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Land Rover LR3

1356788

Comments

  • xchicagoan5xchicagoan5 Member Posts: 46
    I like the LR3 because the third row has more flexibility in terms of storage and capacity. The GX seats fold up and out of the way which is a hassle. I have three kids and still need a stroller. You've gotta take one of the the seats out to get some flexibility. Even when doing so, it is still tough for my kids to get out with the stroller in the vehicle. There seems to be enough room behind the seats to get a small to medium size stroller in without compromising getting in and out of the vehicle.

    The LR3 V8 felt just as powerful and smooth as the GX V8. Also, the fit and finish seemed to be rather high. If you close the door on any Disco II or RR, there is a distinct "clunk" that comes from the door. When closing the LR3, this is not the case. It sounded and felt eerily close to the Lexus. Also, the availibility of 19" wheels is also a plus over the GX.

    The GX470 has been hands-down the best SUV I have ever owned over the following: X5 4.4i, Toyota 4Runner, Land Rover Disco and Jeep Grand Cherokee.

    The GX does offer the better value/luxury and reliability. The V8 is smooth as butter and comes on strong even though the HP numbers are low. Of course, few vehicles have the torque it has which is what really matters the most.

    For me, it comes down to greater flexibility (seats fold into floor) and the 6 speed tranny (5 speed in GX). I believe the gas mileage will be the same at the end of the day.

    I too am caught between keeping my GX470 and the new LR3. Also keep in mind that a sport package will be offered in December for the GX470. It will have 18" wheels, special trim and an upgraded engine with a VVT. This should improve already decent gas mileage in a V8.

    I am going to wait to see what the sport GX470 looks and rides like. At the time I bought my GX I wasn't supposed to get a discount. I called the largest Lexus dealer in the world and got their best deal. I then called my local dealer and said I will buy from you for $500 more than other Lexus dealer. They matched it. If I like it, I will use the same tactic again.

    If not, I will be hoping that LR3 sales are flat at the end of December so I can get a good deal. I have to put new tires on my GX and don't want to if I am going to trade it.

    Hope this helps.
  • grommetgrommet Member Posts: 445
    "The HSE model has NAV standard instead of optional." Correct. But it's still "optional" on the vehicle design, unlike the 2005 Range Rover -- not every LR3/Disco 3 has it. (No other features depend on it existing.)

    I've seen 14-15 MPG (not computer based calculation: pump based math) mixed use on LR3 without aggressive test driving. It'll get worse with a full load, of course.
  • blckislandguyblckislandguy Member Posts: 1,150
    Ypshan: You're right: the X5 has a firmer, almost jiggly ride compared to the LR3. We test drove a 2002 X5 with the optional sports suspension and 18" wheels and it wasn't fun on Northeast roads.

    Xchigoan5: With wheels, big is not necessarily better. Not only will 19" wheels introduce much more road noise into the cabin, where are you going to find true winter tires (e.g., Blizzaks) to fit the wheels? Sure, you can still get around but without Blizzaks or Artic Alpins you aren't going to stop very well.
  • ypshanypshan Member Posts: 103
    I tried both the sports and non-sports package and ended up buying the non-sports. The sports package is for on race track performance. Not good at all for everyday driving.

    The non-sports X5 4.4i that I currently own feels a bit firmer than LR3 and corners flatter.
  • ypshanypshan Member Posts: 103
    http://motortrend.com/oftheyear/suv/112_05_suvoftheyearwinner/ind- ex4.html

    0-60 was 8.7 sec. This feels about right comparing to the X5's acceleration.

    Interesting comparing to last year's winner VW Touareg.

    http://www.motortrend.com/oftheyear/suv/112_04_suvoy_winner/index- 4.html

    Though both had electronic stability systems on, VW appear to handle a lot better on-road. LR3 did beat VW in braking by 2 ft.
  • xchicagoan5xchicagoan5 Member Posts: 46
    Good point about the 19" tires introducing road noise into the cabin. Also, I am not looking for the firmest ride, but not the softest either. On the GX, you can change the setting from Comfort to Sport. There is a noticeable difference between the two setting.

    As far as snow tires, I live in the south. It snows rarely. The big thing to worry about is ice. Blizzak or Artic Alpins won't help on black ice - no matter what.
  • grommetgrommet Member Posts: 445
    This is the last update I have on LR3 kit prices (from 10/12/2004):

    Land Rover LR3 Vehicle Kit Price List
    Format is: Description, [Labor in Hours] and MSRP.

