4x4/SUV mine field!

[gilford]

I'm currently in the Market for a 4x4 :roll:

It's a toss up between a Range Rover Sport, X5 or X6. Budget is £35k (cheaper is possible).

Which one am I best off getting?

Any info appreciated, I know a lot on here have these cars :)

Cheers

Marcus

[TKH]

Well
first I must declare I am in the industry but

X5 would be my choice preferably the 3.0sd Twin Turbo its the same engine as 535D goes like stink returns 28mpg handles like a sports saloon (really) its quiet roomy and best of all holds it money and my Labrador loves it too :wink:

RR's are great looking well appointed but are a bit roly poly IMHO but a friend swears by the new V8 Tdi and they look very British Beef

If your going muddy its the RR if you want speed and handling its the X5 SD

A nice choice to have 8)

[GraniteQuarry]

£35k :)

New - I'd buy a recently updated X3 - very highly rated, much better built, can't go far wrong with one of them if it's big enough.

Used - a young X5 or Cayenne (V8) would be my choice, anything but a LR product (not that I've said that already :lol:)

[Skyman]

Personally the RRS was my choice; X5, whilst probably a better drive, has no sense of occasion about it and the interior is just so bland.

I also happen to think that if you drive one of these 2.5 tonne vehicles like its a sports saloon, you stand out terribly and look like a right prat.

With £35k you might struggle for a new(ish) diesel V8 or a car with the much needed 3 Litre V6 diesel which came in from late 2009 IIR.

[jjgreenwood]

at £35k its gotta be a new touareg ex demo 3.0v6 tdi

[gilford]

at £35k its gotta be a new touareg ex demo 3.0v6 tdi

You're joking right?

[GraniteQuarry]

at £35k its gotta be a new touareg ex demo 3.0v6 tdi

You're joking right?

Better vehicle than any RRS :P :twisted: :D

[Optimum]

at £35k its gotta be a new touareg ex demo 3.0v6 tdi

You're joking right?

I don't see why. A great choice for those not hung up on badges. :)

[gilford]

at £35k its gotta be a new touareg ex demo 3.0v6 tdi

You're joking right?

I don't see why. A great choice for those not hung up on badges. :)

I'd like to buy something which holds it's value, a colleague of mine bought one of these and lost £20k in as many months :shock:

[Jake]

at £35k its gotta be a new touareg ex demo 3.0v6 tdi

You're joking right?

Better vehicle than any RRS :P :twisted: :D

Had a Touareg 3.0V6 for a year - couldn't wait to get rid off! Most dull motor I ever had. Also it went through a set of tyres in 12K miles.

Replaced it with a RR Vogue 3.6V8 and never looked back. Colleague has the X5 and he reckons the RR is the better car. Take then both off-road or in the snow we've had recently and you see what he means.

Jake

[Glitterati]

Audi Q7 anyone ?

[bmwrover]

Audi Q7 anyone ?

Q7? :shock:

I think that is the most ugliest SUV out there. Sorry for my blunt opinion, its a minefield :lol: :lol:
Audi builds such nice cars but that US truck Q7 has no styling at all.
Q5 looks nice though.
RRS for me please.

[Sweepinghand]

X5 is defo the way forward - had one on hire - and compared to the RRS it's a different league - plus far more reliable and fuel efficient.
RRS is the car of today (becoming yesterday) the X5 has stood and will stand the test of time.
Cayenne is an overlooked marmite vehicle - in the right trim and on the right wheels for urban use - i admit to liking them.
TBH I don't really see why anybody would want to spend 35k on a VW - but it's a personal decision.
Whatever we say - you'll buy what you want - and I'm guessing RRS.

[Glitterati]

Audi Q7 anyone ?

Q7? :shock:

I think that is the most ugliest SUV out there. Sorry for my blunt opinion, its a minefield :lol: :lol:
Audi builds such nice cars but that US truck Q7 has no styling at all.
Q5 looks nice though.
RRS for me please.

Haha......no worries, I'll take that as a no then !! :lol: :lol:

[mackay45]

No experience in this area whatsoever, but what do people think of the V10 Touareg, any good?

