>05 Touareg, XC90 or Disco. Which one and where?

BenEadir

Hi all,

Looking to buy a used Touareg, XC90 or Discovery as the family bus. Want diesel, auto, leather and as many nice bits as possible as I'll be holding onto it for a few years. Don't want to buy older than 2005.

Any comments/pro's or con's for each from user experience and does anyone know of any good deals out there. Constantly searching the usual websites but haven't really clocked anything which ticked all the boxes yet.

Thinking of driving up north and having a scout around some of the bigger garages there. Any tips?

Got a 2002 BMW 520 to trade in with 90,000 on the clock.

Thanks all.

Ben

Lex Luthor

of the 3, my choice would be the Discovery

unkel

Why are the RR Sport and the X5 not on your list? Anyway, great bargains to be had on all of them. They have completely fallen out of fashion to the extent that some owners feel ashamed to be seen in one.

Mr.David

What are your priorities? In terms off off road ability and supreme ride comfort the Disco wins hands down. The XC90 is good but is a bit more of a city-roader and isnt to my tastes.

ballinloughan

XC90 is best choice .. but 2.5Diesel is under powered.

Terrontress

Get a RR Vogue TDV8 from UK. Things won't stay this good for car buyers forever.

Henry Ford III

I posted on the running costs of a diesel Toureg recently. Even a simple oil change is hideously expensive.

Fey!

I think that the Disco is very nice. Haven't driven the other 2, though.

Example of Disco, 7 seater.

BenEadir

Thanks all,

I honestly couldn't see myself in a RR Vogue, it's just not me. I did consider the X5 but love the new model so wouldn't be that keen to step back to the old model. Is that stupid? The Touareg, XC90 and Discovery are all current models which makes them more appealing somehow.

The priority is ride comfort. I'm not going to be doing any real off roading other than the back roads of Ireland and a couple of trips to France each year.

The XC90 probably fits the bill best but the Disco for some reason is really becoming the preference.

Anan1

OP - How important is safety to you? Neither the Disco nor the Range Rover could even manage 5 stars in the Euro NCAP.

BenEadir

Hi Anan1,

Safety is of course important as it's going to be the primary family vehicle. Didn't realise they both didn't achieve 5 stars but they are not "unsafe" vehicles are they?

Bitten & Hisses

BenEadir wrote: »

the Disco for some reason is really becoming the preference.

I can see why you'd be leaning that way alright. One thing to research a bit is tyre wear. My tyre man tells me that Discoverys wear tyres quite a bit and that they're fairly expensive to replace. Then again, the same guy is full of conspiracy theories, so a grain of salt may be needed. Just wanted to flag it to you as a potential issue.

Anan1

BenEadir wrote: »

Hi Anan1,

Safety is of course important as it's going to be the primary family vehicle. Didn't realise they both didn't achieve 5 stars but they are not "unsafe" vehicles are they?

It's all relative - SUVs are always going to be less safe than an equivalently-sized estate car, as their higher centre of gravity makes them inherently less stable. That said, there is no reason in the world why any 2+ ton vehicle should score less well in the NCAP test than a FIAT 500.

Zube

Anan1 wrote: »

there is no reason in the world why any 2+ ton vehicle should score less well in the NCAP test than a FIAT 500.

except that the test isn't set up that way. A 5 star rating on a 500 doesn't mean it's safer than a 4 star 2 tonne SUV, it means it's as safe as anything in its class.

Meanwhile, back on topic, the OP shouldn't buy any of these silly jeeps, he should buy an S-Max like me.

maxy jazz

The S Max looks pretty dull to drive?? the X5 3.0 Diesel is a nice machine to drive. Some good bargins at minute out there. (esp 05/06 range)

Anan1

Zube wrote: »

except that the test isn't set up that way. A 5 star rating on a 500 doesn't mean it's safer than a 4 star 2 tonne SUV, it means it's as safe as anything in its class. Meanwhile, back on topic, the OP shouldn't buy any of these silly jeeps, he should buy an S-Max like me.

It doesn't mean it's safer if it gets hit by a much larger car at speed, but (AFAIK) it does mean it's safer if it hits something stationary. Either way, any current large vehicle should be able to get five stars easily. And yes, i'd far sooner an S-Max than any of the SUVs originally mentioned. Although i'd rather a big, powerful estate to either.

gibbon75

If you decide to buy a Disco 3/Range Rover Sport be prepared to change the following parts at every 2nd or 3rd service (depends on the quality of your local roads and your right foot):
Front bottom balljoints,tie rods,front and rear antirollbar bushes,rear lower tracking arms,front and rear brake pads and sensors.
The manual ones are heavy on the clutch and dualmass flywheel as well.
And this is not a joke,just everyday experience from behind the parts counter
In fairness the mentioned suspension parts are very cheap...which explains the bad quality :rolleyes:

shaywest

i have heard from a mecanic that works in a vw garage that the toerag is a absoluete hep of you know what,
dont ask me for spefics though.

