For those of you who don't know, Land Rover diesels are banned in the United States thanks to the EPA Clean Air Act. There are a few older Land Rover diesels that were grandfathered in but they are rare.

I know the majority of you have a diesel engine and I'd like to ask you one simple question, why the diesel over the petrol engine? Alternatively, if you opted to by the 3.2 I6 petrol engine, please tell me why.

I'm giving a presentation this week on the EPA's ban of the engines and I'd like some input from people who actually own a diesel Rover.

Please let me know:
1) year of vehicle
2) size of engine
3) Your driving style (economy, spirited, aggressive, commuter, motorway miles, off road)
4) automatic or manual transmission?
5) what mileage do you typically get?

Thank you very much!

Anyone who contributes will be given credit in my presentation. I carry a gun because I can't carry a cop.
Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than my gun.

2008 Freelander2/LR2
-Rimini Red

2005 Freelander
-Bonatti Gray
-EBC front brake rotors
-DAP-Inc. Lift
-BFGoodrich All Terrain RWL
-Muffler Delete
-CAI

1) year of vehicle - 2008
2) size of engine - TD4 2.2litre
3) Your driving style (economy, spirited, aggressive, commuter, motorway miles, off road) commuter with a hint of mild aggression!
4) automatic or manual transmission? Auto
5) what mileage do you typically get? 36 mpg (That's UK gallons - 8x20 fl.oz pints)

You are aware of the price of petrol in the UK? Freelander 1 TD4 HSE - gone, 2 weeks after the Cat.Converter!
Freelander 2 TD4 SE Auto MY08 - Santorini black

Yes I've vistited the UK a few times and made sure my hire car was a diesel for that reason. First time I went I had a Volvo XC60 which I understand is the same powertrain as a Freelander 2. I really wish my Freelander 2 here in Texas had that engine.

Sadly it's illegal in the United States. If it were up to the Texas State Legislature they wouldn't have a problem with it.

Thank you for your help... I carry a gun because I can't carry a cop.
Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than my gun.

2008 Freelander2/LR2
-Rimini Red

2005 Freelander
-Bonatti Gray
-EBC front brake rotors
-DAP-Inc. Lift
-BFGoodrich All Terrain RWL
-Muffler Delete
-CAI

TexFreelander wrote:

First time I went I had a Volvo XC60 which I understand is the same powertrain as a Freelander 2. I really wish my Freelander 2 here in Texas had that engine.

I drive a diesel 2.2 auto GS typically I achieve 26-33 overall but on a long steady run 42mpg
I tow a caravan and the diesel grunt is so much better than towing with petrol
I also tow and drive a lot in Europe where in the past diesel has been cheaper than petrol.
If petrol was considerably cheaper I would drive a V6 model but I do not trust our goverment because as soon as they get us all in petrol cars the price will go sky high for petrol !
We have been causght on LPG which was promised to be kept to a low price and that too has shot up

Year 2007
Engine TD4 2.2 litre
Driving Economy (usually!)
Transmission Manual
Mileage - Town 30-35, motorway 35-40 miles per UK gallon.

Diesel here costs approx 135 pence per litre. Petrol slightly cheaper. I would tend to drive a diesel anyway as they are better for the environment, give better performance off road, last longer and have fewer electrics to go wrong (although that's changing all the time!) Can't see why you aren't allowed them. I've driven a big diesel Chevy around the States.

I don't carry a cop and I don't carry a gun because they are both extremely silly things to carry.

TD4-e Manual Diesel MY2010. Averaged fuel consumption is approximately 6.9Ltrs/100kms. LR claimed 6.7ltrs/100kms. It does meet Euro 5 emission target of NOx 0,18g/km. However as from 01.09.2014 that emission target is set at a very much more stringent level of 0,06 N0x for diesel and petrol engines.

LR will have to do some work to get it's diesel engines down to that tougher level, and, by 2015 the EU has set the averaged CO2 target for a manufacturers entire model range to be 136g/100kms so again LR have some serious work to do to also meet that new standard.

Mine's a 2009, 2.2 TD4, six-speed manual transmission.

Fairly relaxed driving style mostly at a steady 40 or 50 mph unless on the motorway, which is infrequently.

Averaging between 15-20Klms / litre.

I chose the diesel engine partly because diesel fuel was a lot cheaper to buy, at the time, but also because I live in a very hilly area and the torque developed by the TD4 makes for effortless driving. No worries about running out of oomph half way up a slope and descents are a breeze.

It's also been a joy to use in the very bad winter weather we've had for the last couple of years. Lots of snow and flooding to deal with but it takes all in its stride.

