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Home > Camping, Caravanning and Holidays > auto towing,sports mode?
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martindoggy



Member Since: 13 Oct 2012
Location: mansfield
Posts: 95

United Kingdom 2008 Freelander 2 TD4 SE Auto Stornoway Grey
auto towing,sports mode?

Can you good towing folk with autos tell me when pulling their van do they use D or sports mode/command shift or is it just a case of playing it by ear to conditions?
Thanks Martin

Post #184922 21st May 2013 8:18 pm
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rchrdleigh



Member Since: 18 Aug 2007
Location: Somewhere in the East of England
Posts: 1601

England 2011 Freelander 2 TD4 XS Manual Baltic Blue

Leave it in D. The gearbox should recognise you've got a trailer attached to the vehicle and remap the gear changes to maximise towing performance. Obviously if the car is struggling for any reason then using Command Shift could help but it shouldn't be necessary.

Post #184927 21st May 2013 8:31 pm
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martindoggy



Member Since: 13 Oct 2012
Location: mansfield
Posts: 95

United Kingdom 2008 Freelander 2 TD4 SE Auto Stornoway Grey

Thanks Thumbs Up

Post #184928 21st May 2013 8:32 pm
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ad210358



Member Since: 12 Oct 2008
Location: Here and There
Posts: 7464

England 

I used to use Command Shift when towing in hilly sections, sometimes the Freely box was a bit to keen to drop a cog when in CS it would quite happily pull in the current gear. CS works well going down hill also Thumbs Up p****d off with a Digital Keyboard Warrior

Post #184930 21st May 2013 8:34 pm
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Bill Turner



Member Since: 08 Jul 2008
Location: Birkenhead
Posts: 977

United Kingdom 2009 Freelander 2 TD4 SE Auto Santorini Black

ad210358 wrote:
I used to use Command Shift when towing in hilly sections, sometimes the Freely box was a bit to keen to drop a cog when in CS it would quite happily pull in the current gear. CS works well going down hill also :thumbsup:


Agree with ad210358 that this is the best way to use the box plus use Sport setting if you need to make a quick overtake of an LGV as it means you can concentrate on the road and box will change up at optimum revs.

Bill T Life Honorary Member of Wallasey Motor Club.
Licenced MSA Radio Operator for 35+ years.
Rallying is the only sport.

Post #184956 22nd May 2013 9:55 am
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oldgeezer



Member Since: 09 Apr 2011
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 1302

United Kingdom 2013 Freelander 2 TD4 GS Manual Baltic Blue

when towing my autro box adapts after about 50 miles and tows a treat ! then when I drop the caravan off it take about 50 miles to re-adapt back !
the auto I have to say is brilliant for towing Thumbs Up

Post #184998 22nd May 2013 6:44 pm
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martindoggy



Member Since: 13 Oct 2012
Location: mansfield
Posts: 95

United Kingdom 2008 Freelander 2 TD4 SE Auto Stornoway Grey

oldgeezer wrote:
when towing my autro box adapts after about 50 miles and tows a treat ! then when I drop the caravan off it take about 50 miles to re-adapt back !
the auto I have to say is brilliant for towing Thumbs Up

Sounds good can't wait to get it tomorrow

Post #184999 22nd May 2013 6:52 pm
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StuckInTheMud



Member Since: 02 Apr 2013
Location: Ayrshire
Posts: 113

Scotland 2011 Freelander 2 SD4 HSE Auto Fuji White

In six weeks I shall be towing in Austria, north of Insbruck - very hilly about 2300 above sea-level, I cannot wait,

My Tiguan had towed in Switzerland several times and in Italy on other occasions, it was very, very good - did mange 33 mpg towing (on one leg of journey, wife was pushing Rolling with laughter ) so SD4 has hard act to follow. I doubt it will reach the mpg however, impressed with its characteristics so far.

So I hope you enjoy your towing. Please let us know how you get on. I shall take on-board your post and use the advice given about sports modes etc. 'There is thunder' then 'There is the warble of a V8'

SD4 HSE Fuji White (my car): sidesteps, door protection
Golf 2.0 tdi White (wife's car)
Triumph Stag (my 1975 V8 toy - 37,600 miles... Just started its 2nd restoration... had it since 1986)

Tiguan Summit (gone, but nice car)
Porsche Boxster (gone, it was too fast)
SLK (gone, did not like it - lost loads £s)
Discovery Cairngorm (gone,very tractor like)
+ loads of other cars

Post #185002 22nd May 2013 7:01 pm
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martindoggy



Member Since: 13 Oct 2012
Location: mansfield
Posts: 95

United Kingdom 2008 Freelander 2 TD4 SE Auto Stornoway Grey

Well towed up to North Yorkshire last week and returned today and must say I really enjoyed the experience.
Driving was mainly motorway/dual carriage ways never Put it into sports mode as never felt the need to.
Returned about 23.5 mpg(5 passengers) really happy with that as spent quite a while in slow traffic,and it's where the auto was a pleasure.
All in all found it much more relaxing
Martin

Post #186011 31st May 2013 10:46 pm
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7Iron



Member Since: 06 Jan 2009
Location: Near the sea and the golf course
Posts: 35

Wales 2012 Freelander 2 SD4 HSE Auto Orkney Grey

I was going to submit the same post. I have been getting tired of the auto in D jumping up and down through the gears and hanging on to gears for what feels to be far too tong, have had a much more comfortable run in Command shift, quite handy when it still changes down by itself.
The comments re the box "learning" it is towing are quite interesting, I got fed up of it well before the 50 miles were up.

Has there been any response or recomendation from LR on this. Gone, 07 TD4 SE, Santorini Black, 18" Evoque wheels.
Now 12 SD4 HSE Auto, Orkney Grey, 19" Wheels, Privacy Glass, twin electrics tow bar

Post #186477 4th Jun 2013 7:51 pm
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oldgeezer



Member Since: 09 Apr 2011
Location: Wiltshire
Posts: 1302

United Kingdom 2013 Freelander 2 TD4 GS Manual Baltic Blue

7iron
That doesn't sound right ! My shift is seemless and very difficult to detect gear changes even when towing ! Mine doesn't hang onto gears too long either.

Normal driving changes up by 2000 rpm & towing changes up by 2400-2600 rpm. I never go over 2800 as there is no need.

I must admit that when I have driven SD4 compared with my td4 I have really noticed how abrupt the box is and that the gear changes almost snatch but there are others on here that claim there is no difference !
I have had 3 different SD4's as lone cars sometimes for a while and the auto box ,s have always been what I would call harsh.

Post #186483 4th Jun 2013 8:07 pm
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