Having trouble getting an accurate reading with the useless twirly dispstick. Is there a knack to it? Used to have a similar one in our old Citroen but never had any probs with that.

I find the best way is to check the oil before setting off in the morning, if you can remember to do it before starting the engine.

Yes...modern dipsticks! To put it in perspective, I have a 1988 tractor with just a straight basic flat bit of steel for it's dipstick and you get a nice clean sharp level of oil with no more than 10 mins standing. Over to the wife's 2007 Rav 4 with it's twirly fancy stick (and of course our FL2's are much the same) and your there for ever and a day dipping, reading a smear, re-dipping.....kind of reading a level...but wait it's a different level on the back side and it's smeared further up. Best dip it again......well that's worse .....last time....AHHHH!

For what it's worth I think a couple of general tips are to wipe the entire steel and not just where the levels are and, certainly with the wife's Rav, to of left it standing for hours rather than a sometimes more convenient 25-30 mins. So, yes to dip it in the morning is a good practice I would of thought.

landrover told me to always take the lower of the 2 readings you get from the front and back of the dip stick freelander 2 SE black and beige - now sold