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2334159.htm

[stiglet]

A silly question but - is it your own money? If so then an X5 would be my choice.

If a company car then RRS is worth a punt - who knows you might just get a good 'un..but then again....the X5 is probably still the better car :wink:

[vaizki]

TBH I don't really see why anybody would want to spend 35k on a VW - but it's a personal decision

Welcome to Finland, here a Golf GTI will set you back 35k.. without options. :cry: Touareg? 68k.

Ok, rant over.. but these car price threads here REALLY make me weep..

[DAVE-W]

The only "real" 4x4 out of the op's original list is the Range Rover.

I love my Lexus RX (and you'd get a cracker for £35k) and although I still don't class it as a proper 4x4 it did well in the recent snow! :wink:

[Hubs]

Holds its value! That becomes a whole new ballpark..

Buy new, loose 20% rolling two inches forward out of the dealership.

Buy a 4X4 in a market with fuel at £1.35 for diesel - second hand prices still dropping, even in snow.

Suggestion - buy something deeply unpopular that has already done most of its depreciation, then it will hold its value!

Cayenne, 50k miles £16k
Toureg 27k miles, £17k
RX300, 30k miles, £12k
X5 4.6V8 40k miles, £13k
In three years, they will still loose another 30%, but of a far lower number. I'd rather have a 30% hit against £15 k than a 50% hit on £35k

Stick a private plate on, job done.

Check out how much you really care about depreciation, then think about the choices from there!

Fuel cost - depends on milages, achieved consumption etc; worth doing a sensitivity check to see what difference it really makes over 50000 miles

Money where mouth is - running a Lexus RX300, bought for 9k with 32000 on clock, now at 89000, still worth about 6k. Does 27mpg on a run, 21 round the Devon lanes. I get the train to London...

M

[Hubs]

Company car - my accountant says consider nothing other than 3 series diesel 2.0 litre for optimum tax efficiency. The hit from high expense big CO2 vehicles is laughable! ( although it is nice to get the business to pay for big tyres!)

[Warr3n]

I had a similar choice a few years ago (prior to X6 launch) and we bought a new X5 (previous shape) which has proved to be an excellent all round family car with no reliability issues 70,000 miles and 5 years later.

If I had the same choice today I would make the same decision and we would probably be in a new shape X5 today if it were not for the fact that our 5 year old one still feels fresh. Plan is to keep it a few more years (or perhaps run it into the ground) and then probably buy a newer X5 as our family bus.

My shortlist when looking was an X5, RRS and Touareg. I found the RRS completely gutless (2.7) and it wallowed round corners plus the reliability horror stories were a major deterrent. The X5 is almost car like to drive and (once you adjust your driving style) I never feel it is lacking on the road. For reference, until recently, my other car was a Porsche 993.

[bassboy]

Well here is my 2 cents worth!

X5... superb, well built (although maybe not quite as well screwed together as the previous model after 2004) but a bit sterile

RRS.... all about the image but that depends on you as to whether thats a good thing or not! Buy the 3.6 Ve diesel every time

Q7... have run one for the past 2 years and it has never missed a beat... maybe be a little dull/ugly to look at but with the right spec, colour and wheels they do take some beating!!

Touareg... good car but still got a VW badge, the 3.0 Tdi is the same engine as the Audi so good for pr¡ performance and MPG

Cayenne.... new 3.6 petrol is amazingly good and not too bad on gas... Turbo is spectacular but incredibly thirsty!

Jap 4x4's.... very dull, very reliable but do what they say on the tin! My Father in law has a 12 year old Amazon with a plate on it that has never let him down or needed anything other than routine servicing

Overall i voted with my feet and wallet ( and i am in the trade) and so far the Q7 has been the best for us as an all-round family bus (7 seats), tow car, dog carrier and general work horse!!

[GOAT]

I'm in the market too....same choices, same dilemma
heard so many horror stories about RRS that I'm not sure I could tell myself "i told you so" when it all went pear shaped- lots of LR warranty would be a must.
New Cayenne diesels are nice, but over budget (realistically) The X6 , to me at least looks a novel idea, but getting the vibe from a few dealers that it's a bit of a lemon- good enough car, just not popular/practical when stacked against an X5- I foresee depreciation on a biblical scale!
so, by default, my current fave is a sterile X5 sd OR , 4,0 x drive if I can find one.....
Goat

[Gilly]

+1 for the same dilemma...