We've experienced temperatures down to -20ºC, and below, but never a problem with starting up.

I always had problems with the damp getting into petrol engined cars.

2011 MY 2.2 diesel
manual
mix of motorway (70 mph), A Roads (60 mph) and some town driving, typical mpg 39.

Td4, average mpg 20-26(if I check cos I don't really care), driving style- like I stole it! Or every set of traffic lights is the start of NASCAR! SE manual and all driving conditions!


And I love you can't have a diesel but carry a gun! Big fan of that! Infact I would happily give up diesel to carry a 9mm!

Thanks for the replies guys, keep them coming.

If you want your post added as a reference please go back and edit your name in the post or send me a PM with your name.

Yeah we have diesels in the United States but the EPA has restrictions on them. I live in Texas, if Texas were it's own country again I'd have two diesel Rovers instead of two petrol cars.

My dad owns two Ford 250s (MY 2000 and MY 2011) and each of them as a vehicle, are amazing trucks. The 2000 has over 260,000 miles and runs better than it did when it was new (modifications) and the 2011 is still in warranty so nothing has been done to it yet. The petrol equivalents of those vehicles struffle to get 10mpg whereas each of the diesel equivalents get over 20mpg.

athelstan - hey if you wanna come to Texas I'll take you to the shooting range I carry a gun because I can't carry a cop.
Ted Kennedy's car has killed more people than my gun.

2008 Freelander2/LR2
-Rimini Red

2005 Freelander
-Bonatti Gray
-EBC front brake rotors
-DAP-Inc. Lift
-BFGoodrich All Terrain RWL
-Muffler Delete
-CAI

Mine....
1) 2010
2) 3.0 SDV6
3) Economy & spirited
4) Auto
5) 28 - 32mpg

Mrs Dave....
1) 2007
2) 2.2 TD4
3) Economy & spirited
4) Manual
5) 34 - 38mpg

 ______________________
2011 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8
2012 FL2 SD4 Auto HSE
2013 Kawasaki Versys 650

One of the problems for European diesels is they cannot run on the high sulphur diesel that you have in the USA, ours are engineered to run on ultra low sulphur "City" diesel and even then there are now doubts that the particulate from the cleaner engines with particulate filters (now mandatory on all new diesel engined cars here) is still a health risk and some cities want to penalise the owners of diesel powered cars by increasing residents parking charges

1) 2010
2) 3.6 TDV8
3) Economy, Spirited and a bit of offroad driving in low box
4) Auto
5) 28 - 32mpg - can get it up to 35 on a carefully driven long run. I rarely do any city driving, when I do it falls to between 25 & 28mpg How can carbon have a footprint, it has no feet?
Now driving - RRE Coupe Dynamic Lux Auto with Plus pack, Fuji White, Ebony, SD4 with tow pack
Gone - 2010MY FFRR TDv8 Stornoway and Ivory, Privacy - the pace of a TDv8 RRS, the incomparable grace of a Range Rover
Gone but will be missed- RRS Tdv8 HSE Stornoway Grey with Ebony Leather
Gone (only a little missed) RRS Tdv6 2.7SE Giverny Green/Aspen
Defender 90 County HT in Epsom Green

Last edited by Tim in Scotland on 18th Apr 2011 7:05 pm. Edited 1 time in total

Tim in Scotland wrote:

5) 28 - 32mpg - can get it up to 35 on a carefully driven long run.

Is that with it running on 1 cylinder  ______________________
2011 Full Fat RR 4.4 TDV8
2012 FL2 SD4 Auto HSE
2013 Kawasaki Versys 650

No it's when I use my feather light right foot instead of the cruise control and get stuck in 40 miles of SPECs regulated roadworks at a steady 50mph! I get much better mileage in this car than I ever got in the 2007 RRS with the same engine, mainly due to the gearing changes that LR did for the 2010MY - in the FFRR 70mph is 1800RPM, in the RRS it was 2200RPM. The torque is also a bit more so it hangs onto 6th gear longer How can carbon have a footprint, it has no feet?
Now driving - RRE Coupe Dynamic Lux Auto with Plus pack, Fuji White, Ebony, SD4 with tow pack
Gone - 2010MY FFRR TDv8 Stornoway and Ivory, Privacy - the pace of a TDv8 RRS, the incomparable grace of a Range Rover
Gone but will be missed- RRS Tdv8 HSE Stornoway Grey with Ebony Leather
Gone (only a little missed) RRS Tdv6 2.7SE Giverny Green/Aspen
Defender 90 County HT in Epsom Green