Morning all!! Just a quickie for this time in the morning. Hoping to go 'off road' sometime, nothing too extreme, but just wondered how much protection there is as standard on the car? That's one place I've not looked at yet - underneath 😜 what do people recommend without going too mad lol . .

Protection on the car is basically a steel plate under the engine bay (not as strong as a proper bash plate, but strong enough to provide the front jacking point so gives reasonable protection), a plastic fuel tank, and everything else tucked up out of the way in the body. For 'nothing too extreme' this should be adequate - the fuel tank looks vulnerable, but I don't recall anyone actually rupturing one despite some pretty hard off-roading by some of the overseas members!

Aftermarket protection is limited - there are some very expensive aluminium bash plates from Mantec, and that's about it. Some members have fitted larger tyres to give a bit more ground clearance, but that will also affect on-road handling and your insurance company may not like it.

In general the car's ability far exceeds by the driver's willingness to risk damage to expensive bodywork!

Cheers buddy . . just had a quick glance around on t'internet!! I see what you mean aboout not being too much around! Mmm, don't think i'd go anywhere too dramatic to damage car . . Only reason I was asking is I was planning on popping up to this place (http://www.scotland.landroverexperience.co.uk/) to join in an event on 27th September where, and I quote . .

'BRING YOUR OWN OFF-ROAD VEHICLE AND JOIN US FOR A ADVENTURE TREK

Our off-road adventure treks are a brilliant day out and a great chance to learn new off road driving techniques with the help of our highly trained instructors. Bring your own vehicle and test it out on our tracks at Land Rover Experience Scotland, then venture out into surrounding private estates in the Perthshire countryside.

This day is suitable for all 4x4 vehicles, regardless of manufacturer*, as long as they are road taxed and insured for offroad driving. However please be aware that side steps and tow bars can restrict access to some routes, so it may be advisable to remove them.'

I asked how how difficult the terrian was having had a play at LR Experience Solihull - their answer was - 'yeah, thats about how it is'!!! Some parts of that were brill!! In someone elses car!! lol . . .

If the day is "suitable for all 4x4 vehicles, regardless of manufacturer" it should be a doddle for the FL2! Generally on these events the instructors have a pretty good idea of which areas are suitable for which vehicles, and will advise accordingly. If you're careful (if in doubt get out and look before you drive it) you should have no problem with the standard vehicle.

Remember that the LRE courses are designed to show off the cars, not test them to destruction, so you won't find anything there that will damage the car, or which the car can't do fairly easily if driven sensibly. The same's not true elsewhere, so don't be afraid to stop and assess an obstacle on foot if you're not sure. The most innocuous-looking puddle can be concealing a hole feet deep!

Edit: Obvious point, but one thing to think about is your tyres and the amount of tread remaining. Worn tyres will get you stuck where plenty of tread depth would have kept you going, so that's another thing to bear in mind. Similarly, All Terrains will get you further than road tyres.

Took mine on a similar day with LRE Devon. The routes have normally been run a couple of times to knock back intruding foliage and there is sometimes a choice of line depending on ground clearance. The fuel tank is the vulnerability and catching it on something solid was the LRE staff's biggest worry, (a protruding manhole cover as it happens) but feeling/hearing it scrape is not nice. Sourced some second hand Mantec protection through Freel2.com.
A great day enjoyed by all. My FL2 was the "smallest" car, all the rest were Defenders, Disco's and Jeeps. My only damage was the front reg plate which was washed off as we forded a river. A couple of pictures in my gallery.

The plastic fuel tank is held in place with some very thin metal straps. The AA (etc.) will not recover you if you are away from tarmac. Why on earth would you knowingly go off-road in an area you don't know without tank protection?
The standard engine protector isn't brilliant, but most of the stuff is out of they way, unlike the twin saddle tanks hanging down almost begging to be hit.

