I've started talking to guys on the Spanish Land Rover Off-Road Club/Forum. I was a bit embarrassed at first since I have a girly Evoque, but I haven't been slagged off yet!

My question was about which LR model to get. And guess which 2 models 99% of the owners have?

....


Discos and Defenders. It seems that if it doesn't have a low range gearbox it doesn't cut it. I've checked out both models after being recommended to start with a Disco 2 as the best entry model !
Apart from being too big at 4.9m it seems that the reliability problems and the fixes would leave me totally broke and frustrated (I'm not into DIY or mechanics, so...) And the Defenders are just too overpriced to be an option.

So, I mentioned a FL2, and was told that there was a guy who goes out with them in one and they are surprised by how well it goes, but..., well, "We recommend the other two models."

I'd be interested to see where these guys drive and maybe I'm just not interested in showing my 4x4 skills in deep mud for hours on end.

Therefore, I'm thinking FL2. More sensible all round in my opinion and for what I need. Only a Montero might get my money if I find a good one.

So, if you were thinking LR why didn't you get the superior Discovery?

Reasons why I bought a FL2 & not a Discovery or Range Rover.

1. Initial cost to buy when new
2. Reliability, discovery’s are a nightmare
3. Running costs
4. The FL2 is perfect for me as I don’t take it off Road

I had a Discovery 2 before my freelander 2. Loved it but it did cost a fair bit to run. Youngest D2 are coming up on 16 years old now, reliability issues, rusty chassis issues.

D3 and D4 have poor reputation for reliability. Complex and less diy friendly, potential for eye watering service bills.

I don't use mine for off roading, just towing, twin axle caravan which it does superbly and even better than the Disco 2 did.

Only negative for me is the much smaller boot. Not often an issue but trips to IKEA and the like are comprised.

As an all rounder cant fault the Freelander 2.

Autobox freel2 are surprisingly capable off road, but again I don't use this ability. Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)

I also tow a caravan which is 1500kg. My FL2 does this effortlessly and being a SD4 HSE has all the plushness of a Range Rover, lots of toys and a Pan roof and far better economy than an RR. Boot isn't an issue for me as we have two dogs so that's always reserved for them. I have roof rails which I use a lot for extra luggage capacity.

No plans to change the car in the foreseeable future.  2007 TD4 XS The work horse that earns its up keep
2013 SD4 HSE The posh one for towing the caravan
1973 Triumph Stag I bought in 2009 and restored.

I’ve just been through this process as I bought my FL2 in October.
I have to do some light off-road stuff due to where I live and the decision came down to:
- Disco of a comparable age, mileage and trim was thousands of £ more, twice the tax and much higher on insurance. Not to mention thirsty on fuel
- Disco was far more complex a machine and would have cost a lot more to keep going
- FL2 was widely mentioned in reviews as reliable (for a Land Rover 😂)
- The disco was just to big for the tracks I need to get up I would have had no paintwork left
- I watched hours of off-road reviews of the FL2 and most gave the opinion that an FL2 can follow a disco and a defender almost anywhere. Just being a lot slower and a lot more careful. The one thing it is unavoidably worse at is wading depth, but I would always avoid water if I can.

I liked the Disco 3 and 4 and would have loved one but the FL2 was much more sensible and appropriate for what I wanted. The defender I never considered as I wanted an auto box.

I’ve also just made the choice between Discovery 2/3, Range Rover sport and the Freelander 2

I discounted the Discovery 3 because of its weight, the mpg on my route would have been terrible, and I’ve been put off by all the horror stories of the main bearings spinning and blocking off the oil passages causing the crank to seize and/or snap. I’ve seen the result of this first hand, it seems to be a bit of a lottery as to if/when it will happen. Same thing with the Range Rover sport.

I’ve had Discovery 2’s in the past so know the downfalls with these, great car, but they are getting on a bit now and finding a good one without the rear chassis rot is getting harder, and the value of a late, low mileage, rot free example was just too much to stomach against a low mileage fl2.

Went for the Freelander in the end because of a few things, first it’s weight, it’s as heavy as an old Discovery 1, so plenty of weight to haul a reasonable sized caravan without being influenced by it, but not stupidly heavy like the Discovery 3. Secondly it’s engine, much more modern than the td5, more power and torque, and much better mpg. The interior size is not much less than the discovery, less headroom definitely, but the depth/width of the boot is not much different the discovery. Having been off-road with my old discovery (mud terrains) and a work colleague of mine who brought his fl2 (on bfg all terrains) it went everywhere the discovery went with ease, yes the ground clearance was a little less, and he didn’t do the deep water (more of a personal choice with a less than 1 year old Freelander) but I was very impressed. Lastly, the equipment offered over the equivalent discovery 2 is much better, I’ve bought an se with full leather heated seats, alpine sound system, sat nav and panoramic sunroof, which you would only get on the top of the range es discovery (don’t think they did a colour screen sat nav on a discovery 2 other than the metropolis).

