Member Since: 15 Jun 2018
Location: Mansfield
Posts: 1650
love the gratuitous pic ............ I mean why else would there be a sand mode on TR if you weren't going to use it
I remember the days of cleaning out Defenders after trips abroad. Full of sand, and in some cases centipedes and lizards
25th Jun 2019 10:20 am
ronp
Member Since: 29 Nov 2006
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 15213
RogB wrote:
Wondered if you would be on here How are you finding your D4 Ron?
The minute i got in it I realised what I'd been missing for all those years.
FL2 was a good enough car, but now in hindsight (for me) not a patch on the D4.
That is where I really belong ...... and I've now got my permagrin back. 🏴
25th Jun 2019 10:23 am
RogB
Member Since: 15 Jun 2018
Location: Mansfield
Posts: 1650
I love FL2, they are a great all rounder, relatively cheap to run and as reliable as any other 'normal' car out there but way more practical.
However ive just been away for a weekend in the Yorkshire Peaks with my son and my dog, back seat was full of gear, and with a roof box on too.
Im away in a couple of weeks again with my daughter, her boyfriend, and my dog down to Devon, so ive had to fork out for a small 2nd hand trailer as well as the roof box.
These trips don't happen very often but the FL2 actually isn't big enough for when they do happen.
The D4 will be more than adequate, especially as I can rig up a split level boot for kit underneath and the dog higher up (with a dog guard/cage of course)
the downside is that I currently commute 60miles a day plus local driving etc (20k miles pa) so the D4 could work out very expensive to keep on the road. However my work place could/will be moving to York next September which means a train commute for me and my mileage goes down to 20 miles a day to the station and back. Much more acceptable running costs and luckily I rarely, if ever, drive into big towns so ULEZ charges wont affect me at all.
decisions decisions decisions
25th Jun 2019 10:42 am
ronp
Member Since: 29 Nov 2006
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 15213
Appreciate your predicament Rog.
The extra sizing in the D4 is a huge step up on the FL2.
I just moved home [from York] 3 months ago and as I'm still getting sorted out in the new house I've a container full of furniture & boxes.
When I go to collect stuff, the D4 just swallows up these big boxes.
You can even fit a double airbed in the back and sleep two up [& I'm 6' 1"]
Oh, and don't forget the ride .... the D4 floats on a cushion of air.
Nice looking D4 you're interested in, mine too is Corris and [unsurprisingly] I've already 'black packed" mine [before & after pic in gallery].🏴
25th Jun 2019 12:08 pm
RogB
Member Since: 15 Jun 2018
Location: Mansfield
Posts: 1650
does look nice in black pack.... you upgraded the wheels as well ?
the good thing about the back of the D4 is that I could get a couple of mountain bikes upright in there instead of messing around with racks on the back. Make things a lot easier for our usual standard trips out to local forests etc round where I live.
now stop trying to twist my arm !!!
25th Jun 2019 12:25 pm
ronp
Member Since: 29 Nov 2006
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 15213
Yep, wheels upgraded to the same Style 511 20" wheels that should've come with the D4 !
Bought them at same time - prev owner had changed to 19's.
So got a nice set of Style 704 split spokes with tyres I'll be moving out.
I too mountain bike, changing late last year to an e-mountain bike.
So whereas the bike used to hang off the tailgate, I'm now using a towbar mounted rack.
But when it was on the FL2 I couldn't get into the tailgate [without having to partly dismantle the rack], which wasn't worth it.
However with the D4 I can open the top tailgate with bike rack attached and access my all my kit.......
.... yet another reason to get a D4. 🏴
25th Jun 2019 12:47 pm
RogB
Member Since: 15 Jun 2018
Location: Mansfield
Posts: 1650
ive just switched from a GT to a Marin but the Marin is longer than the GT due to the different geometry and both were/are 22'' frames on 27.5 wheels so stand pretty high... no chance of fitting in the back of a FL2 even if dismantled, and a basic tow bar carrier means the wheels are only a few inches off the floor, so it was boot mounted rack as the only viable option. (im 6'2'' but still not happy loading bikes on the roof)
The D4 just ticks all the boxes except for the running costs at the minute.
25th Jun 2019 1:31 pm
ronp
Member Since: 29 Nov 2006
Location: North Yorkshire
Posts: 15213
Good stuff.
We'll stop this chat now Rog, otherwise we'll be asked to get a room!
