An SUV Fit for a King

My first car in high school was a 1986 Chevy Spectrum that was handed down to me from my mom.  It was maroon with black plastic bumpers, maroon cloth interior (dash, carpet, steering wheel, and all), and sported a little 4 banger making about 80 bHP.  My favorite part about that car was that it was a manual transmission… but that’s all!  Oh, and did I mention it didn't have power steering, ABS, power windows or even a radio!  I was lucky enough that it had a seat belt.

I am fortunate that I've come a long way since my first car nearly 24 years ago.  I just turned 40 this weekend and have been blessed in many ways; from beautiful healthy children to a great career that affords me the opportunity to do things I enjoy.  I’m also blessed with great friends…. that afford me the opportunity to kick the tires of some really kick-ass cars!  For example, last week the guys at eCarOne gave me access to a car that I have always wanted to drive but never really thought about owning.  For a full week, I had the chance to daily drive a 2011 Land Rover Range Rover Sport HSE.  This car had it all… it was finished in a beautiful combination of metallic black exterior with ivory interior, had the luxury package, rear DVD, and a bunch of other bells and whistles that no Range Rover would be complete without.

The reason I say that I have always wanted to drive it but never thought about owning it is in itself a statement that needs some further elaboration.  You see, to me and perhaps to many others, a Land Rover is not exactly a value proposition.  In general, late model Land Rovers (Range Rover and other models) are expensive relative to their competitors (Mercedes, BMW, Lexus) and in terms of value, they do not offer all the luxury appointments for the same price point.  You may say “So what, who cares about value… it’s a Land Rover.”  Your statement would be correct, but remember this is an SUV we’re talking about.  In the SUV segment, most buyers are seeking good value.  This is not a sports car or a weekend toy… it’s a Utility vehicle and oftentimes value is high on the priority list for SUV buyers.

With that said…. The whole value proposition changes when you look at slightly used Range Rovers.  In just three years, this car has depreciated about 50% of its original purchase price.  As eCarOne is offering this car at about $50k, now it makes much more sense to buy it if you are looking for value.

On the other hand, if you drive this car, you will not be thinking about value while you’re smiling from ear to ear at how this car makes you feel while you’re behind the wheel.  I absolutely loved driving this car.  This really is no comparison to any other driving experience.  I can say that with all due honesty because I truly do not place value high on my priority list when it comes to cars.  I would much rather enjoy my car in every way than worry about resale value or bang for the buck.  A car to me is not an investment… it’s a cost and for me it’s an important part of my day and of my overall life experience.  Hence, I don’t seek value when I’m purchasing a car as I do when I’m evaluating a possible financial investment.

Case in point, I purchased a 2014 Maserati new just five months ago.  Now, less than 4,000 miles later that car is probably worth $15k less than I paid for it.  Many folks out there would call me crazy… so be it but is it crazy to spend $100 on a bottle of wine or $200 on dinner or $500 on a pair of Lakers tickets?  How long do any of those experiences last?  To each his own, right?

Now, let’s get back to the Range Rover.  I already briefly stated that I loved it, but let me elaborate.  In comparison to my Maserati Ghibli, the Range Rover Sport does not offer the most bang for your buck when compared to its competitors.  For what I paid for the Ghibli, I could have purchased a much more powerful AMG E63, a BMW M5, or even a Porsche Panamera 4S.  However, none of those cars would have given me the overall experience of owning and driving an Italian luxury sports sedan with such a rich history linked to none other than Ferrari.  By the same token, the Range Rover is a great car for the same money, you could buy a fully optioned out BMW X5 5.0 that is much faster, has more bells and whistles and much for suited for daily street driving than the Rover.  However, you would not be driving a piece of history and an iconic off road vehicle.  Land Rover only makes SUVs and makes them better than anyone else out there.  Land Rovers are internationally recognized as the crème de la crème of SUVs; at home in the African jungle as well as escorting European royalty to the most prestigious events.

I’m not going to go into much detail about this car.  I don’t need to.  If you want value and bang for your buck, then you can’t go wrong with a Lexus GX460 but if you want the pure enjoyment of driving an SUV that makes you feel like royalty, then take this car for a test drive and you’ll understand what I mean.

Thanks for reading and happy driving.

The Ultimate SUV

Four pre-teen girls, a 2-year-old boy, a very pregnant woman, a man who just got home from the office and a 2010 Mercedes GL450…. This is not the beginning of a joke and there is no punch line.  This was a brief description of last Tuesday night as I got home from work and buckled everyone into the GL450 to head for a 45 minute ride to the circus.  And I gotta say… the GL was a champ!

We decided to take our daughter and her three friends along with our young one to the circus.  We had 7 passengers with one of them riding in a car seat.  I didn’t think we could all fit in one car but the GL450 not only fit, it was quite comfortable and it got us there in style.

We currently own a small SUV that is comfortable enough for four but we are considering something bigger as the kids get older and the GL is at the top of my list.  Needless to say, this test drive from eCarOne was not only fun but also very helpful for me.  Other cars I am considering include the Toyota Highland Limited, the Acura MDX, and the new Infiniti JX35.  All those are great cars and I’m not going to compare in this post, but rather I want to talk about my impression of the GL450.

I picked up the GL from eCarOne about a week ago and I was a little concerned about the size of this vehicle, but my concern disappeared when I started to drive it.  Although this is one of the largest “mid-size” SUVs on the road, it did not feel that way at all.  I’ve driven a Range Rover and an Escalade and those cars feel like large SUVs.  They are generally sluggish and too soft for my taste.  However, the big Benz felt relatively nimble, well planted and very powerful.  .

Aside for the great driving dynamics, this GL450 had a lot of luxuries you’d expect from Mercedes.  I loved the dual sunroofs, the power trunk, the power folding third row seats, and the super comfortable leather seats with memory.  Again these items are expected, but nonetheless they are nice to have.   Another welcomed surprise was the sound system.  This car was not optioned with anything spectacular but the standard sound system was way beyond standard.

As for dislikes, there were one or two.  In particular, I didn’t like the fuel consumption.  During my week-long partnership with the GL, I noted roughly 14-14.5 MPG during mixed city/highway driving.  I think this is a bit below other comparable SUVs.  Another dislike was the blind spot.  However, this car was not optioned with the blind spot detection and I’m sure this would come in handy.

All in all, I truly am impressed with the GL450.  For what eCarOne is asking for this car, I can’t see a better choice.  I am sold on this car and I may actually end up owning it very soon.

Thanks for reading and happy driving.