[KenSilver]

My Daimler gets sold this weekend. It was the perfect car and immaculate in every way, but keeping it 20 minutes away has not been a good idea for usage.

So I'm looking for something else. I had thoughts of a Range Rover, but anything less than a couple of years old is not that appealing, and any model newer is horrendously expensive for something that will only be used in the wet, or on an occasional basis.

If you had an unlimited choice for a budget of around US$20,000, what would you buy? (Non-American, sorry, we just don't get them over here!)

Ken Silver
--------------
~1993 SL500, glistening triple black, xenons, AMG facelift to 2002 style.
~1999 SLK 230 Kompressor, silver/black leather, CD, immaculate
~1999 Suzuki Grand Vitara. black & silver.
~1991 Jaguar Daimler, shiny grey/grey leather.
~ex 350SL, 230E, 280E, MX5 and a lot of other makes not nearly as nice.

<img src="http://www.kensilver.com/newSLsig.jpg">

 

[noogles]

i have a 4.6HSE Range Rover. it's not too bad actually, my only complain is that it's a heavy slow pig. handles pretty good for a car it's size/weight.

 

[Storm]

Get a Toyota Surf/4runner. It's just as comfortable and costs less (specially since to will be using it as a "rough" car)

 

[KenSilver]

noogles - 1/29/2005 7:03 PM
i have a 4.6HSE Range Rover...

What year? Any problems? I had been looking at an immaculate dark green '96 HSE - so immaculate that the owner had fitted L/Rover seat covers over all the seats and headrests--it looked brand new! It also had the wood wheel - looked very nice inside and out. But the seat colors put me off... they were a deep brown. Light tan I could have lived with. It had a great service history too, so most recurring problems like suspension had been eliminated (I hoped).

I really like the 2002 and onward model, but--the price!

Ken Silver
--------------
~1993 SL500, glistening triple black, xenons, AMG facelift to 2002 style.
~1999 SLK 230 Kompressor, silver/black leather, CD, immaculate
~1999 Suzuki Grand Vitara. black & silver.
~1991 Jaguar Daimler, shiny grey/grey leather. Almost gone.
~ex 350SL, 230E, 280E, MX5 and a lot of other makes not nearly as nice.

<img src="http://www.kensilver.com/newSLsig.jpg">

 

[KenSilver]

Storm. - 1/29/2005 10:17 PM

Get a Toyota Surf/4runner...

My son is a manager for Toyota HQ here in New Zealand and a great advocate of his brand. But unfortunately after having cars with 'character' I have great difficulty buying Japanese just on reliability alone. Same with their Lexus--bland and boring MB lookalikes.

Given a choice, I would like something of more quality. What else you got?

Ken Silver
--------------
~1993 SL500, glistening triple black, xenons, AMG facelift to 2002 style.
~1999 SLK 230 Kompressor, silver/black leather, CD, immaculate
~1999 Suzuki Grand Vitara. black & silver.
~1991 Jaguar Daimler, shiny grey/grey leather.
~ex 350SL, 230E, 280E, MX5 and a lot of other makes not nearly as nice.

<img src="http://www.kensilver.com/newSLsig.jpg">

 

[KenSilver]

I may have done a silly thing quitting the Daimler...

My home office looks out over our driveway, and as our house is at the top of a 1000ft hill overlooking the harbor, we get a lot of exhausted-looking people walking by on their daily exercise regime.

Since I brought the Daimler out of 'storage' to work on over the last couple of days, I've seen more people look at it than at anything else we've had in the driveway. Long looks... peering in windows and pointing out to friends kind of inspection.

I know I shouldn't keep it based on other people's interest, but such keenness from the general public makes it a hard decision.

<img src="http://www.kensilver.com/daimfront3-4.jpg">

Ken Silver
--------------
~1993 SL500, glistening triple black, xenons, AMG facelift to 2002 style.
~1999 SLK 230 Kompressor, silver/black leather, CD, immaculate
~1999 Suzuki Grand Vitara. black & silver.
~1991 Jaguar Daimler, shiny grey/grey leather.
~ex 350SL, 230E, 280E, MX5 and a lot of other makes not nearly as nice.

<img src="http://www.kensilver.com/newSLsig.jpg">

 

[noogles]

KenSilver - 1/28/2005 7:16 AM

noogles - 1/29/2005 7:03 PM
i have a 4.6HSE Range Rover...

What year? Any problems?

95 iirc. had to replace one of the suspension bags cos of a leak. the air suspension pump tends to get kinda noisy, but it's an easy fix. interior build quality is, how you say, typically british. the ride is awesome, acceleration isn't.

 

[asianbond]

Older RR or Bentley.

Possibly an older Italian four door sedan? Maserati or Ferrari?

 

[KenSilver]

I think I've found the answer this afternoon - the Lexus SUV...in my case a 1999 LX470.

I test drove it today and it's brilliant. Absolute luxury, dream ride, blissful silence - like riding in a cathedral. I haven't driven anything like it, absolutely amazing.

And unlike the Range Rover, it doesn't depreciate like a brick.

