Right guys and gals, back from our first tow with the new motor. Only did 150 miles with 1500kgs of Abbey 418 on the back but it has transformed my life, not to mention that of the one that must always be obeyed. Having read various inputs on the forum i was not expecting too much with an engine with only 400 miles on the clock. I also did not want to go anywhere near the 3000 rpm running in limit.
First thing was that I had a 100kgs of noseweight and the back end of the car did not flinch. Set off up the road and the car behaved as though there was nothing there. Up to 60mph + at 2,000 revs and the outfit was steaming up the M5 with me having at times to rein it back in. It makes a pleasant change to pull out and going past trucks etc. instead of watching for them to come past me.
The outfit was rock solid up or down hill, though after 30 years of caravanning I think I know where to be careful and where not to worry. The auto box was a treat to use and the high driving position made a lovely change from the low slung Mercs I had previously.
The experience was temendous and will be repeated a few more times (OK many times) this summer and may even end up travelling to South of Spain for the winter. Her indoors is thrilled (been a long time!) and thinks Landrover Freelander and me are made for each other.
Sorry CG but there will be many more of us until the Euro collapses  Ralph
Zurmatt Silver, Diesel, Automatic, side steps, mud flaps, mats, boot liner, TomTom Start 60 installed, rubbing strips, removable Brink tow bar, after market tinted glass, front styling bar, Rear spoiler, Motorlicious tail pipe trim. Wood Company centre armrest

Ralphk wrote:

may even end up travelling to South of Spain for the winter.

Sorry CG but there will be many more of us until the Euro collapses

conflicting information typical vaner double talk
Why not stay in a static van instead? CG approves of these as the sawdust created making the statics ends up as nice soft bedding for my chickens. At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

Ditto

I am just back today from a weeks in North Devon in our Fleetwood Colchester 500 caravan which we bought a few weeks ago. With 3 dogs, holidays were becoming a challenge, and so the decision for a caravan was made.

The 5* site at Damage Barton near Woolacombe was top-notch views with fantastic walks along the coastal path to secluded coves. The dogs just loved it, as did we.

The FL2 towed the van at (or "ahem" - slightly above) legal speeds with absolutely no issue. Both van and car were rock solid.

I was once a caravan sniper. Now I have tried it and bought one, I am a convert. For my changed needs - it just makes sense.

Now we are already looking to trade up to a bigger/newer van!

Click image to enlarge

Admin note: this post has had its images recovered from a money grabbing photo hosting site and reinstated

chicken george wrote:

Ralphk wrote:

may even end up travelling to South of Spain for the winter.

Sorry CG but there will be many more of us until the Euro collapses

conflicting information typical vaner double talk
Why not stay in a static van instead? CG approves of these as the sawdust created making the statics ends up as nice soft bedding for my chickens shed.

you and you f g chickens  2007 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Manual with Premium Pack & Moonroof.
Stornoway Grey with Ebony Black Pleather, Clear Indicators, Body Side Mouldings etc.

Cg You are beginning to worry me. I extend the hand of friendship and cameradrie to show you that there is an alternative way rather than the aggressive, bigoted manner in which you xpress yourself against a superior being; the caravanner!
There will be no alternative but to invite you to our next sojurn, where we can bond and you will see that there is a better way than your hostile, non compromising and futile aggression against a more amenable fellow being. By the way, Els wants to know how much you charge for eggs, but we don't like black ones only stornaway or Zurmatt are suitable.
Yours, with tongue very firmly in cheek.
Ralph Ralph
Zurmatt Silver, Diesel, Automatic, side steps, mud flaps, mats, boot liner, TomTom Start 60 installed, rubbing strips, removable Brink tow bar, after market tinted glass, front styling bar, Rear spoiler, Motorlicious tail pipe trim. Wood Company centre armrest

Wait till you try the French Motorways, towing all day with the cruise control set at 80mph.

i think we should sign him up to the disco3 caravan/tent meet they are organising, as the Freel2 one got no where  Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

hand of friendship duly bitten,

Free eggs just tow past my farm lane and watch them land on your windscreen  At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

I am sitting in my van at the moment at ferry meadows peterborough the FL2 tows our wyoming a treat and as said on the auto routes abroad it's great, were heading to spain in august for 3 weeks can't wait....

Tandemman wrote:

Wait till you try the French Motorways, towing all day with the cruise control set at 80mph.

I know exactly what you mean! Will do that 2 times this year, once to the Cote d'Azur at the end of May, and once mid July to Argeles sur Mer (near the border with Spain)

Will be towing a 1500kg Burstner 525 TL

Have been doing that with a Renault Grand Espace over the last 4 years, but am looking forward a lot to doing that soon with my new FL2! Will not arrive in time for May, but will be there in July.

Oh I can't wait to do the motorway ascends with the FL2. The Renault had some small challenges there

And I'm sorry guys! You have a huge caravan fan on the form in me

And I'm not even 50

So, any story on towing, and I will be there! And fellow towers, don't hesitate to contact me if you need help against those awfull tow-haters  FL2 S TD4_e, Santorini Black, with towbar

Ralphk wrote:

First thing was that I had a 100kgs of noseweight and the back end of the car did not flinch......
The outfit was rock solid up or down hill......
The experience was tremendous........

I've been towing with my FL2 for over two years now, I'm really pleased (though not surprised) you like it.
We run with 1450kg on tow, it really is like the van isn't there......
In my normal day to day driving I'm very relaxed and quite speed limit compliant ....
But put the van on the back and I love just to put my foot down. Whether its A roads or Motorways it requires a great deal of concentration to stay legal ..... Stornoway Grey GS ... What a fine motor ... but not any more ... ... psst look at my gallery!
Company cars ... a thing of the past - May 2013.

Got to agree with the caravanners above, towed my van at Easter for the first time, used to have a TD5 and was a little apprehensive to what the Freelander could do as the TD5 was chipped and I was quite happy with the performance towing, but the Freelander 2 is in a different league I could not believe how well it performed. I went down to Dorset and coming back up the A34 only once did I have to come out of 6th and that was to go down to 4th on a steep section at East Ilsley bacause I was baulked by an idiot in a Chysler (can't remember what it is called but looks like it belongs to the Ant Hill mob) that same hill in the TD5 would have been down to 3rd and 30mph. O.K. the van only ways 1400kgs but my new one will be here next week but even then it will be 1500kgs so I doubt it will make any difference. If CG has complaints about being held up by caravans no way are they being tugged by a Freelander 2.
Freelander 2  p****d off with a Digital Keyboard Warrior

very cool. We went for the blacked out windows look and have just had a roof mounted aircon fitted by Conrad Anderson, will post some pics when i go to Narbonne in may

I wish we was off in may but gotta wait till august for our main holiday....do you have a wyoming too ?

Looking forward to some pics


shar