Expedition Portal Project: 2008 Range Rover Sport

[jh.]

I should have known that even mentioning a G-wagon in a Land Rover thread would stir things up.

Maybe it's because I'm nice and relaxed from being several :beer: deep, but I don't think anyone has gotten stirred up at your comments. Not like mentioning a Rover in a Cruiser thread at least....

If I could afford a G, I would probably own one. I can't. So I own a RRS. And I love it.

 

[PJPR01]

PJPR01.
With regular servicing and changing all the oils, i see no reason for your Sport not to last way past 300k.
Change the autobox oil every 75k or so and it will be fine, Mine is getting changed next month. Bit overdue from what ZF recommend though..

Liking the drawer system, simple yet effective like all the best ideas are.

Fully aligned with you here...I've been doing front and rear differential fluid changes every 30K, and transmission fluid changes every 75k. They come out much better and cleaner, and I've had no diff whine or issues so far. It runs as smoothly as the day I drove it off the lot...so far so good! I've done the spark plugs twice as well...they were perfect both times, but every little bit helps. Hoping I can easily get 300K...absolutely love it.

Chris...I'll be up in Telluride August 23-Sep 1st, and then over in Colorado Springs for the following week. If you're up for a run over Black Bear, or Imogene, Ophir...just let me know! We'll be around...would be a nice fun rendezvous, shoot me a PM and I'll send over contact info. With any luck, Mr. Dalton will be around and we can do another fun run up with his 110 and others up above the airport or a camp out at Alta lakes. If you've ever run the Uncompaghre plateau over to Gateway...that's an easy run, nothing hard, but nice ride up on the ridge.

 

[Chris Cordes]

Hey don't sweat it! The g is a fantastic car and I would take a new one over a new sport if I'm
Completely honest. It's the same things that scare me with the new grand Cherokees. Everything a fancy electronic lever/menu/shifter etc. What if I dump a coffee on it while braking or something? What if there's just a fault? Besides anyone who says a G isn't awesome is nuts haha

I was speaking about the brand in a general sense, not about specific models. The current Range Rover actually has amazing resale value for the short term due to supply/demand. I think we all know that strong resale values, at least in the USA, have not been one of Land Rover's strong suits over the years, at least in part due to quality control issues.

I should have known that even mentioning a G-wagon in a Land Rover thread would stir things up. Believe me, I have nothing against Land Rover and actually have a lot of admiration for the brand. I previously owned a 1995 Discovery that I liked a lot despite all the time it spent in the shop getting fixed. In fact, if new Defenders were available in the USA right now, it's quite possible I would be driving one instead of a G-wagon...

 

[High Country Nomad]

PJPR & Chris, we'll also be out in Telluride about that time. Leaving on the 30th from Winter Park to Mesa Verde via Salida and then north to Telluride for 2 days before heading back north via a few hundred miles of back roads on the 4th or 5th. Would be great to get a trail ride in if we are all there at the same time. We'll have a Toyota in our caravan though...

 

[PJPR01]

Timmlman...the more the merrier! Telluride will be fun that weekend, it's the Film Festival weekend as well, so we're planning on hitting a few of them, but would love to get a trail run in with everyone. Won't be hard to find each other I'm sure, but let's keep posting up here.

 

[epiccosmo]

Hey don't sweat it! The g is a fantastic car and I would take a new one over a new sport if I'm completely honest. It's the same things that scare me with the new grand Cherokees. Everything a fancy electronic lever/menu/shifter etc. What if I dump a coffee on it while braking or something? What if there's just a fault? Besides anyone who says a G isn't awesome is nuts haha

This is funny as my 2014 LR4 was just Lemon'd and I went to the 2014 Grand Cherokee with the Diesel engine. My main focus is keeping a vehicle with a 2 speed trans case. Not many options out there anymore in a new vehicle....

 

[Chris Cordes]

Really? Thats too bad about the LR4. :/ At least you'll have a nice car though! The Grand Cherokee is really nice just like the sport. Its just my personal preference on the electronic shifter etc so dont let it bring you down on it!

 

[MattScott]

Most automatic transmissions are electronically controlled, so it's just a different way of looking at it.

 

[Chris Cordes]

Very true. Like I said its personal preference. I just don't like the function of it. Its similar to how I prefer the manual controls in aircraft to the electronic ones. Both effective, I just enjoy the more traditional feel.

 

[greynolds]

IMHO, the main thing is to not add functionality that serves no purpose other than showing off, especially to a component that could leave you stranded if that showy feature fails. That's exactly what Land Rover did with the shifter that goes up and down on the center console on the full size Range Rover. It's sort of cool looking, but it would really SUCK if that useless feature failed when you're out in the middle of nowhere or just need to be somewhere on time, and that has actually happened to a few people. I was able to get mine fixed before it actually left me stranded somewhere, but it left me wondering "what if it acts up again and does leave me stranded?".

That's too bad about your LR4, epiccosmos. I hope you enjoy your Grand Cherokee.

 

[Chris Cordes]

Very good point. Thats kind of where i was going with my point but you said it best for sure

 

[epiccosmo]

Really? Thats too bad about the LR4. :/ At least you'll have a nice car though! The Grand Cherokee is really nice just like the sport. Its just my personal preference on the electronic shifter etc so dont let it bring you down on it!

Because of your thread here, if you didn't notice by all my questions, I was seriously considering a 2010-2013 RRS as a replacement. Of course the lack of aftermarket accessories was a detractor and difficulty of 18" wheels. Main drawbacks was mileage as we travel quite a bit and that's why the diesel for us looked like a good option but also just the overall experience I had at my local dealership with the issues around my LR4 made me want to leave the brand for a while.

