Considering an LR4

[gfcronus]

Hello,

Wife and I are in the market for a new car, not right away, but possibly by the end of the year. Currently, we have a Honda Pilot and a 2000 BMW 528i. We live in Michigan, so the rear-wheel drive Bimmer doesn't fare too well in wintry conditions. Plus, it's seen better days anyway, so it's nearly time to put it out to pasture.

Wife really likes the LR4. I like it too, but I think a fully-loaded Volvo XC70 is a better value. We have two young kids (still in car seats), so I am looking for something that is family friendly, safe, good in the winter, but still upscale. Neither of us has owned a Land Rover before (nor a Volvo, for that matter). I've always wanted one, but the reputation for spotty reliability has been off-putting to me. Plus, with the high cost of fuel these days, it doesn't seem to make economic sense to buy a gas-guzzler.

We have a two-car garage, but it was built long before SUVs came on the scene, so the door clearance is too low for a Land Rover (same with the Honda Pilot). An XC70 would fit no problem. That means we'd have to park the LR4 outside all year long. Not sure I want to do that. Plus, cleaning snow off of two SUVs would be a major pain in the tuckus.

This being a Land Rover community forum, I expect that everyone will say get the LR4, but I'm looking for some real convincing one way or the other.

Thanks for any advice.

 

[baobay]

Hello,

Wife and I are in the market for a new car, not right away, but possibly by the end of the year. Currently, we have a Honda Pilot and a 2000 BMW 528i. We live in Michigan, so the rear-wheel drive Bimmer doesn't fare too well in wintry conditions. Plus, it's seen better days anyway, so it's nearly time to put it out to pasture.

Wife really likes the LR4. I like it too, but I think a fully-loaded Volvo XC70 is a better value. We have two young kids (still in car seats), so I am looking for something that is family friendly, safe, good in the winter, but still upscale. Neither of us has owned a Land Rover before (nor a Volvo, for that matter). I've always wanted one, but the reputation for spotty reliability has been off-putting to me. Plus, with the high cost of fuel these days, it doesn't seem to make economic sense to buy a gas-guzzler.

We have a two-car garage, but it was built long before SUVs came on the scene, so the door clearance is too low for a Land Rover (same with the Honda Pilot). An XC70 would fit no problem. That means we'd have to park the LR4 outside all year long. Not sure I want to do that. Plus, cleaning snow off of two SUVs would be a major pain in the tuckus.

This being a Land Rover community forum, I expect that everyone will say get the LR4, but I'm looking for some real convincing one way or the other.

Thanks for any advice.

Seems you are leaning more towards the Volvo. You should go for it. All I can say is, I test drove, the XC90, the MB GL450, the Lexus GX 470, and the Audi Q7, in addition to the LR4. I picked the LR4 bc IMO it was head and shoulders above the rest, both in looks and drivability. I have 3 kids (5 years, 3 month twins) and they fit comfortably in the LR4. the suspention can be lowered with the push of a button in order to clear your garage door opening. You cannot match the LR in snow/off road driving. It sounds like you are concerened about the size and gas usage of the LR4. If those are major concerns, then the LR4 is not the SUV for you.Good luck with purchasing your new vehicle no matter what you end up getting.

 

[baobay]

Hello,

Wife and I are in the market for a new car, not right away, but possibly by the end of the year. Currently, we have a Honda Pilot and a 2000 BMW 528i. We live in Michigan, so the rear-wheel drive Bimmer doesn't fare too well in wintry conditions. Plus, it's seen better days anyway, so it's nearly time to put it out to pasture.

Wife really likes the LR4. I like it too, but I think a fully-loaded Volvo XC70 is a better value. We have two young kids (still in car seats), so I am looking for something that is family friendly, safe, good in the winter, but still upscale. Neither of us has owned a Land Rover before (nor a Volvo, for that matter). I've always wanted one, but the reputation for spotty reliability has been off-putting to me. Plus, with the high cost of fuel these days, it doesn't seem to make economic sense to buy a gas-guzzler.

We have a two-car garage, but it was built long before SUVs came on the scene, so the door clearance is too low for a Land Rover (same with the Honda Pilot). An XC70 would fit no problem. That means we'd have to park the LR4 outside all year long. Not sure I want to do that. Plus, cleaning snow off of two SUVs would be a major pain in the tuckus.

