SUV buyer advice needed
Discussion
KTF said:
How much of your budget is allocated for the insurance 
Also how much budget is allocated for VED.£450 every 12 months stings a bit and doesn't get cheaper.
Also (as people have mentioned) running costs tend to go up and well- 25mpg in traffic sees a tank's range drop from 580 miles to a little over 400.
And one nail means £200 for a new tyre etc etc.
However, they are handy to have in the winter and trips to ikea. Got a e70 X5 for my 25th birthday for myself, and it's very useful in my line of work as well.
KFC said:
schmalex said:
If he buys a black RRS, he will look like either:
A). A pimp
B). A drug dealer
C). A football player
D). An orange mum
E). A t
t
None of the above really conjures up the right image.
Yet you're trying to sell him a diesel Toureg. Its going to look like he borrowed his mums car if he went with that surely. A). A pimp
B). A drug dealer
C). A football player
D). An orange mum
E). A t
tNone of the above really conjures up the right image.
I don't see many 23 year olds wanting the boring VW over the RR... I know I wouldn't have.
rj1986 said:
Also how much budget is allocated for VED.
£450 every 12 months stings a bit and doesn't get cheaper.
Also (as people have mentioned) running costs tend to go up and well- 25mpg in traffic sees a tank's range drop from 580 miles to a little over 400.
And one nail means £200 for a new tyre etc etc.
However, they are handy to have in the winter and trips to ikea. Got a e70 X5 for my 25th birthday for myself, and it's very useful in my line of work as well.
The VED is something to consider I know and kind of ties with insurance in terms of 'fixed costs'. I would be tempted to get a late 2005 RRS to get the cheaper tax but obviously depends on the car; the E70 is probably the car that best fits my criteria but they are still a little out of reach (and the nicer looking/specced ones even more so). Tyres-wise I've heard that I could expect about 20k on most of these cars, give or take...might be being optimistic but none but the Q7 is too horrific I'm hoping £450 every 12 months stings a bit and doesn't get cheaper.
Also (as people have mentioned) running costs tend to go up and well- 25mpg in traffic sees a tank's range drop from 580 miles to a little over 400.
And one nail means £200 for a new tyre etc etc.
However, they are handy to have in the winter and trips to ikea. Got a e70 X5 for my 25th birthday for myself, and it's very useful in my line of work as well.
jdwright590 said:
The VED is something to consider I know and kind of ties with insurance in terms of 'fixed costs'. I would be tempted to get a late 2005 RRS to get the cheaper tax but obviously depends on the car; the E70 is probably the car that best fits my criteria but they are still a little out of reach (and the nicer looking/specced ones even more so). Tyres-wise I've heard that I could expect about 20k on most of these cars, give or take...might be being optimistic but none but the Q7 is too horrific I'm hoping
My tyre guy told me he has a q7 in with front being changed circa every 8k. 20k is about right for an X5.
So far mine has been good to me, had a major thing done under warranty caused by the previous owner not putting enough winter screen wash in.
X5's can be had "cheap"- mine would probably be worth 15-16k part ex, and sold for 19-20 at a indy, 21 at a dealer i imagine.
Really just an observation, but isn't it strange that this thread has spent 5 pages discussing the merits of various big 4x4s with virtually no mention of what is good off-road? Lots of chat about residuals, mpg, and image however....
Call me crazy, but I thought that the main benefit of a big, 4WD, high ground-clearance barge was being able to go off-road?
If it's not going to be used for that, is there much point to a car that takes up one and a half parking spaces and costs a small fortune to run?
Call me crazy, but I thought that the main benefit of a big, 4WD, high ground-clearance barge was being able to go off-road?
If it's not going to be used for that, is there much point to a car that takes up one and a half parking spaces and costs a small fortune to run?
Spitsfire.
I thought my picture summed up off road ability quite nicely. ie, a D3 is a proper off roader.
Interestingly enough, my D3 is 2 inches shorter and 1.5 inches narrower than my dads current shape Ford Mondeo!
I win the height battle though.
Also, considering the OP is looking at X5s, off road ability is clearly not a priority. For me it was.
I thought my picture summed up off road ability quite nicely. ie, a D3 is a proper off roader.
Interestingly enough, my D3 is 2 inches shorter and 1.5 inches narrower than my dads current shape Ford Mondeo!
I win the height battle though.
Also, considering the OP is looking at X5s, off road ability is clearly not a priority. For me it was.
spitsfire said:
Really just an observation, but isn't it strange that this thread has spent 5 pages discussing the merits of various big 4x4s with virtually no mention of what is good off-road? Lots of chat about residuals, mpg, and image however....
Call me crazy, but I thought that the main benefit of a big, 4WD, high ground-clearance barge was being able to go off-road?
If it's not going to be used for that, is there much point to a car that takes up one and a half parking spaces and costs a small fortune to run?
It's not about off road ability. Isn't that obvious?Call me crazy, but I thought that the main benefit of a big, 4WD, high ground-clearance barge was being able to go off-road?