    - BODY SIDE MOULDING KIT [1.0] $232.00
    - FRONT MUD FLAP KIT [0.5] $164.00
    - REAR MUD FLAP KIT [0.5] $164.00
    - BRUSH BAR WRAPAROUND (BLACK/NON WINCH) [1.5] $701.00
    - BRUSH BAR WRAPAROUND (BLACK/FOR WINCH) [1.5] $701.00
    - FRONT PROTECTION BAR (A FRAME/NON WINCH) [1.5] $836.00
    - FRONT PROTECTION BAR (A FRAME/FOR WINCH) [1.5] $836.00
    - SIDE RAILS-BLACK SIDE TUBE [1.5] $876.00
    - SIDE RAILS-STAINLESS SIDE TUBE [1.5] $974.00
    - SIDE STEPS [1.5] $876.00
    - WIND DEFLECTOR KIT-FRONT & REAR [0.5] $247.00
    - FASCIA KIT TRIM-BURR WALNUT [1.0] $820.00
    - SILL KIT TREAD PLATE [1.0] $362.00
    - SLIDING LOADSPACE FLOOR [0.5] $944.00
    - 2ND ROW SEAT COVERS/5 SEATER [0.5] $318.00
    - 2ND ROW SEAT COVERS/7 SEATER [0.5] $449.00
    - DOG GUARD [1.0] $404.00
    - DOG GUARD DIVIDER [0.5] $329.00
    - BLACK NON-SKID MATS [0] $171.00
    - FULL RUBBER MATS [0] $158.00
    - FULL RUBBER MATS-3RD ROW [0] $53.00
    - BLACK CARPET MATS [0] $171.00
    - BEIGE CARPET MATS [0] $TBA
    - RIGID LOADSPACE MAT [0] $231.00
    - RUBBER HALF LOADSPACE MAT [0] $158.00
    - ROOF CROSS BAR KIT [0.5] $264.00
    - TENT SHELTER [0.5] $823.00
    - TOW HITCH RECEIVER (QUICK RELEASE) [0.5] $552.00
    - TOWING ELECTRIC KIT [1.5] $314.00
    - DRIVING LIGHT KIT [1.0] $738.00
    - WINCH [TBA] $TBA
    - REAR DVD SYSTEM [TBA] $TBA
    - EXPEDITION ROOF RACK [TBA] $TBA
    - REAR LAMP GUARDS [TBA] $TBA
    - FRONT LAMP GUARDS [TBA] $TBA
    - BLACK WATER-PROOF SEAT COVERS (FRONT ROW) [0] $TBA

    Prices subject to change without notice. Prices include labor if applicable.
    TBA = To Be Announced
  • lr3dudelr3dude Member Posts: 5
    Just have spent a week in my new LR3. It’s a HSE with all options and Java black with Alpaca. I’m a previous Disco II owner. I love the LR3! The navigation and terrain response system is awesome. You can lower the LR3 for access or raise it to impress the neighbors. The design and thought put into the LR3 is extensive, BMW/Porsche level. The third row seat system and the glass roof are pretty cool according to the kids in the neighborhood.

    I also have “Hand off” audio controls for the navigation and radio that my six year old thinks is a blast. You say “Navigation, I’m hungry” and restaurants pop up on the display. Say “casino” and you're off to Vegas. Some observations: It has a fantastic stereo and even the third row passengers get equal time! The LR3 gets better mileage than “10.6”. You need to reset the computer to get the accurate MPG, more like 13-15, less with sport mode. Also it hauls in sport mode or use the manual shifting to scare the wife. The engine is great and full of torque. Brakes are BMW like, very reassuring! I have a XJ8 and a 03 Porsche 911 C-4, so I have some expertise in the matter. Head turning quotient is very high (especially to Cayenne and Lexus owners) and overall quality is excellent. 19” wheels look great and are silent running. Wife loves the split rear door. Problems: No wood interior similar to other competitors. Paying list to get the first on the block. The lines in the heated windshield may interfere with my Valentine One and bother me at night. No floor matts available yet.

    Glad I bought it and I’m now accessorizing the beast. Off roading this weekend.
  • ypshanypshan Member Posts: 103
    Thanks for the report.

