As it says on the tin, to buy new, which would be the best purchase. The base GS Disco 4 or the all singing and dancing Freelander 2 HSE. Driving will be 80% on road - 20% off road, nothing too serious, just around forest tracks and over the odd ploughed field and the like.


I have been put off the Disco a little with lurid tales of very poor mpg for a 3 litre diesel, well below 30 on a steady run, and well below 20 on urban roads, any one have one and can pass comment?.


Regards


BP.

Apart from the mpg, for your use a Disco 4 wins hands down, ground clearance, low box, transfer box, do i go on.

If you're planning on going off road and along green lanes etc, you WILL scratch it and on an unlucky day, you will probably put in a few dings and dents too. Don't know about anyone else on ere but if I had a brand spankin' new disco or gaylander 2, I wouldn't wanna get it dirty, let alone scratched or dented. If I were you, I'd buy something a lot older, especially considering you're also concerned about running costs. (Disco 2 will deliver 31 mpg)

I once went on a Land Rover experience "adventure day" and at the end of the trip, the lead convoy vehicle (Land Rover experience Discovery 4) had bits hanging off it. (Needed a new backbox and centre section) and we didn't even do anything overly extreme. It was amusing watching it fall apart, I must admit but then again, it wasn't my vehicle.

There was also a gaylander 2 on the same trip and he was always holding us up, lagging behind me in my gaylander 1. They look nice and all that but I was surprised that my gaylander 1 could outperform it, even with road biased tyres on! - then again it may have been the driver but on the other hand, in my few years of being a landy enthusiast, I've yet to see one do anything extreme!

As said completely different vehicles. Driven a D4 on an experience day too. Far betterer off road than a Freelander would be for obvious reasons. If your eggsecting low running costs on a twin turbo 3L nearly 3ton vehicle, then think again. Same for running costs, servicing, road tax, depreciation…

D4 will easily do more off road than the Freelander. Spoilt the off roading a bit as all I had to do was point and drive. With a Freelander you have to choose your route and drive over/through the obstacle. In the D4 you just keep going.

I have the same issue when ma hippo gives up. D3 or FL2. Buying the one with far too many computers onboard, and far too much electrickery is asking for trouble. So FL1 or FL2 it is then. D4 doesn’t have a dip stick for the engine oil.

there are so many ponderables that only you can answer, they both have their good and bad points.