I have owned a Disco 2 and currently have a Freelander 2.
The Freelander is a better tow car as the distance between the back wheel and the tow ball is significantly less and hence a caravan has less leverage on the car. It also has more available power.
The Freelander two is actually the same size as a disco one, disco two is wider and longer.
My F2 is a manual and one downside is the reverse gear is a bit high for reversing a van and hence tends to hammer the clutch.

Roger Freelander 2
Rangerover L322 4.4 TDV8

Down under we have up to 350kg tow ball weight. 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

RealBeale wrote:

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.

i had the head/heart battle going on for almost 2 years.... eventually my heart won and i moved across to a D4. Same as you, its probably too big for me in reality but i absolutely love it although i do find myself praying occasionally when i read horror stories the D4 forum

Tigger wrote:

That’s a funny thing.

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

RogB wrote:

RealBeale wrote:

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.

i had the head/heart battle going on for almost 2 years.... eventually my heart won and i moved across to a D4. Same as you, its probably too big for me in reality but i absolutely love it although i do find myself praying occasionally when i read horror stories the D4 forum

I made the decision based on head and went for the Freelander 2, even though heart said D4 but I couldnt stomach some of the repair bills that they can demand and the horror stories really can be horrific  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)

so far no horrors with mine, i got a full service and cambelts done at LR Dealer main dealer for £1200

i went for a 1 owner, full documented history XS and after approx 4000 miles in 3 months nothing so far to report other than that i love it.

ask me again if the turbos go or if the crankshaft snaps (keeping fingers and toes all crossed)

Tigger wrote:

That’s a funny thing.

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

It's probably psychological!!

For me, the D3,4, are just too expensive to buy and maintain - I'm destined to get the one with a catastrophic failure