Right,

As always happens when I am about to spend a large amount of money, I have suddenly performed on myself a big reality check, just to make sure I am 110% sure I am doing the right thing. This is what's going through my brain...

I'm about to spend £58,000 on a brand new car that will depreciate like a falling stone, you only have to see the rate at which the full size RR has fallen in value to get a view on how much you lose in under a year...it's scary. I estimate that if I did 15,000 miles a year, after 3 years I could expect to sell it for about half the original cost, maybe less! SCARY

I could spend £20K LESS and get a second hand Range Rover Vogue with less than 25,000 miles on the clock and STILL enjoy a nice 4.4 V8. It will do everything the RRS will do afterall.

There's been a lot of bad press recently about the RRS, particularly surrounding the air suspension, poor build quality, trim panels falling off, bonnets coming loose, ashtrays not closing etc, and I am beginning to wonder if it presents too much risk to be a guineau pig for Land Rover. I know some people have said their's are fine, but I've read more negatives than positives in various different places.

For such a large amount of money I could buy a very hig spec X5 and still have change and be sure the build quality is superb and proven. Or a Porker Pig, similar money, apparently very well built too, and quick.

I guess I need to convince myself the Range Rover Sport Supercharged is worth spending all that extra money on, it could be financial suicide after all.

What are other people's thoughts? Has anyone else gone through the same process?

Sometimes I wish I didn't have a conscience. L319 D4 HSE

1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF

1982 Series 3 SWB

Umm, nuts?

No, probably having fun actually.

Bottom line is: if you want to follow you head, buy a diesel (a LOT less depreciation and fuel), if you want to follow your heart, buy the supercharged.

Peter

better off to buy a range Rover, for that money it will have every conceivable extra, cost a bit more to run, etc, but should have most faults ironed out !wHEN I SOLD MY ONE YEAR OLD ml, I WAS ORIGANALLY OFFERED 50% OF ITS VALUE. NEEDLESS TO SAY I=i DID NOT ACCEPT IT, AND HUNG ON TILL i GOT SOMEWHERE NEAR WHAT i WANTED.
i WOULD HAVE BOUGHT A rANGE \ROVER, BUT IT IS JUST SO BIG, AND LIVING IN CENTRAL LONDON WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT OF AGROO.
I am pleased with RRS, but at the back of my mind I can still see a real Range Rover,

do what I am doing , after one year say f**k it and buy another new car
hear that a new bentley suv is on the horizon, now that sounds good.!!!!

go sking, spend kids inheritance, after all they will decide what nursing home you go into

RRUK,

I've just brought a diesel RRS. I would love a petrol, but diesels just made more financial sense. They are much cheaper to buy, slightly better on the MPG (mine averages 25mpg), but the main reason was that they suffer much less depreciation. A month or two ago when the first deprication figures were being published in the back of the car magazines, the diesel RRS was being estimated at 68% retained value after 3 years (one magazine even quoted 70%). The only other car from the list of ALL manufacturers that matched that was the BMW X5 3.0d. Even the Mini and Volvo XC90 were less. This clinched it for me and it confirmed that the RRS diesel was the right model to choose, especially as it was a new model - whereas the X5 is now 5 years old.
However, since then the depreciation figures has dropped recently - maybe due to reliability issues or the 'footballers wives' stigma! The depreciation of the diesel and the petrol models is now almost the same. Maybe the market doesn't see the RRS has lived up to the 'hype'.

So, if you can live with the fuel economy, I would have the petrol and enjoy the performance. However, if I was spending £58K then I would also be seriously looking at a Cayenne. They might be ugly, but they do outperform the RRS.

For a comparison, here are the retained value figures from this week's AutoExpress magazine:

BMW X5 4.4i Sport - 56%
BMW X5 3.0d Sport - 68%

Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.7 V8 Limited - 45%
Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.0V6 CRD Limited - 52%

Lexus RX300 V6 SE - 58%

Porsche Cayenne 4.5 S - 67%
Porsche Cayenne 4.5 Turbo - 62%

RRS V8 SE - 61%
RRS V8 HSE - 59%
RRS V8 s'charged HSE - 59%
RRS TDV6 S - 62%
RRS TDV6 SE - 62%
RRS TDV6 HSE - 61%

Range Rover V8 Vogue SE - 45%
Range Rover TD6 HSE - 51%

Volvo XC90 2.5T SE - 57%
Volvo XC90 2.4 D5 S - 56% Matt
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RRS ownership for 1 yr, then D3 for 2 yrs. Then cut back to old bangers and working my way back up through two Peugeots in 6 months. Now got Saab 9-5 2.3t and enjoying the performance!

