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Bmw x5 or range rover/rr sport?
I will be in Ireland over the Christmas and New Year holidays. Looking at the Hertz website and talking to the desk at DUB, in the premium SUV category on offer are: BMW X5, Range Rover and Range Rover Sport. All diesel models, likely 3.0 engine for the Beamer and 2.5 for the Range Rovers. Any folks on this board who drive any of these models and care to offer your advice on which is the best one to drive for two weeks around the country?
Thanks in advance.
Last edited by UAPremExecflyer; Oct 27, 08 at 12:08 pm..
Reason: Changing title thread back to all CAPS
I looked at all of those for replacement of my Infiniti FX45.
How much are the rental rates different between the models?
They are all slow. If you are going to offroad at all, the Range Rover is still king and is very comfortable. Not sure that's "allowed" according to the rental agreement though.
If you are going to driving on road, the X5 is the best of the three. It easily beats the Range Rover sport in sportyness, comfort and performance. I also think it has a more modern interior. If you like comfort and soft suspensions, then the air suspension in the Range Rover is probably going to be the best, but it really wallows in the corners and felt unsafe, to me, other than going in a straight line.
I haven't driven the diesel versions of these cars, but have driven a diesel BMW 730d with the same engine as the X5. We got great fuel economy, around 35mpg mostly highway, but I don't know how that would translate to an X5.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tummy
I looked at all of those for replacement of my Infiniti FX45.
How much are the rental rates different between the models?
They are all slow. If you are going to offroad at all, the Range Rover is still king and is very comfortable. Not sure that's "allowed" according to the rental agreement though.
If you are going to driving on road, the X5 is the best of the three. It easily beats the Range Rover sport in sportyness, comfort and performance. I also think it has a more modern interior. If you like comfort and soft suspensions, then the air suspension in the Range Rover is probably going to be the best, but it really wallows in the corners and felt unsafe, to me, other than going in a straight line.
I haven't driven the diesel versions of these cars, but have driven a diesel BMW 730d with the same engine as the X5. We got great fuel economy, around 35mpg mostly highway, but I don't know how that would translate to an X5.
Thanks for the feedback! They are all the same price ... same vehicle group. The Range Rover is only one listed on the website. But I have seen lots of RR Sports in the parking lot. And when I called the airport desk, the guy said the X5 was also available.
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I am going to go the other way. I hate BMW's they have some of the worst, hard seats I have ever sat in. The vehicles are set up weird and I hate iDrive. I would take an Impala over a BMW for any sort of long driving. My 2 cents on the BMW's...
I love the Range Rover's up tall comfy seats and at least easier for me to navigate instrument panel. I also prefer the regular range to the sport model. Nicer feel inside...imo.
BMW's and MB's are not my cup of tea. Give me a Jag or Lexus any day over them...
I am going to go the other way. I hate BMW's they have some of the worst, hard seats I have ever sat in. The vehicles are set up weird and I hate iDrive. I would take an Impala over a BMW for any sort of long driving. My 2 cents on the BMW's...
I love the Range Rover's up tall comfy seats and at least easier for me to navigate instrument panel. I also prefer the regular range to the sport model. Nicer feel inside...imo.
BMW's and MB's are not my cup of tea. Give me a Jag or Lexus any day over them...
I think it really depends on how you like to drive. I really like to fling cars, especially rental cars, into corners and smoke tires, etc. I nearly flipped the Range Rover when I test drove it, taking a corner as fast as I normally do in our Infiniti and MB SLK.
The Sport is actually based on the Discovery platform so is much smaller than the Range Rover. I know a person on FT who recently traded their Porsche Cayenne for a Range Rover and likes it much better as well.
I recently drove the Lexus LS460L at a Lexus driving event and have to say that the suspension isn't any better, and IMO worse, than that from Mercedes AirMatic. In the Lexus, I couldn't tell the difference between "sport" and regular suspension modes. In comparison my Dad has a MB E500 and you can really tell the difference, especially in corners, and that is with the standard air suspension. On cars equipped with MB ABC (active body control), the cars will corner nearly flat, yet absorb every bump. It's unimaginable that you can chuck a big S class into a turn and have it handle so well.
When Hertz had the S-Type and X-Type Jags I found them to wallow and nosedive a lot. The X-Type isn't a real jag though. I found it's suspension to be very hard on certain highway expansion joints. I never had the chance to drive the XJ.
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The last time I was in Dublin I reserved a LR3 (Discovery) and all they had was the Volvo SUV. I made a specific request for the LR3 when I made the reservations. There is a chance that you might not get the Vehicle that you request.
Just a word of advice, the larger the vehicle the more difficult you will find to park it. You will find that the Car Parks in Ireland have drive aisles and parking spaces much smaller than in the states.
Personally I would go with the RR rather than the RRS. Go big or go home. I am sure you will find that the Vehicle will go much faster than the roads will allow. Not uncommon to find 7' or 8' wide roads with no shoulders.
Watch out for the Garda. I was pulled over doing 134 kph on a back country road. If you are nice they may let you go without a ticket. I got lucky....
I own a range rover, and i HIGHLY recommend it, its a great car, comfortable, great visibility minimal blind spots for an SUV, and the infrared backup camera is the BEST.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BLAHBLAHDELTA
The last time I was in Dublin I reserved a LR3 (Discovery) and all they had was the Volvo SUV. I made a specific request for the LR3 when I made the reservations. There is a chance that you might not get the Vehicle that you request.
Just a word of advice, the larger the vehicle the more difficult you will find to park it. You will find that the Car Parks in Ireland have drive aisles and parking spaces much smaller than in the states.
Personally I would go with the RR rather than the RRS. Go big or go home. I am sure you will find that the Vehicle will go much faster than the roads will allow. Not uncommon to find 7' or 8' wide roads with no shoulders.
Watch out for the Garda. I was pulled over doing 134 kph on a back country road. If you are nice they may let you go without a ticket. I got lucky....
Enjoy your trip.
LOL on watching out for the Garda!!! You got lucky indeed. If they pulled me over doing 134kmh, I'd be sure to get a ticket. While you're a tourist and they're being nice, a country Garda is not going to cut some "jackeen" any slack! Note: Jackeen = Irish slang for what country folk calls Dubs (residents of the capital). I'm a Dub now living in the US ... so a copper who pulled me over for speeding in a fancy RR or RRS would delight in sticking me for a hefty ticket.
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To close the loop on this thread: thanks to all for your answers and suggestions. In the end, economic discretion got the better part of proverbial valor (and desire). Earlier this month, Hertz dramatically dropped rates at DUB and so I went with a standard automatic (Mazda 6) for EUR548 (for two weeks), rather than EUR3773 for a BMW 7 series or EUR3340 for RR or RRS.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by UAPremExecflyer
In the end, economic discretion got the better part of proverbial valor (and desire). Earlier this month, Hertz dramatically dropped rates at DUB and so I went with a standard automatic (Mazda 6) for EUR548 (for two weeks), rather than EUR3773 for a BMW 7 series or EUR3340 for RR or RRS.
Then how did you end up in a Land Rover we'd all like to know..