Overall I think the fl2 is the thinking mans discovery, yes the discovery has some plus points like having low range, a heavier towing weight and a bit more space inside, but it all depends if you actually use these features. Besides, I’m rebuilding an old 90 onto a galvanised chassis for when I need a more ‘agricultural’ Land Rover

amazingly frank replies, exactly what I wanted to hear, and what I thought! Thanks a lot. I'll be back on the Spanish LR forum with "I'm getting a FL2, do you still want me to come along and join?" . If not, I'll let them enjoy tinkering with their mobile "Discos" .
FL2, much more sensible choice for the non millionaire.

anyone else?

The Evoque has slightly higher ground clearance than the Freelander.

90% of issues in the outback are tyres: Freelander 17 inch rims vs Disco 19 inch rims. Discos standard tyres are only 1 inch larger & it's a lot heavier car.

On my last trip I could count Discos on 2 hands, & 2 had flat tyres! 100,000 Toyotas no flat tyres, 19 inch rims are the problem. I spoke to both Disco drivers with flat tyres & they were cursing them.

Freelander auto is brilliant & no issues with lack of torque in trying conditions even with the petrol engine.

Plenty of room in the car if used wisely, slept in the car every night except the odd hotel for our last trip.

You can climb onto the roof without a ladder from the rear wheel, boot open to grip corner (is easier), knee on corner of roof, other knee on roof rack. Procrastination, mankind's greatest labour saving device!

Acoustic insulation ARB TPMS 3xARB air compressors After cooler Air tank On-board OCD pressure air/water cleaning Additional 50L fuel Carpet in doors ABE 2x1kg Waeco 28L modified fridge Battery 4x26ah Solar 120w Victron MPPT 100/20 DC-DC 18amps 175amp jumper plug Awning 6x255/60R18

mrsimon4x4 wrote:

amazingly frank replies, exactly what I wanted to hear, and what I thought! Thanks a lot. I'll be back on the Spanish LR forum with "I'm getting a FL2, do you still want me to come along and join?" . If not, I'll let them enjoy tinkering with their mobile "Discos" .
FL2, much more sensible choice for the non millionaire.

anyone else?

You can see from below that I’ve got fair experience of both the FL2 and the D4, having travelled around 300,000 miles between the 6 listed below.

The FL2 is a respectable off road tool, having much less weight and bulk than the Disco’s, better departure angles, but limited in interior space, ultimate towing power, lack of low range and ground clearance - especially the fuel tank Buy an automatic (which helps make up for the lack of low range) and track down a used Mantec fuel tank guard (and ideally, a Mantec front bash plate), fit some 17” rims and you’ll be good to go

The Disco 4 had the ground clearance, the wading & towing capability and the locking diffs, but the width was a problem.

The Disco 2’s were great cars, but you’d need too be a dedicated mechanic and welder to keep on top of the issues now.

All 3 cars have the excellent, see all the corners, visibility with large glass areas, low waste lines and flat & square edged bonnets that the current cars tend to sorely miss.

Go for a SD4 (auto), with 17” rims and some underbody protection and you’ll be fine in all but proper hardcore off-roading

Another plus for the SD4 auto, same power (190 hp) same torque (310 lb/ft) as the 2.7 Tdv6 RR Sport, Disco 3 in a 400 kg lighter package. Landrover - turning owners into mechanics since 1948

2014 Orkney grey Freelander SD4 GS.
2004 Zambezi silver Discovery 2 Td5 (Gone)
1963 Surf blue Morris Mini Minor Super de Luxe (my little toy)

Some good replies given above. Just sold my d4 Xs after 4 years of ownership and covering 95k from new. In my mind I’d pushed the ownership to the max and as I knew if the sdv6 had let go which they do I’d be seriously out of pocket and with finance outstanding,

Picked up an 2010 fl2 gs E td4 for 3k off eBay and absolutely made up and enjoying tinkering with it. Drives very well following a quick track, new tyres all round and replacing engine mounts. Corrosion is excellent.

As per the d4 it will be used to pull fishing boat and the only drawback against the d4 is height when launching but it’s a small boat so is no problem disconnecting trailer and running boat in sea.

Might fit a front winch for retrieval lol or get an extended bar

For me it was just a simple transition from the F1. I still had a F1 and my Lightweight when I bought the F2. I looked at D3 initially, but for the same money I could have a better specced F2 with lower mileage. (He says, after buying an F2 with 134,000 on the clock, and a petrol one to boot !)
I had a few D1's , the last one around 12 -13 years ago. Then entered the dark world of Freelanders ( there's something really annoying when a noob who's just bought his first Land Rover tells YOU that you'r Freelander isn't a "real" Land Rover).
However, the reason I made the switch was because for 99% of my driving I am on my own. So 13 years ago I decided that , as much as I loved the Disco, it was just too impractical for a single occupant , especially since I was never carrying anything else. Another reason I eventually decided against the D3.
The F2 ticks all my boxes. Small enough for when it's just me, big enough for taking me and SWMBO on holiday, or camping , big enough for trips to the tip etc.
I would love a late D4, but then my head kicks in and reminds why I don't need one.

BHFL wrote:

- The disco was just to big for the tracks I need to get up I would have had no paintwork left

That’s a funny thing.

The D4 is a problem on narrow country lanes and tracks, where the FL2 just wasn’t. Curious.