Hi,

Before we bought our 2007 FL2 SE (used) back in March 2008, I drove a demonstrator HSE Auto, which handled really well (we switched from a Discovery 2 with active cornering).

We didn't want the auto, and the dealership eventually found us the SE manual. When I went to test drive it, I commented that the handling wasn't as good as the HSE auto and asked them to check the tyre pressures before delivery.

When I collected the car, it still didn't handle as well as the HSE auto - and when I got it home I found they'd obviously not checked the pressures as there was about 8lbs difference between tyres.

However, the handling just hasn't improved, so I'm wondering if there's a difference between the 2007 and 2008 models, or perhaps different suspension on the auto models? There is obviously the matter of 10mm difference on the tyre sidewalls, but I'm not convinced that would have so much impact.

In terms of poor handling, our SE wallows/floats more and is harder to place into a corner - the HSE was much more sure-footed and went exactly where you pointed it.

Any similar experiences.... I'm thinking about phoning the previous owners just to check it's not been pranged at some point, but it was sold to us as with the Landrover used car programme.

Graeme. Freelander 2 SE manual
Stornoway Grey
Alpaca

Well mine is no sports car but it handles predictably - no nasty surprises - Giving it a good punt down some twisty roads can even be fairly described as fun. My previous car was an Audi A3 sport so its not that easy to know what to expect from the fl2. At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

Mine handles pretty well too for a higher-than-a-car-centre-of-gravity motor.
Even in fast corners it's pretty sure footed.

Sometimes when I turn my old Mitsubishi 4x4 into corners I wonder if I am ever going to see the sunrise again......

My previous car was an A4 S-line and although not quite as good my Freelander 2 its pretty good in comparison... tyre pressures make a massive difference though, mine was poor until I found the offside front tyre was down about 4 psi I got it to the right pressure and normal service is resumed!!

Mine has the 17" wheels maybe it is better with 18"'s?

My money is on the tyres. The side wall will be significatly stiffer on the 18" over the nearly full profile 17" tyre, I also suspect the tyres tread pattern will be less agressive more road focused.

Why not ask the dealer if you could take your car round the block on a set of HSE wheels to see if that is the root cause of your problems.

Chris.

PS My Caterham had cross ply tyres because cross plys have stiffer side walls

Click image to enlarge

whats the green dot on the headlamp for and that great car you have  Former Mod/Member, with the most post & Chicken George Arch nemesis

Could the tracking be out? My old MGF Trophy was really sensetive on its tracking, and it had to be exact, or else it drove horribly, but when setup right, it was fantastic.

Could be worth taking it to the dealer, and getting them to check.

Rich

I have had Auto GS, ES & Metropolis Discos with ACE and I think my Man FL2 GS handles better than them

My bet would be on the taller sidewalls of the standard 17" wheels.

My HSE handles excellently and has left many a vehicle wondering what the hell has just gone past them on a bend. Very rarely does the traction control kick in and I push the FL2 as far as one can and see no issues at all with the handling....ok so it isn't a sports car, but for a 4x4 it is fantastic. Once you've tasted GREY you'll never go back!

Bet on the tyres as well
When I swapped from my 16" winter wheels/tyres there was a very big handling difference compared to the 18" summer tyres/wheels now fitted. 2007 Freelander 2 HSE TD4 Manual with Premium Pack & Moonroof.
Stornoway Grey with Ebony Black Pleather, Clear Indicators, Body Side Mouldings etc.

I appreciate there might be some difference between 17 and 18 inch wheels and tyre profiles but I honestly can't believe the handling can go from fantastic on 18's to crap on 17's. Surely must be something else?

Thanks to everyone for the replies, and it shows a real difference in experiences as some are very pleased with the handling on a GS (17" wheels) and some swear by the 18" wheels.

Unfortunately when the dealership took the car back in they leant us a GS, but I wasn't around to try it, then the second time it was an X-type, which didn't help with my comparison at all.

I'm definately going to have to just test drive an HSE manual and see how that goes, plus I've decided to try and contact the previous owners and see if there's anything in the history of the car (they only had it for 11 months/7,000 miles before swapping to a new one).

Everyone does have their own definition of "handling", which for some is based around comfortable/assured/predictable behaviour and for some very flat and hard handling, with 4-wheel breakaway (which I was used to with ACE on the Disco2 XS). Our FL2 just doesn't provide either (I've got a single-seater race license, so I like to think I know a little about what to expect, not that I expect it to behave like a single-seater).

A guage of how different our FL2 SE is to the HSE-auto demonstrator is when I said to my wife was she pleased with her new car, she actually said it feels COMPLETELY different to the demonstrator.

OK, I'm off on a mission... to go and discover what makes our car sooo different...

Graeme. Freelander 2 SE manual
Stornoway Grey
Alpaca

Mine handles perfectly on 17's, so does the loan car I've got whilst mines in for its first service........Orrible light blue colour though

hold on, you should be trying to get an SE on 17in wheels to test drive so you can compare yours. Then you will know if its your car or just SE on 17in wheels that is the problem. Phil

npinks wrote:

whats the green dot on the headlamp for and that great car you have

It's to say I passed the static noise test (just)

dave wrote:

Mine handles perfectly on 17's, so does the loan car I've got whilst mines in for its first service