    I also have a Valentine One and love it. It would be a shame if it doesn't work. Please keep us posted.

    I also have a Porsche and need a tow vehicle to tow it to and from the track. Do you tow yours? Did you have to buy extra accessories?

    - TOW HITCH RECEIVER (QUICK RELEASE) [0.5] $552.00
    - TOWING ELECTRIC KIT [1.5] $314.00
  • grommetgrommet Member Posts: 445
    If it does conflict with radar detectors, or you simply don't like the "lines in the windshield"... you could not order the Cold Climate Package. It's optional in the US on all configurations. You'll lose the two-level Heated Seats, Heated Windshield & Heated Windshield Washer Jets... but you'll also have $1050 extra in your pocket.
  • blckislandguyblckislandguy Member Posts: 1,150
    Ypshan: Is the sport suspension equally stiff/unpleasant on the 3.0 or just the V8 series?

    Gromett: Thanks for the price list. Some were a bit much: The fascia kit for 8 bucks (check the ads in the back of Car and Driver after Chrismas for far cheaper alternatives) and the SAAB pioneered sliding load tray for 9 bucks caught my eye. Incidentally, I wonder how well that tray is going to work with the asymetrical tail gate. It would seem that you couldn't extend it out too far over the edge to say load a 200 pound mushroom for a mooring on to it.

    LR3Dude, congrats on the report. Keep us posted.
  • norbnnorbn Member Posts: 70
    I test drove the LR3, its nice but doesn't have the "character" that the Disco had. The one thing I didn't like, and its minor, is the speedo is really really small and its was hard to see how fast you were going. I don't know if I'll get one, my lease on my Disco isn't over till next year, hopefully they'll come down in price by then.
  • scott155scott155 Member Posts: 10
    My wife and I recently test drove and then purchased a 2005 LR3 SE with all the options - total MSRP was $53,295. Traded in an Infinity FX35.

    We looked at several other SUV's and all I can say is drive them back to back - we did'nt think anything else had the same combination of on street ride and handling and off-road performance.

    The LR3 has a fantastic street ride, good performance from the V8, nice streering, not too lite and can cruise at 85 all day long. As for reliability, I am hopefull, but I did note that Land Rover did extensive testing of this model and it does use a lot of proven components (engine, transmission, Nav system are all from Jaguar re-do of XJ8 in 2004).

    We went back to the Land Rover dealer and I got to drive our new LR3 on the off-road test track. I have never driven off-road before and the LR3 made it so easy! Even the instructor who has a Disco II was very impressed with how well it did! I was told a lot of other vehicles (like the BMW X-5, Volvo XC-90) will not make it around the off-road track - the dealership owns almost every car make dealership and they tried them all on the track.

    There are a lot of SUV's out there from all different manufacturers, but I think you would do yourself a disservice if you did not at least test drive the LR3 along with your other choices. We think you will be quite surprised.

    About the price - it isn't cheap, but you should buy what you want and like, not buy whatever car you think is the best deal - nothing is a deal if you really don't like it, no matter what the price.
  • davidc1davidc1 Member Posts: 168
    My local dealer now has over 40 LR3s in stock. I assume they are ready to deal sooner rather than later.
  • ypshanypshan Member Posts: 103
    blckislandguy,

    The X5 V8 non-sports feels similarly to the X5 3.0 sports. The V8 sports package is much stiffer than the 3.0 sports package.

    I sure hope the heated windshield does not conflict with the radar detector. What attracted us to the winter package is the heated rear seats which my son likes and GX 470 doesn't have. However, radar detector has got to work. Without the winter package, there goes another advantage that LR3 has against the GX.
  • ypshanypshan Member Posts: 103
    davidc1,

    Great info for the consumers. Which region are you in?
  • davidc1davidc1 Member Posts: 168
    I am in Northern New Jersey.
  • yoreet1yoreet1 Member Posts: 10
    Davidc1,

    Your message IS very promising. I'm in NJ too, so what dealership you meant-Paramus?
  • davidc1davidc1 Member Posts: 168
    Yes. Their website listed 43 LR3s the last time I checked. They also have over 150 Discos. I suspect they'll discount them heavily.
  • xchicagoan5xchicagoan5 Member Posts: 46
    Check out this link. It talks about the rigorous testing the LR3 was put through to insure quality from day 1.

    http://www.landroverusa.com/us/en/_popups/4%20Million%20Miles.htm

    Any thoughts? Do you think this will make the LR3 more reliable than the Disco II?
  • habitat1habitat1 Member Posts: 4,282
    Interesting post of the testing on the LR3.

