Hi!
I'm coming from a MY 11 FL2 HSE... On Saturday I was planning to pay the deposit on a new MY13 pure tech manual...
I've got some last minute jitters...
It's a while since I've driven a RRE and haven't driven the manual, but there are a few things I'm worried about.
1.) seating position- feels like you are low down compared to FL2.
2.) off road ability- ground clearance, departure angles.
3.) can I get really good winter tyres- We have had so much snow in the last few years- I have to travel on untreated roads and tracks.
My work involves a fair bit of off roading and Freely has never let me down. I feel like the RRE has a massive role to fulfil and I'm jittery as to whether it can!
I've not yet met anyone who does much off roading with a RRE and hope to find people on here who can reassure me!?
Cheers MM
Well you've tapped into the right place for comment on it's ability. I am not the expert on the AWD aspects relative to your FL but I certainly wish I had more opportunities to give it more of a go!
I will comment on the Driving position and the box. If you do appreciate your command driving position then you may miss it dearly. It is more car like and that seems to be the way things are going with he RRE and RRS.
As for the box I have been more than happy with it. It is as good as any of the manuals I have owned ( bar one). It requires a positive change but is certainly not notchy or vague. I like it.
Welcome to the forum Mildred
OK lets get some things sorted out - Evoque is a Fl2 in drag - most basic systems are exactly the same - Evoque has MORE ground clearance than an Fl2 BUT is is only millimetres Departure angle has never been an issue when I have had mine off road (mine is a Dynamic), but I don't take it where I take my Defender (but then I never took my Fl1 where I take my Defender either!). If you have winter tyres on a spare set of wheels for your Fl2 then the hubs on Evoque are the same hubs........... unless you are using 16" Wheels/tyres for your Freelander then you should be able to use the same wheels and tyres on your Evoque. If you really are concerned that an Evoque cannot do the same as the Fl2 then ask your dealer to send you on a Land Rover Experience full day with both cars back to back. So long as you don't go for a Dynamic Evoque (lower hanging front and rear trim ) a Pure will go everywhere that your FL2 went. Is your Fl2 a manual as well? If so, should be totally familiar to you.
They are both very capable off road and use the same wheels so tyres can be the same although the stock road tyres are damn good on snow already, but if regular off-roading probably better to stay away from the Dynamic as Tim says above, if you like a manual you'll love the Evoque Gearbox, it's positive and precise. It can still be driven with a command driving position, but if you want Utility and Space the FL2 may be a better choice. Get to your dealers and take one out again if you're unsure.
If you want owner feedback about back to back performance we have several members running both a Freelander2 AND Evoque in their households
Wow, thank you so much for your replies.
I am told that the manuals FL vs RRE are significantly different. The RRE being far better than the FL2. As reported by the salespeople and also Mr MM (who swanned around in a new RRE for the afternoon whilst I was slaving away at work).
I do have a spare set of alloys- 16" though
Which are too small an internal diameter to easily clear the brake callipers on the RRE.
The Pure tech comes with 18". So it'll be either a)get a winter set of alloys and tyres (maybe from freel2) or b) change the tyres on the standard wheels... To what, I'm not sure.
I was dubious about the boot space in the RRE. However, there is more than enough room for my black box of death and the odd dead body.
Has anyone towed with theirs? My hay trailer is fairly light and only carries 1-2 round bales at the most.
Thanks again for all of your replies
MM
I have had mine six months it's a pure tech manual, no problems at all with the car, the gearbox is smooth and refined, it drives great, as for offroad, I have done two half days offroad in an Evoque and found it to be brilliant, copes with almost everything, because of the lack of air suspension the only thing that stops it offroad are deep ruts, we followed a range rover vogue round the course at Skipton and we did everything he did no problem.
MM, spare set of wheels/ tyres:-
a) Ask your dealer if they have any sets of wheels taken off another client's car and that they might sell to you at a nice big discount (the dealer will only send them to the recycling centre) then you can fit new tyres to them. The reason some of us keep two sets of wheels is to avoid the damage that gets done to the rims every time the tyres are put on and taken off.
b) Your Freelander2 wheels and tyres can be sold on our sister forum Freel2.com or on eBay
Towing - no problems with the Evoque, I tow a trailer loaded with windsurfers and kit, it's an Ivor Williams P6E
and it sits beautifully behind the Evoque. I have the removable tow hitch and wanted to spec the electrically deployable one from the new RRS and FFRR on my new Evoque but apparrantly it cannot be fitted to Evoque.
I went from a petrol Dynamic Lux auto to a Pure Tech manual. They are both good in their own merits but the manual Evoque is far better to drive than the manual Freelander I had before!
My SD4 manual tows excellently - I tow a powerboat weighing about a tonne and haven't encountered any issues. It tows the boat and trailer up wet and slippy slipways no problem.
I live in the Pennines and last winter was a good test for the cars ability in the snow. Again it coped very well never getting stuck even on the standard Pirelli Scorpion Verde tyres.