My new TD4 - arrived

Well I have now had it a week and done nearly 1000miles. It is everything I expected and here are my initial thoughts:

Good:

- Interior space and general visibility (apart from the obvious failings of trying to see the rear corners when parking).
- 825w stereo (although doesn't really shine when using the radio) is the bees knees!
- field of view from the mirrors.
- low speed throttle response is very sharp (it seems much quicker than my last 150ps FL2)
- currently -15c and it starts instantly
- Heated seats are very powerful
- Comfort of the seats
- Quality of the brushed aluminium finish
- Overal build quality
- Very, very quiet when cruising on the motorway.
- Very quick and smooth restart on the stop/start function
- Halogen headlights (with ring xenon 100% bulb upgrade [£17 on e-bay]) are excellant.

OK:

- Heated widscreen (doesn't seem as powerful as the one on my last FL2 and old focus)
- Like the touchscreen, but can be a bit slow to respond
- Ride quality on 20" michelin tyres (better than I thought) and since I know have my 17" winters on can confirm not hugely better.

Bad:

- General dealer incompetance (won't say more as LR customer services are dealing with very efficiently)
- Only got 35mpg on 500miles drive to Germany (cruise control all the way at 75mph). Same journey in my fl2 gave 40mpg. Hope it will get better

Mods:

Its too cold here at the moment to do much, but have lost the bonnet lettering and the (IMHO) horrible and nasty LR badge on the boot and added mudflaps. I have only used the screws to attach the front flaps, and used the right angle toothed bracket (from the fronts) on the rears (instead of drilling the side of the bumper); when it warms up I will put a bit of 3m tape between the mudflap and the bumper so it will fit perfectly flush. This works really well and holds the mudflap really firmly in place and means you can remove then when you sell the car or change your mind and not have holes in the bumper.

Will fit the towbar when it gets warmer and add the black lettering on the boot.

Photos:

None yet, but I think we all know what a white pure on 20" looks like! Will post when all the mods have been done.

Congrats,hope the mpg is down to the cold!

(03-02-2012 11:00am)broady43 Wrote:  Congrats,hope the mpg is down to the cold!

Was still warm (2c to 0c) when I drove back

Congrats mate, enjoy the car, I am enjoying my TD4

Mods:

Its too cold here at the moment to do much, but have lost the bonnet lettering and the (IMHO) horrible and nasty LR badge on the boot and added mudflaps. I have only used the screws to attach the front flaps, and used the right angle toothed bracket (from the fronts) on the rears (instead of drilling the side of the bumper); when it warms up I will put a bit of 3m tape between the mudflap and the bumper so it will fit perfectly flush. This works really well and holds the mudflap really firmly in place and means you can remove then when you sell the car or change your mind and not have holes in the bumper.

I am about to purchase some front and rear mudflats, I note your neat solution, did you some spare right angled brackets or did you just leave them off the front mudflaps, I too do not want to drill the back bumper, I will probably fit mine next weekend and would be keen to know how you did it, admittedly not looked at the rear instructions yet, it might be very obvious,

Photos:
Look forward to seeing the photos with the black lettering, I think it will look great and finish the car off

Glad your pleased with the car, sounds as though it has been cold over there.

Congrats !!

Westy,

I have left it off all together from the front mudflaps. They are currently installed with the two existing screws only as it is too cold to "glue" the tape to the car. They don't move so unless there is a drama in the future will leave as is until it warms up.

To fit the rears (without taking off the wheels):

1. remove the existing cross head screw holding the bumper to the wheels arch liner (where the 3rd hole from the top of the mudflap would go).
2. replace the metal clip in the wheelarch liner with the larger one supplied in the rear mudflap kit.
3. I used one of the bolts and attached the mudflap to the car (3rd hole from the top)
4. Having fully put the two bits of the right angle clip thing (from the front mudflap) together, position it just above the noticable ridge on the mudflap (just above the second hole from the top), hold it at 90 degree to the flap (curved bit facing the back of the car) and "pull" over the mudflap towards you. [need strong finger tips].
5. Check alignement (u can just move the flap relative to the clip if its not quite 100%)
6. Drill the very bottom verticle hole and afix as per the instructions.

The mudflap is currently not 100 perfect fit; I will then remove and put some 3m tape around the top hole area (in the mudflap) to hold it onto the outside of the bumper when it warms up, but it gives me 95% solution now before the snow arrives. Hopefully this makes sense (else PM me and I can send you a photo from my phone) until I can post proper pictures. When the tape is applied it will fit perfectly, but until it is atleast 20 degrees warmer, I have no chance!