1st time poster.

Looking to replace aging FL1 with a FL2. Car is going to be the family wagon, doing about 8k miles a year of mixed driving - local and longer distance (300 miles) holiday runs.

Really fancy an auto HSE spec BUT but my budget is £17-18k making only leggy TD4s possible. Therefore, I'm considering an I6 3.2.

Now I know the fuel and tax costs will be higher but are there any other concerns about the petrol vs diesel FL2? I've got a good local indie who will look after the car.

Also, any views on long term depreciation? Clearly the petrol car is circa 3k cheaper at the moment so I'd envisgage the relative gap to stay the same over the next 3 years? Sound sensible?

Finally, any views on the drive of the TD4 vs the I6?

I had the same thought when buying mine as I was coming out of a 3l petrol and like the smoothness of a petrol but all the recommendations are to go for the td4 as it suits the car better (more torque, easier to drive etc)

I guess the thing would be to drive one first and see if it is the car you think it is - you might be surprised.

As for depreciation I would say that the petrol’s are only going to keep dropping - just look at the v8 D3's! Not only that but you'd have to find someone to actually buy it first! Freelander 2 TD4 Auto, SE, Narvik Black, Alpaca full leather, Rear Headrest Entertainment System, 6 CD, 18 HSE Wheels, Privicy tints

In my opinion if your looking to keep the car for a good few years, then the i6 would be a good choice.

In some ways I wished I had bought an I6 as they are a dream to drive. In the real world you would lose about 10mpg over the TD4.

Work it out another way, you say the i6's are about £3k less than the equivelant TD4, simply work out if you would spend more than the £3000 on fuel and tax.

On 8000 miles a year, the i6 may be cheaper over all over a 3 year period than a TD4. Besides, a dealer may offer even more discount to shift on the i6 and would hold out selling the TD4's.

When it comes to sell on later, it only takes one person to want it! Freelander 2 HSE Lux 2013MY - Barolo Black with Ivory Leather. Alpine DVD - Privacy -Evoque 20" Dynamic Wheels and more to come.........

The petrol is by far smoother and a lot lot lot faster and more reliable. No vibrations, smoke etc. The only cons are tax and fuel consumption. You will get 14lit per 100KM for pure city driving or 10.5 liters per 100Km on motorway at 120-140Km/h.
If you decide to go faster the car is very quite up to 160Km/h and gradually can reach the 200Km/h. The wind noise is highly noticeable and the consumption reaches the city driving.
To be honest freelander 2 petrol is very economical versus other 3l SUVs with the same weight. If price is right, go for the petrol one.

thanks for the replies - especially those that tell me what I want to hear (go for the I6 )

Try to get a i6 HSE and you will not regret it. You will enjoy every time you press the gas pedal....

i6 are a very rare animal in the UK-I don't think I've ever seen one
Only 2 on ebay compared with 1000's TD4s and I see what you mean they do appear to be AT LEAST £3k cheaper

They're about £3k cheaper as you say. I reckon if, as the value of the car halves, the relative diffence stays the same (so £1500 in say 3 years) then I'm better off on the miles that I cover choosing the I6 and swallowing the mpg loss

(plus I get a smooth 6 cyl petrol)

Yep and the longer you keep it the less the depreciation will matter

[quote="dave29"]They're about £3k cheaper as you say. I reckon if, as the value of the car halves, the relative diffence stays the same (so £1500 in say 3 years) then I'm better off on the miles that I cover choosing the I6 and swallowing the mpg loss

(plus I get a smooth 6 cyl petrol)[/quote

but that'll be rubbing itself in your face,,, every day..

ad15 wrote:

but that'll be rubbing itself in your face,,, every day..

My advice in your situation would be the 3.2...Ask NPinks about his MPG when doing short local runs!...the 3.2 won't be much worse!

Plus, if your car does local journeys more often, (and there's a slight bit of personal opinion here!) petrols are more suited to short trips than diesels.

£3000 would buy you a hell of a lot of fuel to make up the difference in economy! Mine: 2012 Golf GTI Edition 35
Family's: 2009 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Auto, Stornoway

Yorkshire - God's County

I agree with Big Dave that petrols are better suited to short journeys as they warm up quicker and are not quite so fuel inneficient when cold.

I'd be interested to test them side by side to see what the real world figures are like in different scenareos... I'm told the diesel is much better suited offroad though and I'm still a bit doubtfull that a petrol will be that easy to onward shift in a few yrs time when tax will be nearly £500 a yr (if not more) and the world will be even more ecomental!
I'm saving my 3litre 250+ bhp petrol for the coupe!  Freelander 2 TD4 Auto, SE, Narvik Black, Alpaca full leather, Rear Headrest Entertainment System, 6 CD, 18 HSE Wheels, Privicy tints

Got an i6 a few weeks ago and after driving diesels for years I can't believe how quick it is, no turbo lag just lot's of power at takeoff throwing my passengers into the back seat.
Covering 400/500 miles per week with computer reading mid 22s but doing a manual check consumption came out at 24.7, the best I have had so far was computer reading 28 on trip back from York to Derbyshire, all motorway and dual carriageway, I usually fill up at a station I pass most days at 115.9/Ltr, my local station is charging 122.9/Ltr for diesel.
Thought I was getting a lot of tyre noise and thought about changing them till I realised it was because I can't hear the engine when driving.
Go for the i6 and join an exclusive club and if all else fails consider an LPG conversion as I am and pay less than 60p/Ltr for gas. Gone, 2007 TD4 SE Auto Baltic blue, clear side repeaters, full sized alloy spare.

English by birth..... Yorkshire by the grace of God.

Last edited by Speedway on 21st Nov 2010 6:16 pm. Edited 1 time in total

Quote:

I usually fill up at a station I pass most days at 155.9/Ltr