BlackWizard

How cheap is cheap Gibbon75 if someone was to order all that? Ballpark figure

Hellrazer

Looking at that list there you may aswell be talking about an xc90.They give nearly identical problems.
Aswell as rear seat runners,automatic gearbox needs draining and refilling every 80 k at a cost of 200+

For an xc90 youre probably talking the guts of 400-500 parts only.Expensive to own and run tbh.

gibbon75 wrote: »

Front bottom balljoints,tie rods,front and rear antirollbar bushes,rear lower tracking arms,front and rear brake pads.

L-M

Another thing to watch out for on the Disco is the handbrake module. Another common thing to go.

2.7Tdv6 with 190bhp and 440nm of torque and they'll tow 3 tonne with ease. Get one with 7 seats. The 3rd row of seats can fold flat into the boot, and likewise with the 2nd. You can convert it into a commercial very easily. The 3 rd seats are full adults seats as well, ie the have a footwell and head rest and access to them is through the passenger back door.

If you are going to buy, get one with air suspension. Can come very handy, and has terrain response built in (Which gives you a choice to choose what terrain you are on. The then adjusts the suspension/traction control to suit). Manual or auto, both are as good as one another.

If you can get one with side steps they're a nice touch.

They came out late '04, and haven't changed much since (Only for spec).

VolvoMan

Anan1 wrote: »

It doesn't mean it's safer if it gets hit by a much larger car at speed, but (AFAIK) it does mean it's safer if it hits something stationary. Either way, any current large vehicle should be able to get five stars easily. And yes, i'd far sooner an S-Max than any of the SUVs originally mentioned. Although i'd rather a big, powerful estate to either.

+1

Regarding the Discovery, I think it is an overrated car that heaped praise from the occasionally biased British press.

Zube

VolvoMan wrote: »

Regarding the Discovery, I think it is an overrated car

I disagree. I think it is an underrated tractor.

gibbon75

Limerick man wrote: »

Another thing to watch out for on the Disco is the handbrake module. Another common thing to go.

...and injector pumps,injectors,auto boxes,air suspension compressors,door locks,steering racks,transfer box control modules,phone modules,CD players just to name a few

Hellrazer is right about the XC90 as they aren't troublefree either.
Heavy on brake pads,tires,rear wheel bearings,AOC (Active on Demand Coupling) unit etc.

gibbon75

BlackWizard wrote: »

How cheap is cheap Gibbon75 if someone was to order all that? Ballpark figure

Balljoints are like €20 each,ARB bushes €7 each,tie rods around €30.
Land Rover's pricing is weird sometimes:
Discovery 3 rear wiper motor €35+VAT,steering rack around €500+VAT.Front brake disc around €80+VAT.
Now a Honda Civic steering rack is €1000+VAT,brake disc for a Honda Accord is around €150...

sk8board

so which one is best? cause I like the XC and Disco, not so much the Touareg, and nothing I'm reading makes me want to get a 7-seater when the time comes rather than a mammy-wagon, which I'll never buy anyway

Anan1

sk8board wrote: »

so which one is best? cause I like the XC and Disco, not so much the Touareg, and nothing I'm reading makes me want to get a 7-seater when the time comes rather than a mammy-wagon, which I'll never buy anyway

?? They're all mammy-wagons.

sk8board

Anan1 wrote: »

?? They're all mammy-wagons.

hmmm, would I have a Corolla Verso, Previa, a Honda Fr-v, Zafira etc.

or an X5.

Zube

sk8board wrote: »

hmmm, would I have a Corolla Verso, Previa, a Honda Fr-v, Zafira etc.

or an X5.

No, those are all sh!te. If you need a Mammy wagon, get an S-Max.

L-M

Zube wrote: »

No, those are all sh!te. If you need a Mammy wagon, get an S-Max.

No, no. A cashcow thing.

Zube

Limerick man wrote: »

No, no. A cashcow thing.

The Koshchei is popular, but crap.

The S-Max is what every Mammy actually needs in a Mammywagon, without pretending to be a 4x4 rallye special that can drive through puddles and mud faster than a rally car driven by a rally driver in an actual rally.

Like the Kuga! Whoa, rallyesque! My hole.

L-M

Zube wrote: »

The Koshchei is popular, but crap.

The S-Max is what every Mammy actually needs in a Mammywagon, without pretending to be a 4x4 rallye special that can drive through puddles and mud faster than a rally car driven by a rally driver in an actual rally.

