D
DesertDJ
Guest
After months of ignoring the LR3 and discounting it as ugly, I'm a changed man. My first truck every was a '96 Disco and I really liked that truck. Never had any major mechanical problems. I grew to love it in that quirky British way... I bought my wife a new'98 Range Rover (thankfully I leased it) and all we had were problems. By 18,000 miles the block had blown. It was in the shop for 50% of its 36 month lease. I sold the Disco in '99 and bought a new Hummer H1. The most awesome off-roader. Too big for many fire trail out here in AZ and CA but I just drove over obstacles that others had to place tires on. Wenet to the Hummer Academy and learned some great technical driving. GM contacted me for a focus group just when they were think of getting rights to the Hummer brand. During that porocess I realized that GM was going destroy the brand. I sold the Hummer and bought a Mercedes-Benz S55 AMG and thought my off-road days were over. Well, a couple of months ago I start to get the bug and go out looking for a new truck. Wranglers, Land Cruisers, G-Wagons, reading up on Commander, H3s and Range Rover Sport. With exception of the Range Rover sport everything else is a gussied up Chevy or real old technology (with exception of the RR sport for which I did not want to spend $65K+). So last weekend I finally went to my Land Rover dealer and test drove the LR3 as an act of desperation. Incredibly, I was astonished at the handling, comfort, ergonometrics, quietness and power. Bought a black/black 2005 SE with Navigation, HD package, Rear Seat package, Cold Climate package, Lighting package, Tow package, Rear Climate Control and put on black side tubs and body moulding. Took it off-road last weekend and it went everywhere the Hummer did. I bottomed out on the rear exhaust pipes where they wrap around the rear axle and stick down more then they should. and I think there is way too much plastic on the front and rear of truck. It looks good for the street but there's nothing to hang a Jerry Can or bolt an antenna to. I don't like the LR factory brush guards (and how they take a jig saw to the plastic grill to mount them) or low winch mounting position either. So I'm hoping SMA comes up with an aftermarket metal bumpre and/or brush guard. 400 miles and no gremlins yet! I really like the truck!