🏴
25th Jun 2019 1:48 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72774
IE we better continue the bromance by PM.
25th Jun 2019 1:49 pm
RogB
Member Since: 15 Jun 2018
Location: Mansfield
Posts: 1650
no bromance... just Freel2.com acquaintances
25th Jun 2019 2:16 pm
adam
Member Since: 20 Sep 2005
Location: Home and Happy
Posts: 6917
I did 20k pa for 5 years in a D3 and also for about 5 years in my D4 before I moved roles at work and my mileage dropped to about 5k pa. 14 years ownership in total.
Plus side is a lot of miles means a lot of time in the car - they are a very comfortable place to spend time in and laugh in the face of bad weather.
Cost wise it wasn’t to crippling as the company paid for a large part of my fuel, I was on mostly motorways so tyre life was remarkable at 40k a set and maintenance was expensive- but it was when I was doing much fewer miles. VED at £540 pa - mileage irrelevant, but one of the reasons I moved on.
Both Disco’s were awesome with a family that needed themselves and stuff being moved here there and everywhere - but family have left home now so it made little sense to keep - though I do occasionally miss the space.
If I was in your shoes, I’d go for itNow Golf GTI PP, 7 speed DSG.
Ex D3 and D4
25th Jun 2019 2:33 pm
RogB
Member Since: 15 Jun 2018
Location: Mansfield
Posts: 1650
thanks Adam, fairly similar to my annual driving really. Although my son doesn't live with me anymore, just my daughter, and both have their own cars, I do seem to fold the back seats down frequently on my FL2 for one thing or another. And the dog + cool box + a few things in the boot soon eats into space. Im not a fan of too much stuff on the back seat in case I have to brake hard so prefer it confined behind a guard or similar.
My commute takes me A/B roads through Clumber Park/Thorsby in Nottinghamshire for about 10 miles then onto the A1/M18 for 20 miles, followed by the reverse on the way home. Its the maintenance that im wary of really as there is a lot more weight than a FL2 so suspension takes a beating, and a lot more complex and very expensive things that could go wrong over a FL2 (air suspension, turbo's, egr valves, crankshaft for example)
Just wary of overstretching my finances and ending up with an expensive driveway ornament
25th Jun 2019 3:00 pm
adam
Member Since: 20 Sep 2005
Location: Home and Happy
Posts: 6917
Only issue above and beyond wear and tear replacement items and standard services was a CSOV that failed (£500) and the Turbo drain pipe mod (£200).
All belts were done (£600) and front suspension (c. £900 IIRC) and a mega-flush (£250)
Rest was all standard stuff.
All above in nearly 9 years and 116k miles
I used to get an oil change every 6 months and was OCD about checking oil level to mitigate crank snapping
Decent Indy worth their weight in goldNow Golf GTI PP, 7 speed DSG.
Ex D3 and D4
25th Jun 2019 3:31 pm
Pelyma
Member Since: 06 Jan 2005
Location: Patching, Sussex
Posts: 15496
We had an 07 auto Fl2 from new for 10 years, if you’re doing short journeys there is all difference between my old MY16 D4 and the FL2 in my experience.DS3 TDV6 HSE - Silver with Alpaca (old one) Gone
DS3 TDV6 HSE- Silver with Alpaca (new one) Gone
D4 HSE Lux - Montalcino Red Gone
Porsche Cayenne V8 Diesel S
25th Jun 2019 3:48 pm
RogB
Member Since: 15 Jun 2018
Location: Mansfield
Posts: 1650
adam wrote:
Only issue above and beyond wear and tear replacement items and standard services was a CSOV that failed (£500) and the Turbo drain pipe mod (£200).
All belts were done (£600) and front suspension (c. £900 IIRC) and a mega-flush (£250)
Rest was all standard stuff.
All above in nearly 9 years and 116k miles
I used to get an oil change every 6 months and was OCD about checking oil level to mitigate crank snapping
Decent Indy worth their weight in gold
CSOV ??
ive heard of Turbos going meaning body off and 3-5k to replace but what is the drain pipe mod please? whats the reason behind it and what is the mod?
My old D2 used to have the air con drain pipe located right above the XYZ gear selector so eventually water would seep in and wreck the selector
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
............ I mean why else would there be a sand mode on TR if you weren't going to use it 
all difference between my old MY16 D4 and the FL2 in my experience.
