Freelander 2 auto, but with tow bar.

[ExFiF]

Avoid?

30k, 10 plate, seems in good nick. LR assured used. Has the spec and options I'm after.

If it was a manual then barge and pole obviously, but auto? Maybe a deliberate change of ATF?

[ExFiF]

HarryW said:

FiF - Can I assume the barge and pole was because it had a rear hook?

Yes it was because of the hook on a manual and a worry about how the previous driver(s) had treated the clutch. The FL2 manual clutch is not that robust allegedly, and needs to be slipped when slow speed reversing a trailer. Quite a bit of discussion on various places about this and knock on effects to dual mass flywheel longevity.

Also the consistent advice from owners was that the auto is just a nicer vehicle to drive.

In the end I went for a 10 plate HSE Auto with premium pack. So far very pleased with it, touch wood, and whilst I considered many many vehicles, from 2wd estate cars and other soft roaders, in the end the FL2 consistently got the vote as the nicest place to be, but at a price.

Also really liked the Yeti btw, but the load space configuration plus lack of flat floor eliminated that. Also very nearly bought an Subaru Outback, nip and tuck in the end between that and the FL.


edited to add
Re which model question, the concensus seems to be that the model to look for is the XS as it seems to have all the bits that most people want, satnav, decent audio, heated seats, heated windscreen, front and rear parking sensors.

I looked very hard for an XS that had the bits I wanted as I prefer the partial leather/Alcantara upholstery to the full leather, but what I was looking for was an option on that MY XS, but standard on HSE, so in the end paid a little more, and it was only a little more to get HSE. In the end pleased I made that decision as would still be waiting, whereas ended up with a choice of 8/9 vehicles meeting spec in budget range.

Edited by ExFiF on Monday 4th June 10:11

[ExFiF]

have you found www.freel2.com

Can't help you on many of the questions as I'm still a noobie with the vehicle.

Fabric is OK I'd reckon, though a few that I looked at with cloth interiors were a bit scruffy, maybe just unlucky picking ones with spills.

The nav system gets a bit of a variable response on that website linked above. LR sat nav
I haven't used mine in anger so far, just played around with it, and whilst it has given me some damn strange routes at first, this was all down to my failure to RTFM. Coming from the Volvo RTI system which I found completely OK but Clarkson and the other idiots constantly slate as the worst sat nav.... in the woooorld then perhaps my standards are a bit dodgy.

So far the LR sat nav seems less intuitive, but on the other hand I knew my way backwards round the Volvo unit, so maybe it's just familiarity that is needed. Certainly the LR system has a few alternative split screen display modes that are a definite improvement over the Volvo one, but not as good as the Skoda/VAG Columbus unit for example. I think both could do with an update, but have been comparing it side by side with a Garmin on one recent run. The LR route was almost identical, and applying local knowledge I'd say marginally better round one bit, the turn instructions were more accurate and timely too. So not that bad as some make out.

With the VAG you can create a stack of POI (eg genuine destinations / waypoints or even scamera locations) and upload them onto an SD card which sits in the satnav. The SD card can be up to 32gig so you can have a load of music on there too. You have to key in all POI into the LR manually, though of course there is a big database in the memory already. Updates to the map system are quite cheap compared to other manufacturers apparently.

HTH

[FiF]

Well I'm beating 36 week in week out. Less if there is significant heavy traffic, but more if steady rural pottering. Typically around 36 on long motorway slogs around 65-70.