Car swap - who wants an AMG Merc for 3 months?
Discussion
Harry Flashman said:
Hah – you go away for a boozy lunch and all hell breaks loose on the thread! This is brilliant!
To answer some questions in order: where am I going? Morzine, in the Portes du Soleil. Renting a chalet, so not a small endeavour. So your vehicle will be garaged overnight and perfectly safe (not that vehicle crime is a thing over there, frankly)
Sounds like we need to meet for a ski Harry. I'll be over for the season. Look out for a prat in a X Drive 3 series!To answer some questions in order: where am I going? Morzine, in the Portes du Soleil. Renting a chalet, so not a small endeavour. So your vehicle will be garaged overnight and perfectly safe (not that vehicle crime is a thing over there, frankly)
An update on the L322...just spoken to the garage, the new rack has failed, power steering fluid everywhere. I'm having a replacement, FoC, and will also replace the power steering pump at the same time.
The motto of this story, be careful when lending cars to Harry, his muscles break steering racks
. In all seriousness I'm glad it happened in the UK and close to home, Harry, and not on an alpine road!!
The motto of this story, be careful when lending cars to Harry, his muscles break steering racks
. In all seriousness I'm glad it happened in the UK and close to home, Harry, and not on an alpine road!!
NorthDave said:
Sounds like we need to meet for a ski Harry. I'll be over for the season. Look out for a prat in a X Drive 3 series!
Definitely! PM me so we can swap details etc.Hoolio - that's not what I was expecting at all. Brand new rack failure - wow. Was it an original spec one? And is there some other issue some where else, like bent arms or something putting a strain on it all?
As for being glad happened here, that makes two of us!!!
Harry Flashman said:
Definitely! PM me so we can swap details etc.
Hoolio - that's not what I was expecting at all. Brand new rack failure - wow. Was it an original spec one? And is there some other issue some where else, like bent arms or something putting a strain on it all?
As for being glad happened here, that makes two of us!!!
Shouldn't be, lower arms are new...bill was just under 5k. Will be to the bottom of it when they take it apart next week. Garage isn't happy either as it's a 6 hour job so they'll have to claim that back from the suppliers. All part of the fun of owning a JLR product.Hoolio - that's not what I was expecting at all. Brand new rack failure - wow. Was it an original spec one? And is there some other issue some where else, like bent arms or something putting a strain on it all?
As for being glad happened here, that makes two of us!!!
P.S. remember your MOT
TheJimi said:
There's undoubtedly a few morals coming out of this thread, but one of them has to be "buy a Landcruiser not a Range Rover"
I must disagree. If I had to break down I'd much rather be broken down in a Range Rover than a Land Cruiser. RR far more comfortable and has ore toys too!Hoolio said:
Shouldn't be, lower arms are new...bill was just under 5k. Will be to the bottom of it when they take it apart next week. Garage isn't happy either as it's a 6 hour job so they'll have to claim that back from the suppliers. All part of the fun of owning a JLR product.
P.S. remember your MOT
Curious to know what caused it.P.S. remember your MOT
And the MOT is booked in on Monday!
Thread update time! So the owner of the L405 and I met and swapped cars this morning. Thoroughly nice chap (I'm yet to meet a PHer who isn't - I feel like I'm storing up bad karma, so the next one I meet will be a psychopath or something), and who is going to use the 63 for fun, which is exactly what it is good for. Had interesting conversations about his other cars - he bought a Tesla after the Rangie. It is a real game-changer apparently, and what saw the RR relegated to occasional duties. Interesting, given that a Model X (which he has and rates very highly) is the one I am interested in. This is a chap who has V8s, and tracks motorcycles, so he is a true petrolhead too...
Handover with no hiccups, except for the fact that I nearly left the Isofix base in the Merc.
Here are the cars before going their separate ways. Those pretty turbine alloy wheels on the RR are being swapped for smaller ones on winter rubber in the early new year. I'll post a few first impressions after the weekend, when I will be visiting Mum and taking advantage of a bit of grandparental babysitting of Flash Jr. Funnily enough I prefer the exterior looks of the L322 to the L405, but the interior on this car is from a different world - it feels far more high quality and a great deal more modern. The owner showed me around the systems and it has some great touches that will help on this trip, such as being able to configure the headlights for the continent, and change the speedo to kmh.