    However, I can't help but notice things that make one wonder if this is mor marketing hype than true quality control R&D:

    "Italy—High-speed testing was carried out at the Nardo bowl, where LR3 test vehicles raced around the track continuously for 20 hours a day at, or near, maximum speed. In all, testing there totaled twelve weeks and 31,000 miles of maximum-speed driving.

    Let's see, let's assume by "test vehicles" they meant two (2). At a "continuous" 20 hours a day for 12 weeks, that's a total of 3,360 hours of "at or near maximum speed" driving for both vehicles. They went a total of 31,000 miles. Meaning the maximum speed of an LR3 must be somewhere in the neighborhood of 9.2 miles per hour. Pretty impressive.

    I just wonder if Land Rover's marketing department put more time into puffing up their tests than their engineers did in performing them. One thing's for sure, they need someone who is at least as good at math as my 4th grade daughter to proof read their next press release.
  • xchicagoan5xchicagoan5 Member Posts: 46
    Check out this link. It talks about the rigorous testing the LR3 was put through to insure quality from day 1.

    http://www.landroverusa.com/us/en/_popups/4%20Million%20Miles.htm

    Any thoughts? Do you think this will make the LR3 more reliable than the Disco II?
  • mnmatchesmnmatches Member Posts: 111
    BURN! hahaha a point which I pondered myself while reading the article.
  • peeetepeeete Member Posts: 136
    Two things to keep in mind about that NNJ dealer..their web inventory is not accurate..trust me on that. I got burned last year.

    I just bought a Disco, and their "discount" was no better than the one I received from my local dealer..and my local dealer had vehicles with better options.

    The LR3"s are being sold like hotcakes..so I doubt they will be discounted for a while.
  • yogidocyogidoc Member Posts: 16
    waiting for my fully loaded SE to come in which should be in a week or two; getting second thoughts about HSE model. Does anyone have any idea which is a better ride 18" SE or 19" HSE
    Would 19" tires make for a better ride or would one feel more bumps.? .Also would one handle better in the snow????? I live in the city w/ tons of pot holes??????????????
  • blckislandguyblckislandguy Member Posts: 1,150
    Habitat1, you didn't listen to Don Rumsfield or else you would understand how they could drive two vehicles 20 hours a day for 12 weeks at max speed and only do 9.2 miles per hour. This is the workforce of OLD Europe. Probably four of the 12 weeks were in August which they take off! We may have our problems but a willingness to work is not one of them.
  • xchicagoan5xchicagoan5 Member Posts: 46
    A parent of a friend works for LRNA. He offered to get me $500 off MSRP if I was interested. I think it is too early in the game to tell if I should wait. However, my GX470 needs new tires and the long Thanksgiving trip looms ahead. Can folks from other parts of the US provide feedback on LR3 sales? Here in Tennessee, they are being sold before they come in. If $500 off MSRP is the best I can get, I just might have to take it.

    Again today my wife was commenting we need a car that is more flexible with the seating arrangements. There really arent alot of options out there right now for vehicles with 3 rows of seats, handle well and look nice. Minivan is out, Suburban too big and GX not flexible enough.

    Hate to pay MSRP but not too many choices right now. . . .
  • grommetgrommet Member Posts: 445
    It's MSRP around the San Francisco Bay Area. It's too new and there isn't an oversupply. There are enough people that can easily drop 50K on a big 91 octane fuel drinking unproven monster and still smile. :)

    As Land Rover dealers don't generally budge much on price anyway, I wouldn't expect any incentives or discounts until well into the New Year.

    I don't even think Ford employee/partner discount (A-Plan, X-Plan, etc.) pricing has even been announced.
  • vgxvgx Member Posts: 40
    The webpage for my company does not even list the LR3, yet... If it goes anything like the XC90 went, it will be somewhere between 6-12 months before Ford adds the LR3 to its' partner/employee program. =(
  • centralcoastercentralcoaster Member Posts: 8
    i don't know about easily dropping the fifty ( four ) k, but i picked up my silver hse yesterday.
    sweet vehicle...it moves pretty well for its size, and the heft is apparent but not in a bad way--i have only driven around town so far, and i can confirm that it is pretty thirsty for petrol.
    anyway, so far so good. i badly wanted to point it toward tahoe immediately, but drove home instead.
  • ypshanypshan Member Posts: 103
    It's common for a new vehicle to go through millions of miles of testing. A typical BMW model refresh will see a fleet of several cars tested for over a year (so they can try out all the seasons for example).

