Test drove some cars today...

[850CSi]

My dad's lease on the X3 ends within the next few weeks so we headed out today to test drove some potential replacements...

He's going to be leasing (for tax purposes) and is looking for cars in the $500-$700/mo. range (assuming $0 down other than first month and security deposit) for a 36-42 month lease at 12K miles a year.

Today we drove...

Volkswagen Touareg2 V6

Impressions... Pretty nice, especially for the money. For a model with roughly $40K MSRP we were getting around $530 a month, give or take, which is a pretty good deal. It drove nice enough, the interior is a good place, and I found the seats to be really comfortable. Not nearly as roomy as the X5 or Q7 (about as roomy in the back as the X3). Probably the best bang-for-the-buck prospect.

Audi A6 3.2 quattro
My dad drives my car a lot and so even though he's been driving mainly SUVs for nearly 20 years, he said he wanted to make an effort to get a sedan. After driving the Touareg, A6,  and Q7 back-to-back he went back and said he'd definitely prefer an SUV - the seating position seems to be more comfortable for him. So that sort of took the A6 out of this, even though we both agreed it was a really nice car. It's not as tossable as the 5er (to me it was sorta reminiscent of the E320 4Matic I drove a couple years back) but I liked the way it drove. Lots of room in the back, too.

Audi Q7 3.6 quattro
This was the all-around favorite. After we drove the A6 he really wasn't considering it but I convinced him to take a look and after we ran the numbers (we think we can get them down to around $750 for a Premium model with a fair amount of options) we decided to drive it as well. We both liked it a lot. It feels really solid, he liked the seating position a lot, and it's really spacious in the back. I was surprised by how well it handled - I had been driving the X3 today (which handles really well for an SUV) and I really felt like the Q7 was comparable.  We both think it's probably worth ~$200 more than the Touareg. The only problem is that at 200" long, it's 10" longer than even my mom's 4Runner, and so it's a little bigger than what he'd really want. It's also not a speed demon but none of these are either.

BMW X5 3.0si
This was my personal favorite, and with similar numbers he'd probably go with this one over the Q7. It drives really well, better than the Q7, the interior is a really nice place to be, there's a lot of room in the rear, and it's a sharp-looking car. The push-button start, strange turn signal (both of which I also have in my car) and the weird shifter are all answers to a question no one asked, but that's not really an issue.  The main problem is that BMW's lease offers are strangely terrible on the X5. They have some really good deals on 3ers (my dad said that had we not already had an E90 he would have signed the lease on a 335xi immediately even though it's not an SUV) but for some reason the offers they have on the X5 make it insanely expensive even for a car cheaper by MSRP than the Q7 (strange considering that the X5's residuals are probably very strong). So that sorta knocks the X5 out of it, but we're waiting to see what happens.



Overall I'd have to say it's probably going to be the Touareg. Neither of us liked it nearly as much as we liked the Q7 and X5, but it really is the best deal. We're waiting to see what the BMW dealership and Audi dealerships can come up with. He might even turn in his car and take mine for a while and wait to see what turns up (since I really don't need my car, I could take the train home).

He might also check out the MDX (there's a decent lease offer on that) soon.  I was trying to get him to drive an ML350 but for similar money we'd rather have the Q7.

Comments/suggestions welcome.

[CALL_911]

A 528xi would fall nicely in your range.

[CJ]

ML320 CDI.

[TheIntrepid]

Touareg!

[850CSi]

A 528xi would fall nicely in your range.

I'll run it by him but he pretty much ruled sedans out and doesn't like the way the 5er looks that much. The lease calculator is also giving me low to mid $700s and for that money he'd probably rather have the Q7.

[850CSi]

ML320 CDI.

Not worth it, lease calculator is giving me high 700s for a model with next to no options. That's X5 territory. And free maintenance on the BMW would almost negate any cost advantage that the ML would have due to being more fuel efficient.

[850CSi]

Touareg!

It probably is the frontrunner at this point, but if the BMW ends up costing similar money to the Q7 (we still haven't gotten real numbers on the X5) I'm going to push him to go for that (he probably won't need much motivation though).

[850CSi]

Hmm I just built an X5 with only cold weather package (which is really all he wants) and a 36 month at 12K with 0 down came out to $750...

That means it's basically similar to the Audi, although it'll end up being somewhat cheaper because I believe returning customers don't have to pay destination charge, and if we get another BMW we also don't have to pay the return fee on the X3 so that's roughly $1K right there, and another ~$1K over 36 months because maintenance on the X5 would be free. And like I said, he felt for some reason that the Q7 was a little too big (it is roughly 10" longer and 2" wider).

Hmmmmmmm

The Audi, however, IS better equipped. And finding an X5 with that level of equipment (or lack thereof) won't be easy. The X5 is question is also MY 2007 (although that really doesn't matter).


