I’ve had a 2008 HSE with 18” wheels for 7 years I have just bought an HSE Lux with 19” wheels.
There is a noteable difference but it’s livable.

I’d say go fir the highest spec you can. I’m loving the Lux and all that comes with it.

PS: went looking for a Disco 4 also but this Freely stood out in the car yard and I bought it there and then. One day I’ll get a Disco, but the Freelander is so damn good, and reliable, and ticks most boxes.

Good luck in your find

Tigger wrote:

I’ve owned three FL2’s, all running the same tyres that they left the factory with.

My first did around 90,000 miles on 17’s, the 2nd did around 35,000 miles on 18’s and the third was around 30,000 miles on 19’s.

The 17’s were brilliant, with a magic carpet side and they were oblivious to different road surfaces, joints, potholes, cracks and kerb stones. Absolutely wonderful! However, it was a little inclined to wander about a bit at speed on smooth motorway surfaces. You soon got used to it and forgot about it, but others that drove it noticed it straight away. It was nothing to do with wear as it was like it from new and never got any better, or any worse.

The 18” wheels had none of this wandering and the handling was sharper, but they weren’t immune to curbstones any more! I could start to feel different road surfaces, but there was no tramlining and while the ride was a little firmer, it was still perfectly comfortable.

There was no handling advantage on the 19’s and the ride was still very acceptable, but definitely a bit firmer still. Different road surfaces were more noticeable, but still no tramlining.

All sizes were okay, but the 17”s were great for crossing any sort of terrain at speed (!) without having to worry about anything, including going up and down kerbs on very narrow streets (Cornwall!) with complete abandon! The 18’s were the best all round compromise, with the 19’s being inferior to the 18’s, but still perfectly acceptable.

Hope that helps.


PS: I’d buy the Metropolis, if only for the better leather, then you’ll probably find the 19’s are fine. If not, it could be easier to swap them for 18’s at a later date.

I was referring to the car, rather than the tyres

I think a lot of it is individual preference/expectation.

I’ve had an XS with 17” wheels, a HSE with 18” and now drive a HSE Lux with 19” wheels. I’d say that the 17” suffered from way too much body roll and wallowing. Fine on a cruise but round the lanes it used to wobble. The HSE with the 18’s was a good drive but the HSE lux with 19” wheels was the most comfortable. It rides bumps that the wife’s Golf GTI would have you in traction!

AiiEEX wrote:

I’ve had a 2008 HSE with 18” wheels for 7 years I have just bought an HSE Lux with 19” wheels.
There is a noteable difference but it’s livable.

I’d say go fir the highest spec you can. I’m loving the Lux and all that comes with it.

PS: went looking for a Disco 4 also but this Freely stood out in the car yard and I bought it there and then. One day I’ll get a Disco, but the Freelander is so damn good, and reliable, and ticks most boxes.

Good luck in your find

Amen to that!

I’ve had all the usual flash motors over the years (when the Firm and/or the taxman assisted) - big Beemers and Mercs, flash Audis, a Lotus turbo Esprit, Rover V8’s etc, but my all-time favourites were Range Rover Vogues. Now (comfortably, happily) retired and on a pretty-much fixed income, reality comes to the fore.
I still fish in wild places, tow, off-road etc., but still want an affordable, presentable car for ‘normal’ activities. My Metropolis is exactly that.... brilliant on or off road, full of boys toys (and ‘girls toys’ like heated seats, hifi, and so on). Mine does 5-7k/pa now - much of it hard work, and it’s perfect. Bought at 2 years old and 16k on the clock. At £17k below original cost, it was a steal. I too looked at a 15/16 plate D4, but the initial outlay, extra depreciation and running costs etc made the FL2 decision a very easy one.
Enjoy! And stay on FL2.com too.

Click image to enlarge

 I've decided to stop being a good example and will now just be a terrible warning.....
2008 TD4HSE - gone but much loved.
2014MY SD4 Metropolis - very much loved.

Glassman, that's a very nice Metropolis. There's an HSE in Fuji white for sale at Pentlands Edinburgh for 21k I'd be interested in. Still like the metroplois thoug so might just end up waiting 'til the right one came along. Very tempted though...