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Thread: Goodbye Mercedes?..Hello RRS

  1. #1
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    Goodbye Mercedes?..Hello RRS

    My last daily driver was a 2013 Mercedes ML350BT which was a great car and I considered a new GLE500 for a while, as well as a Porsche Cayenne S before deciding on a Range Rover.

    After a 5 month wait (actually to the day!!) I picked up the keys last week to my first Land Rover product, a 2016 RRS SDV8 HSE Dynamic. Handover was good apart from the missing tow pack which started a slight issue with the dealer principal, after they tried to suggest it was my fault that it wasn?t ordered. This got resolved and it will be fitted in the next few weeks, however it did leave me with some negative impressions regarding the dealership.

    The car didn?t get driven much for the first few days, but with an Easter weekend full of day trips I finally had the chance to put it through its paces?.first impressions are it?s an awesome vehicle and I thought I would share a few observations.

    Coming from the ML, it certainly seems to be larger inside the cabin, much more spacious, but not sure about the boot space as this seems to be narrower in the RRS. Luxury wise it?s in a different class. Even the wife commented that ?it makes the Mercedes look cheap in comparison!!!?

    The ride is very good, the car just seems to waft along at freeway speeds however it also loves the twisty stuff in Dynamic and Sport mode. It?s certainly no lightweight sports car and the Cayenne is certainly more of a driver focused SUV, but then I didn?t buy the RRS for that purpose.

    I did struggle with the seats at first but after a few days I managed to find a comfortable seat position. Storage space in the cabin is a little limited and I know others have commented on this before. I certainly notice it compared to the Mercedes.

    Meridian Surround system is pretty good. I?m no expert in this field but it is definitely a step up from the HK system in the Merc (which I also used to think was good).

    Adaptive cruise control is simple and effective to use and was a good option choice in my opinion.

    I know this is a well-known issue, but the front parking sensors not working automatically is an annoying matter. I raised this with the dealer at handover and they didn?t know how to turn them on automatically. I found the setting in the main setup screen and turned on auto, but it re-sets each time the vehicle is turned off. I am aware of a software upgrade for this so will have the dealer look at this soon.

    In control apps seems to be a waste of money. The apps available in Australia are limited and the ones which are available provide no better functionality than the infotainment system provides as standard. Unless things improve in the future my recommendation would be to not tick this on your options list.

    The surround cameras work well and provide good views; however I would have liked the picture quality to be better.

    The much-maligned infotainment system is actually better than I was expecting. After a little practice I can find most functions easily. I think the criticism regarding the speed of the system is warranted and this is an area which needs improvement. As a comparison, I had a new Mercedes C250 as a loan car over xmas and the infotainment system/satnav was incredibly slow to react, much slower than the RRS in fact. Just shows that this issue is not limited to JLR systems.

    The Sat Nav system is good and seems on a par with other systems I have used, even if the graphics are a little dated. Works fine though and is perfectly functional.

    The V8 diesel engine is a monster. Clearly not as quick or powerful as a supercharged V8 but it pulls very well and has a nice V8 growl to accompany rising revs, with buckets full of torque. It is surprising just how quick you can pile on speed with very little effort?..something I will need to be careful of or risk the inevitable speeding fines!!! It?s not the right time to be measuring fuel efficiency as I am enjoying the new engine too much at the moment.

    When it comes to looks it certainly has to be one of the best looking SUV?s around. I spec?d mine with Indus Silver, Contrast Santorini roof and custom coloured Style 508 22 inch wheels. Along with the Dynamic pack black trim I am very happy with the colour scheme. I even had the LR badges changed to the old black/silver ones to keep with the colour of the dynamic pack.

    A few days after collection the car went to a local detailer for Opticoat Pro paint protection to be applied to exterior and wheels. Window tints were fitted and interior fabric leather protection also applied.

