Potential new owner - a few questions

[Quijote]

Long time lurker here. First a bit of background.

I am looking to replace my beater/winter car ('02 Grand Cherokee Ltd) which I will ditch after this winter and my daily driver ('11 328iT M-Sport - lease ends in September) with a 7-seater family SUV.

I am partial to driving dynamics, but I also feel an SUV should really get you through anything and I don't like huge cars but also want good cargo space (So no X5).

These conflicting goals have narrowed my list to some weird contenders.

-LR4
-Explorer Sport
-Acadia Denali
-CX-9
-Q7 TDI

Obviously, the LR4 is the only real capable off-road SUV on the list. The Explorer is fast and cheap, the CX-9 is the value choice with good cargo space and the Acadia is the roomiest and looks great on paper. Q7 is too pricey for being so slow and small in the back (but love its superb range and handling).

Now, ideally I would get a new GL350 and call it good, since other than being a bit big it's great. But it also has a ridiculous price, and I rather not spend so much.

I've driven the LR4 and the engine is awesome, but the fuel economy and range horrify me. That said, it is almost a foot shorter than all others, feels easily like the most premium car, and has by far the best hardware. I've also always loved the Discoveries.

But here is the thing, I need it to be well-optioned, which basically means I want the LUX. Problem is, the LUX is a lot more than the alternatives.

So I need convincing. Here are a few questions:

- Is the vision assist pkg worth it?
- On an ordered car with an MSRP of ~62k, what I can expect for a discount? 5k?
- What is the cost of an extended warranty 6y/100k through the dealer?
- Historically LR's have had poor resale, but I am floored to see people asking 50k+ for 2yo LR4's. Am I missing something?
- Is it just me, or is the black pkg a must? Especially for me, considering I would add roof rails anyway and that pays for about half.
- Anyone seen the Arabica interior? Is it too brown?
-What's the deal with the NAV? I heard the 2010-11 NAV sucked (slow to respond) but that it got fixed on 2012. Yet I read many reviews with the same complaint.

 

[mbw]

- Is the vision assist pkg worth it?
No, IMO its gimicky and you wont really use it, even if you tow. HSE and Lux come with rear view camera and its enough.

- On an ordered car with an MSRP of ~62k, what I can expect for a discount? 5k?
I ordered a 13' HSE Lux, with rear seat entertainment and heavy duty pack. Got it for 60k. I think I did pretty well. When you order new, you have less leverage for discount. Some dealers wont go below MSRP.

- What is the cost of an extended warranty 6y/100k through the dealer?
I haven't heard of any from the dealers I asked, but im sure it varies by dealer. Its usually some third party offer anyway, not through land rover.

- Historically LR's have had poor resale, but I am floored to see people asking 50k+ for 2yo LR4's. Am I missing something?
they hold value pretty well actually.

- Is it just me, or is the black pkg a must? Especially for me, considering I would add roof rails anyway and that pays for about half.
Thats a style thing, its a bit blingly. Its vents, grill, door handles, wheels, etc.

-What's the deal with the NAV? I heard the 2010-11 NAV sucked (slow to respond) but that it got fixed on 2012. Yet I read many reviews with the same complaint.
From what I have seen the 12 is good and the 13 is even better.

 

[sparrky]

I just got a 13 HSE. Looked at Jeep GC, Explorer, Q7, GL, have a 2013 X5, here's my comments.

-The vision assist is the only way to get Xenon/HIDs. Wishing I had Xenon, now exploring after-market options for this.

-The almond/arabica is not that dark. The Almond is actually very light, the arabica is a darker brown, but not that bad.

-Personally I don't like the black package, nor the black inside inserts. I like the contrast of the wood inside, as well as the silver wheels.

-NAV is pretty good, I actually like it better than my X5 and my couple year old Garmin.

Compared to the other cars you're looking at, I would say the LR has much more luxury to it and not much more of a cost premium.
-Even more luxury than my X5, with third row seats that only fit trolls and no off road capability.
-I did look at the new Explorer and with options, etc it came out to over $50k, for a few more thousand I got a 2013 LR4 HSE, which definitely has better luxury, power and capability.
-I looked at the Q7, but after reading some reviews of it on the internet, I didn't even stop by the Audi dealer to see it.

