wife wants a range rover sport....anyone have this?

[85 Barefoot]

Nothing that prevented it from getting from point A to B, but I recall:

auto climate control stopped working in the summer - fan would blow but A/C wouldn't cool

power drivers seat / mirror / steering adjustment via memory wouldn't remember. Steering wheel would auto move to the farthest away, highest up position.

Sunroof stopped opening

auto leveling suspension stopped working

left rear window regulator broke

navigation system went out

End of the day, it was a $70k+ ride and needed lots of attention

wow

[JoeA]

Grand Cherokee EcoDiesel gets 28 MPG on the highway and will easily tow your Bu. 2014 was the first year but for an SUV with good mileage and reasonable towing capacity it's tough to beat.

I just rolled 73K on mine and have been pleased overall with the experience.

[IXFE]

My wife and I went to test drive a used RR Sport (new body style). It looked sick, especially the wheels. When we got there we realized it did not have the pano roof. A car like this should have it. They wanted $63k for it, as I recall.

We went to dinner to think it over and I scrambled to research what they were worth and what they cost new. I learned that the one we drove had almost no options (besides the wheels which were probably replicas). Turns out they were asking almost full MSRP for this used one with 25k miles. They can get away with that because there's only one RR dealer in town and they have no inventory. If you want a new one it's a 6-12 month wait.

Anyway, we passed. But I learned that if you want the new body style, be prepared to wait too long for a new one or pay too much for a used knew.

[ejj]

Range Rover make some nice cars with nice interiors. Have you owned a used European car before? If so, you might know what you are getting into. I love driving nice cars from Europe, but the ownership experience with a used RR would drive me bats***. (RR makes the least reliable cars made, and they don't need to address that issue because people still line up to buy them.)

I have been towing with a 2014 Grand Cherokee bought new. First Jeep ever; I was a little scared because of their record. Two years of ownership and It has not been to the shop aside from a recall on the head unit. Have you driven one? I'd recommend it--check out the limited, summit, or overland trim levels. It is very competitive with the Euro SUVS on every level but surface cachet.

Edited September 24, 2015 by ejj

[Falko]

I think the upscale GC is the best looking SUV on the market right now.

[brijuls1]

Stay away unless you have a good warranty or love to FLUSH $$ down the toilet. We bought new in 2009, rr autobiography, beautiful SUV. Anything you need to do after warranty goes out, $1500, brakes have to be completely redone after 16-18K miles, $1800. Cant just do brake pads like normal SUVS.

We kept until 65K miles, front air bags that lift truck went out, $1600 per bag, 4 on it.

We actually just traded it in for a new Tahoe.

RR we had was super charged so the engine had like 500HP and towed are boats great but has a short wheel base. Anything over 70-75 and it would start to wobble.

Had a Tahoe years ago and loved it, no problems so back in a Tahoe now.

Hope this helps

[saidainc]

we are now looking at an Audi Q7 FYI. Seems like a more reliable vehicle......stay tuned

[85 Barefoot]

we are now looking at an Audi Q7 FYI. Seems like a more reliable vehicle......stay tuned

Be aware that the 2016 Q7 is redesigned completely. The new and used markets for the 1st gen are not representative of the new style coming and will see a significant hit in a few months. IF you're looking at a '16 (doesn't sound like it), I'd love to hear about it though! My understanding is that none have hit our shores yet. The volvo XC90 just got released and that thing is amazing (and cheaper) than sports and Q7s.

[DAI]

Be aware that the 2016 Q7 is redesigned completely. The new and used markets for the 1st gen are not representative of the new style coming and will see a significant hit in a few months. IF you're looking at a '16 (doesn't sound like it), I'd love to hear about it though! My understanding is that none have hit our shores yet. The volvo XC90 just got released and that thing is amazing (and cheaper) than sports and Q7s.

Wish I knew that before getting my wife the QX60 a couple months ago . . . .I absolutely hate that vehicle.

[Sixer]

we are now looking at an Audi Q7 FYI. Seems like a more reliable vehicle......stay tuned

Ever thought about a Lexus GX 460? In that price range of a Q7 you could increase your reliability even more. If you service at Lexus dealer they'll rake you over the coals, but I take mine to Toyota, and they can do the exact same service with exact same fluids for a fraction of the price.

*Example: Brought to Lexus for 30k service. Cost $1250. Brought to Toyota for 60k service. Cost $195. At the 60k service at Toyota they did tell me I don't need to change my front and rear differential fluids (as they would have done again at Lexus) because they are 100k fluids. Funny they wouldn't have said that at the Lexus dealership.......I hate paying for "extras" that are not necessary.

Anyways, long story short, my wife has a Q5, loves it, we don't tow with it (lower tow rating than Q7, I know). My GX 460 tows up to 6500#, no issues. Mileage is around 12 when towing. It's been really reliable, and it's a very comfortable vehicle. 3rd row seating isn't much, but it's there if you need it.

[85 Barefoot]

Wish I knew that before getting my wife the QX60 a couple months ago . . . .I absolutely hate that vehicle.

Really? why? CVT?

[Falko]

My boss's wife has a Q7 TDI. They are nearing 90k on it, been a great vehicle for them overall. No real issues to speak of. They do not tow with it though.

[DAI]

Really? why? CVT?

A few thing for me (all IMO): CVT, steering is numb, dash layout and electronic features are not layed out logically in the center stack, seats lack adjustment, lots of body roll in corners, paint seams fragile . . . Just to name a few. The wife is somewhere between likes it and indifferent. Luckily it's her daily driver, but I dread driving it on the weekends.

[ejj]

Neighbors have a new XC90. It is BEAUTIFUL inside and out. I don't know about towing though.

