2008Freelander
Member
I appreciate your reply, which helps me make sense of the SDD information overload.
Some forums seem to suggest if one obtains a current version (or newer than v150) they are intended to be run "officially" with a subscription and not "cracked" for offline use. The VDF and SPA files now download from the JLR server over a live connection.
Subscriptions make sense for dealers and for independent specialists who repair multiple JLR vehicles and write it off as another business expense. But when it is a single-vehicle owner of a LR cost becomes important. I see https://www.jlridssddmongoose.com/ offers V163 at £400 (NZ$900). Does that make sense when otherwise good FL2 are selling for less than double that?
For example, on NZ's TradeMe there is currently a 2007 with 170,000 km (105,000 miles) where the seller will take NZ$1,500 (US$900) because the check engine light is on, and it reduces power under heavy acceleration).
It is clear if I want to own a 21st century Land Rover, I need to get the right technology to talk to the OBD with sufficient controls to keep it running. It also appears I do not want to own any JLR older that 2005.
At this point I have a 2008 Freelander 2, but I would prefer a higher-spec one... 3.2 petrol, HSE with sunroof, tan leather, wood trim, tow hitch never used for heavy towing (I need it for a bike rack), always garaged (no cracked dash), never in sand or salt, service records, relatively low mileage, in Tonga Green (yeah, I know this is vanity, but different makes are best in specific colours... my Alfa 105 Spider is red, my wife's Mercedes SLK is silver, our farm beast 1982 G-Wagon is agave green... with Land Rover forest or soldier green is the colour of choice in my opinion). But I digress... it's clear I need to have SDD, but I need to keep cost under control while not losing a day of my life trying to configure it. I need to get clarity on what to buy and what to expect.
I have a spare Windows 10 Surface Laptop that I can dedicate to the LR as well as the much older ThinkPad Z60t Windows XP laptop that amazingly still has 80% battery capacity for the original battery from 2012. The former will run the latest SDD, but at what up front and ongoing cost? The latter is cheaper, and it sounds like it will work for a 2008-2014 Freelander 2, but did the versions become more user friendly?
So many questions. So much time spent reading threads. It would be helpful to find a definitive answer that could become a sticky for newbies to Land Rover.
