Jeep Grand Cherokee or VW Touareg

Yep, Thanks OT.
They are talking late next year if not 2011 release here. All new engine as well, much better fuel economy but am always shy of the 'first' of a new model range.
Cheers

Good point, although it looks like the GC will be based on the ML 320 so it's not all new really.

If you are looking at this segment, which I have been doing too then you should throw the Audi Q7 and LR Discovery 4 into the mix. Disco 4 for mine.

Buy a Toyota?

I couldn't afford the loss of reputation with my neighbours.

Skull

Be very careful regarding towball weight with the Mercedes MLs.

They do not have a proper chassis like the Toyota's and Nissans and have been known to "bend".

Peter
HXJ 105 n/a Auto

SMB Prado can't tow 3.5 t I think they are only rated 2.5t

Hi Secret Mens Business,
No, not after swish or trying to impress anyone. Have had all my 4wd drive experience in basic units and been most places in them. Just after a bit more comfort now I am doing less serious 4wding. Its all about what you need it for. Jeep would have better offroad capabilities than a ml320 I would have imagined. Havent heard a lot of great thing things either about the v8 td in the cruiser. The choice is pretty narrow, Prado wont even look at towing 3.5t. As i said, its all about requirements and personal preference, not wank value.
Ta
Mike

Hi Mikey, I understand your thinking but I still think you are making the wrong conclusions. Here's how I see for your choices:

1. You mention the GC would have better off road capabilities than a ML320, yes perhaps, but then you mention the V8TD Cruiser and not having heard great things about them, IMO it's a misnoma to mention Grand Cherokee and Landcruiser in the same breath, whether or not you've heard great things is irrelevant, the cruiser is lightyears ahead of the Cherokee and Toureg in things that matter, that is unquestioned reliability and capability, the 2 things you need most.

2. The Cruiser is still king, don't fool yourself into thinking a GC or VW can come along and take that crown with bells and whistles, the Cruiser earned it's reputation over a long period of proving itself time and time again, nobody else has come close to earning that reputation, in reliability and capability.

3. If you prefer the style, comfort features of a GC or Toureg thats ok, it's your choice, it's what makes you happy, but I would buy the Cruiser time and time again, forget the niggly comments you've heard, it's still a Landcruiser and a bloody good one. For towing 3.5 Tonnes, the TD is miles ahead of the other 2 and it has fixed price service levels up until 100,000kms of thereabouts.

In summary I think the Cruiser has suffered from small niggly criticisms but thats to be expected when you are the top selling benchmark, nobody has said yes the Cruiser has been king all these years and now it isn't, their simply saying I don't like this feature or that one, none of them are killers for the cruisers reputation IMO.

As far as motors go Toyato are still catching up, the Touareg V6 3.0 has 176 KWs and 550 NMs, the V10 standard is 235 KWs and 750 NMs the R50 has 258 KWs and 850 NMs. Maybe he is after some decent power.

yeah right..! The Cruiser has 650NM at 1600Rpm. Thats serious towing power at such low rpm, virtually off idle! Thats decent power by anyones standards matey..!

Isuzumu you should save your post for the Friday funnies, the Toyato as you call it (Toyota) has plenty of low down grunt, scary to some according to my sources. Yeah maybe he needs some decent power, yeah ok whatever you reckon.! LOL

For give me for spelling Toyo wrong mush have been a bit quick on the keys, anyway did I unset a couple of Toyo owners......now 850 NMs is serious pulling power it's like "now that a knife" Hoges. Oh and nothing goes to wrong with the Toyota's what about the front diff in the 100 series. Plus I believe the org poster was asking about the GC or Touareg. Oh and as you can see it's Touareg not Toureg.

I'd like "Horacehighroller" to link me to some proof to show that Nissans Bend.. I've just about had enough of this heresay Crap. Has anyone ever seen any 4wd bend from towing? I haven't. I own a Pajero. There was a story going around where if you snatched a Pajero out of stuck situation, the body stretched. One of the magazines took up the challenge to try and prove the myth and sure enough, just another made up story. As far as the Toyota being the "King" when was the last time you saw a Toyota win the Dakar Rally?

