As I'm about to start getting serious in Freelander 2 buying, where I live is pretty much equi-distant to the dealers mentioned. Which is best?

Used all of those!!

Avoid hartwells and Stratstones!!!

Th white are very good for buying, bought 3 land rovers from them.

lookers park royal

npinks wrote:

lookers park royal

I do intend to involve LPR in the buying process at some point (seems fair to ), but thinking more towards service and day-to-day items if I cannot resolve at work

Have bought used from Stratstones (FL2) and TH White (FL1) both work very hard to get me the exact spec and car that I wanted and were patient when I turned proposed cars down. In my experience, Stratstones will price match on servicing and TH White wont. FL2 HSE Auto Galway Green
Evoque SD4 Auto Blue.
FL1 HSE TD4 Manual Black - Gone.
RR Classic V8 EFI - Gone

Why avoid Hartwells?

I had an amazing experience buying a 2nd hand FL2.

They even gave me a half day LR experience voucher!

If they haven't changed since I last used them for my dif' bearings, TH White are/were top notch........very, very good to deal with. If you are thinking of travelling a bit further give MJ Fews a swerve as I found them dishonest, unhelpful and generally up their own arses, as for the pompous sales manager don't even go there. They were like polished turds, if that makes sense....although you can't polish a turd........apparently


There is a guy there in service by the name of Dudley........top man, as is the service manager

Ditto James French - Service department aloof, arrogant, rude and unhelpful and don't want your business if you are such a peasant that you can only afford a freelander. FL2 HSE Auto Galway Green
Evoque SD4 Auto Blue.
FL1 HSE TD4 Manual Black - Gone.
RR Classic V8 EFI - Gone

Pedro wrote:

Ditto James French - Service department aloof, arrogant, rude and unhelpful and don't want your business if you are such a peasant that you can only afford a freelander.

+1 totally agree , they have just let us down over my sons defender, 

Click image to enlarge

Freelander gone
Audi sold
Volvo xc60 r design coming

Lookers Chelmsford. Please avoid at all cost.
Over priced servicing, uncompetitive pricing on new vehicles. Our Freelander1 was never available when promised after servicing, advised brake relacement required when they were only 50% worn. Forgot to carry out an MOT. Advised I needed a replacement altenator when under warranty, took the old one out when a replacement was not in stock and kept the vehicle for three further days. The servicing is carried out jointly on site with the Renualt franchise, would it be churlish to suggest I have paid LR hourly rate when a Renualt technician did the work? Oh and forget courtesey cars I am not sure they exist. A lift in a Renualt Cleo is as far as it goes.
When it come to replacing the FL1 the deal was done with drivethedeal.com for a FL2 with Guy Salmond Sheffield. Nice discount and a pleasure to deal with.
I just need to find a dealer closer to Chelmsford for future servicing. Crookers seem to have the whole area tied up, but I will travel rather than deal with them again.

Natwest wrote:

npinks wrote:

lookers park royal

I do intend to involve LPR in the buying process at some point (seems fair to ), but thinking more towards service and day-to-day items if I cannot resolve at work

Guy Salmon - Portsmouth

Worth a short trip to get to them for me. 2 purchases from them as a really good deal and perfect customer service every time ive been in  2012 DISCOVERY 4 GS AUTO ORKNEY GREY
2012 FREELANDER 2 SD4 GS AUTO BALTIC BLUE - GONE
2011 FREELANDER 2 TD4 GS MANUAL BALI BLUE - GONE

New sales, used sales and service are three different departments and may be completely different at the same dealers. For example the dealer who in the past have given me and others the worst service we have ever come across have a good parts department and have been praised on here for their sales force. Buy from the ones who are polite and offer you the best deal, but don't necessarily choose them for servicing. I went sveral hours away to Bedford to buy used, as they seemed to have the best prices. However while their servicing is good it's also very pricey, and I'm considering the dealer round the corner from me for next service. They've done a couple of warranty jobs for me and seem both to know what they are doing AND to be keen to get my business.

Never ever again will I use Guy Salmon Stratford. Would rather drive300 miles to another dealer. (Coming) 2016 RR Evoque td4 180 HSE Dynamc
(Going) 2013 TD4 GS Auto - Santorini Black with black leather. Cold Climate, UK Lighting & Armrest Packs. Privacy Glass. LR Rubber Mats. Full size spare.
60 000 miles averaging 35mpg

(Gone) 2010 TD4 Manual GS - Stornoway Grey. Sold at 3yrs old & 64k miles. Final average consumption 39.2mpg.

I have had fantastic service from the service department of Strastones in cheltenham looking after my 10 plate FL2