20181219_093126 by baconrashers, on Flickr
Direct comparison shot (excuse blur). The older car is a much more upright, truck-like thing compared to its sleek successor.
2018-11-25_07-57-48 by baconrashers, on Flickr
In other news, trip planning continues apace. Chalet keys arrive tomorrow by courier, and friends are living in our place whilst we are away, as they are doing a renovation/extension of their place nearby, which is a great result for all of us.
Handover with no hiccups, except for the fact that I nearly left the Isofix base in the Merc.
Here are the cars before going their separate ways. Those pretty turbine alloy wheels on the RR are being swapped for smaller ones on winter rubber in the early new year. I'll post a few first impressions after the weekend, when I will be visiting Mum and taking advantage of a bit of grandparental babysitting of Flash Jr. Funnily enough I prefer the exterior looks of the L322 to the L405, but the interior on this car is from a different world - it feels far more high quality and a great deal more modern. The owner showed me around the systems and it has some great touches that will help on this trip, such as being able to configure the headlights for the continent, and change the speedo to kmh.
20181219_093126 by baconrashers, on FlickrDirect comparison shot (excuse blur). The older car is a much more upright, truck-like thing compared to its sleek successor.
2018-11-25_07-57-48 by baconrashers, on FlickrIn other news, trip planning continues apace. Chalet keys arrive tomorrow by courier, and friends are living in our place whilst we are away, as they are doing a renovation/extension of their place nearby, which is a great result for all of us.
Edited by Harry Flashman on Wednesday 19th December 11:35
Watchman said:
Harry Flashman said:
Watchman said:
I have read through this thread since the beginning and I have been so close to offering my GL350 several times. I've only not because I keep baulking at the near £1300 it'd cost for the winter tyres. I want some anyway but bonus month is in the spring.
Anyway...
I will try to change mine for a GL63 when the time comes (couple of years yet). Mentioned my interest to the Merc dealer when we bought my wife's GLC350 and he let me loose in an 80-miles-from-new C63 which was just about as epic as it comes. It actually made my old Cerbera 4.5 seem normal.
Good luck with the venture. It's one of the most fun / full of opportunity threads I've read here.
Thanks for the thought!Anyway...
I will try to change mine for a GL63 when the time comes (couple of years yet). Mentioned my interest to the Merc dealer when we bought my wife's GLC350 and he let me loose in an 80-miles-from-new C63 which was just about as epic as it comes. It actually made my old Cerbera 4.5 seem normal.
Good luck with the venture. It's one of the most fun / full of opportunity threads I've read here.
Also, winters need not cost that much. 20 inch Vredestein Wintracs and Continental WinterContacts etc are around £200 a corner. The excellent Cooper Weather Master is cheaper still, and I have driven a Chevy Suburban on these extensively in the snows of Utah. I just bought a set for the Range Rover for £140 a corner, fitting (including removing old tyres) is £60 at my local tyre place.
I like the Cooper - as well as snow and packed snow/ice, it is great in the wet, slush and light road mud, which pretty much describes a British winter and also takes studs. The latter is unlikely to be necessary in France, but you never know!
The GL on full winter tyres was unstoppable around Morzine - far better than the Discoveries I had before.
longblackcoat said:
My own experience with a GL420 is that 19" for winter tyres is (a) astonishingly effective (b) much cheaper than either 20" or 21"
The GL on full winter tyres was unstoppable around Morzine - far better than the Discoveries I had before.
I think I've got bigger front brakes than the norm. Certainly they *seem* bigger than other GLs I've seen. I am not certain I'd get 19" wheels on it.The GL on full winter tyres was unstoppable around Morzine - far better than the Discoveries I had before.
I ought to borrow some really because you're absolutely right about the tyre costs.
eltax91 said:
I notice both pictures are outside your Gaff. Won't you travel for your international man of mystery car swaps you lazy git?
Hah! What can I say? I like having people over (genuinely true!). Also both swap counterparties happened to spend time in London from their outside London homes, so made it easy to come and scope out my place for burglary, as Fermit stated above...