If it's not going to be used for that, is there much point to a car that takes up one and a half parking spaces and costs a small fortune to run?
A.J.M said:
Spitsfire.
I thought my picture summed up off road ability quite nicely. ie, a D3 is a proper off roader.
Interestingly enough, my D3 is 2 inches shorter and 1.5 inches narrower than my dads current shape Ford Mondeo!
I win the height battle though.
Also, considering the OP is looking at X5s, off road ability is clearly not a priority. For me it was.
Your pic certainly did! I've got to confess that I'm very surprised by the size comparison with a Mondeo!I thought my picture summed up off road ability quite nicely. ie, a D3 is a proper off roader.
Interestingly enough, my D3 is 2 inches shorter and 1.5 inches narrower than my dads current shape Ford Mondeo!
I win the height battle though.
Also, considering the OP is looking at X5s, off road ability is clearly not a priority. For me it was.
But I just don't understand why you'd splash so much cash on a vehicle that has 'sizeable' disadvantages by virtue of being a soft-roader - thirst, running costs, TOWIE image, and so on- when the benefits of a more complex drive system, more weight, and more ground clearance are totally irrelevant.
Shouldn't good PHers be suggesting an M5 instead? After all, form should follow function.....
spitsfire said:
Your pic certainly did! I've got to confess that I'm very surprised by the size comparison with a Mondeo!
But I just don't understand why you'd splash so much cash on a vehicle that has 'sizeable' disadvantages by virtue of being a soft-roader - thirst, running costs, TOWIE image, and so on- when the benefits of a more complex drive system, more weight, and more ground clearance are totally irrelevant.
Shouldn't good PHers be suggesting an M5 instead? After all, form should follow function.....
I'm not under any illusion that I NEED an off/soft roader, it's more the idea that I WANT one But I just don't understand why you'd splash so much cash on a vehicle that has 'sizeable' disadvantages by virtue of being a soft-roader - thirst, running costs, TOWIE image, and so on- when the benefits of a more complex drive system, more weight, and more ground clearance are totally irrelevant.
Shouldn't good PHers be suggesting an M5 instead? After all, form should follow function.....
I know that something like an M5 or even a hot hatch would serve my needs perfectly well and undoubtedly give better handling (and possibly lower running costs - not convinced an M5 would be any cheaper to run than an X5 though), but owning a 4x4 is something that'd give me a lot more smiles-per-mile in terms of how it looks, driving position and *gulp* 'image' rj1986 said:
My tyre guy told me he has a q7 in with front being changed circa every 8k.
20k is about right for an X5.
So far mine has been good to me, had a major thing done under warranty caused by the previous owner not putting enough winter screen wash in.
X5's can be had "cheap"- mine would probably be worth 15-16k part ex, and sold for 19-20 at a indy, 21 at a dealer i imagine.
I am actually really keen on the Q7 as I like the way it looks (although I know they are very marmite) plus the S Line cars can be had at the top end of what I want to spend, but not sure I could cope with replacing the tyres every year or so...I guess it would depend on the make of tyre to a degree as well?20k is about right for an X5.
So far mine has been good to me, had a major thing done under warranty caused by the previous owner not putting enough winter screen wash in.
X5's can be had "cheap"- mine would probably be worth 15-16k part ex, and sold for 19-20 at a indy, 21 at a dealer i imagine.
I'd probably be better off going to an auction or buying private to get a decent X5, but equally that brings in a degree of uncertainty if anything goes wrong
thanks for the input though-happy to hear as much as I can from owners of any of these cars! jdwright590 said:
I'm not under any illusion that I NEED an off/soft roader, it's more the idea that I WANT one I know that something like an M5 or even a hot hatch would serve my needs perfectly well and undoubtedly give better handling (and possibly lower running costs - not convinced an M5 would be any cheaper to run than an X5 though), but owning a 4x4 is something that'd give me a lot more smiles-per-mile in terms of how it looks, driving position and *gulp* 'image'
Come on OP, get with the man maths - an M5 would be cheap as chips- the maintenance costs would be more than offset by it being an appreciating asset I know that something like an M5 or even a hot hatch would serve my needs perfectly well and undoubtedly give better handling (and possibly lower running costs - not convinced an M5 would be any cheaper to run than an X5 though), but owning a 4x4 is something that'd give me a lot more smiles-per-mile in terms of how it looks, driving position and *gulp* 'image' 
Then again, I'm really not a fan of the big soft-roaders. They're very comfortable, but their size makes them a PITA for other road users...
Ok, I'm going to throw my tuppence worth into this conversation...
Firstly, and this is pretty bloody obvious, but buy what you really want to drive, not what some random stranger on the net says to buy. If your heart says Range Rover, sod what other people say and just go out and get one. Personally, I wish I'd have followed my heart 3yrs ago and bought a FFRR or a D3 instead of my X5, but I didn't.