If you really look at the new Grand Cherokee from a dimensional and optional point of view you would see that it has a pretty nice mix of LR4 and RRS DNA to it. It has options and size of a RRS with dimensions of an LR4. Plus the aftermarket is much larger thanks to Jeep themselves (sliders, skid plates) and other companies that are coming out with more products on a regular basis (Front Runner just came out with a great roof rack replacement for the stock rails) and all the wheels that carry over from the wrangler models give cheap unlimited wheel options. Plus with the diesel I am already seeing 5-7 mpg better than the LR4 and paying within $0.30 of a gallon if not the same price or less than premium gas. Went 220 miles on 1/4 tank of diesel where the LR4 I would have easily been over half if not 2/3 of a tank. Only real loss seems to be the interior capacity that he LR4 gives you.

IMHO, the main thing is to not add functionality that serves no purpose other than showing off, especially to a component that could leave you stranded if that showy feature fails. That's exactly what Land Rover did with the shifter that goes up and down on the center console on the full size Range Rover. It's sort of cool looking, but it would really SUCK if that useless feature failed when you're out in the middle of nowhere or just need to be somewhere on time, and that has actually happened to a few people. I was able to get mine fixed before it actually left me stranded somewhere, but it left me wondering "what if it acts up again and does leave me stranded?".

That's too bad about your LR4, epiccosmos. I hope you enjoy your Grand Cherokee.

I agree with greynolds about the shifter as its the same in the LR4 and was a worry of mine. Supposedly from the other forums people are having issues with it and it is deciding to go into park while at speed and go down. Couple people have had the issue. Plus between my issues and a couple others issues I am just not 100% sold on getting another new LR at the current time. While the Jeep isn't as prestigious as the green oval I am hoping it serves its purpose just fine.

I will have to derail this thread more with a picture attached at some point but it is currently fully stock with no mods. I was told we would not be modding or taking this one off-road as I did with the LR4 as it was scary as I should just get another wrangler to do that.... Hmmm.....

Congrats greynolds on the G. Didn't mean to imply I was taking away from that purchase as I have always loved those vehicles as well. I would love to have one of those too but with the mileage we put on vehicles it just isn't an option at the moment.

 

[nwoods]

If you really look at the new Grand Cherokee from a dimensional and optional point of view you would see that it has a pretty nice mix of LR4 and RRS DNA to it.

Good term (DNA), the electronic traction control and terrain response system in the Cherokee is from the same vendor that developed the system for Land Rover!

 

[Chris Cordes]

Because of your thread here, if you didn't notice by all my questions, I was seriously considering a 2010-2013 RRS as a replacement. Of course the lack of aftermarket accessories was a detractor and difficulty of 18" wheels. Main drawbacks was mileage as we travel quite a bit and that's why the diesel for us looked like a good option but also just the overall experience I had at my local dealership with the issues around my LR4 made me want to leave the brand for a while.

If you really look at the new Grand Cherokee from a dimensional and optional point of view you would see that it has a pretty nice mix of LR4 and RRS DNA to it. It has options and size of a RRS with dimensions of an LR4. Plus the aftermarket is much larger thanks to Jeep themselves (sliders, skid plates) and other companies that are coming out with more products on a regular basis (Front Runner just came out with a great roof rack replacement for the stock rails) and all the wheels that carry over from the wrangler models give cheap unlimited wheel options. Plus with the diesel I am already seeing 5-7 mpg better than the LR4 and paying within $0.30 of a gallon if not the same price or less than premium gas. Went 220 miles on 1/4 tank of diesel where the LR4 I would have easily been over half if not 2/3 of a tank. Only real loss seems to be the interior capacity that he LR4 gives you.



I agree with greynolds about the shifter as its the same in the LR4 and was a worry of mine. Supposedly from the other forums people are having issues with it and it is deciding to go into park while at speed and go down. Couple people have had the issue. Plus between my issues and a couple others issues I am just not 100% sold on getting another new LR at the current time. While the Jeep isn't as prestigious as the green oval I am hoping it serves its purpose just fine.

I will have to derail this thread more with a picture attached at some point but it is currently fully stock with no mods. I was told we would not be modding or taking this one off-road as I did with the LR4 as it was scary as I should just get another wrangler to do that.... Hmmm.....

Congrats greynolds on the G. Didn't mean to imply I was taking away from that purchase as I have always loved those vehicles as well. I would love to have one of those too but with the mileage we put on vehicles it just isn't an option at the moment.

Naw the Grand Cherokee will do everything you want and more off-road. They're amazingly capable and comfortable. I do envy you very much on gas mileage lol. My recent 1400 mile trip to northern california was almost painful. Please do post pictures of it! What color etc did you go with? Thoughts so far?

Good term (DNA), the electronic traction control and terrain response system in the Cherokee is from the same vendor that developed the system for Land Rover!

Very cool didn't know that!

 

[swrider]

Hey Chris Cordes, not to highjack your thread, but I just wanted to hear your opinions as far as the Grand Cherokee is concerned when compared to your Range Rover???
I would love to own a RRS but realistically I am not sure how much offroad use it would see and reliability is still a problem for me. I would love to be able to go to some of the places that you have posted about, but it will probably be in a GC; do you think I would have any problems doing so in stock form???
In a perfect world i would just take the plunge and go with a RRS, and even though I am mechanically inclined, this would be my first foray into overlanding, so maybe going with a GC first might be a better choice.

Thanks.