I fancy a RRS, But i had the chance last weekend to do a Land Rover off road day in the New Discovery4 with the 3.0 TDV6.

Very impressed with it given its bulk, and it looks much better than the old one with the facelift its had......another one for you to consider.

[aldfort]

Assuming you "need" a 4x4 for the capability it offers then by far the best option is the one Hubs has suggested.

Are you really going to go mud plugging in your shiny £35k motor with all the associated dings and scratches you will acquire? Buy a used chelsea tractor that's been no further off road than up the kerb outside of a school.

If you don't need a 4x4 for it's off road capability then the Audi A6 quattro is a fine machine and will cover the ground faster than an SUV day to day and in greater comfort. It's snow capability (if that's the concern) is also mighty.

[paulpsz008]

Slightly OT but do you need a 4x4?

I've been down this route before (granted at the lower end of the market).
Yet always end up returning to estate cars.

You could pick up a lovely 5 series touring, A6 Avant, E class estate for that money.
Even an M5, RS6, E63 if you want to scare yourself.
Like for like Estates are;
similar size,
better to drive,
cheaper to run.
Obviously if you need 4x4 or the height than that's different.

[m4ckg]

I've got a RRS, very unreliable and heavy on diesel but love it! I think they're the best looking 4x4's by far. If its not in warranty definitely pay for the RR extended warranty

[gilford]

Overall i voted with my feet and wallet ( and i am in the trade) and so far the Q7 has been the best for us as an all-round family bus (7 seats), tow car, dog carrier and general work horse!!

You say you voted with your feet and wallet? Of all the SUV's the Q7 has depreciated the most hasnt it? A friend of mine sunk over £50k in to a brand new one a couple of years ago and is getting trade in prices in the late teens :shock:

At least the RRS is still mid £30's for a good one?

I waived goodbye to the M3 this afternoon so have borrowed my friends 2.7 RRS for the weekend, it's by no means quick (I will buy the TDV8) but will give me a good feel for it none the less. So far so good on the journey home, a very nice place to be in fact!

[Skyman]

Overall i voted with my feet and wallet ( and i am in the trade) and so far the Q7 has been the best for us as an all-round family bus (7 seats), tow car, dog carrier and general work horse!!

You say you voted with your feet and wallet? Of all the SUV's the Q7 has depreciated the most hasnt it? A friend of mine sunk over £50k in to a brand new one a couple of years ago and is getting trade in prices in the late teens :shock:

At least the RRS is still mid £30's for a good one?

I waived goodbye to the M3 this afternoon so have borrowed my friends 2.7 RRS for the weekend, it's by no means quick (I will buy the TDV8) but will give me a good feel for it none the less. So far so good on the journey home, a very nice place to be in fact!

Try to get a MY2010 facelift model (sep09 onwards) - much nicer inside, improved BQ and ofcourse you can also then choose the 243bhp 3l TDV6.

[PRGH]

Mmm, just to add an alternative suggestion. Jeep Grand Cherokee V8 running on LPG. I'm on my second one after giving my first one to the son in law. It's still going strong on over 110000 miles. Mine's just gone over 83000 miles. It's so comfortable to drive and handles well. They loose a shitload when first sold so buy a 2 year old one with all the electronic bells and whistles and it will last you very well. LPG is about half the cost of petrol so it's similar to getting just over 40 MPG from the V8.

[afcneal]

My Boss has one - disappointing economy. Although better than a 5.0 petrol of course, it typically only runs at mid/high 20s mpg. When compared to smaller diesel engines (with not hugely different performance) it's not that great. Perhaps reflects in the price too!

X6 if you can find one - they're just £35k for early ones with miles on.

[gilford]

Overall i voted with my feet and wallet ( and i am in the trade) and so far the Q7 has been the best for us as an all-round family bus (7 seats), tow car, dog carrier and general work horse!!