    Advertisements sometimes can be an indicator of whether there are discounts available. When there are more buyers than the factory could fulfill, there is usually little advertisement since it doesn't make sense to spend the $ to drum up demand when you can't meet it. The visibility LR gets from the trade press is sufficient until the demand drops.

    So let's see how aggressive LR is with their ad campaign. The more ad's we see, the more we are likely to get discounts.
  • tiggerguytiggerguy Member Posts: 76
    I went to the Boston auto show at the Expo yesterday. It was my first oppertunity to check out a couple of the new models. I really wanted to like the LR3 after all I have read about them. But I have to say, for a vehicle in this price range, there is WAY too much cheap plastic in and on it. The build quality seemed right up there, but the material selection is severely lacking. I even went over to the Range Rover they had on display, which I had driven and played with right after the redo in '03, and could not believe my eyes when I saw the glaring silver hard plastic panel running down the dash and onto the console! Call me fussy, but cheap hard plastic just does not belong in a 70K vehicle. I guess my next SUV is gonna be a Lexus- hope they get the LX470 replacement ready for next year when I want to trade.
  • davidc1davidc1 Member Posts: 168
    I went to Land Rover dealer this evening to get a quote. They don't seem to be willing to deal at the moment. It was pretty much the same for '05 Lexus GX470 but what bothered me was that I didn't feel that the general atmosphere at a LR shop was on par with Lexus. I don't wanna sound pretentious but that's just how I felt. I got the feeling that Lexus dealers were noticeably more refined? Perhaps I am imagining things in my old age. Anyone else care to share thoughts/feelings?
  • peeetepeeete Member Posts: 136
    Well, I have deliberately never set foot in a Lexus dealership, and dont plan to. Yes, the vehicles are top quality with great service. But the whole superior attitude of Lexus bothers me. I see all the Lexus mommymobiles around Westchester county, and the drivers are some of the worst. I think people believe having a Lexus as your Suv gives you a license to tailgate and cut people off. It has happened to me a zillion times.

    Having just come off from owning an Infiniti, I found my Land Rover dealer to be eons above Infiniti in the way I was treated, as well as the whole atmosphere. They did give me Starbucks when I signed the papers after all !In a way, you can think of a LR dealer as quiet British understatement, versus the nouveau riche, new money Lexus.

    All I know is, when I drive my Disco through Bronxville NY where I live, all the Lexus owners, mercedes, bmw etc part the seas for me. Yes it is being a snob, I admit it, but even in one of the richest communities in the US, a Land Rover gets noticed. And since I bought the Disco at the end of the model run, I paid THOUSANDS less than they did, and still get maximum snob appeal! Pretty cool :) Its good for my real estate brokerage business too!

    No Lexus can make a claim against the Rover, unless its the Lexus passing you on the freeway at night with your Rover FORD (found on road dead!)
  • ypshanypshan Member Posts: 103
    In Northern New Jersey, I also feel Lexus dealers seem more friendly and less pushy. The sales people at Land Rover feels more like Lincoln/Ford dealership.

    Don't know about the service department of LL. But the Lexus service beats BMW and Porsche in every way. I guess it helps that the only time you get to see them is during routine maintenance. They will come to your home to pick up your car and leave you a Lexus loaner. Pretty much hassle free.
  • habitat1habitat1 Member Posts: 4,282
    I checked out the LR3 in the showroom and test drove a 2004 GX470 two nights ago. Couple of observations:

    Third Row: The third row in the LR3 is great. I'm 5'7" and had room to spare. A 6' should be comfortable. However, there is NO room BEHIND the third row and rear window in the vehicle. Having just seen an accident where a pickup truck ran into the rear of a Grand Cherokee at about 30 mph, my guess is that anyone in the back of the LR3 would have been severely injured. The intrusion was only about 8-12 inches, but with NO room to spare, that's a dangerous situation, IMO. I wonder if we now need rear end test crash tests for third row SUV's?

