Other vehicles considered?

Hi all. Just got rid of my '06 X3. Picking up '11 LR4 this afternoon. These two vehicles aren't really comparable in class but I was just curious if anyone else had a big discrepancy in the vehicles they were contemplating. Loved my X3. Didn't have any of the transmission nightmares that so many had to deal with. Just needed a bigger truck. Thought about the X3 but just wasn't going to be big enough. Not a huge fan of the X5. Have seen a few of the new X3's out on the roads around me in NOVA. Is it living up to expectations?

You dont know nightmares until you experience what you are about to with Land Rover...Good luck and see you back here in a few years!!!

If you can hang on until the OEM warranty expires be SURE you get whatever extended warranty the dealer offers!

My neighbor ownes a landrover SUV and I can't tell you how many times I've seen it being hauled away on a flat bed truck for service. Did you look at its reliability before you bought it? Just curious.

I had a LR3 and enjoyed a very close relationship with my service advisor. I enjoyed a lot of quality time with him. Ours was a long distance relationship ( I lived 2 hours form the nearest dealership) and it was unforgettable! We split up before the new car smell went away.

My HSE went from it's final warranty claim right to the MB dealer to be traded in.
It was sad though, when it ran well, the BMW engineering shined through and it was a joy to drive. I still think the HSE design is one of the most timeless, sexy bodies produced today. They still turn my head....!!

Give the guy a break ! Hope you enjoy the LR4 for a long time!

I considered both the MB GLK and the Porsche Cayenne before I got the new X3. Had 2 previous X3s and thought I needed a change. The GLK turned out to be too small for my needs so I eliminated it. Was serious about the Cayenne but they have a similar problem to the X3 - it's a new model in demand so I had to custom order it. It would take 3 months and cost 25 K in options. Then I went to see the new X3 and "fell in love". The larger size helped considerably!

So here I am - so far so good! No apparent problems and am happy with the decision.

congrats on the lr4. Always loved the tough land rover looks and off road ability. I actually wanted another infiniti and looked at the ex35 before ordering the x3. It was way small in comparison. I don't think it's even in the same class based on size. I also looked at the glk, was not impressed, small and the gas mileage is atrocious. Audi q5 was also on my list but I didn't want the turbo 4 and the 3.2 didn't provide enough thrust, the x3 just struck the sweet spot for me.

Before doing the "X3 difference event" I was convinced I was getting the Q5...that is until I went from drivnig the q5 3.2 right into the X3 35i, and the "difference" was so extreme I was actually shocked. The 2.0 Q5 appealed to me b/c the gas mileage can do very well, however when I thought about it, when spending 45K+ on a car, a few hundred bucks extra a year in gas shoudl not be whate drives the decision...hence my decision to get the 35i.

In the end here's what I didn't like about the Q5 (both 3.2 and 2.0)

-Overall sight not as goot as X3..I felt like the doors were too high obstructiing left/right vision, and I could not see in front as well
-6 speed (on 3.2) punchy. 8 speed (on 2.0) was smooth but with the engine only having 210 HP I didn't feel like it was matched well to the tranny
- steering was too heavy...and I mean really heavy...it provided good road feel when moving fast, however slower turns were annoying
-the interior was VERY luxurious however I found it very busy...
- NAV on Audis SUCK!!! And I mean SUCK compared to BMW
-and the big thing.....to me it was a forgettable drive...I got out of the 3.2 saying, ok that was fine...but got out of the x3 saying... I HAVE TO DRIVE MORE

Originally Posted by kumarg

congrats on the lr4. Always loved the tough land rover looks and off road ability. I actually wanted another infiniti and looked at the ex35 before ordering the x3. It was way small in comparison. I don't think it's even in the same class based on size. I also looked at the glk, was not impressed, small and the gas mileage is atrocious. Audi q5 was also on my list but I didn't want the turbo 4 and the 3.2 didn't provide enough thrust, the x3 just struck the sweet spot for me.