This being a Land Rover community forum, I expect that everyone will say get the LR4, but I'm looking for some real convincing one way or the other.

Thanks for any advice.

Seems you are leaning more towards the Volvo. You should go for it. All I can say is, I test drove, the XC90, the MB GL450, the Lexus GX 470, and the Audi Q7, in addition to the LR4. I picked the LR4 bc IMO it was head and shoulders above the rest, both in looks and drivability. I have 3 kids (5 years, 3 month twins) and they fit comfortably in the LR4. the suspention can be lowered with the push of a button in order to clear your garage door opening. You cannot match the LR in snow/off road driving. It sounds like you are concerened about the size and gas usage of the LR4. If those are major concerns, then the LR4 is not the SUV for you. Good luck with purchasing your new vehicle no matter what you end up getting.

 

[crewcabrob]

Hi,,

While this is a Land Rover forum, none of us wants to point someone in the wrong direction. For many of us, the LR4 was the right choice. That being said, the LR4 isn't for everyone. I still question my sanity on choosing the LR4. It's not because I think there is a better truck out there for me, but more because the 05 Pathfinder I traded on the LR4 was such a great vehicle and there was nothing wrong with it. I could have easily driven it for another 6 years and had no car payment. Normally a simple drive is all it takes to restore my faith.

You point out a lot of the same issues some of us first time Land Rover owners had to reconcile. Value, mileage and reliablity are some unknown factors we will all have to wait to see how it pans out in the end. I look at the very active LR3 forum here as proof that people still love Rovers after many years of ownership. I know I will be driving mine for quite a few years unless something radical happens.

A point I do want to address from an earlier post about fitting in the garage. My LR4 barely fits through the opening of my garage. I have time to time lowered it with the air suspension to make sure I have enough room. While this is an option to get 2" or so more clearance, I'm going to tell you it isn't going to be a practical solution. Some time you or your wife are going to forget to lower it when pulling in/out of the garage. Trust me, it will happen. I'm a cyclist and I see guys that leave thier VERY expensive bikes on roof racks and forget about them as they pull into the garage. It's not a winning comination. If the truck doesn't fit at normal ride height, I would suggest leaving it outside under normal condtions and take it inside for poor weather.

I don't have a lot of knowlege about the XC90. It wasn't on my list when I was looking at new trucks. I'm sure it is a very nice rig and a perfect fit for someone. It may be the best fit for you, but only you and your wife can really decide.

Rob

 

[ougrad1]

Hello,

Wife and I are in the market for a new car, not right away, but possibly by the end of the year. Currently, we have a Honda Pilot and a 2000 BMW 528i. We live in Michigan, so the rear-wheel drive Bimmer doesn't fare too well in wintry conditions. Plus, it's seen better days anyway, so it's nearly time to put it out to pasture.

Wife really likes the LR4. I like it too, but I think a fully-loaded Volvo XC70 is a better value. We have two young kids (still in car seats), so I am looking for something that is family friendly, safe, good in the winter, but still upscale. Neither of us has owned a Land Rover before (nor a Volvo, for that matter). I've always wanted one, but the reputation for spotty reliability has been off-putting to me. Plus, with the high cost of fuel these days, it doesn't seem to make economic sense to buy a gas-guzzler.

We have a two-car garage, but it was built long before SUVs came on the scene, so the door clearance is too low for a Land Rover (same with the Honda Pilot). An XC70 would fit no problem. That means we'd have to park the LR4 outside all year long. Not sure I want to do that. Plus, cleaning snow off of two SUVs would be a major pain in the tuckus.

This being a Land Rover community forum, I expect that everyone will say get the LR4, but I'm looking for some real convincing one way or the other.

Thanks for any advice.

Given all your requirements and concerns, get the volvo. Seems like you mentioned nothing of Lr4 that you really value enough other than I'm assuming looks that the volvo won't do well enough for your desires.