You say you voted with your feet and wallet? Of all the SUV's the Q7 has depreciated the most hasnt it? A friend of mine sunk over £50k in to a brand new one a couple of years ago and is getting trade in prices in the late teens :shock:

At least the RRS is still mid £30's for a good one?

I waived goodbye to the M3 this afternoon so have borrowed my friends 2.7 RRS for the weekend, it's by no means quick (I will buy the TDV8) but will give me a good feel for it none the less. So far so good on the journey home, a very nice place to be in fact!

Try to get a MY2010 facelift model (sep09 onwards) - much nicer inside, improved BQ and ofcourse you can also then choose the 243bhp 3l TDV6.

MY2010 are still very pricey, I'd rather get a decent 58 plate which has done it's 50% depreciation, not getting stung again like the M3!

Im inn the middle of negotiating a very nice TDV8 HST 8)

[Chris_in_the_UK]

Still having this debate myself :roll:

Found a 2006 X5 3.0d with plenty of bits on it and only 33k on the clock for £19k (BMW dealer with history and 12 month warranty - local as well).

A bit early for me but I will watch with interest :)

[Hubs]

Now, Chris's X5 looks like a good deal (although wait to the end of the month and see where it could go.)

Good residual, and if you do low milage, it will retain value well...

[ian964]

Really depends on what you need it for. I went through a similar process - looked at RR (too small inside), X5 (even smaller inside, appalling off road), XC90 (good), Lexus RX (also good, bit small) and Discovery. Ended up buying a Disco, perfect for what we wanted (plenty of boot space, good off road) and has been totally reliable. We've also had much better service from the dealer compared to BMW (had a BMW 330i M sport), so much so that I traded the 330 for another LR.

[bassboy]

Overall i voted with my feet and wallet ( and i am in the trade) and so far the Q7 has been the best for us as an all-round family bus (7 seats), tow car, dog carrier and general work horse!!

You say you voted with your feet and wallet? Of all the SUV's the Q7 has depreciated the most hasnt it? A friend of mine sunk over £50k in to a brand new one a couple of years ago and is getting trade in prices in the late teens :shock:

At least the RRS is still mid £30's for a good one?

I waived goodbye to the M3 this afternoon so have borrowed my friends 2.7 RRS for the weekend, it's by no means quick (I will buy the TDV8) but will give me a good feel for it none the less. So far so good on the journey home, a very nice place to be in fact!

I did vote with my feet and wallet but bought a 18 month old car in the trade for a very good price... ALWAYS let somebody else take the initial depreciation!!

[rincewind]

I went through this as well, looked at all sorts, ended up buying a year old Isuzu rodeo with 9k miles for 16k. It has plenty of room inside (i'm 6'4 and 21 stone and i fit in easily) 5 seats, full leather, sat nav with bluetooth (also plays DVD's) it's built superbly, has an outstanding engine with loads of power, handles extremely well, is £199 per year to tax and reasonable servicing costs. As it's essentially a pickup it will also carry more than a 'standard' 4x4. I'd highly recommend one :)

[gilford]

Well, I've test drove them all on Sunday and have gone for an RRS HST :D

With a bit of luck should be picking it up tomorrow :bounce:

[ggill]

RRS V8 or X6 for me.

The X5 lacks something for me whilst the VW Touraeg is bland at best and never became a top-tier SUV in terms of desirability. There is a reason for that. Q7 is really nice when with the S line pack and like all Audi's are superbly built. All that taken in to account it is massive and my cousin's 4.2 TDI does 8 MPG :shock: .

[gilford]

I test drove the HST and X5 back to back. As good as the X5 is it just feels like a 3 series inside which is what I'm trying to get away from. I will admit the interior is a nicer place to be than the RRS but from the outside there is no contest in my eyes, the HST wins hands down :D

I've got a few pics of the one I have bought on my Mac, I'll post them up at lunch time 8)

[sestrel]

How about something thats reliable and tough as well?

[GraniteQuarry]

Congrats on the decision! I shall watch for your updates, hopefully it'll work out well for ya :P

[Hubs]

Enjoy! Fantastic looking cars, capabilities off road that mere mortals are unlikely to touch, and a GB sticker as well!