£3k Mazda CX7 or £7k Lexus RX400h

[anonymous-user]

Looking for a semi barge to replace the 9-5 my wife wrote off last week.

Thought about a soft-roader option and these 2 popped up near me (new job means I don't have time to travel for a car).

Any thoughts from the PH collective.

Given how she treated the 95 I'm reluctant to spend to much, but still want a safe, speedy(ish) & reliable enough barge.

Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 6th March 21:58

[nav2014]

I've just (few days ago) bought an old 2nd gen rx300 as the family wheelbarrow. It's exceptionally well made and remarkably ugly but anonymous with it. The sort of thing that's lovely to drive, comfy, safe, but I don't mind chucking muddy dogs or bags of cement in the back and it doesn't look like you're trying too hard like an old rangey or cayenne does.

[kurt535]

Lexus all day long

[anonymous-user]

Thanks for the replies

Will have a look at a cx and rx this Saturday, slightly drawn to the bargain bucketness of the cx. Plus I saw somewhere a mild remap to c 300bhp.

RX will have to be pretty good to be 2x + the price.

I suggested an 4.2 A8L, but 5m long is not good in the supermarket car park..

[ninjag]

wsurfa said:

Thanks for the replies

Will have a look at a cx and rx this Saturday, slightly drawn to the bargain bucketness of the cx. Plus I saw somewhere a mild remap to c 300bhp.

RX will have to be pretty good to be 2x + the price.

I suggested an 4.2 A8L, but 5m long is not good in the supermarket car park..

Remapping the CX7 will require the fuel pump internals to be upgraded and also the turbo inlet pipe to be upgraded as it's too narrow at the bend.

The Lexus would be my choice out of the two.

[anonymous-user]

ninjag said:

wsurfa said:

Thanks for the replies

Will have a look at a cx and rx this Saturday, slightly drawn to the bargain bucketness of the cx. Plus I saw somewhere a mild remap to c 300bhp.

RX will have to be pretty good to be 2x + the price.

I suggested an 4.2 A8L, but 5m long is not good in the supermarket car park..

Remapping the CX7 will require the fuel pump internals to be upgraded and also the turbo inlet pipe to be upgraded as it's too narrow at the bend.

The Lexus would be my choice out of the two.

Thanks, the MOT histories of the RXs at this price level aren't brilliant - nothing unusual just lots of rubber suspension soft starting to fall.

Also not very positive noises from the 'internal customer' about a lexus....

Nissan Murano might please her more... In my eyes it looks like an rx copy without the batteries..

I might just buy the cheapest one and see how many panels get damaged in the first month.

Every panel on the last car had something on it(from dents in the sill to scratches on the roof)

[nav2014]

I paid £2k for an RX that looks a bit ropey, but 1 owner and cambelt/ waterpump changed by Lexus 50k miles ago. I looked at a few selling for double that, which is still cheap but they were in really good condition with fewer miles. I'd have felt bad throwing muddy dogs and bags of crap in the back of those, so for me this is perfect but you can get plenty for your money if you look around.

Ignore mileage, just check out the overall condition and when the cambelt and waterpump were last changed (although cheap to do so you could negotiate the asking price to reflect). Apart from an annoying dashboard squeak I need to locate mine is incredibly smooth and quiet, moreso than the mazda would have been when new.

Loads of toys, all of them work. Get an SE or SE L if you do.

[ninjag]

A 3rd Generation Honda CRV 2.2 diesel may fit the bill. EX spec is loaded with lots of toys. It's a dual pump AWD system which is better than the next gen's crappy lightweight electric one. Proper power steering as well. Great seats!

You can usually get 2008 models around the 100k miles for about £3-4k. If it's been regularly serviced a high mileage isn't a concern for one of these cars.

[anonymous-user]

ninjag said:

A 3rd Generation Honda CRV 2.2 diesel may fit the bill. EX spec is loaded with lots of toys. It's a dual pump AWD system which is better than the next gen's crappy lightweight electric one. Proper power steering as well. Great seats!

You can usually get 2008 models around the 100k miles for about £3-4k. If it's been regularly serviced a high mileage isn't a concern for one of these cars.

Thanks, but she's not a diesel fan, plus most journeys will be short and total mileage low

[ninjag]

A 3rd Generation Honda CRV 2.0 petrol may fit the bill. EX spec is loaded with lots of toys. It's a dual pump AWD system which is better than the next gen's crappy lightweight electric one. Proper power steering as well. Great seats!

You can usually get 2008 models around the 100k miles for about £3-4k. If it's been regularly serviced a high mileage isn't a concern for one of these cars.