If you're looking to spend $50-60k or more on a car, why are you worrying about gas milage?
-On a recent highway trip I got 339 miles, could have probably gotten 350 miles, even though the computer was telling me it was empty for more than 10 miles.
See the discussion here: http://www.landroverworld.org/forums/showthread.php?p=132149#post132149

Reading through other posts and my summary. I like the LR4, it's grown on me in the month I've had it. It's smooth, quiet and comfortable to drive/ride and very manuervable. Takes up less space in my garage than my X5.
-I'm only concerned with some of the gremlins that I read about on this forum and the past couple years JD Power reliability reports. Could be that there are not as many LRs/RRs on the road, so the stats are skewed more towards the issues side.

Good luck on your search.

 

[Quijote]

Thanks guys.

The fuel economy is not a dollars thing. I just love having good range.

 

[mbw]

-The vision assist is the only way to get Xenon/HIDs. Wishing I had Xenon, now exploring after-market options for this.

Vision assist pack comes in two forms. VAH and VAX. You dont need it though if you get the Lux pack, it comes with the xenon headlights, park distance front/rear and rear camera.

VAH is vision assist for HSE. Its the surround view cameras + bi-xenon. It's ~$1,800

VAX is vision assist for Lux, its the surround view. You get the bi-xenon with Lux and dont need the surround view stuff which costs ~$1,200.

That is why I was confused, I think the surround view cameras are not worth it, but the bi-xenon is worth it for sure!

 

[Quijote]

Yeah, I knew what the packages included. I figured surround view was a bit of a waste at $1200. Thanks.

I am stuck with my lease until late September, so assuming I get the LR4, the question now is:

A) Order a new 2014 as soon as they are available.
B) Try to get a good deal on a lightly used 2012 or 2013.
C) Score a leftover 2013 this Fall.

But considering I really want the HD pkg & LUX (and ideally nothing else), it may be slim pickings unless I order one.

 

[umbertob]

If you will offroad it regularly (since you really want the HD pk, my guess is you plan to), the cameras of the Vision Assist pack may become more useful than you think. Also, since nobody has mentioned it so far, the Vision Assist pack includes High Beam Assist, which I thought was gimmicky as well, but I have to say that it works surprisingly well flipping high beams on and off automatically at night.

 

[mbw]

Lux also has the high beam assist. You really don't need the vision assist unless you want surround view. Everything comes with Lux except that.

Finding one with the heavy duty packages is pretty hard. I would have bought a used one or even a new one in a spec that was close, but I wanted HD because I do plan on taking it off road. (I also plan on owning it for a long time, so I wanted all the 4x4 kit I could get)

 

[umbertob]

That's not the way it was presented to me when I ordered the Vision Assist package on my 2013 LUX. Adaptive front headlights (bi-xenons are standard, but not the adaptive part), surround cameras, auto high beam assist, tow hitch assist, and the moving yellow lines on the rear view camera when you steer, whatever that's called, are all part of the $1200 Vision Assist LUX package, at least according to my 2013 build spec sheet.

I couldn't find a 2012 with a HD pack anywhere in the Western US myself last August when I started shopping around for a new LR4, had to wait an excruciatingly long 4 months for them to build me a 2013 with HD in it. Sadly, that's gotta be the least popular option on these vehicles.

PS: Regarding the Arabica leather, it looks just like it sounds... Medium roasted coffee beans. I have it and think it looks terrific, as forgiving with stains and scuffs as black without being black, but it's definitely a matter of personal preference. This high resolution press release photo from Land Rover depicts Arabica seats w/ nutmeg stitching (and almond interior) quite accurately:

 

[rostov]

-LR4
-Explorer Sport
-Acadia Denali
-CX-9
-Q7 TDI

Obviously, the LR4 is the only real capable off-road SUV on the list. The Explorer is fast and cheap, the CX-9 is the value choice with good cargo space and the Acadia is the roomiest and looks great on paper. Q7 is too pricey for being so slow and small in the back (but love its superb range and handling).

Now, ideally I would get a new GL350 and call it good, since other than being a bit big it's great. But it also has a ridiculous price, and I rather not spend so much.

You just answered your question. Only exception - if I did not test drive LR4, I would say GL450.

- Is the vision assist pkg worth it?

Get all the options, including HD (heavy duty) package. If you go for LUX it wont make much of a difference... You won't regret it.