Range Rover Sport ...mmm
Submitted: Thursday, Dec 07, 2006 at 23:21
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Member - Captain (WA)
Went for a drive in a diesel Range Rover Sport today, what a beast. I thought my 3.0TD GU went
well, but compared to the RR it wasn't even in the same ballpark power wise - and that's from a 2.7TD. Hard to believe the sheer amount of power/torque available from such a small capacity turbo diesel.
Then I played with the height control, put it on max and drove off only to have it automatically lowered as I exceeded the max speed for the height - computer control looking after me! The white leather captain's seats, luxurious fittings etc... are worthy of a true luxury vehicle.
But when I asked how it went off-road I got laughed at and told "you don't take a vehicle like this off-road!!!" Oh
well, I suppose the traction control might earn its keep on slippery wet bitumen. I reckon this vehicle is arguably one of the most off-road capable vehicle straight off the dealers lot, yet unfortunately I reckon you could count on one hand the number that would actually go off the bitumen. And then, with that sheer amount of electronics, would you trust it (and that's coming from a happy GU 3.0TD owner!!!)
Cheers
Captain
Reply By: Cannon - Thursday, Dec 07, 2006 at 23:24
Thursday, Dec 07, 2006 at 23:24
There's plenty of videos going around of these things off-road. They do extremely
well, even with road tyres.
But the money you have to pay for them at the present, I wouldn't risk it off road, and then have Land Rover deny any warranty claims because, heaven forbid, its been off road.
But by crikey, I'd love one.
Chris
AnswerID:
209213
Follow Up By: garrycol - Friday, Dec 08, 2006 at 10:46
Friday, Dec 08, 2006 at 10:46
There is of course the celebrated case of a Prado (under warranty) that busted a rear diff outback and the warranty claim was knocked back by Toyota because they claaimed the vehicle was not meant for offroad use.
In Landrover's case - I am sure like all manufacturers they would try a weasle out of any warranty claim but 'using the vehicle'offroad' would not be one of them - how can they - they only build offroad vehicles -
Re the comment form the salesman - what dealership doesn't have W$$%k#r sales people who shoot themselves in the foot - of course the RRS is meant to go offroad - no different to the other manufacturers top shelve offerings. I am sure the Lexus whatever is no less capable than a 100 series GXL but cost twice as much. No different with Landrovers.
Garry
FollowupID:
469247
Follow Up By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Friday, Dec 08, 2006 at 16:57
Friday, Dec 08, 2006 at 16:57
Similar story for an early 80 series LC.
A few of went to the
cape york in 1990, one friend with a new 80 series. 4000k on the clock. Only did the known roads to
the tip. By the time we got bac kto
Cairns, sway bar mount broke, dash only had 3 screws left holding it in, radiator almost came loose, and a few other things. He went to the toyota dealer in
Cairns on the way back with 10,000k odd on the clock and was told the LC was not covered by warranty since he had been to the cape, which was off road. But that was why he bought the LC80! Argument with Toyota went on for a while.
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Muzzgit [WA] - Thursday, Dec 07, 2006 at 23:34
Thursday, Dec 07, 2006 at 23:34
The guys from TOP GEAR did some testing "British style" and found it to be quite good.
4WD monthly did some testing last year [not the cape test] of the normal RR [not the sport] and it walked thru everything put infront of it and left every other car in the test for dead.
In 2005 it won 4X4 of the year in every Australian magazine, and almost every European magazine.
Electronics are it's downfall, yet electronics are what make it so good.
AnswerID:
209214
Follow Up By: Member - Captain (WA) - Thursday, Dec 07, 2006 at 23:47
Thursday, Dec 07, 2006 at 23:47
I have read 2 aussie off-road tests now on the series 3 discovery and they were blitzing the competition, until the electronics failed. Have also read heaps on the net from over in GB about the sheer number of electronic issues, including how some owners of the early version models had them replaced with a later model as a fix. Makes the series II GU3.0TD issues seem minor! While I love the specs of the Discovery/RR, just cannot convince myself the electronics are reliable enough yet.
Cheers
Captain
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: garrycol - Friday, Dec 08, 2006 at 10:51
Friday, Dec 08, 2006 at 10:51
Hey Captain I think your point on the Aussie tests is not quite accurate - for sure I think one vehicle did have major issues but the others were realatively minor - the I have a problem lights came on and after switch off and switching back on most fixed themselves. Those that did not were still able to drive with some minor issues but were not car stoppers.
Garry
FollowupID:
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Reply By: F4Phantom - Friday, Dec 08, 2006 at 00:04
Friday, Dec 08, 2006 at 00:04
the new bmw x5 3.0L diesel has 220kw and 560NM!!! Thats more nm than the 6.0L v8 holden! Talk about diesels kicking the hell out of piece of crap petrols.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - MUZBRY (VIC) - Friday, Dec 08, 2006 at 07:28
Friday, Dec 08, 2006 at 07:28
Can you imagine the rebuild cost when it is out of warranty
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Reply By: Gronk - Friday, Dec 08, 2006 at 09:17
Friday, Dec 08, 2006 at 09:17
Know of someone who regularly takes his offroad ( runs full mud tryes ) and it performs better than any normal 4x4 that I know of !!