    The final results are fantastic (see pics) and I?m certainly looking forward to spending more time on the road??..and I don?t miss the Mercedes at all!!!
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  2. #2
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    Great write up - good to hear from more RRS owners too. I've got the same V8 in my older heavier Vogue and am more than happy with the performance so I expect in a much (600kg!) lighter RRS it must be quite something!!!
    Perfect car for jaunts to the Barossa, Clare, McLaren Vale..etc
    cheers
    L405, Vogue SE, 4.4SDV8, 8 speed, Rear e-diff

  3. #3
    LRD414's Avatar
    LRD414 is offline Super Moderator Subscriber
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    Excellent write-up. Looks awesome, would love to try one. Do you have any plans for touring/offroading?

    Scott
    D4 TDV6 MY14 with Llams, Tuffant Wheels, Traxide DBS, APT sliders & protection plates, Prospeed Winch Mount w/ Carbon 12K, Mitch Hitch & Drifta Drawers
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    Ex '77 RRC 2 door. Long gone but not forgotten.

  4. #4
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    Looks fantastic. Enjoy, Great Write Up

    Sent from my MotoG3 using AULRO mobile app

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by CSBrisie View Post
    Great write up - good to hear from more RRS owners too. I've got the same V8 in my older heavier Vogue and am more than happy with the performance so I expect in a much (600kg!) lighter RRS it must be quite something!!!
    Perfect car for jaunts to the Barossa, Clare, McLaren Vale..etc
    cheers
    Thanks Brisie. Car is effortlessly quick, but at the same time is a smooth and relaxing cruiser.....I think i'm going to enjoy this one!! lol

    Agree with your comments about jaunts to the wine regions of SA........I was up at a few vineyards in Adelaide Hills over the weekend. Problem is I need a driver for the way back....hic......and not sure I'm ready to hand the keys over yet!!!

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by LRD414 View Post
    Excellent write-up. Looks awesome, would love to try one. Do you have any plans for touring/offroading?

    Scott
    Hi Scott,

    I suppose its the old question....why buy a Range Rover when you don't plan to go off-road?!

    Generally the car will stick to the black stuff (especially with my wheels!!! ), but that's the beauty of a RRS, equally as happy on the road and off it.

    Some long distance trips are definitely being planned though!!!

  7. #7
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    SBD4 is offline A Keeper of the TGO Gold Subscriber
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    Beautiful Car. Good to read that you are enjoying it.
    Cheers,

    Sean

    “Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former.” - Albert Einstein

  8. #8
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    I have the 3.6 tdv8 and am impressed by how smooth a motor it is. I understand the 4.4 is better.

    Nice write up. Don't be a stranger. Keep us updated on your experiences. It's a nice looking vehicle, except for those tyres (from a touring perspective). I assume the rims are 20"?
    L322 tdv8 poverty pack - wow
    Perentie 110 wagon ARN 49-107 (probably selling) turbo, p/steer, RFSV front axle/trutrack, HF, gullwing windows, double jerrys etc.
    Perentie 110 wagon ARN 48-699 another project
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    REMLR # 137

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by rar110 View Post
    I have the 3.6 tdv8 and am impressed by how smooth a motor it is. I understand the 4.4 is better.

    Nice write up. Don't be a stranger. Keep us updated on your experiences. It's a nice looking vehicle, except for those tyres (from a touring perspective). I assume the rims are 20"?
    Hi rar110,

    Rims are 22's.

    Tyres are standard OEM Continental CrossContact? LX Sport 275/40/22. Predominantly for road use and general off road use according to Continental. They are definitely not 4x4 off road tyres!!!

    99% of the time the car will be on the black stuff, so the tyres will do the job for me. If the car was going to be spending much time off road I would be going for smaller diameter rims.

  10. #10
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    I've said it before and I'll say it again, that's a great looking Range Rover Sport, and I love how the wheels (colour and design) go with the Indus Silver paintwork ...

    Ps Just out of curiosity, I wonder why this thread was moved from the L405/L494 section when this post is specifically about an L494?

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