[anonymous-user]

ninjag said:

A 3rd Generation Honda CRV 2.0 petrol may fit the bill. EX spec is loaded with lots of toys. It's a dual pump AWD system which is better than the next gen's crappy lightweight electric one. Proper power steering as well. Great seats!

You can usually get 2008 models around the 100k miles for about £3-4k. If it's been regularly serviced a high mileage isn't a concern for one of these cars.

[nitrodave]

ninjag said:

A 3rd Generation Honda CRV 2.0 petrol may fit the bill. EX spec is loaded with lots of toys. It's a dual pump AWD system which is better than the next gen's crappy lightweight electric one. Proper power steering as well. Great seats!

You can usually get 2008 models around the 100k miles for about £3-4k. If it's been regularly serviced a high mileage isn't a concern for one of these cars.

I recently considered this exact car and went to see one but was hugely disappointed in it. Sure, it's practical but it was so wildy underwhelming I felt like I'd be losing part of my soul if i bought one.

I would much rather a a RX400 for a little more money.

[ninjag]

Yeah you do need to rev it to get any kind of power but for pottering about locally it's a pretty solid choice. Generally speaking Honda electrics are incredibly reliable and their petrol engines bullet proof. But, in reality it is more of a tool with a ton of load space for what is not a very long vehicle. You get a lot for your money with the 3rd Generation.

For 4th Gen is a different story in my book. Overpriced and no huge improvement over the 3rd. I feel Honda has lost their way in Europe and the UK. They never quite reached that premium level. But for this purpose, we are talking about a car which is probably going to be bashed a little!

[ZX10R NIN]

If you're looking at the CX-7 & RX400h then I think you should consider the Subaru Tribeca B9:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Facelift Model:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[anonymous-user]

Thanks for the CRV and subaru suggestions, but both are a bit too glacial, the CRV also needing to be revved to get anywhere.

Drive a 08 model CRV in South Africa as a new hire car, and even then it was slow and underwhelming.

If I'm going slightly underwhelming, then it'll be mazda.

I've hopefully got a decent cx7 and a rx400h sel to look at in Saturday am.

If it was for me if be looking for a FFRR and ignoring all the warnings, because 'what could possibly go wrong'

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 7th March 18:57

[ZX10R NIN]

Did you take a look at the Subaru?

[anonymous-user]

ZX10R NIN said:

Did you take a look at the Subaru?

Car looks fine, but the performance stats I found were 9+ seconds to 60, which is too slow

[anonymous-user]

The internal customer has decided she want an "expensive car", for mostly good reasons.

- She'll only dent /scratch it anyway
- She doesn't want to worry about denting /scratching it
- she might change her mind in a year so why waste money now

She's clearly missed the 'proper' reasons ie I'd prefer to drive the Lexus (me, me, me )

So I'll still check out the RX in case it's so much better I can convince her. (I fear the FFRR idea will never fly)

[ninjag]

wsurfa said:

Thanks for the CRV and subaru suggestions, but both are a bit too glacial, the CRV also needing to be revved to get anywhere.

Drive a 08 model CRV in South Africa as a new hire car, and even then it was slow and underwhelming.

If I'm going slightly underwhelming, then it'll be mazda.

I've hopefully got a decent cx7 and a rx400h sel to look at in Saturday am.

If it was for me if be looking for a FFRR and ignoring all the warnings, because 'what could possibly go wrong'

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Edited by wsurfa on Thursday 7th March 18:57

Ah apologies, I thought it was only your wife who would be driving it. Well in that case then yes I'd look for something more interesting and fun to drive because if you don't like driving it then like me you may seriously grudge spending any money on it.

I love the FFRR and also the Disco4, although the latter probably isn't as refined. But..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzQCj-dbgN0

[anonymous-user]

ninjag said:

wsurfa said:

Thanks for the CRV and subaru suggestions, but both are a bit too glacial, the CRV also needing to be revved to get anywhere.

Drive a 08 model CRV in South Africa as a new hire car, and even then it was slow and underwhelming.

If I'm going slightly underwhelming, then it'll be mazda.

I've hopefully got a decent cx7 and a rx400h sel to look at in Saturday am.

If it was for me if be looking for a FFRR and ignoring all the warnings, because 'what could possibly go wrong'

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 7th March 18:57

Ah apologies, I thought it was only your wife who would be driving it. Well in that case then yes I'd look for something more interesting and fun to drive because if you don't like driving it then like me you may seriously grudge spending any money on it.

I love the FFRR and also the Disco4, although the latter probably isn't as refined. But..... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MzQCj-dbgN0

My wife wants the power! (as do I)

I watched that video and nanananana I'm not listening it'll be fine!!!!