SUV buyer advice needed

[FamilyDub]

I know Americana is taking over our lives ever more, but am I the only one that cringes at Brits using the term 'SUV' seriously?

[V8RX7]

LooneyTunes said:

V8RX7 said:

Personally I'd look at a V8 Grand Cherokee - they are RHD and frequently available on LPG

Have you been in one? We had one as a courtesy car when someone drove into the wife's 4x4.

Truly awful. Sent it back after two days.

Yes quite a few.

Interior wise they are a league away from a modern RR but then so is the price and the reliability and the bills.

[mab1]

Consider this for your 6000 miles

Petrol - 22mpg @ 137.60 ppl = £1706.02

Diesel - 27mpg (that's your best case average IMO) @ 142.50 ppl = £1439.60

Difference £266.42 per year. So two tanks of fuel over a year, or just over half a years VED.

Factor in the couple of grand saving in buying the petrol in the first place = no brainer. Even if the difference was £500 per year it would still make sense, and if you can find one with LPG even better

[V8RX7]

mab1 said:

Consider this for your 6000 miles

Petrol - 22mpg @ 137.60 ppl = £1706.02

Diesel - 27mpg (that's your best case average IMO) @ 142.50 ppl = £1439.60

Difference £266.42 per year. So two tanks of fuel over a year, or just over half a years VED.

Factor in the couple of grand saving in buying the petrol in the first place = no brainer. Even if the difference was £500 per year it would still make sense, and if you can find one with LPG even better

A petrol RR could easily return 14mpg for urban / short trips

[jdwright590]

FamilyDub said:

I know Americana is taking over our lives ever more, but am I the only one that cringes at Brits using the term 'SUV' seriously?

I guess that I could have used the term 4x4 or even 'jeep' *shudder*, but I've done a degree in American Studies so quite attached to Americana

[Roo]

jdwright590 said:

I guess that I could have used the term 4x4 or even 'jeep' *shudder*,

Except a Jeep isn't even in your list of considered vehicles. ;-)

[jdwright590]

V8RX7 said:

mab1 said:

Consider this for your 6000 miles

Petrol - 22mpg @ 137.60 ppl = £1706.02

Diesel - 27mpg (that's your best case average IMO) @ 142.50 ppl = £1439.60

Difference £266.42 per year. So two tanks of fuel over a year, or just over half a years VED.

Factor in the couple of grand saving in buying the petrol in the first place = no brainer. Even if the difference was £500 per year it would still make sense, and if you can find one with LPG even better

A petrol RR could easily return 14mpg for urban / short trips

Yeah I was under the impression that a figure like 22mpg would only achievable on a motorway run. I know it depends on the car but the more efficient petrol engines seem to be out of my budget, or in the case of some cars they are comparably priced because of their relative youth/spec level (ie a 2007 X5 3.0d can be found for a similar price as an admittedly lower mileage and nicer looking 4.8i). The only petrol model that tempts me somewhat is the aforementioned Cayenne but insurance comes back into play there; £1100 is still cheaper than a diesel X5 (for some reason), but is a good £400 more than my quotes for a Range Rover Sport

[jdwright590]

Roo said:

Except a Jeep isn't even in your list of considered vehicles. ;-)

This is true! But I meant more how some people refer to every single 4x4/SUV as a Jeep :P (or at least they used to)

[jonah35]

veevee said:

jonah35 said:

jdwright590 said:

The Moose said:

jdwright590 said:

The Moose said:

What about a Cayenne? With a Porsche warranty?

I have briefly considered the Porsche but the fuel consumption scares me! I know my annual mileage isn't that high but my car tends to be the family car vs my mum's Honda Jazz...so 20mpg on a run doesn't appeal too much :/ Anything with a warranty would be appealing though...

Porsche's warranty is rather good. None of those cars are going to give you a good MPG. If that's of consideration, I'd consider something other than a luxury SUV such as the ones in your OP!

Just had a look at Porsche's pre approved site and didn't see any Cayennes in budget, but did see that their warranty can be purchased for cars up to 9 years old (subject to t&c)? Re the mpg issue I would just be reluctant to purchase a Cayenne that gets 20mpg vs an ML that gets 30, silly I know but just how my head works...won't deny that the Porsche and it's V8 have a certain appeal though

Residuals on a cayenne should be ok

Not sure if serious?

Yeah obviously not buying new but a second hand £15k old smoker or an old range sport wont lose lots of money because lots of people like this chap aspire to them.

[jdwright590]

jonah35 said:

Yeah obviously not buying new but a second hand £15k old smoker or an old range sport wont lose lots of money because lots of people like this chap aspire to them.

That's very true from what I've seen...in fact Range Rover Sports tend to be priced a good £3k more than similarly aged/mileage FFRR!

[hairyben]

jdwright590 said:

rallycross said:

Why at 23 would you want a Chelsea tractor?

I know I don't really have a 'normal' taste in cars despite being young and a big car buff...but I've wanted an SUV for as long as I can remember-it's a good job I don't live in the US otherwise I'd want something as tasteless and huge as an Escalade

Hey, I had a mitsubushi delica L400 @ 25 & fitted a 4" lift (did need something reasonably van like for work though)

Hey fellow enfieldian

You mention a G wagen as your dream- so why not? If budget allows you could spend a bit more- they hold their value and are pretty damn bulletproof.

Sure it'd be a little older and have less toys (although they can still be pretty well spec'd) but they're cooler than a penguins chuff and won't have the mumsy/footballer image.

[inman999]

You might as well get the one you really want otherwise you will regret it every time one drives past.

Diesel at the moment is as much as 50 pence a gallon more, which equates to around a 5 mpg cost difference. That combined with your low mileage, petrol models being cheaper, newer or lower mileage would have me looking that way.

It's easy to get into the psyche of spending pounds to save pennies.

That and the big petrols are nicer in almost every way.

[jas xjr]

jonah35 said:

Cayenne

turbo

[CrouchingWayne]

Have you thought about executive saloons like 7 series and A8's? They accomplish your aims of reliability, purchase price and running costs more than the SUV's you mention (IMO). They would give a similar impression of wealth/bling without as much exposure to ruinous costs I would expect.

[jdwright590]

CrouchingWayne said:

Have you thought about executive saloons like 7 series and A8's? They accomplish your aims of reliability, purchase price and running costs more than the SUV's you mention (IMO). They would give a similar impression of wealth/bling without as much exposure to ruinous costs I would expect.

A luxury saloon does tick some of my boxes but there is just something about an SUV that really does it for me (and has done since I was little)...tbh my most 'sensible' option is to buy an ML280 this time and then get a FFRR in the future, I can just see myself wishing I'd pushed for a Q7 or X5 :/

[delboy735]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...

One of these ...............

[volturb40]

What about an XC60 R design, quite sporty looking, 205bhp getting 36 mpg average???

[fathomfive]

Lexus RX?

[jdwright590]

volturb40 said:

What about an XC60 R design, quite sporty looking, 205bhp getting 36 mpg average???

I did consider an XC60 but not a massive fan of the styling...fickle I know but also no R Design vehicles lie within my budget. In some ways I am tempted by an XC90 given that I could get a 2010 facelift model for about £13k, but anything with a decent spec is a heavy chunk more and the earlier models I feel look dated for the price

[jdwright590]

fathomfive said:

Lexus RX?

Definitely a sensible choice, but not one that really tugs at the heart strings :S