guys appreciated as nobody makes any sense at work - most of the Freelander users live in the charmed world of doing 8000 miles and then changing it for a new one!

I have driven both SD4's & TD4 auto s, mostly the SD4's have been loaners but normally for quite some period.

To be honest I Dont really notice any difference in grunt between the two unless my TD4 auto is a good one performance wise to start with ! Auto box on TD4 auto seems much smoother than on SD4 auto.

Fuel consumption on the auto Mine, can average about 36 and squeeze 42-44 on a run but you do have to drive like a num. 40mpg + at 60mph 37mpg ish at 70mph 33mpg at 80mph.

Around town 26-29

Normally get around 300ish on a tank more if its just long steady runs.

Hope this helps

I have also driven both SD4 and TD4, the extra grunt is noticeable in the mid to top range where the extra power can make itself useful, the horsepower is the same so not so noticeable lower down the range.

I have realised 40mpg with my SD4 but driving to achieve that is boring, more realistic would be 34mpg in everday rural driving and a few mpg's less for urban.
You would'nt get 500 miles out of a TD4 let alone an SD4 in normal driving.

No difference noticed between the SD4 and TD4 auto's, both smooth if driven leisurely, 'sport mode' excellent for 'B' roads but avoid the use of 'kickdown' (it's not needed anyway on the SD4) as it's a little severe.

oldgeezer wrote:

I have driven both SD4's & TD4 auto s, mostly the SD4's have been loaners but normally for quite some period.

To be honest I Dont really notice any difference in grunt between the two unless my TD4 auto is a good one performance wise to start with ! Auto box on TD4 auto seems much smoother than on SD4 auto.

Fuel consumption on the auto Mine, can average about 36 and squeeze 42-44 on a run but you do have to drive like a num. 40mpg + at 60mph 37mpg ish at 70mph 33mpg at 80mph.

Around town 26-29

Normally get around 300ish on a tank more if its just long steady runs.

Hope this helps

WTF , you're getting the same mpg from the FL2 2.2L engine as I'm getting in the FFRR 4.4L. I average just over 33mpg @ 77mph using cruise control and about 28mpg around town and I'm not driving miss daisy either  ______________________
2011 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8
2012 FL2 SD4 Auto HSE
2013 Kawasaki Versys 650

Have owned SD4 for two months from new.

497 miles on first tank of fuel.
524 miles on second tank of fuel.
389 miles (including 327 miles towing 1800 kg of yacht) on third tank.
397 miles (including 337 miles towing 1800 kg of yacht) on fourth tank.

Incidently the OBD is 7% optomistic, need to bear this in mind when figures are quoted!

I am very happy with performance, especially when towing.  Now: 2012 FL2 SD4 XS Orkney Grey
Previously: 2007 D3 TDV6 XS Tonga Green
Before that: 2003 FL1 TD4 "Kalahari" Black

UKDEN wrote:

Have owned SD4 for two months from new.

497 miles on first tank of fuel.
524 miles on second tank of fuel.
389 miles (including 327 miles towing 1800 kg of yacht) on third tank.
397 miles (including 337 miles towing 1800 kg of yacht) on fourth tank.

Incidently the OBD is 7% optomistic, need to bear this in mind when figures are quoted!

I am very happy with performance, especially when towing.

Natwest wrote:

Was there any nun-style driving involved? Comforting to know it's very low mileage though.

I had an SD4 on loan when my TD4 was in the garage, (both manual). Personally I would say it is much more refined, more torque, very quiet and generally noticably the better engine, it builds speed at quite a pace. Whatever they have done to the engine I don't know as it's esentially the same unit but it was like chalk and cheese for me........sorry! I commented to my daughter that the car was all you would ever need and have hankered after one ever since but finances dictate I will be running mine until it dies.

I would say find a garage that will let you drive them back to back, it will be an easier decision then.

Hi Natwest

I have a td4 manual and normal town driving I get between 29-32 mpg (have seen it as high as 46mpg ona good run).
I've holidayed in Northumberland a lot (I love it) and tootling around I get around 38-40 mpg.
It really is down to the traffic where you live, the hillyness of the area and the ability to avoid the stop start rigours of town driving.

TBH SD4 / TD4 - drive them both but will you get an SD4 for your budget?

DR There's always a way forward!

2008 Freelander Td4 GS - Stornoway Grey - Now Gone - Sob
2011 Freelander Td4 GS 150 - Rimini Red - in its place - Better x far x 4!!

Dunk wrote:

I had an SD4 on loan when my TD4 was in the garage, (both manual).

SD4 is available in the Evoque as a manual but not he Freelander 2, Auto only in the Freelander 2 SD4.

From what I understand, Freelander 190 manual is a marketing led restriction not a technical one.

Sod it - decision made.

Prices are so similar between second-hand TD4 and SD4 (SD4 is cheaper on occasions too) I'm going to try and find a XS with panoramic roof or a HSE in SD4 guise.

Done.

Maybe?

I have the SD4 HSE. Good torquey engine, infuriating auto box, but that could be me. 14,000 miles in 15 months. Averages about 33-35mpg in fully mixed driving (off road to motorway), but if I took the roof bars off that might improve. Tank range no better than 450. My old RRS averaged not much less (31mpg) with a 550 mile tank range, but the tank was 20 litres bigger.

Its a good car, performs well for me, has grunt when I want it and cruises well on a long run. Hi Fi is epic in the HSE and if you can get one, go for the Windsor leather, its the same quality as you get in a RRS/FFRR. You'd get a lot of car for your money at the prices you're looking at.

dunkley201 wrote:

Dunk wrote:

I had an SD4 on loan when my TD4 was in the garage, (both manual).

Dunk, I am now confused! I understood the SD4 is available in auto only as the manual box/clutch/DMF combo cannot take the increased power of the SD4 engine.
Bob

Bob,

I remember when given the keys I was told it was an uprated engine so assumed, quite possibly by mistake it seems, that it was the higher output engine.......maybe it was a TD4 but it went damn well compared to mine which had 70k on it at the time, it felt so quiet, torquey and refined in direct comparison. Possibly mine was well past it's best and the loan car was just much nicer because of it being virtually new? I thought it was a great drive.......if I misled the OP, then apologies and I need a remap