Took a test drive today...

[Lyon]

So my wife and I took the baby and a friend of ours (hereafter referred to as "the two") to the dealership in Portland, Oregon. We got a chance to sit in all the cars and ask the dealer some questions (though I pretty much knew all the answers after my internet searching). Then he took us through the demonstration course and I was totally blown away. He pulled up to the slope that he was going to drive across and I didn't believe that he was serious I thought for sure that he was about to roll the truck. Needless to say that he got us through just fine and then drove over the rest of the course.

I was pretty much sold before I even drove it. The drive itself was great. The truck performed a lot better than my cousin's Disco 2 and I was quite impressed with its pick-up. For a vehicle that people seem to think is slow it performed great. It's not going to win any drag races but it was highly drivable.

Oh, and Jess liked how it drove better than her Honda Pilot.

I think that all there is left to do is to pick out the color and options!

 

[richpike]

Sweet - you'll love it!

-Rich

 

[spatterso]

I would recommend HD package if you are interested in seriously off-roading the vehicle. If it will rarely or never leave paved roads, it isn't necessary. Be wary, though, since many dealerships will try to convince you that they either don't offer the HD package, or they are extremely hard to find...WRONG!!

by the way, the HD package includes a locking rear differential, and a full size spare equipped with the tire pressure monitor system. It is probably the item of most regret left off of the options list.

 

[Lyon]

I would recommend HD package if you are interested in seriously off-roading the vehicle. If it will rarely or never leave paved roads, it isn't necessary. Be wary, though, since many dealerships will try to convince you that they either don't offer the HD package, or they are extremely hard to find...WRONG!!

by the way, the HD package includes a locking rear differential, and a full size spare equipped with the tire pressure monitor system. It is probably the item of most regret left off of the options list.

From looking around here it seems like that happens regularly. The dealer that I went to though had one in the building with the HD package and seems to think that it wouldn't be any more difficult to find than any other package. I thought that I would get it, if for no other reason than the full size spare comes on an allow wheel that might be useful as a replacement down the road. Apparently they have, on the lot, a loaded HSE with Alpaca in every color but Tonga (the one that I wanted, go figure).

 

[Lyon]

Sweet - you'll love it!

-Rich

And then I'll have a LR3 and a TT, too!

But the TT is an '05 3.2 Roadster in Moro blue.

 

[richpike]

And then I'll have a LR3 and a TT, too!

But the TT is an '05 3.2 Roadster in Moro blue.

Nice! The DSG with the 3.2L engine is a sweet setup.

-Rich

 

[Lyon]

Nice! The DSG with the 3.2L engine is a sweet setup.

-Rich

It's a fantastic engine/transmission combination. It drives much better than the simple numbers would suggest.

 

[JackMac]

From looking around here it seems like that happens regularly. The dealer that I went to though had one in the building with the HD package and seems to think that it wouldn't be any more difficult to find than any other package. I thought that I would get it, if for no other reason than the full size spare comes on an allow wheel that might be useful as a replacement down the road. Apparently they have, on the lot, a loaded HSE with Alpaca in every color but Tonga (the one that I wanted, go figure).

You just described our LR3 exactly. Tonga/Alpaca/HSE/HD, 3rd row, etc, etc.

 

[Lyon]

You just described our LR3 exactly. Tonga/Alpaca/HSE/HD, 3rd row, etc, etc.

You, sir, have a hot car!