    Size: The LR3 looked huge sitting in the showroom. But, in fact, it's track is "only" 63.2-63.5" compared to the MDX 66.3-66.5". The height of the LR3 is 74.5" compared to the MDX 71.3". So it has me wondering, will the LR3 at 3" taller and 3" narrower than an MDX handle like our current top heavy Isuzu Trooper? Also, the narrower width of the LR3 means that, notwithstanding a spacious third row, three across the second row is 2+ inches tighter than the MDX/Pilot, which is a meaningful amount.

    Quality: I can live with the plastic dash and high quality leather seats. I did not find the quality of the interior of the LR3 that objectionable, given its purpose. However, the showroom model was black. Granted, it was fingerprinted to death, but I still noticed a few chips and orange peel paint appearance. Compared to the black GX470 I saw a few minutes later in the Lexus showroom, there was NO comparison whatsoever. The Lexus finish looked deep, rich and smooth. The LR3 paint finish looked like it was going to deteriorate rapidly.

    GX470 Test Drive: This is a very nice, very small 8-passenger SUV. The GX drove very nicely, but even in "sport" mode, I felt as though my connection to the road was though several layers of insulation. That's fine for my butt, not for my hands on the steering wheel. This is a car that needs a sleep sensor on it, because it certainly has nothing about it that is exciting to drive. It was the opposite end of the spectrum of a Cayenne I drove several weeks ago and even an XC90 I drove a couple of weeks ago.

    I'm going to try driving the LR3 next week.
  • us3innjus3innj Member Posts: 4
    xchi5,

    When we began looking at an SE, in Paramus, my wife was able to strongarm that same $500 out of them (probably a LRNA std offer). After much math we decided to go with the HSE and found that the $500 shrank to $240-something; and that there's a smaller margin on the HSE.

    As for discounting they are not sitting around. A salesman at LR Manhattan said they're selling like hotcakes, and the trickle of HSE's they get arrive pre-sold.
  • grommetgrommet Member Posts: 445
    Quote: "three across the second row is 2+ inches tighter than the MDX/Pilot, which is a meaningful amount."

    You can't determine interior space/comfort directly from exterior dimensions of any vehicle. Remember, you're not setting directly againt the exterior body panel. ;) To honestly compare, you must do a physical comparison -- even advertised interior dimensions are misleading.
  • ypshanypshan Member Posts: 103
    us3innj,

    Good job negotiating! I've got the same story from my sale person at Parsippany on HSE. He said only 10% of the volume is HSE to maintain 'exclusivity'.

    However, we all know how it goes. If they can sell more HSE with higher price, they will build more.

    So far, Ferrari is the only car company that's true to their model year production limit. Even Porsche has mass produced their 911 Turbo model for the profits.
  • xchicagoan5xchicagoan5 Member Posts: 46
    Good work on the negotiating!! I too have been trying to buy an LR3 over the past 24 hours. The car I want will not be in until December. I would like to have it before Thanksgiving for the trip over the river and through the woods to Grandma's house. I went to local LR dealer last night and they told me that they could get me in a car if I was flexible on color. When spending $50K+, color is not an option. And yes, HSEs are hard to come by. They are being pre-sold before they hit the ground everywhere!!

    Called LR dealer in GA last night (going to be in GA for business this week) and they have exactly what I want. Unfortunately, there is a gentleman's agreement to not sell a vehicle to someone from another region. When I told my wife they didn't want to sell me the car she said, "that is the first honest car salesman I have ever heard of". I was a little taken back to. A customer with the exact vehicle? That is pretty good.

    Anyway, I called today and told him I was ready to buy today. He still told me he would not sell me a car until he talked to the folks at LRNA. I also took my wife by the local LR dealer and she loved it. My wife is NOT a car buying person. She hates the whole dealer experience. We went in, saw the car, she even gave a thumbs up on the color combination - Java with Alpaca.

    We will find out on Monday what will happen. I have been told that they are not trading for cars at this time. I am hoping to get things wrapped up ASAP. Instead of the $500 off, I need a few options like rubber mats, cross bars, door protectors, wood interior, etc. This is what I will ask for. Plus I need to install the DVD system as well. That is the one advantage the GX470 has over the LR3. The DVD comes from the factory.