RRUK

I think we are all thinking on similar lines, after a year's research EVERY night, looking on ALL forums, putting down deposit on RRS I have now done my own nuts thing - yesterday I bought a year old Cayenne S over the phone, sight unseen, from a Merc dealers part exchange auction. It's met black, black leather, UK car with quite a few options inc Sat Nav, privacy glass, 19inch sport wheels etc. Downside - I havent seen the thing, upsides - maufacturers warranty until next year plus it only cost £39,200!

I cheated a little bit as I was recommended by a few work colleagues to use a car finder chap who charges a fee but you pay trade price for what he finds. He attended the auction and says it is in great condition, so on his advice and a quick check on the car's provenance with HPI and my local Porsche dealer I bit the bullet. It arrives on Mon or Tues so I'll let you guys know how it compares with the RRS.

Finally my wife can't believe that after all that research, tyre kicking and head scratching over a year that I then go and do the stupidest thing and buy a car I've never seen on the advice of a bloke I've never met!

Widdle,

Hope the Porsche is every thing you want,
Sad to see after a years deliberation, but thats how it goes sometimes.
As to buying without seeing if you trust your man then ace, I dont think he will let you down.
As I say hope the Cayenne is good, dont let it stop you calling in here and keeping us all up to date you will always recieve a welcome from me.

Have fun,

Regards,

Stuart. Its out there somewhere. Second V10 Treg on the drive at the moment.

Thanks for all the replies and information. I am still thinking about it. I am not even sure if my £1000 deposit with the dealer is refundable, does anyone know what the situation is?

I don't think I could buy a Prsche Cayenne, as I simply don't like the look of them even though I know they are very nice and also capable.

I saw a few full fat RR's today and have to say, they still look stunning (in my eyes anyway)

After getting this far though with the RRS S/C, if I pulled out and then bought an normal RR, come September when I should have taken delivery of said £58K car, I wonder if I'd THEN really regret, especially if I started seeing Supercharged models on the road. It will be nice to be the first around in the S/C in my area and for once, have a car that stands out as being BRAND NEW to everyone, and therefore, something special. I've never had that. My current car, the M5 was 3 years old when I bought it and doesn't shout anything to passers by, most don't notice it at all.

I guess I can't have my cake and eat it...more thinking to do.... L319 D4 HSE

1998 110 TUM HS FFR Hard Top XD WOLF

1982 Series 3 SWB

I asked the same question to our local dealer before we placed an order for a Range Rover Sport. Their reply was that they would refund the deposit if we cancelled the order, if it was a colour and specification that they could sell on easily. If not, then they would keep the deposit. There view was that they can any Sport in the showroom so quickly, that they were happy to give back the deposit on cancelled orders. Matt
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RRS ownership for 1 yr, then D3 for 2 yrs. Then cut back to old bangers and working my way back up through two Peugeots in 6 months. Now got Saab 9-5 2.3t and enjoying the performance!

Yes thats right with regard to £1k deposit, I am in negotiations with another dealer today with regard to RRS supercharged that is in stock in my exact spec... see what they can do with PX offer ? ............... then they may poss have a deal.

Or will my local dealer suddenly want to better their offer/deal to retain my business..... Lets see. 
" WITH MORE EXTRAS THAN A HOLLYWOOD EPIC "

Go get it MDP,
Don't lose your dipper though. Its out there somewhere. Second V10 Treg on the drive at the moment.

Typical, I get a phone call later in the day from the salesman saying its just come to his attention that the car was sold late Saturday & he had'nt realised/spkn with that sales person in the meantime.

Back to the drawing board...... I was so excited!

Have to wait till Sept as planned.

Oh well  
" WITH MORE EXTRAS THAN A HOLLYWOOD EPIC "