Manual or Auto ?

I have went back to a TD4 manual own a FL2 SD4 auto at the moment and it is a nice combination, i drive double decker buses all day which are autos. So i think I am missing the man and machine interaction.

Auto for me!

I had a test drive of the SD4 auto and manual at the weekend.

I drove the auto at first...loved it, wasn't going to bother with driving the manual. Any way I gave the manual a spin. Decided to go manual! Why.....

Felt more powerful
Nice gearbox
Half the road tax
Better mpg
Save £1700

In Holland, the manual is 6000,- cheaper than the auto box due to the start stop system and our new tax system based on co2 numers.
So i choose the manual.

Auto in S mode then change up/down using the paddles...oh what fun

(17-06-2012 01:18pm)RREVO Wrote:  Auto in S mode then change up/down using the paddles...oh what fun

That's how my Dynamic is set up and I wouldn't have it any other way -- and I used to rally when I was a kid.

(17-06-2012 01:18pm)RREVO Wrote:  Auto in S mode then change up/down using the paddles...oh what fun

Almost as fun as driving the manual!

In the US they only come AWD and Auto. Personally I think the days when you needed a manual trans are long gone. Theoretically, of course, they should get better mileage. But here it's almost always the
"performance" crowd barking for the manual box.

(09-04-2011 08:22am)BFGEvoqueMan Wrote:  I have owned two FL2. The first was a 2.2 TD4 and was auto. It was very smooth, but the auto and my caravan didn't really get on as it was always huntig between gears when towing. We got 23 to 25 mpg on my wifes 10 mile drive to work, and stuggled to tow (1950kg caravan at 60mph) at better than 18mpg. We now have a manual (pre- facelft) FL2 manual with stop start and get 33 to 35 mpg day to day and tow at 23 to 25 mpg. The gearshift itself is lovely and smooth (volvo 6 speed box) which I presume is what will be in the RRE and the stop start is realy quick (and since been improved on the latest FL2) and the car feels a damm site quicker to accelerate. Personally I wouldn't go back to an auto and have specced my new RRE as a mamual for these reasons.

I would agree with the advice to test drive the new FL2 as the engine/gearbox combo will give you a reallly good feel for the options.

The kerb weight of the FL2 is 1820kg I think. Aren't you meant to tow a caravan at 85 % weight?, ie your caravan shouldn't exceed 1547kg. Towing a caravan of 1950kg is 107% of your cars kerb weight, which is dangerous. I'm only saying this as we are looking into getting a caravan and been told about the 85% weight limit. Hence no point getting the towbar added for us

(28-01-2013 11:52pm)Craig_d1 Wrote:  The kerb weight of the FL2 is 1820kg I think. Aren't you meant to tow a caravan at 85 % weight?, ie your caravan shouldn't exceed 1547kg. Towing a caravan of 1950kg is 107% of your cars kerb weight, which is dangerous. I'm only saying this as we are looking into getting a caravan and been told about the 85% weight limit. Hence no point getting the towbar added for us

According to Land Rover the maximum towing limit for a Freelander 2 is 2000kg while for an Evoque it is 1800 kg unless you have an eD4 which is 1500kg.