    I will keep you posted.
  • davidc1davidc1 Member Posts: 168
    Appreciate your feedback. As far as Pilot is concerned though, I drove my brother's for a month and it's nothing to write home about. Roomy indeed but not very fun to drive and it wasn't very refined. I decided to go with the GX with Sport Pack. I ordered today. I felt that I would prefer the quietness and comfort for long distance drives. The perceived reliability also helped. Will consider LR3 again in about three years.
  • explorerx4explorerx4 Member Posts: 19,254
    while i was browsing this page reading about ad campaigns, there was an lr3 commercial on tv! showed cliffs of dover. connecticut.
    2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
  • ypshanypshan Member Posts: 103
    davidc1,

    Do they have the spec and pic's for the GX Sports at the Lexus dealership?

    Did you pay MSRP? When will it arrive?
  • rob12rob12 Member Posts: 3
    I have a 2000 Grand Cherokee Limited that I bought new & now has 101k miles. I looked at the '05 GC recently and was underwhelmed. Oh, I like some of the engineering things they have done including the new Hemi. I like some of the new interior electronics including the GPS navigation system. But I wasn't all that impressed with the exterior & interior design of the GC. It looks a lot boxier than my 2000. The interior on the Limited version I saw looks cheap (what happened to the nice leather thats in my old Jeep?). There's less interior storage space than before. - - I'm going to need a new vehicle, but I'm just not thrilled by what I see of the new Grand Cherokee. That's the main reason I'm considering the LR3.
  • rob12rob12 Member Posts: 3
    I need a new SUV to replace my 2000 Grand Cherokee Limited. - I bought it new and now it has 101k miles on it. - - I'm looking for a vehicle which can tow a travel trailer and has decent off road capabilities. (I like to go fishing/camping, etc throughout the West.) - - I'm considering the LR3 but since I often travel to areas (such as Montana) which have no Land Rover dealers, I wonder if this might be a Big Mistake. Your input on this question would be appreciated. - - - (I'm underwhelmed with the new Grand Cherokee, but at least its fairly easy to find Jeep or Dodge dealer shops throughout the country. Of course both Jeep & Land Rover have dismal reliability ratings.) - - Thank you in advance for your thoughts on this question.
  • habitat1habitat1 Member Posts: 4,282
    My reference was to the INTERIOR shoulder and hip room of the second row being 2" narrower in the LR3 than the MDX/Pilot.

    I agree that some manufacturer's numbers are a little suspect, which is why I take a tape measure with me while shopping. It is deceptive as to how large the LR3 looks in a showroom and the fact that the interior width dimensions are almost exactly halfway between the narrower XC90 and wider MDX. My tape measure confirms this.

    The good news with the LR3 is that at least the third row is suitable for adults - such that you could have two in the second row and 1-2 in the third row if 3 across the second row was tight.
  • rob12rob12 Member Posts: 3
    People begging dealers to take their money (even though from an area outside of the dealer's local service area) and being thrilled about only $500 off of MSRP ? - - Looks like I might have to wait another year before turning in the old rig. - - - Plus, that means a year of owner reports to see what flaws show up.
  • pjd1pjd1 Member Posts: 13
    Greetings,
    I have an '04 Disco II with a heated windshield.
    I am assuming the the technology on the LR3 is essentially the same.
    I have had no problem with the performance of my Valentine One. In addition, my E-Z Pass also seems to work without any difficulties.
    BTW, the fellow who suggested that you give up the Winter Package must live south of the Mason-Dixon line. If you live in the Northeast or any similar climate, the heated, seats, mirrors, windshield, and headlamp washers are worth every cent spent on them. Frankly, I wouldn't own a vehicle up here in NH, without at least heated seats and headlamp washers. (I must be getting soft in my old age.)
  • davidc1davidc1 Member Posts: 168
    ypshan, no I didn't see the pictures. I got 2.5% off MSRP. Didn't want to wait 6+ months for further discount. It did appear that I can decide not to take delivery when the truck arrives and I don't like it. Toyota/Lexus don't seem to take orders. They ship certain mix of vehicles and let the customers choose from it.
  • ypshanypshan Member Posts: 103
    Thanks for the info pjd1! I too agree that the winter package is a must if you live in the North.

    davidc1, That's a great deal on an 05 Lexus! Would you mind sharing the name of your dealer with me. PM me if you don't want to post. Thanks.
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