You know, All 4wd's have their strengths and weaknesses, Nissan, unfortunately, has more Weaknesses than strengths, but I have never ever seen one bend. It's like a story I heard a few years back about someone hooking up a winch cable from the front, under the vehicle and hooked it to the Tow Bar and then activated the winch. This supposidly bent the 4wd into a Bananna. Give me a break...

Mikey65, are you serious - you have discounted the cruiser V8 TTD as ".. Havent heard a lot of great thing things either about the v8 td in the cruiser..." yet you are looking at a Grand Cherokee or Touareg???

May I suggest you do some more research on these vehicle from people who actually own them rather than the mostly "my friends brothers dad got one and has ... problem" that tends to abound on this forum.

Ok, I am a bit biased, but even so, with the limited info you have stated about what criteria you want, you seem to be doing yourself a disservice with your current list of contenders.

Cheers

Captain

I can't believe the stuff I read here, he's gotta buy a Touareg because it's got 850NM of torque and when was the last time Toyota won the Dakar rally, plse you guys, you are full of it.

One vehicle has earned a timeless reputation for reliability and capabiliy in this country, and thats Toyota. You'll never see a VW or GC in the middle of the outback, why is that? And the dakar rally is not about standard off the shelf vehicles, what a load of crap.

Toyota sells more vehicles in this country than anyone else, oh and why is that? So Mikey you make up your own mind and buy what pleases you the most, but don't discount Toyota due to the ridiculous comments you read by some of the people in these forums.

Yes it's all open to opinion and I love it, wouldn't have it any other way, but VW's with 850NM and Dakar rallys you guys really know how to spin the cow crap..! LOL

Thanks Captain,
Thats the great thing about these forums, everyone has an opinion.
Its a matter of sorting them out into relevant, biased or just outright blindingly passionate about their own vehicle. All opinions are helpfull. Thanks for your input and I did note your catch phrase was relevant to this post,
"Its not what you drive, but how you drive it!" :)
Cheers
Mike

L.O.L Terrafirma, some good points.

Yep, I think most of that 850Nm of torque would be wasted on me.

You are right, it is up to you what you want the vehicle for. I have done the deserts and the muddy treks through the mountains etc. All I want this one for is comfort on the highway, ability to get up the beach and a tow vehicle that will do 3.5t. Am giving the Dakar a miss for the next few years :)

Not ashamed to say 90% of my driving now is on the black stuff, although if I could win the lotto and reverse that I, wouldn't be having this discussion. It would be a cruiser all the way, even if only 50% of my driving was dirt or offroad touring, but its not.
Cheers
Mike

The reason I Mentioned the Dakar Rally was not to prove one way or another that a Pajero was any better than any other 4wd. It was just a sidenote really. But as usual, some twirp has to come along and make a big DEAL out of it.

I guess about 70% of my driving is on Bitumin, seeing as that makes a difference to some people. So? If you only drove off road fevery now and then you'd want to make sure you vehicle could handle it without blowing a piston or losing a wheel. (Hmmm, Blowing a piston. Sounds familiar.. Nissan, Maybe?)

Seeing as you like to mention Toyota Reliability can you please mention that reliability to all the people who do indeed have reliability issues with their Toyota's? Namely front Diffs, Transfer cases, you know, where the Oil Drains from one to the other. Just little things, I know. But I know it can ruin a good days outing...

I've had Toyota's, Nissans, Hyundai's and I even owned a Lada once. I currently own a Jeep Cherokee and a Pajero and I like both. They both drive good and they both do what they were designed to do. Just the Pajero does it a little more Comfortably. I've had to replace the Diff Bearings in the Jeep but other than that, the little 2.5ltr Diesel just keeps on going.

So, let the Bashing begin again.. Doesn't worry me much because I actually know what I'm talking about whereas you others don't seem too...

BTW: Some of what's learned from the Dakar Rally actually trickles down into the vehicles that do make it to the showrooms.

Hear hear 70amcjavelinsst. All I ever hear on this site about Jeeps is 99% rubbish from people who have never owned one.

I've had 2 and never had ANY issues with either of them. Jeeps Quadra Drive II is way in front of what a Landcruiser or Nissan has to offer that's why you hear their owners putting airlockers on them.

Jeeps are not expensive to service.

Check out the ausjeepoffroad site you get answers from people who own them not from people who haven't got a clue.

Mikey65 my advice to you is take each vehicle you are considering for test drive.