OK I have bent both Mantec engine and tank guards, but then I am a driver who likes to have fun off-road  Tangiers Orange - gone, missing her
Replaced by Ewok what a mistake - now a happy Disco Sport owner

All really good points! I do want to try the FL2 off road, but definitely nothing as mad as the LR experience courses, well, not just yet!! I had a look under the car at the fuel tank yesterday . . mmm, I see what you mean about being a little vulnerable. I think I might fit a protector just for the hell of it!! Hoping the extra few kg's won't add to the mpg figures lol . . Guess the best thing I could do is keep my Defender and go play off road with that lol . .

Think the one point mentioned is checking where you're going . . and check when your there and unsure what lies ahead. All about experience I guess.

Why buy a car with the capabilities of the fl2 then start worrying about mpg? For the record with both Mantec plates fitted my fl2 has a long term mpg of 32.7. I've just done a run to Argyll covering 1511 miles and got 36.29mpg. 850 miles of motorway and the rest a mixture of Scottish A roads (lovely) and B roads (single track with passing places).

Not worrying about the mpg . . as I said, just got to get used to looking different figures on trip computer. But still finding myself being very cautious with right foot, but that'll soon change far more enjoyable things that compensate for fuel consumption!! Oh yeah . . .

There is nothing mad about a LR Experience Course unless you want it to be. As others have said LR Experience courses are designed to show the capability of the various vehicles in a non-destructive setting. Parts of the course will be designed specifically for Freelander 2 and Evoque and a few bits will be off limits because they are at the limit of the vehicles capability.

Drive your own vehicle days are carefully managed and led by an experienced instructor who will suggest which routes to use and which not to use. Obviously if you disregard the advice then 'on your head be it'. Plenty of Freelander 2's have done the LR Experience Course at Rockingham Castle and gone away without damage if a bit muddy.

Ah Rockingham castle . . i'll keep an eye out for things going on their thanks for that! I did the LR Experience at Solihull a few years back, but we did RRS, Disco4 and Defender - all went round the same course . . really impressive what they can do!! But as you say, lakes total sense having a specific course for specific cars . . one day it will get muddy

The adventure trek day that I went on with Lre west country was a tour around East Devon using (where possible) byways and private land. Ending at a pub for a late lunch. Nothing that I could see that was as challenging as their own course, which I'd done, except for fording a river, which was probably on the depth limit. As I said earlier, the front reg plate was left hanging by a one screw, and a heat shield started to rub on the prop shaft, both easily fixed. A great day out.

Mistyar66
Have a look at www.lroac.com for some options

Richard

According to the opinions form the Land Rover Service Advisor, the undershield from the Land Rover is not tough enough for protection, more for decoration. BTW, sump guard and tank guard are available from Mantec though the toughness, thickness and weight not known. On eBay, the sump guard of Mantec asks for 210 Sterling Pounds.

Land Rover Experience makes a point that its vehicles are production spec and on original equipment tyres (note that FL2s have their front wheel splash "bibs" unscrewed to prevent them becoming immediate casualties of approach angles. However, there are parts of the track networks that are more suited to other models and you can't do a Level 2 course in a Freely for that reason.
Mantec guards were standard fit on all G4 Challenge vehicles and probably amongst the best you can get. Downsides are a weight penalty and increased likelihood that you will touch (albeit protected it's still a sobering clunk) - I have not fitted to me present car for that reason and have light footed and light-touched through rough stuff with a spotter!
Regarding economy, I am disappointed when the trip computer doesn't say 40+ on a tankful (even if the hand calculation based on litres and odometer is average 1-2 MPG worse) Gone... 2013 XS TD4 Manual Firenze Red
Gone... 2008 (09MY) XS Td4 Manual Stornaway Grey
Prior... 2003 G4 Discovery 2, 1998 Disco 1 and 1997 Disco 1 Company car before that
Also gone in Nov'13, after 7.5 yrs, to new owners with time for more TLC - 1980 Series III 88
Current 2015 Discovery Sport HSE 2.0