Abouta year ago, we replaced my wife's MDX with an Audi Q7. We considered the LR3 but the suspension faults, gas tank recall, leaky roofs, transmission clunks and long delays in getting parts scared us away. The Q7 is an awesome vehicle, especially on the road in winter but it isn't that great in sand when driving on a nearby beach. Audi skipped the locking rear differential that is on the Touareg & Cayenne. So, we may revisit the LR3 to replace the Q7. I imagine by now that many of the old issues have been resolved. So, 2007 owners, are you happy with your LR3? Thank you for the feedback![/align]

 

I drive an 06. I have had some very minor issues that were fixed in single shop visits. Loud clunk comming from the front when turning full left or full right, the hood not properly adjusted causedone cornerto pop open on is own (fixed that myself) all found and fixedright at time of purchase. Otherwise, it has been a pleasure to drive for the past year. And it would be proper to point out that I am a full time soldier. My job requires several trips during the year to some of the nastiest off-road conditions found in the country as part of normal military trainning and I make it a point to take my LR3 along anytime I can. I just returned from one such trip in which I drove for 4 days in conditions that would better be described as a BAHA race and I do this frequently. So far in the first year of ownership, flawless performance.

Unfortunately, the people who usualy take the time to post about reliability are the ones who have had problems with them. Of the hundreds of thousand LR3 owners world wide, you will find the faithfull disatisfied lemon owners all too willing to tell you how bad it is. The mayority of the rest of us happy owners don't bother to stop and post because we are too busy enjoying our rides.

I can only speak from experience. One year, plenty of serious off-road use, totally pleased!

 

Thanks for the feedback Jantiz. I know what you mean...these forums become complaint centers and nobody posts about "another day of trouble-free driving". If the LR3 can go through Baha conditions, I can feel comfortable having my wife and kids take it to the beach without getting stuck. We don't have much beach driving confidence in the Q7 at this point.

 

Do remember that the stock tires on the LR3 are meant for highway use. Take them on sugar sand on the beach and I wouldn't guarrantee their performance. All the latest off-road technology found in the LR3 means squat if the tires can not grip the terrain they are on. I would sugest changing the Goodyear Wrangler HP that come from factory for Goodyear Wrangler Silent Armor. My reasons for liking that particular tire are explained in rather lenghty detail at the tire section. Also , if going to the beach is a common use of the truck, I would also advise you to stay away from the 19" wheels. They are nice looking but meant for low profile tire use which is totaly useless off road. Get the LR3 with factory 18" wheels and put 265/60/18 Silent Armors on that baby and you can rest for sure your family willcome back withmany stories about what happened at the beach, except the one about how they got it stuck .

 

Jantiz, I'm right with you. Our Q7 came with20" low profile tires and it got stuck with those tires. I now have 18" General Grabber AT2all-terrain tires on the Q7 and it is doing better. I just wish Audi had included the locking rear differential that is on the Cayenne when they built the Q7.