Like the Kuga! Whoa, rallyesque! My hole.

I don't think the Qashqai is overly crap. They're selling in huge huge numbers as well.

Zube

Limerick man wrote: »

I don't think the Qashqai is overly crap. They're selling in huge huge numbers as well.

It's just a Tiida on stilts!

But hey, what do I know. Any old sh!te that looks a bit like a jeep or an MPV sells better than the same junk dressed as a car...

sk8board

Zube wrote: »

No, those are all sh!te. If you need a Mammy wagon, get an S-Max.

I know, it was just a joke at Anan, who was calling the XC90, disco and X5 esque car's 'mammy-wagons'. They might go on the school run, but they're more Chelsea tractors than Mammy wagons. The s-max, as you said, is Queen of the mammy wagons.

Henry Ford III

Zube wrote: »

The Koshchei is popular, but crap.

The S-Max is what every Mammy actually needs in a Mammywagon, without pretending to be a 4x4 rallye special that can drive through puddles and mud faster than a rally car driven by a rally driver in an actual rally.

Like the Kuga! Whoa, rallyesque! My hole.

Any chance of a tiny bit of objectivity Zube?

S-Max is, of it's ilk, the best handling vehicle available. It's a big bus but sits relatively low, and it's road manners are getting on for those of a Mondeo, which is high praise.

No high SUV is rallyesque as you know, but again, amongst it's peers the Kuga's on road handling are absolutely top class.

unkel

sk8board wrote: »

they're more Chelsea tractors than Mammy wagons.

Chelsea tractor = Mammy wagon, no?

Anan1

unkel wrote: »

Chelsea tractor = Mammy wagon, no?

The difference is lost on me too.

dingding

Lexus RX 400h

http://www.carzone.ie/search/results?nParam=200289+200301+4294910152&cacheBuster=1237594470861169

2 of 2005 models for about 30K.

Great Spec, economical, powerful.

L-M

dingding wrote: »

Lexus RX 400h

http://www.carzone.ie/search/results?nParam=200289+200301+4294910152&cacheBuster=1237594470861169

2 of 2005 models for about 30K.

Great Spec, economical, powerful.

Must be there awhile,

Lexus Advert wrote:

A very smart time to buy this vehicle as the new car price is going up by up to €10,000 in July cementing second hand values of hybrid jeeps and staying at the...

dingding

Limerick man wrote: »

Must be there awhile,

That one is there almost a year and it was mid 40's then. It is a nicer colour that the black one with the black interior. That dealer has over 100 cars on carzone and there could be a deal to be done.

Not sure how the hybrid system would be having lay up for that length of time.

L-M

dingding wrote: »

That one is there almost a year and it was mid 40's then. It is a nicer colour that the black one with the black interior. That dealer has over 100 cars on carzone and there could be a deal to be done.

Not sure how the hybrid system would be having lay up for that length of time.

I drove an RX300 that we were trying to sell for a customer last year. Really nice car to drive I thought, nice sound of the engine. We cut they one we had by nearly 1k a week and it just did not sell. Customer took it back in the end. Big petrol engine is a killer. (Someone robbed the badges off it as well:rolleyes:)

Anan1

dingding wrote: »

Not sure how the hybrid system would be having lay up for that length of time.

On which subject, do hybrids have a normal 12v battery too or do they just use the main battery pack for starting?

gibbon75

Anan1 wrote: »

On which subject, do hybrids have a normal 12v battery too or do they just use the main battery pack for starting?

They have a normal 12v battery too (or at least the Civic Hybrid has one)

dingding

Anan1 wrote: »

On which subject, do hybrids have a normal 12v battery too or do they just use the main battery pack for starting?

They have a 12 volt battery to power the electronic systems. When you start the car the petrol engine may not start asn you move off. When it needs the petrol engine there is no starter. The petrol engine is powered to running speed by the electric motor before it is given petrol ignition. So you don't hear the the engine start.

Unlike the BMW system which uses a normal starter motor.

sk8board

unkel wrote: »

Chelsea tractor = Mammy wagon, no?

no, not really, I used to think the same as yourself until I grew into that world:

they both do the same thing, but 1 is rarely washed, full of mashed-in white chocolate buttons and liga's, parked on the drive of a normal suburban semi, and the other is valated, waxed and parked in the leafy burbs.

I suggest we move on

Anan1

sk8board wrote: »

no, not really, I used to think the same as yourself until I grew into that world:

they both do the same thing, but 1 is rarely washed, full of mashed-in white chocolate buttons and liga's, parked on the drive of a normal suburban semi, and the other is valated, waxed and parked in the leafy burbs.

I suggest we move on

I think you're missing the point. An S-Max is too functional to warrant the pejorative 'mammy wagon'. It's just a family car.