I also tested a 98 SE RR in the morning and was VERY disappointed with the ride. I would go so far as to say it only ranked 3/10, and this was even before I tried the Lexus.

Now I just have to find the ready money to pay about double what I had budgeted for. But I can't go back now--once I experienced the perfect ride, the damage has been done!

Ken Silver
--------------
~1993 SL500, glistening triple black, xenons, AMG facelift to 2002 style.
~1999 SLK 230 Kompressor, silver/black leather, CD, immaculate
~1999 Suzuki Grand Vitara. black & silver.
~1991 Jaguar Daimler, shiny grey/grey leather.
~ex 350SL, 230E, 280E, MX5 and a lot of other makes not nearly as nice.

<img src="http://www.kensilver.com/newSLsig.jpg">

 

[noogles]

KenSilver - 1/29/2005 5:18 AM

I think I've found the answer this afternoon - the Lexus SUV...in my case a 1999 LX470.

cool. how much? []

 

[KenSilver]

noogles - 1/30/2005 9:30 PM
cool. how much? []

About 12mpg []

Ken Silver
--------------
~1993 SL500, glistening triple black, xenons, AMG facelift to 2002 style.
~1999 SLK 230 Kompressor, silver/black leather, CD, immaculate
~1999 Suzuki Grand Vitara. black & silver.
~1991 Jaguar Daimler, shiny grey/grey leather.
~ex 350SL, 230E, 280E, MX5 and a lot of other makes not nearly as nice.

<img src="http://www.kensilver.com/newSLsig.jpg">

 

[noogles]

KenSilver - 1/29/2005 3:32 PM

noogles - 1/30/2005 9:30 PM
cool. how much? []

About 12mpg []

the HSE gets around 10 [] oh yeah, post some pics up please []

 

[G500 Reid]

Are you looking for an SUV have you tried the ML55 it has speed and still keeps you in that MB game. I have also had a RR they drive like School Buses but so does my G That the ride you get from a tru off road vechicle. Have you tried a 99 Jaguar XJR. It is cheap in the aftermarket and extremly fast I had a 98 never had a problem with it. Good luck hunting Cheers...

 

[KenSilver]

I'm not that impressed with the M series, but no matter where I go everyone says the Lexus beats them all. Even one guy with many exotic cars behind him says he would buy a Range Rover but knows that the Lexus is by far a better ride and build quality.

Looks like we buy with our hearts, not our heads!

Ken Silver
--------------
~1993 SL500, glistening triple black, xenons, AMG facelift to 2002 style.
~1999 SLK 230 Kompressor, silver/black leather, CD, immaculate
~1999 Suzuki Grand Vitara. black & silver.
~1991 Jaguar Daimler, shiny grey/grey leather.
~ex 350SL, 230E, 280E, MX5 and a lot of other makes not nearly as nice.

<img src="http://www.kensilver.com/newSLsig.jpg">

 

[foreyes]

I have owned a 2000 4.6 HSE Range Rover Holland & Holland edition, and really enjoyed it, great ride from the air suspension, wonderful Connolly leather interior that smelled as good as it looked, satin oiled walnut trim, but poor acceleration and fuel mileage. I would imagine that the pinnacle of SUVs would be a G-500 or G-55 AMG, especially for us R129 guys, but I haven't driven the G...yet..[?]

Tom

 

[foreyes]

The Jaguar analog to a 500SL...I Love my V12

But this one is faster and runs better than the Jag:

 

[foreyes]

One of my early Rovers ( a 4.0 SE) which is still my favorite

Tom
91 500SL
97 SL500
89 Jaguar XJS-V12 convertible
91 BMW Alpina B10 3.5 (E34)

 

[KenSilver]

Nice selection Tom, and in good condition too!

I'm committed to the Lexus... can't wait to get back in it after the test drives. This is one smooth vehicle!

Ken Silver
--------------
~1993 SL500, glistening triple black, xenons, AMG facelift to 2002 style.
~1999 SLK 230 Kompressor, silver/black leather, CD, immaculate
~1999 Suzuki Grand Vitara. black & silver.
~ex 350SL, 230E, 280E, MX5, Jaguar Daimler and a lot of other makes not nearly as nice.

<img src="http://www.kensilver.com/newSLsig.jpg">

 

[Splash]

Might want to read this post I found in the MS section.

Birger,
I too was impressed with the Lexus RX series. But it took one accident in a parking lot for me to realize that you can have all the crash tests in the world, and where it counts is the real-world situation.

The RX tests well in highly orchestrated crash tests, but as I found out, a low speed impact from an errant driver in a supermarket parking lot against the RX's side showed major cabin intrusion and the whole B pillar was pushed into the frame - collapsing altogether.

It completely shook my faith in the Toyota safety cage structure.

Then I look at all of the forum members who have been involved in high speed crashes and coming out unscratched in their ML's and I realize that my choice in cars also factors in proven safety - kind of like an insurance policy.

And then I think any W163 sounds really great compared to a Toyota/Lexus
[]