Spatch wrote:

Hi all,

Well after all the above I test drove the pre facelift 60 plate and really was not entirely happy. Something was bothering me.

I then went to look at a post facelift 62 plate XS with full leather for more money and loved it. After stretching the financials I have put a deposit down on it. Phew!

Thanks again for all your help.

Mark

Well done! I'm on my second FL2 and I couldn't go back to a normal car now

Thanks chaps,

I will let you know how I get on.

Its been many years since I last owned a Landy, firstly a 88" Series 3, then a 110" Defender. They were very different to the FL2, but I can safely say I will not be off-roading with the Freelander as I did with the Series 3.

Cheers
Mark

Spatch wrote:

Quote:

The later one with lower emissions seems to have more torque and power than the earlier model

My first impression was that the FL didn't have the low down pull of our S Max (I know different car etc). I need a second test drive to confirm. I have driven later FL's but not side by side so cannot make an objective comparison between the two, but your observations are interesting.

I have had both. An early 56 plate HSE manual TD4 which we had for over 6 years, and now a 2013MY SD4 HSE Lux Auto. My first one was all but faultless over the 6-6 1/2 years. It had a clutch replaced, but it is a known issue with very very early cars that they suffered a clutch clip between 1800rpm and 2200rpm. Perfect above 2200rpm, so a strange niggle with early cars.

Other than that I didn't have one issue at all with that car.

Engines are all but identical from 2006 to present day in the Disco Sport, although it is the PSA-Ford engine, Land Rover made significant changes for the the Freelander application. Ford actually adopted the Land Rover spec diesel engine for the Mondeo and S-Max. The later version of the engine is a little quieter and lower on emissions. But other than that, on the road with every day life, you can't really notice any difference. You will find though, that other cars that run the same design engine will be mapped for their own application. An FL2 torque curve is very linear, where as the S-Max, Mondeo and Jaguar X-Type feel more torquier lower down to give you that shove, but the torque curve drops off very quickly, where as the Freelander holds on to it's maximum torque for much longer. Hence why the Freelander doesn't have that initial low down shove, but the torque is stronger for longer.

Also, the max revs need to be considered. Freelander 2 won't rev much past 4000rpm (at a push) where as the Jag XF 2.2 diesel will rev to almost 5000rpm if pushed hard. Engines are the same, but ECU mapping different.


Towing a caravan with an S-Max cannot even be discussed in the same way as towing with a Freelander 2. It is like chalk and cheese. Our caravan is 1600kg'swhich is an easy tow with the Freelander. Our old van was 1450kg's which back in 2006 was towed with our old Zafira GSi Turbo, which was just shy of 300bhp, but a little useless for traction when towing! So a similar type car the the S-Max. Good but not in the same league as a decent 4x4.

The Auto is by far the better machine in my opinion, especially for towing.

The best way I can describe towing with a Freelander 2 is this. When in the past I towed with cars, Signum 3.0 V6 diesel, Vectra's, Insignia's Zafira's etc, they towed well, but you knew you were towing something and had to work the cars a little harder.

With the weight, torque delivery and body style of the Freelander 2, it drives pretty much the same with the van on, than it does without it.

The arse doesn't drop and stays just as level as with normal driving, and that tug you get from the rear end of a car when driving along. Freelander 2 HSE Lux 2013MY - Barolo Black with Ivory Leather. Alpine DVD - Privacy -Evoque 20" Dynamic Wheels and more to come.........

A bit late to add to the debate seeing as though you have placed a deposit but I would go for an SD4 over the TD4, I had both and found the SD4 had a bit more extra poke and was a smoother drive, that said it also had 2 haldex units replaced and diff issues so not all good.. (and that was under 35000 mile from new with full LR service history!)

Mav71 wrote:

Engines are all but identical from 2006 to present day in the Disco Sport, although it is the PSA-Ford engine, Land Rover made significant changes for the the Freelander application. Ford actually adopted the Land Rover spec diesel engine for the Mondeo and S-Max. The later version of the engine is a little quieter and lower on emissions. But other than that, on the road with every day life, you can't really notice any difference. You will find though, that other cars that run the same design engine will be mapped for their own application. An FL2 torque curve is very linear, where as the S-Max, Mondeo and Jaguar X-Type feel more torquier lower down to give you that shove, but the torque curve drops off very quickly, where as the Freelander holds on to it's maximum torque for much longer. Hence why the Freelander doesn't have that initial low down shove, but the torque is stronger for longer.

Also, the max revs need to be considered. Freelander 2 won't rev much past 4000rpm (at a push) where as the Jag XF 2.2 diesel will rev to almost 5000rpm if pushed hard. Engines are the same, but ECU mapping different.


Towing a caravan with an S-Max cannot even be discussed in the same way as towing with a Freelander 2. It is like chalk and cheese. Our caravan is 1600kg'swhich is an easy tow with the Freelander. Our old van was 1450kg's which back in 2006 was towed with our old Zafira GSi Turbo, which was just shy of 300bhp, but a little useless for traction when towing! So a similar type car the the S-Max. Good but not in the same league as a decent 4x4.

Quote:

A bit late to add to the debate seeing as though you have placed a deposit but I would go for an SD4 over the TD4, I had both and found the SD4 had a bit more extra poke and was a smoother drive

"Nice thought but they are more expensive to run. I know you don't buy any of these for fuel economy but our purchase is more out of necessity due to towing"

I found the SD4 cheaper to run than the TD4, perhaps the extra poke meant that the engine didn't need to labour as hard as the TD4. I used to average around 32mpg in the TD4 whereas the SD4 averaged around 38mpg.