The LR4 is the most capable offroad midsize SUV out there(per truck trend) but can also seat 7 very comfortably, huge interior space, and does all this very luxuriously with power(v8). The volvo is a very safe kid mover and if that is what you will mostly use it for, again given your valid concerns, get the volvo and sleep easy knowing you got the best soccer mom car out there ; )

 

[horatio8]

I brought home my LR4, only to find it was too tall to fit in the garage without lowering the suspension. Luckily, I found a good garage door guy who was able to raise the track of the door and made the opening higher. It cost me $600, but it's worth it to not worry about forgetting to lower the suspension. Are you sure your garage can't be altered to fit the LR4? You should have a garage door guy take a look - it's usually possible, but a question of cost. The LR4 was awesome in this last very snowy New England winter. I think it's a big step up from the Volvo.

 

[LRnewbie11]

I am a brand new owner of an LR4 and also a newcomer to Land Rover in general. Have always liked the look of them and new that they were nice. I was considering the new Jeep GC Overland as the other option. While they have made leaps and bounds with the new Jeep it still wasn't a Land Rover. With the the price of gas these days it could be a two edged sword in terms of value. On one hand you might have some good luck at the negotiating table as far as discounting off sticker. But then there are the fill ups at the pump. Having said that go take one for a test drive and compare it to the Volvo. FWIW I test drove an XC60 when we were shopping for my fiance's new car (ended up going with Q5) and the Volvo's are nice cars but they are a different type of car altogether than a Land Rover. My $0.02. Good Luck.

 

[waltzonice]

If you are not planning on doing any off-roading, get the Volvo. It sounds like you really like it and seems more practical for your purposes. I love my LR4, but it is a total gas guzzler. I cringe every time I have to fill it up!

 

[Finlayforprez]

Based on what you told us about your requirements, I would probably go with the Volvo. I traded in my 2009 ML350 for my 2011 LR4 and do not regret it, though a few times I thought I was nuts. I have had Mercedes as my last 3 cars, so it was it was a brand jump for me. However, I used to have a 2000 Discovery and really liked it, so I vowed someday to get another Land Rover. I was not entirely happy about the LR3 design, but the LR4 is (in my humble opinion) light years above the LR3.

I test drove the Volvo XC90, Audi Q7, Toyota Land Cruiser, and Lexus GX470 before deciding upon the LR4. Sure, there were these about each of these cars that I liked, and I feel as though there are some quirky things about the LR4 that I wish I could change, but overall I love the vehicle. You see, and I am sure other members of this list will agree, Land Rover is a very niche brand where the owners tend to be a little off the beaten path (so to say) and still want that luxury and stately heritage.

I live in the SF Bay area and every third car is a BMW or Mercedes or some soccer mom car so it feels kind of special to have a unique vehicle. Though, i do see a lot of Land Rovers on the road compared to other parts of the country. Even though there could be some spotty reliability reports, it's a gas guzzler, and a tall SUV, it was still a choice I made with no hesitation and really love it. To me, it's a unique brand and heritage that I can connect to, which I feel a lot of people on this list feel the same. I am the first to admit, I'm a bit strange and adventurous, and even though I very very seldom use it, I love being able to go off road if needed.

With all that said, I would trust your gut feeling....which seems to be the Volvo. I liked it when I drove it, but for me, was just so damn boring. Are you looking for the V8 I hope? I personally thought the V6 was way underpowered. Regarding your garage situation, that would be a big issue for me living in an area with a lot of snow. I do not park in a garage in CA, but that's no problem because the weather is fine.

Best of luck in making the right decision, but it does sound like the Volvo may suit your needs the best. Keep us posted and feel free to ask any questions that you may have!

PS.... don't make your final decision until you have driven the LR4! Maybe they will let you take it home and try it out in your garage, etc.

Regards, David.

 

[gfcronus]

Thanks everyone for your input.

Haven't made a decision yet and certainly won't until I've driven all of the options at least twice. Definitely not leaning towards the Volvo....all I said is that it's a better value and fits in my garage, neither of which are show stoppers either way. If anything, I would say that my brain is telling me Volvo, but my heart is telling me LR4. Maybe I need to go with my heart, like I did with my wife (and hey, that worked out well, so why not!)

Not sure the off-road capability of the LR4 is really important to me. If I were to guess, I'd say that 90+% of LR owners are NOT serious off-roaders (unless the occasional dirt road counts as "off road") and thus do not buy their vehicles for that purpose (the percentage is probably smaller on this site, since people here are likely to be LR afficianados than not)

I will continue reading this forum and evetually, I am confident that some mysterious force will guide me in the right direction!