Help choosing an SUV

[elliothand]

I have an old Lexus RX 300 which has done me well but is now coming to the end of it's economic life as repairs are starting to reach the value of the car and so I've decided to change the car. I live on top of a hill that doesn't get gritted so need a 4x4 for the few days a year where we have snow and have a wife and baby (with second on the cards apparently) so will need room to grow.

As such I would appreciate your thoughts on what I should test drive / purchase. I have a budget of £40k cash or could finance something but am a little hesitant to get a new diesel if they're likely to depreciate heavily / banned from cities etc in the near future and so perhaps favouring buying outright a cheaper used car but be appreciate your advice.

My thoughts so far:

BMW
X5 / X6 - Look like a good options but are on an old 2006 platform that's due to be replaced later this year?
X3 - New model just launched so would need to finance and I assume come with lower spec than an X5 as standard?

I think my RX is between an X3 & X5 in size but I may be wrong

Audi
Q7 - too big
Q5 - looked like a good option until I sat in the back of a friends and noticed the middle seat is pretty unusable because of raised column running through the centre foot well.

RRS - smaller than I was expecting although quite wide (wife may not want to park it) and only available in diesel in my budget?

Porsche Cayenne / Macan?

Mercedes
GLC/E - similar to X5 in that I've heard the model is due to be replaced imminently?

VW Tourag - same platform as the Bentley / audi / cayenne but I think it's still £50k which sounds a lot for a VW?

[ilikejam]

Volvo XC90 seems to be the obvious one missing from that list. Jeep Grand Cherokee as a bit of a leftfield option?

[elliothand]

Good point, I like the look of the XC90 and should add it to the list although is the engine a little low powered? My RX 300 is a 270bhp petrol and so not sure a 2l diesel will work for a bigger car?

I can't think of a Jeep dealership near me so will leave that off.

[S54Love]

Surprised you aren't considering another Lexus, I'm assuming that it's too small for your needs?

[MC Bodge]

Keep the Lexus (or a smaller, cheaper 4x4 like a Dacia Duster) for the few days of some years when it will be useful and buy an estate car for the other 360 days of the year?

[anonymous-user]

What generation RX300? The engines are tough. What’s up with it?

[elliothand]

It’s a 2004 RX 300 that my Dad had from new before giving it to me a couple of year ago. It’s done 130k miles and although it still seems to run well it has some issues which could lead to big bills whilst the car is only worth 1.5k in part ex:

Broken dashboard fan - cheap part but need to disassemble to access so ~1k (we got through winter by demisting the windscreen with a portable caravan heater).

Leaking radiator - 1k

4 new tyres, New brake pads, seized rear right brake caliper

‘Red warning about front air suspension’

I certainly could save money by repairing the car however, I don’t fancy spending more on it than its worth and also think my wife fancies a new car.

We only do ~4k miles a year so I’m not worried about fuel consumption particularly

[threadlock]

MC Bodge said:

Keep the Lexus (or a smaller, cheaper 4x4 like a Dacia Duster) for the few days of some years when it will be useful and buy an estate car for the other 360 days of the year?

+1
Fit winter tyres to something like a Dacia or an old Subaru and you'll be unstoppable. Then get something a lot more enjoyable to drive the rest of the time. (unless you just like 4x4s )

[tr7v8]

I went through this & ended up with a Cayenne, awesome place to be & on winters feels as if it would go anywhere.
The other choice is a RX450H, looked at these but the budget wouldn't stretch to one at the time.

[ZX10R NIN]

With that budget you'll get a Euro6 SUV which won't be subject to any ban,

The Government has already said that they will discriminate cars by their Euro spec so don't let that hinder you, what I will ask is how many miles do you do a year as that will be the bigger factor of weather a diesel version is what you need.

I'd also say don't worry about weather a model is being replaced because it means you can strike a better deal, here's an alternates list:

2.0T Alfa Stelvio

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

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

2.2d Milano

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

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

3.0d F Pace S

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

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

2.0T F Pace Portfolio

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

3.0d Grand Cherokee Summit/Overland

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

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

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

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

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

3.0d Maserati Levante you'll have to get finance for these:

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

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

Grand Cherokee SRT8

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

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

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

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

[whoami]

elliothand said:

Good point, I like the look of the XC90 and should add it to the list although is the engine a little low powered? My RX 300 is a 270bhp petrol and so not sure a 2l diesel will work for a bigger car?

Get a T6 petrol version then; 320bhp.

[Welshbeef]

Budget £50k but unwilling to spend £4-5k to get the current car roadworthy.

You’ll lose £5k on that new one in no time at all


If that list is all that’s wrong get it sorted life is then good/makes it hard to justify a change when it’s all working exactly as it should

[MC Bodge]

elliothand said:

It’s a 2004 RX 300 that my Dad had from new before giving it to me a couple of year ago. It’s done 130k miles and although it still seems to run well it has some issues which could lead to big bills whilst the car is only worth 1.5k in part ex:

Broken dashboard fan - cheap part but need to disassemble to access so ~1k (we got through winter by demisting the windscreen with a portable caravan heater).

Leaking radiator - 1k

4 new tyres, New brake pads, seized rear right brake caliper

‘Red warning about front air suspension’

I certainly could save money by repairing the car however, I don’t fancy spending more on it than its worth and also think my wife fancies a new car.

We only do ~4k miles a year so I’m not worried about fuel consumption particularly

A bit of DIY and most of that could be sorted fairly cheaply, non?

I'd just keep it.

Unless you just want a big, new SUV.

[anonymous-user]

Well, if you want to offload it, drop me a message. I've had an RX300 SEL, previously (which with air suspension, this sounds like it is). Assuming it isn't gold...

[ALTO77]

elliothand said:

Good point, I like the look of the XC90 and should add it to the list although is the engine a little low powered? My RX 300 is a 270bhp petrol and so not sure a 2l diesel will work for a bigger car?

I can't think of a Jeep dealership near me so will leave that off.

Lexus RX450h would be a good shout as previously suggested by someone else. I don't know if it was just a typo but your current car has 201bhp not 270.

[kurt535]

How many miles has the Lexus done out of interest?

[elliothand]

130k miles

[elliothand]

S54Love said:

Surprised you aren't considering another Lexus, I'm assuming that it's too small for your needs?

I sort of am considering the new RX, only downsides to it are that it feels smaller inside (I assume because batteries raise the floor) and wasn't sure if I fancied a change.

[elliothand]

threadlock said:

+1
Fit winter tyres to something like a Dacia or an old Subaru and you'll be unstoppable. Then get something a lot more enjoyable to drive the rest of the time. (unless you just like 4x4s )

Dacia is a great car, my sister owns one, only issue is the wife wants to be able to carry 4 adults + baby in car seat and I think it's a little narrow to reasonably fit in everyone for any length of time.

[elliothand]

threadlock said:

+1
Fit winter tyres to something like a Dacia or an old Subaru and you'll be unstoppable. Then get something a lot more enjoyable to drive the rest of the time. (unless you just like 4x4s )

I think my wife enjoys the security / feeling of being high up hence the 4x4. I've got a z4m that I use when on my own / looking for more enjoyable drives (although guess that may have to go at some point as I've only done 1500 miles in it for the last 2 years).