Greetings,
Having sold our Defender we are now using the FL2 to tow a big horse box. Are there any advantages in using the Sport / Manuel settings in the gear box?
Any advice would be appreciated.
Regards Paul.

This post has been edited by the site administration team
Although horse box related, moved to cc&t section as more towing info here

Our auto always towed best just left alone in auto except when descending the Alps & Pyrennes with 2 tons of caravan on the back.
The auto box adapts itself after about 50 miles of towing so is well suited.
If you use sport mode it will attempt to pull away in 2nd which i wouldn't recommend when towing ! Jaguar x-type sport gone
Jaguar x-type 2.2d sport one of my best cars ever sadly gone
Freelander 2 GS auto 2008 most unreliable ever ! gladly gone
Freelander 2 GS manual 2013 only time will tell !

Thanks oldgeezer. we will leave in auto then.
Regards Paul.

I'm sure there will be differing views especially on whatever weight you may be towing, but for mine being about 1350kg I find leaving it in 'Auto' suits me best with 'manual' down changes for steep downhills if necessary.

As mentioned in 'sport' mode when coming to a stop the box will leave itself in second for pulling off again, for my weight it would not be too much of a problem but might complain a little with something like 1700/1800 kg of van or horse box behind.

If you are stationary in sport mode, all you have to do is pull back on the stick once. You are then in 1st gear, command mode. 10MY (Sept 09) TD4 HSE Auto in Stornoway Grey (Now Gone)

08 FL2 TD4 SE Manual in Rimini Red (Now Gone)

Command shift gets better mpg for me when towing, about 4mpg difference (according to computer). As said just drop it down to 1st before pulling off but i just pull away in second with no issues(1300kg caravan). I find in normal auto that im constantly on the brakes, in command shift i rarely touch them.

In the late 1970 I was an HGV driver. We had on demonstration a Volvo Auto. Wonderful to drive, it put the British trucks at that time to shame.
As with wurzel 153 comments there was no engine braking. With thirty odd tons on the back you constantly covered the brake's.
These experience's prompted the thread. Many thanks for the reply's.
Regards Paul.

Last edited by snevets68 on 13th May 2014 3:52 pm. Edited 1 time in total

Paul. I have driven several modern HGV autos - mainly Mercs, DAFs and MANs plus the odd Scania. All now give you engine braking. Scania was wierd - manual box adapted to auto but still with a clutch. Drop the clutch to engage gears, pull away, everything is then auto - but very ponderous. Seems like it is double declutching through every gear! Just remember that when you come to a stop, drop the clutch or it will stall

Bob 10MY (Sept 09) TD4 HSE Auto in Stornoway Grey (Now Gone)

08 FL2 TD4 SE Manual in Rimini Red (Now Gone)

In the car world at least, autos with clutches are the future! (Not with a pedal though.)

The torque converter has always been the weak point of a conventional auto - they're inefficient, dull the driving experience, and get in the way in many off-road scenarios by breaking the direct link between engine and wheels. But up until now we've been stuck with them.

Now, however, clutches are making a come-back, in the form of the dual-clutch transmission. This replaces the torque converter with two clutches, controlled electronically to provide automatic changes. The dual-clutch system has many advantages over the torque converter - faster changes, better fuel economy, better performance, better driver experience, and they restore the direct connection between engine and wheels. Currently dual-clutch systems tend to be restricted to higher-priced performance cars, but they're working their way down and should be common in a few more years.

I'm not a fan of conventional autos, but a Freelander with a dual-clutch auto might tempt even me! (And let's hope LR don't decide to go down the CVT route which certain other manufacturers seem to be embracing so enthusiastically! But perhaps a clutched CVT might not be so bad, and with a CVT you'd only need one...)

You are right, pab. Previous to my FL2s, I had a 07 Passat Estate DSG. Fantastic twin clutch gearbox, rapid changes, good economy, and faster than the manual Also had electronic parking brake with auto hold. Great package.  10MY (Sept 09) TD4 HSE Auto in Stornoway Grey (Now Gone)

08 FL2 TD4 SE Manual in Rimini Red (Now Gone)

The VW DSG box gets a bit of a bashing in the Honest John Telegraph reviews. It put me of buying one of their vans.

If you listen to Honest John you wouldn't buy a Freelander. Fish and Chip paper.

If your on the brakes all the time with a modern auto there is something wrong !
Autos now change down on their own descending down hills, something the freely auto is quite good at and if your doing 50 at the top it shouldn't build up speed as the auto box should take control ! Mine was fine at that, just for caution in the Alps I used to change down for safety. Jaguar x-type sport gone
Jaguar x-type 2.2d sport one of my best cars ever sadly gone
Freelander 2 GS auto 2008 most unreliable ever ! gladly gone
Freelander 2 GS manual 2013 only time will tell !

Greetings ad210358.
If only I had listened to Honest John before I purchased my FL2. I have one of the bad one's.
It is the most unreliable vehicle I have owned. We only use it when we have to. The ride can at times be appalling with intermittent vibration and we are just waiting for the next part to fail.

Most of the FL2.'s seem fine. It's always pot luck when buying, I have just been very unlucky.
As for the dealership
Regards Paul.

Iv'e had two, more than happy with them, after having a TD5 reliability wise a Freelander 2 was a god send.
Cannot argue the point on the Dealers, total let down.