Has a selector button for all different types of terrain, even one for
rock crawling that automatically disengages the sway bars and pumps it up to full height !!!
Nearly all 4x4's have electronics these days, this one just has a bit more than normal, but wouldn't like to be paying for it if it broke down though !!!!!
AnswerID:
209239
Reply By: Outlaw13 - Friday, Dec 08, 2006 at 10:10
Friday, Dec 08, 2006 at 10:10
We haven't got any RR Sports in the club as yet but we do have a couple range rover vogues and discovery 3's (all top of the range with every bell and whistle) and they perform beautifully offroad... the tyres obviously let them down at times as only just bringing out alternatives for those size rims but in the dry and mild wet are brilliant.
The
hill decent has them crawling like a 30% low range reduction gear and the traction control and systems on these i think would push them around 80% of
places a double-locked vehicle would be able to go.
Cheers
Outlaw
Gold Coast Land Rover Owners
AnswerID:
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Reply By: Redback - Friday, Dec 08, 2006 at 13:02
Friday, Dec 08, 2006 at 13:02
Hey Captain have a look at this, this compilation i made has Bens RRS getting a bit of air watch right through there's 2 bits of him.
I couldn't find the single file.
COMPILATION WITH RRS
Baz.
AnswerID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Captain (WA) - Friday, Dec 08, 2006 at 15:48
Friday, Dec 08, 2006 at 15:48
Thanks Baz, nice little compilation. The RR certainly seems to go
well, will be interesting to see how all the electronics survive long term as I am sure there are many like myself who like the Discovery/RR but just not too sure about reliability long term.
Cheers
Captain
FollowupID:
469279
Follow Up By: garrycol - Friday, Dec 08, 2006 at 17:26
Friday, Dec 08, 2006 at 17:26
Hey Captn - I would be more worried about the long term reliability of the engine in that nice lookin truck of yours than the electrics of the D3 or RRS. I would bet my left - you know what - that the next versions of the Toyo product and the all new Patrol will probably have just as much electrics in them as the D3 and RRS - Landrover was just the first.
Garry
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Captain (WA) - Friday, Dec 08, 2006 at 18:02
Friday, Dec 08, 2006 at 18:02
Hi garrycol,
The GU 3.0TD has been around for nearly 6 years now and we all know the problems the first ones had. Nissan upgraded the engine and for the last ~4 years its had very good reliability IMHO.
But the point is, the D3/RRS are in their first generation and after reading some pommy websites, they have more electronics problems than the GU motor ever did (if you believe the web???). Now I am comfortable with the series III 3.0TD reliability (nothing is ever 100% reliable) but just not sure about the D3/RRS. I know there are heaps of owners who don't have a problem, but there are also more than a handful who do. How do you make sure you are in the group who don't have a problem, especially if you want to go off-road?
But one thing I definitely agree on, all vehicles are getting more electronics and we will never again see the day where a diesel could run without a working battery or do a
water crossing and not worry about
water in the electronics.
Cheers
Captain
FollowupID:
469308
Reply By: stevesub - Friday, Dec 08, 2006 at 17:34
Friday, Dec 08, 2006 at 17:34
My step son has a Supercharged V8 Rangie Sport - that is a beast. Talk about performance off the line or anywhere else in the rev range. It just goes. Handling and braking is also out of this world. There is not much that can keep up with it unless you talk about the big hp BMW's, Merc's, etc and nothing that is 4WD and can be driven off road if required.
He has not tried it off road yet as he has not had the time but it should be OK if you can keep your foot off the accelerator. Makes our 2000 model Rangie Vogue with all the bells and whistles feel like a slug on marshmellow springs.
Stevesub
AnswerID:
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Reply By: dizzy - Saturday, Dec 09, 2006 at 01:19
Saturday, Dec 09, 2006 at 01:19
I read with intrest the comments comimg through regarding the new RRSport come L/rover. A very good friend has a 05, 3litre Patrol and has already had it back for numerous problems including electronics another, has a 04 Land cruiser who cannot run his aircon over 36 degres as it over heats. Look at the Toyotas with their bonnets up on the freeways etc. on a stinking hot day.In actual fact when all is said and done L/Rover is no worse than any other 4x4.
All the scribes live in the past and talk about the past they cannot think in the present . A case not long ago there was a
test on a landy and another .Both had a problem or two. The Landy had it tyres changed for a non standed size [for that model] as the people didn't like the tread pattern and it played up. Computers sense averything no matter what vehicle.
TD5 Owner
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