I really have to question, though, if either of them are really worth $200+/month over the Touareg.
I guess that comes down to how much more he likes them.

[850CSi]

Hmm... A base Cayenne, which is faster and from what I've read/heard handles better than any of these SUVs, can be had for $730, but that's a 48 month thing... Compelling. Although it is an overweight bastard.

He DID mention he'd love to have a manual SUV for some reason...

[CALL_911]

I'll run it by him but he pretty much ruled sedans out and doesn't like the way the 5er looks that much. The lease calculator is also giving me low to mid $700s and for that money he'd probably rather have the Q7.

Hmm, nicely equipped ones are going for like $569 a month around here. But I don't know what the down payment's like, so that could make a difference.

Hmm... A base Cayenne, which is faster and from what I've read/heard handles better than any of these SUVs, can be had for $730, but that's a 48 month thing... Compelling. Although it is an overweight bastard.

He DID mention he'd love to have a manual SUV for some reason...

It's fugly, and I don't think there are that many manual Cayenne V6's. But isn't that a little expensive for what is essentially a V6 Touareg in a Porsche wrapper?

[TheIntrepid]

I would want a 955. They're great looking.

[CALL_911]

They have the distinct title of "ugly Porsche".

The first ugly Porsche. Damn.

[TheIntrepid]

They have the distinct title of "ugly Porsche".

The first ugly Porsche. Damn.

In your head, maybe.

[CALL_911]

In your head, maybe.

Pic don't work, n00b.

[TheIntrepid]

Pic don't work, n00b.

Sorry. It's a Cayenne Turbo S, silver with roof rack, in the dunes.

[J86]

Look at a Cayenne!  Despite the common angst against them here, if I was buyin' a luxury SUV that's what I'd go for...

[CALL_911]

Sorry. It's a Cayenne Turbo S, silver with roof rack, in the dunes.

Better, but ugly. Why the hell does a soccer mom need 520 hp?

[omicron]

Better, but ugly. Why the hell does a soccer mom need 520 hp?

You go imagine Catherine Zeta-Jones offloading the children at school, brandishing 520hp, and tell me that a soccer 'mom' doesn't need 520hp.

[Raza]

Buying a Cayenne or Q7 doesn't make sense over a Touareg.  Plenty of people do it, but it doesn't make sense.

[J86]

Buying a Cayenne or Q7 doesn't make sense over a Touareg.  Plenty of people do it, but it doesn't make sense.

I'd buy the Cayenne in a heartbeat....either get the stick...or get some sweet motors...

[850CSi]

Buying a Cayenne or Q7 doesn't make sense over a Touareg.  Plenty of people do it, but it doesn't make sense.

Having driven both, the Q7 is much nicer car than the Touareg.

[Raza]

Having driven both, the Q7 is much nicer car than the Touareg.

In what ways?

Also, you should look at an XC90.  Why is he so set on an SUV?

[Raghavan]

Cayenne V6 6 speed would be awesome.
Do it.

[850CSi]

In what ways?

Also, you should look at an XC90.  Why is he so set on an SUV?

Seating position.

He's driven an XC90 before, he likes the Touareg more.

[Colonel Cadillac]

Cayenne 6-speed

[dazzleman]

I love doing test drives.

I didn't really test drive anything when I bought my current car (2006).  I just took the path of least resistance in getting another 5er, though I did try out the 530xi.  It drove fine, but I decided the 4-wheel drive wasn't worth the extra money for the 2-3x per year when it might be useful.

But before I got my 2001 5er, I test drove a bunch of cars, including an Audi, Saab, Volvo, BMW and Mercedes.  I was originally looking at the 3-series and its comparables, but I decided to step it up to the 5er.

Best of luck Faris, and have fun.

[ifcar]

The MDX and SRX lead the bang-for-the-buck luxury SUV category. Definitely drive both. I have never been particularly impressed with anything about the Touareg but the interior myself.

[850CSi]

The MDX and SRX lead the bang-for-the-buck luxury SUV category. Definitely drive both. I have never been particularly impressed with anything about the Touareg but the interior myself.

I put aside my personal anti-Acura sentiment and have been trying to convince him to test drive the MDX. I'll mention the SRX as well but I doubt he'll go for a Caddy.

[Colonel Cadillac]

I put aside my personal anti-Acura sentiment and have been trying to convince him to test drive the MDX. I'll mention the SRX as well but I doubt he'll go for a Caddy.

Anti-Acura

[TheIntrepid]

I put aside my personal anti-Acura sentiment and have been trying to convince him to test drive the MDX. I'll mention the SRX as well but I doubt he'll go for a Caddy.

All those cars are pieces of shit. What you want is an Infiniti G35!!!