Any td4_e owners on here?

We now have the auto, and it does work well off-road. But I got auto for the wife, and she hardly drives it at all! I frequently think 'might have been' and wish, particularly at the bowser. Tests of TD4e showed fuel consumption close to - or better than! - claimed 6.7L/100km. Tests on the auto were 'no comment' but instead of claimed 7.0 most owners are getting 8+ or 9+L/100km. I've just been driving through hilly Tasmanian back roads - and a manual would have felt safer, command-shift notwithstanding.

We have the manual TD4e. Being from the UK we're used to manuals, and I've certainly never driven an auto off road. To be honest I'm old fashioned and would like to change gear when I want to, not when the computer does.

The engine is plenty gutsy enough, and with the relatively small tank on the FL2, the extra range over the petrol is surely a big consideration?

Hi a newbie here
Just bought one today (ex Demonstrator) from Barbagello's in Perth and will be bringing it home on Tuesday after the window tinting etc.. is done.
I test drove a few 4wd and AWD but the Freelander was the standout of the bunch.
I wierd at first with the engine cutting out at the lights, but I think you would get use to it very quickly or you can switch it off.

Had the Td4 e for 3 weeks, 3000 km, Bunyip, Wombat, Big dessert & Kinglake etc, and WOW, seems to have enough torque to climb trees! It effortlessly handled stuff I thought I would regret... Having a clutch seemed to save me once or twice though I haven't driven an auto. It seems to be extremely capable, well beyond its "class" I'd love an opinion from someone who has followed a defender to know just how far FL2 manual can go
Cheers & thanks

I can't speak for how far a manual FL2 can follow a Defender, but all three times my auto Freelander TD4 has been stuck off-road, the cause of 'stuck' has always been 'clearance'. If the belly of the beast was higher off the ground, it would go further, more extreme.

Apart from really heavy traffic, there's only two times I much prefer the auto;
* difficult off-road where there's no too-slow speed and one isn't burning out a clutch;
* the other is towing fully laden on cruise control.

I'd be interested in real-world figures on L/100km for the manual.

Melbourne little & big desert crossing and back, 7.2. a lot @ 110 ks.
Ive been in heavy slow Melbourne traffic for 90 minutes, stop start, the engine was off a lot and its 7.3! The other trips have been much the same. Pretty happy so far,
Ill keep an eye on it & repost if there are any notable changes.

quick and dirty running costs comparo:
@ $1.55 per Litre for diesel (which it sometimes is)
7.2 L/100km versus 9.6 L/100km
~$37 cheaper per 1000km
~66 gm CO2 less per 1000km
~235km greater range per 68L tank

Now I really wish I'd bought the manual!

The auto is better off road and compensates for no low range. Command shift mode is nice, you can change gear when you like the same as a manual. I use it off road all the time especially on sand or descents. I always use manual mode on windy hilly roads as well. I wouldn't want a manual anymore, no need in my view. Who gets 9.6l/100km? I'm constantly in the low 8's.

Mikehzz,

Agree about 'auto compensates for no low range' - also, I was sold on the '4WD software is really set up to integrate with the auto box - it's less effective with the manual' (Salesman-speak). I've no reason to doubt this.

I've reviewed my fuel consumption data:
* it says 8.2L/100km on the LR computer - which means either the oil companies or LR lie;
* in 28,000km I've had under 8L/100km twice only
* it's usually 8.8-9.4, over 10 if I go off-road or tow
I pussy-foot 99% of the time, use cruise control. Front tyres are wearing out (symmetrically), life expectancy was 80,000km, won't see 35,000km - wondering if wheel-alignment guys got the numbers wrong.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Phideaux

I've reviewed my fuel consumption data:
* it says 8.2L/100km on the LR computer - which means either the oil companies or LR lie;
* in 28,000km I've had under 8L/100km twice only
* it's usually 8.8-9.4, over 10 if I go off-road or tow
I pussy-foot 99% of the time, use cruise control.

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The fuel consumption you're seeing is just like mine. LR state:

Urban L/100km 8.7
Extra urban L/100km 5.7
Combined L/100km 7.0

When ever looking at a car's "claimed" fuel consumption always take the highest figure as that's what your're going to get in real life. Extra urban I've never seen that low, the lowest I've had is 6.8L/100km. Also how many kms have you done? It will get better with age.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Phideaux

Front tyres are wearing out (symmetrically), life expectancy was 80,000km, won't see 35,000km - wondering if wheel-alignment guys got the numbers wrong.

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These cars do wear out tyres quickly but 35000km is very quick you should atleast get 55-65000km I would think. I need a new set and they're 55000km old but were an after market AT tyre so a bit more tread. They tend to wear the inside and outside shoulders.