Well the FL2 has been gone for 6 months now and my temporary replacements have bedded in nicely. The BMW has been the surprise package really. I wanted a low estate (for the dog) that was good to drive. I have never really wanted a BMW because everyone thinks you are a ct if you drive one. I am trying to change that perception by regularly letting people out of junctions and not driving too close to my fellow road users!

I used to own this:





Great car although the auto gearbox wasn't as good as I hoped. Having owned both a manual and auto FL2 I personally prefer the manual. It's not that the auto was bad, I just prefer the flexibility of a manual gearbox.

Well first replacement was the BMW.





The straight six engine is absolutely outstanding. Always silky smooth, docile if you want it to be and rapid if you don't! I have never driven anything that handles as well as this car and it is a lot of fun. It does, however, like a drink. 23mpg knocking about and 30mpg on a run. At this point you are probably sniggering and thinking just wait till it snows. Well I considered that to and bought this;






For me the jury is still out on the Discovery. On the plus side it is the ES Premium so is roughly the same spec as the HSE I sold. In terms of driving though, it is totally different-more like a Defender than a FL2. The driving position is superb and I love the air suspension-particularly off-road. On the negative side you really have to take a run-up if you want to overtake anyone. I have found waiting for a downhill section in the road is the best plan!

So would I swap them both for another FL2? Well a definite yes for the Discovery. The D2 is a bit over the top for my needs and, although nice to drive, not a patch on the the FL2 as a on-road/off-road compromise. That leaves the BMW. I can't believe I am saying this but I'm not sure I could let the 325 go yet. Having had two FL2's previously I had forgotten what it was like to throw a car around country lanes and I love that engine!

I went the opposite way,330i touring to HSE i6 for different reasons. I really like the driving position of the FL2 - it's well equipped and it makes me drive more sedately.Had the 330i for 5 years and 80k - still miss that engine.

I liked two things about the 530d estate that preceded my Freely - the engine and the big boot. I found the car too low for easy entry/egress, seating too low and bonnet too long for good visibility exiting driveways or blind junctions. The view out in country lanes is awful compared to a 4*4. It was disappointing for towing too - obviously easily enough power but nowt like as stable as the big boys.

I'd definitely swap my Freely for a RR Vogue and possibly for a top-of-the range Shogun but otherwise I think it's a keeper! Ours - 2008 Stornoway Grey HSE Auto
Tricia's - 2006 Royal Blue Beetle Cabriolet Auto
Mine - 2014 Vespa GTS 300 Super Sport Matt Black
Ours - 2007 White Bailey Pageant Champagne

The Germans seem to manage OK in BMWs with winter tyres. Depending on how bad your snow situation gets you could be pleasantly surprised! Ex AA Series III LWB Safari - Gone
300TDi Disco (bought new - terrible car) sent back after 18 months
Freelander 1 Estate - leased, given back at end of lease
200TDi Disco (bought from a mate with 100,000 on the clock) - Gone
Disco 2 TD5 - sold and exported to France
FR2 TD4 GS - Gone
FR2 SD4 HSE - Now changed for a DS
New model ex-demo Evoque S 180 in white
Unable to order a new DS, so gave up. Now have a Volvo S90 Recharge.

Have any of the ex BMW owners driven on winter tyres to no if they are worth the extra outlay? I know they will improve grip but do they make the BMW usable in snow-I got stuck on wet grass today-very embarrassing!!!!

I've got to say that the disco 2 was without shadow of doubt the best vehicle I have ever owned, get it up to J E engineering in Coventry and let them work a bit of magic on the ecu and it'll fly. If I could buy a brand new one tomorrow I'd be camped outside my local dealer as I type.......

It is interesting how many D2 owners feel the same way as you. I must confess I have quite a soft spot for mine now and the driving position/comfort is certainly better in the Discovery. For me though, the FL2 edges it for everyday usability-it is a little more civilized (car like) and relatively cheap to run. I think the Discovery is a more traditional Land Rover drive-nothing wrong with that but I can see it wouldn't be for everyone. I have considered going down the tuning route so many thanks for the recommendation.

south wales stu wrote:

I've got to say that the disco 2 was without shadow of doubt the best vehicle I have ever owned, get it up to J E engineering in Coventry and let them work a bit of magic on the ecu and it'll fly. If I could buy a brand new one tomorrow I'd be camped outside my local dealer as I type.......

My D2 also sadly missed. Only sold because they lowered the roof of the underground car park at work. After a few mods including ECU tuning I loved it. Roomy, solid, high up, strong, well equipped and relatively economical.

Agreed that the FL2 is more gentrified than the D2 - more car-like, in the same way that the TD5 D2 was a step up from the 300 tDi

D2 I found was much more comfortable than the Freelander 2, as soon as you sat in the drivers seat it just felt right, had mine remapped which made it much better to drive, sad thing was when towing you had to let your momentum drop so much before you could change down, it was happy in 5th at 60 yet you had to let the speed drop to around 40 on a hill before dropping to 4th otherwise it revved its nuts off.
Was sceptical when getting a Freelander 2 on if it would tow as well as the D2, that was very short lived, what a difference

Labradorslave wrote:

Have any of the ex BMW owners driven on winter tyres to no if they are worth the extra outlay? I know they will improve grip but do they make the BMW usable in snow-I got stuck on wet grass today-very embarrassing!!!!