Never thought I'd say this but I am seriously considering changing my FL2 - for a Ford!

Hadn't even considered changing but I've just been offered an absolute bargain by the Brother in Law. He's fairly high up in Fords and him and his wife get a new car, any car they fancy, whenever they want. The only catch is that they can only have them for a maximum of three months before they have to hand them back and choose another. He's currently about to change his Kuga TDCI Titanium X Sport. As they can have whatever they want, he had just about every extra going added on to it - retail when new was just under £38k. I can have it for....well, I won't say exactly but it is at least £20K less than the retail price when new. I know new cars lose a lot as soon as they leave the showroom and god knows, I've suffered these losses in the past but the way I see it, the big hit would not be taken by me this time. Only stipulation is that I must keep it for two years before I can sell it which is not a problem for me. I'm really torn. The smell of a new car and the thought of 2 3/4 years of worry free motoring is very tempting. He needs to know fairly soon as it's getting near time to hand it back. We've also got a Golf and I want to sell that (don't need three cars between the two of us) and keep the FL2 but the wife is against having two 4X4's.

It's going to be a sleepless night. Can anyone convince me why I shouldn't snap his hand off?

Go for it Steve D

Fords are good cars and I returned to them in post LR ownership without getting into a flap about badge snobbery. More important things to worry about in life than that. You will be getting a car there that gives peace of mind with warranty cover and plenty of toys.

Buy yourself a set of winter tyres and short of biblical snow, you won't be worse off than the FL2 (how often does it snow anyway?!). My Fiesta ST was superb in snow on winter tyres but besides that, you will get a lot of car for the money I think. Cheaper to tax and easier on fuel too I dare say. LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

I have 2 4x4s - my wife has been convinced of the overall better road grip of a 4x4 in wet weather, leaves etc etc. Especially on wintery roads. never wants anything else, We have 2 FL2 but as said above badge is less important it is what the car does that is important.

She might sell hers fr an Audi Quattro in the next year or so. But 4x4 is IMHO the way to go

Tell her the Kuga isn't a proper 4x4

Hmmm. Only ever been on wet grass once in 2 1/2 years in the FL2. We got stuck!

Have you driven the ford? We did and bought a FL2.

It didn't help that the ford dealers were, well less than keen with a test drive without coming with us.

Steve D wrote:

Hmmm. Only ever been on wet grass once in 2 1/2 years in the FL2. We got stuck!

Land Rover to a Ford what will the neighbour think

I know the scheme of which you speak

Do it.

I had a 2015 Kuga Tit X 163 and it's better at more things than most people give it credit for. Must admit I'm not a fan of Tit X Sport though as to my eyes they look a bit "chavvy" in certain colours. The new 180 bhp engine is supposed to be much better than the old 163 bhp (that was one of my annoyances with mine - 163 was gutless). Would be interesting to compare Kuga 180 with Freelander SD4... and then Ingenium. Now:
17MY Discovery D5 2.0 HSE (Carpathian):

Gone::
(04/17): 16.5MY Discovery Sport HSE (Waitomo)
(08/16): 16MY Discovery Sport HSE Lux Auto (Corris Grey + Black pack)
(11/15): 15MY Freelander 2 Metropolis SD4 (Loire blue)

Muckboots wrote:

Land Rover to a Ford what will the neighbour think

Unless they are idiots (badge snobs are idiots ), they won't care. LL.B (Hons) - University of Derby
LOT (Lord of Time) - University of Gallifrey

Ford hey

Fixed Or Repaired Daily

Fuc*ed On Rainy Days

 MY14 Kahn Converted Dynamic - Fuji White Ebony/Pimento Interior
MY15 Xenon Headlight Conversion

MY17 RRS SVR - Estoril Blue Cirrus/Ebony 🪣💺’s

Steve D wrote:

Hmmm. Only ever been on wet grass once in 2 1/2 years in the FL2. We got stuck!

I have been on wet grass on the farm with my 22s and there has been more wheel spin along with the TC lights flickering, a bit more than normal than it would with my stock 19s on M+S tyres and I've never been stuck yet

Are you running M+S?

Evening in the dry on tarmac we are running permanent 4WD and the grip is immense something your ford will never live up to. MY14 Kahn Converted Dynamic - Fuji White Ebony/Pimento Interior
MY15 Xenon Headlight Conversion

MY17 RRS SVR - Estoril Blue Cirrus/Ebony 🪣💺’s

Nah, just standard road tyres but still, 2WD vehicles were coping better than mine!

Never bought it for its off road capability anyway. Just liked the size, shape, seating position plus all the bits that the HSE came with. This one has even more 'bits'. Lane control, self parking, active city stop, rear parking camera, blind spot information, traffic sign recognition, active cruise control, DAB radio, iPhone music connectivity, poncy self opening boot...... All the more to go wrong I know, but not a worry when it's got a 3 year guarantee.

Anyway, started reading up on it and noticed this in one of the write-ups:

"The Intelligent All-Wheel Drive System replaces the old Haldex-based differentials. That means torque is split electronically front-to-rear, with the 'Curve Control' system tightening the car's line in enthusiastically-taken corners."

Don't know how that works exactly but I like the sound of a bit of intelligence working for me.

Still up umming and ahhing as to whether to let 'old faithful' go or hold on to her a bit longer - the wife who always, ALWAYS, gets attached to our cars will cry if and when the FL goes. She really does.

Last edited by Steve D on 13th Jul 2015 12:39 am. Edited 1 time in total

Muckboots wrote:

Land Rover to a Ford what will the neighbour think

Harrim51 wrote:

Have you driven the ford? We did and bought a FL2.

It didn't help that the ford dealers were, well less than keen with a test drive without coming with us.

Yep. As said, it's the Brother-in Laws company car. Had a good drive around in it today. So did the wife (she's the main user anyway). Drove superb which is why I'm having trouble not liking it.