[nyryan2001]

If I were to be $50k into a high quality SUV for towing(under 7000lbs or whatever it is)... It'd be the Sequoia with the 5.7L for 300k+ miles of trouble free ownership.....

A close 2nd for me would be the Expedition with the Ecoboost.

Edited September 26, 2015 by nyryan2001

[dbrayton1]

I've owned several land rovers over the years. The model years where they used the 4.4 bmw engines and lots of other BMW components were the most unreliable in my experience. Quality increased dramatically with the Ford and now TATA ownership. I have a 2011 LR4 with the Jaguar 5.0 v8 and tow my 23 LSV without any issues. 56k miles on it so far and it goes in the shop once a year for the annual service.

BTW, anyone that says the Range Rover Sport is an overpriced Ford obviously hasn't been in one.

Edited September 26, 2015 by dbrayton1

[Diesel86]

Always liked the look of these, thought one would look pretty good pulling the VLX, had one on the list of possibles for my next tow vehicle, until I saw one pulling a caravan just now...

[85 Barefoot]

If I were to be $50k into a high quality SUV for towing(under 7000lbs or whatever it is)... It'd be the Sequoia with the 5.7L for 300k+ miles of trouble free ownership.....

A close 2nd for me would be the Expedition with the Ecoboost.

While many people have great experiences with Toyotas for sure, its not like they're always perfect. We had a Land Cruiser that was the most problematic and expensive to operate vehicle we've ever had. $5000 electronic issue at 50,000 miles...on a $70,000 truck. Is that Range Rover bad? Dunno. But it was bad enough I can't bring myself back into a toyota dealership to look at any new offerings.

Ecoboost a nice engine in the expy, but interior is from the 90s. We looked at them recently and to get one with good options you're WELL into the mid-60s with nary a soft touch panel in sight and a dash that looks like hardened elephant snot. Very easy decision to go GM full size after looking at that pricing although with the new redesign and 10 speed tranny in 2 years, expy might be a hit.

[oldjeep]

Ever thought about a Lexus GX 460?

Decent tow rig, especially with the air suspension. My dad had a GX470 that I used a couple times to tow his big sail of a pontoon and after someone rear ended the GX470 last year at 55MPH he bought a GX460. The newer GX460 doesn't ride/tow as nice as his old one since he didn't spring for the air suspension this time.

Aside from the incident with the 3/4 ton plow truck he hasn't had any issues with either one

Edited September 29, 2015 by oldjeep

[85 Barefoot]

Decent tow rig, especially with the air suspension. My dad had a GX470 that I used a couple times to tow his big sail of a pontoon and after someone rear ended the GX470 last year at 55MPH he bought a GX460. The newer GX460 doesn't ride/tow as nice as his old one since he didn't spring for the air suspension this time.

Aside from the incident with the 3/4 ton plow truck he hasn't had any issues with either one

eh, the current GX is 7 years old, and uses an engine that is almost precisely like the UZ 4.7 litre that debuted in Toyota trucks in 1998! Yes, the current engine is the UR, but even that debuted 10 years ago. 301 hp, 329 lb feet at 3500 RPM, and just 15/20 mpgs are hardly impressive numbers. The plebian Tahoe, as nice as it now is, bests it in fuel economy and has 20% more power, torque, and towing. Yes, lexus uses a full time AWD system but that further sucks the responsiveness. I don't see a range rover sport/ q 7 buyer cross shopping with the very "mature" GX, as nice as it is. Frankly, pretty shocking to me that LExus manages to move these things for well, well, into the 60s when it uses an outdated engine and you get better numbers from essentially every other premium SUV out there, let alone a tahoe.

[saidainc]

An American SUV (yes, even a Tahoe) is not even on my wifes radar. We have had soooo many issues with domestic vehicles in the past, we will be sticking with either Japanese or European platforms.

That being said, we are hoping since Audi has redesigned the Q7 this year that they will drop the price on their older models a bit.

[85 Barefoot]

An American SUV (yes, even a Tahoe) is not even on my wifes radar. We have had soooo many issues with domestic vehicles in the past, we will be sticking with either Japanese or European platforms.

That being said, we are hoping since Audi has redesigned the Q7 this year that they will drop the price on their older models a bit.

So now you're only looking at cars that are American made?

j/k

Sounds good and hope she likes it.

[TGiles]

I tow my 2011 VLX with a 2010 RR Sport...5.0 V8 with 70k miles. Never had a problem with it...maintenance is no different than owning any other luxury European vehicle. Plenty of power... for me at least. As someone else mentioned, airbag system levels out the ride. I have no complaints.. Goodluck to you

[Lance B. Johnson]

An American SUV (yes, even a Tahoe) is not even on my wifes radar. We have had soooo many issues with domestic vehicles in the past, we will be sticking with either Japanese or European platforms.

That being said, we are hoping since Audi has redesigned the Q7 this year that they will drop the price on their older models a bit.

go japanese then. You won't do better with Audi (coming from a guy that owns one).

Now, I don't know how your dealership is but my local Audi dealership and the factory warranty were awesome. So yes it breaks, and yes its easy to get it fixed. So does that mean its worth it? IMHO if you feel the difference in the way they drive (compared to Japanese or american) then yes it can be worth it. BUT some people don't appreciate the way a car drives, and in that case just go Japanese and save the headache of trips to the dealer.

[BSUBU_Kris]

I have been considering getting a RR Sport with the new diesel. They say it is a little different than the one they have been using in Europe. Little skeptical not only on the first year for the diesel but the brand in general. Would be my daily driver so I want something that is as comfortable as a car to drive. Sounds like the newer model years might be more reliable.