What happens on a LR Experience day

Hi,

I recieved 2 x half days for the LR Experience with my Evoque. Has any one been and what can I expect.

I can take three guests on each one but do they get to do the same thing, are you all in one car or one each? I'm guessing im trying to establish how much fun this is for someone without a LR.

I got a free one a couple of years ago, my 'one guest' (the missus) also drove the car.
We took out the defender and swapped over half way round the course.
We were out for a couple of hours with a briefing and de-briefing at either end of the morning.

Well worth it, and the dealer has said he'd sort out experience day vouchers for the evoque too... I'm hoping this isn't in lieu of other freebies!!

Generally you will all be in one car as they are "guests" if you go to one of the more popular centres near London or Birmingham and you are the person the LRE guys are trying to sell the car to. If you make a weekend trip out of an outing to Eastnor Castle, Bala, Lake District, Devon or Dunkeld in Scotland then you may be lucky and all get to drive if the centre isn't booked up. If you can make it mid-week then the chances of getting a car each is much better. Driving the LRE's top of the range Range Rover on road biased tyres in places where you might hesitate to take a Defender on Off Road biased tyres is great fun, but you will want to se what an Evoque can do so if they offer a freelander2 don't be put off (Evoque is better off road than an F2 as F2 hasn't yet had the TR program upgrades that Evoque has!)

You arrive at the centre and park your own car - go to reception and do the paperwork, have a safety briefing, get a lesson on the various forms of 4WD systems, what over steer and understeer are and the basics of off road driving.
Then you are told what the differences are between the TR settings and the Freelander2/Evoque system and the system in Defender, D4,RRS and FFRR. Then off to THEIR car/s to put it into practise with their tutors in the cars who demonstrate the functions in action and then off you go by yourself with the tutor in the passenger seat, then he gets out and lets you play.
Sounds a bit boring but it is really great fun and the centre has enough cars that day then you and your guests may be split into smaller groups with another tutor. I always recommend that if it is possible, to upgrade to the full day as most of the centres have access to a large area of challenging private land to take you on that isn't on their 'driving school' grounds. They will also take you onto a stretch of fast road to show off the on rod manners of the car - e.g. the Dynamic setting of the TR and the Adaptive Dynamics. The cars are all standard showroom cars, the only modification sthey might have are a sumpguard and a tow hitch.
A word of warning............................ the full days can be addictive! It is a great way to see how the various functions of TR work and it's in their car not yours!

Pretty much as XFullFatTim has said. The 1/2 day Experience voucher is for a 3 hour session in either morning or afternoon in the vehicle of your choice. Format is laid down by LR and includes a 20-25 minute briefing, 30 minute or so on-road drive, 2 hour off road drive which includes a demonstration drive by the instructor and then the rest of the time is given to you driving.
Obviously the more guests you take with you the less driving time each person has. Chances of swapping cars are limited but it is sometimes possible.
The Evoque is pretty good off-road as is the Freelander, the Evoque shades it due to its firmer chassis and both will surprise with their capabilties using their lighter weight to go where their heavier relations fear to tread. With 2 x 1/2 day vouchers I'd suggest Evoque for one and RR/RRS or D4 or maybe even back to basics with a Defender for the second.

I could equally get to Skipton or Rockingham Castle, or, because I'm down there soon and can combine the trips, Devon. Are they all similar, or would anyone recommend a particular one from these.

cheers for the replies fellas, might just take one mate then, that way we will get to drive a fair bit.

Don't forget that the vouchers have a limited life so don't delay arranging your free LRE. IIRC you have to book within 6 months of the issue date of the vouchers.

XFullFatTim said in an earlier post "and you are the person the LRE guys are trying to sell the car to"

LRE Instructors are not salesman as you would find in a Dealers and certainly do not get any commission from you buying a LR or RR. What they tend to be are enthusiasts for the brand who delight in showing you what your new or soon to be new vehicle is capable of both on and off road. Plenty of people who go to an LR Experience Centre have no intention of buying a LR but want to experience what it is like to drive off road and while some may go away so impressed with the vehicle they go on to buy one, others will go away with happy memories of a fun filled experience.

There is no hard sell at a LRE but the guys will always be delighted if you subsequently buy a LR/RR after seeing what the vehicle can do.

I may be biased but Rockingham is a great venue with plenty of variety and some new tracks specially built for Evoque and Freelander.

(05-03-2012 01:54pm)XFullFatTim Wrote:  Don't forget that the vouchers have a limited life so don't delay arranging your free LRE. IIRC you have to book within 6 months of the issue date of the vouchers.

Mine says 28 days (although it's not dated - presumably the I.D. number would give the date of issue). You can book up to 2 months in advance.

Sorry I didn't mean selling in that sense of the word, there is no way an LRE would give you the hard sell, or even the soft sell. The idea of the LRE is to assist in marketing the car to you and possibly persuade you that it's abilities are what you are looking for. I have been at one LRE where the Local Porsche dealership had rented the site for the day and was using the expertise of the LRE staff to show off what a Cayenne could do. It was that experience that put me off Porsche ownership for life - the interiors of the car might be well put together but oh dear the colour schemes and shiny bits were definitely an acquired taste.