Discussion
While my 911 is being serviced, I've been given a Gayenne. The wife loves it though, and I reckon something that's as big/safe but with decent poke and economy might be worthwhile consideration as the family hack.
So the X5 3.0 diesel springs to mind.
What should I know about them before looking seriously? Seems 20k ought to get me a reasonable one...
Cheers
SM
So the X5 3.0 diesel springs to mind.
What should I know about them before looking seriously? Seems 20k ought to get me a reasonable one...
Cheers
SM
The problem with SUV's is that "decent poke" and "economy" are generally never found together in the same vehicle.
The Gayenne will have felt nippy because it's a petrol, and so it's got a lot of power and can rev away to make it move. Diesels are good for lugging the vehicle around on torque in town, but on the open road they become a bit gutless as they run out of revs.
Base petrol units (circa. 230bhp) are enough to make an SUV acceptably brisk, but then you're looking at 22mpg.
The exception to the rule is the Lexus RX400H, which is a hybrid, so when you give it the beans it's got about 280bhp and it goes like stink, but if you drive it carefully you can get 35mpg out of it. Unfortunately, it's a Lexus RX, and thus hideous. On the plus side the next Gayenne is apparently going to have a hybrid, so if you can wait for that then you're sorted!
The Gayenne will have felt nippy because it's a petrol, and so it's got a lot of power and can rev away to make it move. Diesels are good for lugging the vehicle around on torque in town, but on the open road they become a bit gutless as they run out of revs.
Base petrol units (circa. 230bhp) are enough to make an SUV acceptably brisk, but then you're looking at 22mpg.
The exception to the rule is the Lexus RX400H, which is a hybrid, so when you give it the beans it's got about 280bhp and it goes like stink, but if you drive it carefully you can get 35mpg out of it. Unfortunately, it's a Lexus RX, and thus hideous. On the plus side the next Gayenne is apparently going to have a hybrid, so if you can wait for that then you're sorted!
Interesting thanks. The Gayenne didn't feel remotely "brisk" though under any circumstances!
The needles were moving around the dials, and the engine was making some noise, so I knew it must have been speeding up, but there were no other signs
I'm seriously thinking 4.4 V8 with an LPG conversion.
SM
The needles were moving around the dials, and the engine was making some noise, so I knew it must have been speeding up, but there were no other signs
I'm seriously thinking 4.4 V8 with an LPG conversion.
SM
Well if you can stomach 23mpg on diesel, then the Toureg V10 TDi is, put simply, the Daddy. And at 32k for a 26k mile example, it's also a total bargain.
The output is torque biased, but it's still got 310bhp, and can dust off a TT180 to sixty! It also sounds just like a truck when you fire it up, it's brilliant!
The output is torque biased, but it's still got 310bhp, and can dust off a TT180 to sixty! It also sounds just like a truck when you fire it up, it's brilliant!
TT180? Isn't that one of those dreadful hairdresser's audi things?
Looking on Autotrader there's a V10 for far, far less than that... I couldn't stomach that economy, but over 500lbft of torque is good by anyone's standards.
Plus it'll annoy the lentilists, so definitely worthy of consideration!
SM
Looking on Autotrader there's a V10 for far, far less than that... I couldn't stomach that economy, but over 500lbft of torque is good by anyone's standards.
Plus it'll annoy the lentilists, so definitely worthy of consideration!
SM
www.superchips.co.uk/curves/touaregv10tdi.pdf
I know it's not BMW, but look at that torque curve!
SM
I know it's not BMW, but look at that torque curve!
SM
SM,
Absolutely love my facelift 3.0d with DMS remap and 575nm torque. Just as quick if not quicker in some areas as the 4.4i and averaged 27mpg thus far (25k miles a year central London and Motorway).
Always feels comfortable, luxurious with all the toys, swift and solid. I'd never be without one now. Luckily I have my Exige for hooning around in so I've got the best of both worlds.
Would highly recommend one above Cayanne, RR Sport, Toureg, etc, etc. Only a Rangie with a serious V8 turbo diesel would make me think twice.
Absolutely love my facelift 3.0d with DMS remap and 575nm torque. Just as quick if not quicker in some areas as the 4.4i and averaged 27mpg thus far (25k miles a year central London and Motorway).
Always feels comfortable, luxurious with all the toys, swift and solid. I'd never be without one now. Luckily I have my Exige for hooning around in so I've got the best of both worlds.
Would highly recommend one above Cayanne, RR Sport, Toureg, etc, etc. Only a Rangie with a serious V8 turbo diesel would make me think twice.
Driven a 3.0 petrol and the 3.0d and I really liked both. The drive was excellent but I guess for some form of sensibility it had to be the diesel. Its a cracking engine and pretty brisk in the X5 (which isnt that heavy by the way - compared to a RR or LR that is!). Fuel economy wasnt good but then again neither is the ML or equivalent. But as a package it would be the one I would go for. BUT, the 4.4 petrol is the real steal at the moment. Buy cheap, LPG and enjoy that V8.... couple of years later, off load to someone who wants the same thing and its job is done....
From what I understand, its about £2k - £3k for a good job on the BMW V8's for LPG and it should pay for itself within 12 months. But consider that the 4.4 is way cheaper than the 3.0d in the first place it shouldnt really matter. Worth considering, especially since you can poke the eco-swampies in the eye by saying that an LPG'ed modern BMW V8 is one of the cleanest engines around - including the supposed lean-burn economical petrol engines.... makes you think if hybrids etc are the way forward after all?
Oh, and you still get the chance to show a clean pair of brake lights occassionally...
From what I understand, its about £2k - £3k for a good job on the BMW V8's for LPG and it should pay for itself within 12 months. But consider that the 4.4 is way cheaper than the 3.0d in the first place it shouldnt really matter. Worth considering, especially since you can poke the eco-swampies in the eye by saying that an LPG'ed modern BMW V8 is one of the cleanest engines around - including the supposed lean-burn economical petrol engines.... makes you think if hybrids etc are the way forward after all?
Oh, and you still get the chance to show a clean pair of brake lights occassionally...
A really dull question for X5 owners... how much are replacement tyres on the Sport models, the ones with the 19 or 20" alloys I think? And what are servicing costs like?
I know they're hardly important questions, but one thing that's always put me off going for an X5 is that the running costs seem to be the sort of thing you could put to much better use on a sports car for similar amounts. But the fact is that everytime I drive an X5, I realise just what a great family car it is.
And like someone said, don't even try and find a car like this with decent fuel economy, it just can't be done at the moment as they're so damn big & heavy.
I know they're hardly important questions, but one thing that's always put me off going for an X5 is that the running costs seem to be the sort of thing you could put to much better use on a sports car for similar amounts. But the fact is that everytime I drive an X5, I realise just what a great family car it is.
And like someone said, don't even try and find a car like this with decent fuel economy, it just can't be done at the moment as they're so damn big & heavy.
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