Looking for a used SUV for the wife. Price will be around $20- 22K

Choices:

LR3
Mercedes M Class
Mercedes R Class
Audi Q7
BMW X5

Which year LR3 is the year to stay away from? I own an O3' D2 and know about the maintenance on it. Not up to date on any LR3's.

 

Get the X5 and save yourself some maintenance $....unless your wife is gonna wheel it!

 

X5s keep me busy, if you know what I mean...

Its great to set a budget to buy, but make sure you also set a budget to repair. People make the mistake into thinking that because they purchased the car for $20K, means maint/repair is inline with a $20K car. When in fact, your still going to pay as if it was a $75K car. Anything could break on any one of those cars listed, and all have the ability to be very expensive.

A factory steering gear for the Mercedes ML is $1600 to put into perspective...

 

She wants a third row and ruled out the traditional 'Mini Van'. An extended warranty is a topic discussed. I read a lot of owner surveys rating from positive to negative. The negatives were out of pocket expenses such as what you just stated.

Mercedes M series- no third row
X5- no third row
R350- reputation as a maintenance vehicle
LR3- electric gremlins, worst MPG of the bunch, etc.
Q7- heavy, gas hog

Personally I would go with a German make over the L.R. then again with a used vehicle anything is possible maintenance wise. And so I am using Car Fax to watch service history, etc. as a benchmark.

Still need to know what year LR3 to stay away from... I'm guessing 05' since it was the first change? Time for more research...

 

here's the maint. list for a LR3. IMHO you would want a vehicle that had been maintained at the "arduous" schedule, and get the diffs done, I don't like 10 year or 150,000 mile coolant and diff oils, and sealed for life transmissions. With a curb weight of 5800 pounds, "nimble" and "great mpg" are not going to come to mind. However, crumple zone does. Here's a pix of a D2. Mass matters.

 

If a useable third row is near the top of the list then you are whittled down to either a LR3 or Mercedes GL. The rest are a joke (looking at you X5 and Q7). We use all 7 of our LR3's seats and it still amazes me with it's flexibility. The individual folding third row (and second row for that matter) makes a huge difference. While the cargo room is very limited with all 7 seats deployed all one has to do is fold one seat and voila! The ability to carry 6 people and all their stuff.

I have spent a lot of seat time in the Q7 and feel very clausterphobic in the squishy sausage like interior. I like the diesel though.


If a 7 seat SUV is on your list I suggest you also check out the:

1) Volvo XC90 (dated but the third row is 1/2 decent)
2) Honda Pilot (Not as fancy schmancy as the LR3 but big and reliable)

 

She was bent on getting something different as she lives through my D2 repairs. We are excited as I started out in the car scene-

83' BMW 320i (owned)
92' VW Corrado G60 (owned)
93' VW Corrado VR6- Modified heavily... was in VW Trends & Perf. VW mags (owned)
99' Z71 Silverado 4x4 (lease)
99' BMW M Coupe (owned)
01' BMW M Coupe (owned)
03' Toyota Tundra (lease) Pre kids
03' D2 HSE7- (owned) Post kids/ took over from wife and modified (continued process)

Note- We decided on a 07' R320 CDI Diesel. Clean Carfax report. It has the size of an SUV and the drivability of a car with the wide wheel span. The torque curve is huge! Better MPG but cost of diesel will factor into equation. It will offer me the opportunity to relive some of my car days. I then can continue with my D2 fun! She needed something closer to the ground for the Mother-in-law and the third row for the kids. In addition to the amount of driving her territory with her new job.

 

The R is an interesting choice. I bet the driving dynamics are awesome but I wouldn't want to have to deal with the huge rear doors. Whoever designed those never considered hauling children. Try swinging those open to access the third row in a crowded parking lot...

I always though the R should have sliding side doors. Have fun.

 

Yeah, I heard about that being a huge inconvenience and watched it on Youtube. Sounds like advanced planning in parking lots. Still more excited to drive it and feel the torque and AWD. For such a long wheel base it's gotten great reviews for handling. Probably more car than SUV as I won't be taking that offroad. The wide doors on the side will be challenging but I personally think sliding doors on it would be interesting... maybe the Germans will eventually consider it. It's that fine line is it more car or SUV?

 

I would call the R a wagon and a good one at that. I went through a wagon period (Passat, Audi A4, Volvo V70R) and I much prefer the LR3 for family duty. The R is good because it is a few inches taller than a low slung wagon. Your elderly passengers and back (slinging kids into the seats) will thank you. I for one am done with low slung wagons but would consider something slightly lifted (Volvo XC70, Mercedes R, A4 Allroad).

Height also means not hanging the front air dam on every parking block (curse you Volvo)


Have fun with your wagon. If I was keeping the DII I would have made the same choice.