I also drove the Q5 3.2 and the GLK before the X3 came out. No comparison for me, the X3 wins hands down. The GLK would have been a distant second (no fun, felt heavy, plasticy to me); and the Q way back, just nothing to make you feel good there IMO.

I had an '07 MB ML diesel, the new X3 blows it away with features, standard equipment and overall fit and finish. The MB was a solid $10k more than the X3....at this point I would chalk that up to additional manufacturers profit!

The ML was redone in '09 and is supposed to be a much better "fit and finished" unit now, however one never knows. The ML really competes against the X5/Cayenne/FX50 group, one size up from the X3. Although the new upsized X3 is closing the size gap. The T-egg is actually closer to the X3 now than the ML price wise but is still about $7K more with similar equipment.

I took the ML350 for a little spin right after the GLK. It's definitely a plush vehicle. I specifically recall sitting down in the cockpit and going "aaahhh" -- it was definitely comfy - and its an all around smoothe ride, little dull, but thats fairly common amognst the MB fleet, especially for THE soccer mom vehicle. You know what a pet peeve is that I actually hate - its that damn shift lever on the side of the steering wheel, as they removed in from the center console area. I have no where to put my other hand!

Originally Posted by mole7374

Before doing the "X3 difference event" I was convinced I was getting the Q5...that is until I went from drivnig the q5 3.2 right into the X3 35i, and the "difference" was so extreme I was actually shocked. The 2.0 Q5 appealed to me b/c the gas mileage can do very well, however when I thought about it, when spending 45K+ on a car, a few hundred bucks extra a year in gas shoudl not be whate drives the decision...hence my decision to get the 35i.

In the end here's what I didn't like about the Q5 (both 3.2 and 2.0)

-Overall sight not as goot as X3..I felt like the doors were too high obstructiing left/right vision, and I could not see in front as well
-6 speed (on 3.2) punchy. 8 speed (on 2.0) was smooth but with the engine only having 210 HP I didn't feel like it was matched well to the tranny
- steering was too heavy...and I mean really heavy...it provided good road feel when moving fast, however slower turns were annoying
-the interior was VERY luxurious however I found it very busy...
- NAV on Audis SUCK!!! And I mean SUCK compared to BMW
-and the big thing.....to me it was a forgettable drive...I got out of the 3.2 saying, ok that was fine...but got out of the x3 saying... I HAVE TO DRIVE MORE

Like you the X3 event opened my eyes.
Don’t get me wrong, the Audi is a fine car, but going back to back with the new X3 really convinced me that the X3 was the car for me.

Aside from the handling difference between the two, I found the wind noise from the sunroof (closed position) in the Audi much too loud.

I test drove all 3 as well (GLK, Q5 and X3) before deciding on the X3...
GLK: very luxurious, but the engineering to make all those features user friendly, was a shame. If you compare the X3 dashboard to a GLK, you think you are sitting in a spaceshuttle (GLK) with a lot of complications... The X3 on the other hand, provides a simple, yet pretty advanced design. Now that's engineering!!!
I also think the GLK is too boxy and Mercedes is losing track of its designs and series.
The Q5 on the other hand ranked higher compared to GLK... (again, very much to do with personal opinion and taste as well). Although enjoying a fine quality, it however lacked the joy of driving and agility. Very heavy and doesn't live up to expectations...
So the X3 was the one I selected fairly easy...

Reliability problems and questionable build quality would have me running far far away from any Land Rover. Just look back at the history of the brand in general. Yikes! Somehow Car and Driver ranked it ahead of the Lexus GX460 in a recent comparo though, but only because the Lexus was boring to drive.

Hey if you like it, that is all that matters. I have purchased more than my fair share of garbage just because I liked it. But I have never owned garbage for long...

Funny, no one has mentioned it....We (I) actually put the lobby on for a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Summit. I was in Fla in January and rented a brand spakin new Limited and really liked it. Wife drove one and decided it was too big for what we needed th car for.
NEVER was a fan of previous generation GC's but the new generation one is pretty nice, especially the interior.

Yes, I considered a few other BMW models before deciding to replace my E90 with the F25.