MEDISIN
Member
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2010
- Posts
- 14
- Reaction score
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After 15 consecutive years of Jeep ownership I bought my first Land Rover. Yes, I'm the scourge of my family. We've had just about every Jeep model over the last 30 years. The CJ, SJ, J10 (my favorite), XJ and ZJ - all great vehicles with many great memories. My business was Jeep's to loose and I'm sorry to say they did their level best to drive me away.
I narrowed it down to a (2007) Commander and (2006) LR3 after evaluating and driving the Tahoe, Armada, Pathfinder, XC-90, and Sequoia. For the same price, the LR3 was the better value in every way. Although I really wanted the 5.7L Hemi, I am warming up to the 4.4 and it's freakishly low RPM torque. The sales experience was horrible at the Jeep dealership and I really expected more. The LR buying experience was first-rate and never, ever imposing.
We loaded up the dogs and drove out to Uwharrie National Forest last weekend. Needed to get familiar with the terrain response settings and gizmos. Headed up Falls Dam Trail on a dry day. Puddles yes, but the red clay was mostly dry. This is a wide trail - with several approach angles to obstacles and minimal scraping and dragging over the mounds of earth and small rocks.
I've taken my ZJ (with UpCountry factory package) up the same trails last fall. Very different experience. The Jeep's shorter wheelbase and breakover angles made the ridges (jumps for the dirt bikes) easy to overcome but the Jeep also bucked side-to-side and lurched on many of the technical spots.
The LR3 just quietly rolls over everything. No commotion, no wheels spinning, no bouncing around the cab, just quiet, comfortable climb to the top. Kind of takes the fun out of it but I can't say I didn't enjoy those nice leather seats, the cool air conditioning and watching the looks on all the lifted, beater trucks and dirt bikes as this 3-ton urban cruiser creeps up the trail.
We took a video crossing a big puddle at the top. This is the end of the 3 mile trail and the truck never got dirty (other than the tires)? It doesn't spin/kick up dirt and mud like the other trucks on the trail with us (which were covered).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gK-rVHglTow&hd=1
Didn't see any other stock vehicles on the trail other than a long-bed Chevy Duramax. He was doing fine until there was a sharp turn uphill with no room to maneuver. Truck was just too long to fit between the bank and the trees so he had to back down.
I think what surprised me most was the engine. In the Jeep I usually revved between 2-4k in 4-Lo to keep the torque near it's peak. This variable valve voodoo Jag engine never climbed over 2k RPM's. Usually hovered between 1-2k. Which is really, really quiet - which made me think I stalled a couple of times because I couldn't hear the engine!
On top of that, I was getting 21MPG on the highway (65-70MPH) there and back . Granted, that's with 93 octane and I'm assuming the on-board computer is calibrated correctly.
Anyway, have several more excursions planned for late summer and fall. Looking forward to getting to know the LR3 better and learning from the seasoned owners on this forum.
Cheers
I narrowed it down to a (2007) Commander and (2006) LR3 after evaluating and driving the Tahoe, Armada, Pathfinder, XC-90, and Sequoia. For the same price, the LR3 was the better value in every way. Although I really wanted the 5.7L Hemi, I am warming up to the 4.4 and it's freakishly low RPM torque. The sales experience was horrible at the Jeep dealership and I really expected more. The LR buying experience was first-rate and never, ever imposing.
We loaded up the dogs and drove out to Uwharrie National Forest last weekend. Needed to get familiar with the terrain response settings and gizmos. Headed up Falls Dam Trail on a dry day. Puddles yes, but the red clay was mostly dry. This is a wide trail - with several approach angles to obstacles and minimal scraping and dragging over the mounds of earth and small rocks.
I've taken my ZJ (with UpCountry factory package) up the same trails last fall. Very different experience. The Jeep's shorter wheelbase and breakover angles made the ridges (jumps for the dirt bikes) easy to overcome but the Jeep also bucked side-to-side and lurched on many of the technical spots.
The LR3 just quietly rolls over everything. No commotion, no wheels spinning, no bouncing around the cab, just quiet, comfortable climb to the top. Kind of takes the fun out of it but I can't say I didn't enjoy those nice leather seats, the cool air conditioning and watching the looks on all the lifted, beater trucks and dirt bikes as this 3-ton urban cruiser creeps up the trail.
We took a video crossing a big puddle at the top. This is the end of the 3 mile trail and the truck never got dirty (other than the tires)? It doesn't spin/kick up dirt and mud like the other trucks on the trail with us (which were covered).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gK-rVHglTow&hd=1
Didn't see any other stock vehicles on the trail other than a long-bed Chevy Duramax. He was doing fine until there was a sharp turn uphill with no room to maneuver. Truck was just too long to fit between the bank and the trees so he had to back down.
I think what surprised me most was the engine. In the Jeep I usually revved between 2-4k in 4-Lo to keep the torque near it's peak. This variable valve voodoo Jag engine never climbed over 2k RPM's. Usually hovered between 1-2k. Which is really, really quiet - which made me think I stalled a couple of times because I couldn't hear the engine!
On top of that, I was getting 21MPG on the highway (65-70MPH) there and back . Granted, that's with 93 octane and I'm assuming the on-board computer is calibrated correctly.
Anyway, have several more excursions planned for late summer and fall. Looking forward to getting to know the LR3 better and learning from the seasoned owners on this forum.
Cheers
They're not my first choice in brand or size but I can always buy a second set of rims and tires for off-road use later.