If you're asking about running costs, well, as has been pointed out, a couple of mpg on not very many miles a year is not a lot in the grand scheme of things, and if you're baulking at that, what about when something goes wrong. Which it will, no matter what car you end up with.
I've had a couple of cars that are on your list, as I recently (Jun) traded in an 04 X5 3.0i Sport which I had for 3yrs. I now have an 07 D3 SE. According to the PH garage calculator (which I try not to read that often!) over the 67k miles I had it, I spent over £9k a year running it. That doesn't include servicing or repairs/tyres etc. It was a nice car, very comfy, and, despite its size, not bad in the handling department. It wasn't as reliable as I thought it would be, I have to confess. There were little bits of trim that broke or scratched easily (interior door handles were marked), the buttons for the air recirc/rear demister fell off, I had a transmission error notice pop up that nobody could work out what was wrong, my air suspension needed a new compressor... but even though that petrol straight 6 sounded great, it just wasn't enough.
I now have an 07 D3 SE, and I have to say it is great. It's just as comfy, the quality of the interior isn't plasticky and just as nice as the BM. It is *significantly* bigger inside, yet because it has all the aerodynamic efficiency of a brick sat on top of a breezeblock, it's easier to park and place yourself on the road/ dirt track. It is definitely not as good at going round corners as the BM, but it's still nice to drive and far better off-road. It's cheaper to insure than the X5, it's consistently 6-7mpg better economy wise, so I'm getting another 50+ miles for £15-£20 less every tank. Road fund licence is £200 more though. I've just put new discs and pads on, a full set of Michelin Alpins has set me back £700 and I will need to spend c £600 on the big 105k/7yr service next year. I paid £9k and the X5, and it's got loads of toys, full leather, heated front seats, nav, phone, and the Harmon Kardon system. Cheap? No, but then I've put 8k on it since Jun, so whatever I'd be driving, it's going to cost me.
Do I regret buying the X5? Not really, but it did lose its shine faster than other cars I've owned. Would I have another? No, but I'd be up for giving the E70 a go as I think there was a shift in the quality of the later BM's. Are SUV's good fun? Yup, it was a hoot in the snow and pretty unstoppable. Am I loving the D3? Yup. Does it do what the BM did? Kinda, not as good at spirited drives, but for every other box it's either equal or better than it. Is it a better car than the E53 X5? In my opinion, yes.
Firstly, and this is pretty bloody obvious, but buy what you really want to drive, not what some random stranger on the net says to buy. If your heart says Range Rover, sod what other people say and just go out and get one. Personally, I wish I'd have followed my heart 3yrs ago and bought a FFRR or a D3 instead of my X5, but I didn't.
If you're asking about running costs, well, as has been pointed out, a couple of mpg on not very many miles a year is not a lot in the grand scheme of things, and if you're baulking at that, what about when something goes wrong. Which it will, no matter what car you end up with.
I've had a couple of cars that are on your list, as I recently (Jun) traded in an 04 X5 3.0i Sport which I had for 3yrs. I now have an 07 D3 SE. According to the PH garage calculator (which I try not to read that often!) over the 67k miles I had it, I spent over £9k a year running it. That doesn't include servicing or repairs/tyres etc. It was a nice car, very comfy, and, despite its size, not bad in the handling department. It wasn't as reliable as I thought it would be, I have to confess. There were little bits of trim that broke or scratched easily (interior door handles were marked), the buttons for the air recirc/rear demister fell off, I had a transmission error notice pop up that nobody could work out what was wrong, my air suspension needed a new compressor... but even though that petrol straight 6 sounded great, it just wasn't enough.
I now have an 07 D3 SE, and I have to say it is great. It's just as comfy, the quality of the interior isn't plasticky and just as nice as the BM. It is *significantly* bigger inside, yet because it has all the aerodynamic efficiency of a brick sat on top of a breezeblock, it's easier to park and place yourself on the road/ dirt track. It is definitely not as good at going round corners as the BM, but it's still nice to drive and far better off-road. It's cheaper to insure than the X5, it's consistently 6-7mpg better economy wise, so I'm getting another 50+ miles for £15-£20 less every tank. Road fund licence is £200 more though. I've just put new discs and pads on, a full set of Michelin Alpins has set me back £700 and I will need to spend c £600 on the big 105k/7yr service next year. I paid £9k and the X5, and it's got loads of toys, full leather, heated front seats, nav, phone, and the Harmon Kardon system. Cheap? No, but then I've put 8k on it since Jun, so whatever I'd be driving, it's going to cost me.
Do I regret buying the X5? Not really, but it did lose its shine faster than other cars I've owned. Would I have another? No, but I'd be up for giving the E70 a go as I think there was a shift in the quality of the later BM's. Are SUV's good fun? Yup, it was a hoot in the snow and pretty unstoppable. Am I loving the D3? Yup. Does it do what the BM did? Kinda, not as good at spirited drives, but for every other box it's either equal or better than it. Is it a better car than the E53 X5? In my opinion, yes.
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