Watchman said:
I think I've got bigger front brakes than the norm. Certainly they *seem* bigger than other GLs I've seen. I am not certain I'd get 19" wheels on it.
I ought to borrow some really because you're absolutely right about the tyre costs.
I had the upgraded brakes and 19” fitted. Just!I ought to borrow some really because you're absolutely right about the tyre costs.
Hello folks - thread update time.
I have got to spend a bit more time in the swapmobile now, after shuttling around London and Surrey over Christmas. And I have to say, I am (almost) smitten. One generation has moved the game on considerably, it seems.
Honestly, I think that most of this is due to weight reduction. The heaviest L322s weigh just over 2600, kilos. The later car is 300 kilos lighter. Now whilst this is still a big, heavy car, it steers, rides and brakes with a great deal more conviction. But it feels a great deal faster and more wieldy too, as the 60bhp increase is emphasised by the weight loss.
It has definitely imbued a new driving style - it is big, so you take it easy, waving people out and generally not hurrying anywhere. You barely have to tickle the throttle, so you can drive it subtly and slowly through town, knowing that the response should you need the power is there: there is no need to keep it on the boil in town as you did the L322. It also feels like a big car, rather than a small truck - and I would imagine that this is a combination of a monocoque construction, and improved electronics.
And the interior moves the game on as well, as do the TFT screens etc. Lady F loves everything about this car except for its bulk.
It feels much closer to the Merc than the old car, in terms of a vehicle to live with (generationally they are closer - as someone pointed out it was unfair to compare a 2002 Range Rover design to a 2010 Mercedes one) - but with improved visibility, far superior ride, and a better gearbox. It obviously does not have the AMG's Mr Hyde side - but I would be very interested to drive the Supercharged version, or the new hybrid, as I suspect that the pace of those cars would compensate in some way for the engine note and sheer exuberance of the Mercedes.
I'll be interested in how the car feels on higher profile, softer snow tyres (being fitted in a few days on smaller wheels than the current 21 inch items).
I can see why people buy these, now. It is a bit too big for London - but something discovery sized (with the extra seats), with this level of power, the switchable air suspension and some interesting driver modes, could really be the best real world conventional (non electric) car out there. I think I would always pick something like a E63 4matic wagon over one of these before I finally switch to electric, but it is a very beguiling thing to potter about in.
I have got to spend a bit more time in the swapmobile now, after shuttling around London and Surrey over Christmas. And I have to say, I am (almost) smitten. One generation has moved the game on considerably, it seems.
Honestly, I think that most of this is due to weight reduction. The heaviest L322s weigh just over 2600, kilos. The later car is 300 kilos lighter. Now whilst this is still a big, heavy car, it steers, rides and brakes with a great deal more conviction. But it feels a great deal faster and more wieldy too, as the 60bhp increase is emphasised by the weight loss.
It has definitely imbued a new driving style - it is big, so you take it easy, waving people out and generally not hurrying anywhere. You barely have to tickle the throttle, so you can drive it subtly and slowly through town, knowing that the response should you need the power is there: there is no need to keep it on the boil in town as you did the L322. It also feels like a big car, rather than a small truck - and I would imagine that this is a combination of a monocoque construction, and improved electronics.
And the interior moves the game on as well, as do the TFT screens etc. Lady F loves everything about this car except for its bulk.
It feels much closer to the Merc than the old car, in terms of a vehicle to live with (generationally they are closer - as someone pointed out it was unfair to compare a 2002 Range Rover design to a 2010 Mercedes one) - but with improved visibility, far superior ride, and a better gearbox. It obviously does not have the AMG's Mr Hyde side - but I would be very interested to drive the Supercharged version, or the new hybrid, as I suspect that the pace of those cars would compensate in some way for the engine note and sheer exuberance of the Mercedes.
I'll be interested in how the car feels on higher profile, softer snow tyres (being fitted in a few days on smaller wheels than the current 21 inch items).
I can see why people buy these, now. It is a bit too big for London - but something discovery sized (with the extra seats), with this level of power, the switchable air suspension and some interesting driver modes, could really be the best real world conventional (non electric) car out there. I think I would always pick something like a E63 4matic wagon over one of these before I finally switch to electric, but it is a very beguiling thing to potter about in.
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