Hi All

I bought a 65 plate L405 5.0 S/C AB a couple of months back, putting what was an amazing Merc GL63 AMG 7 seat super SUV in px and have found my L405 to be a disappointment in comparison from driving, handling and noise perspective. Sure its a serene place to be but the bouncing wafty feeling is actually making my 5 year old feel sick when driving country roads (nothing at all wrong with the car) so here i am, I have an option on an L494 5.0 S/C AB that's nearly the same spec although a tad older year, should I expect it to feel notably different in terms of handling, acceleration and ofcourse noise from the exhaust?

2 lots of depreciation mean an SVR will have to wait a year but I dont want to buy the L494 only to find I had to go back to AMG land to get that feeling back, can an L494 be a really good compromise between AMG and the L405 without feeling too soft in the bends etc.

Not had an opportunity to drive one yet, the one I'm looking at will be driven before purchase but a short drive doesn't really tell the whole story, especially if that drive is built up areas, town centres etc. where it will feel fine anyway.

Some advice would be most welcomed, I have an option on a GLE63S AMG too and know that will be amazing to drive but it lacks rear entertainment and the creature comforts of the L494.

Thanks in advance

Carl

I can’t comment on the s/c (tyrefitter andy best one to ask as he’s recently sold one). I can say that the l494 is a completely different car. I really like the wafty aspect of the full fat but it isn’t for everyone. In dynamic mode, the 494 drives like its on rails, and probably has much more of the sporty feel you’re looking for  Range Rover Sport HSE DYnamic SDV6 Velocity blue 2020 MY
Range Rover sport HSE Dynamic P400e Silver
Range Rover Sport 3.0 SDV6 HSE Dynamic 2016 MY
Range Rover sport 3.6tdv8HSE 2007 Gone
Range Rover sport 2.7tdv6SE 2005 Gone
Range Rover sport 2.7tdv6SE 2007 honey
Range rover Vogue 2005 4.4 - GONE and missed
BMW 535d M sport 2006 - GONE not as missed
BMW X5 4.4 2004 sport - GONE

Thanks for the response, I'm keen to go ahead and do think it will be a lot better for my preferences whilst not losing that premium feel that the L405 brings over Merc for example.

Hi Carlos,,you wont be disappointed with the L494 SC,,as Hoppy says ive just traded one in & it was like driving on rails against the 405 which is more like being on a boat & ive been on plenty of those with living in a fishing town.The reason I traded it in was if id kept it I would have ended up losing my licence as even on country roads is was at 140mph before you knew it.My old one is at a car dealers in Cheshire for 44k with 37000miles on the clock in santorino with a few extras,sidesteps which I fitted & it also had the soft close doors. Andy.
21 Ford Ranger
Gone but not forgotten
Focus RS Red Edition
2015 RRS AB Fuji.
2014 RRS SC Santorini
2016 VW Amarok
2014 RRS AB Fuji
2012 RRS Red Edition Fuji
2015 Nissan Navara
2012 RRS SE Santorini
2008 RRS White
2007 RRS Santorino

Hi Andy, cheers for this, I thought this would be the case but wanted some real world owner experience rather than relying on the reviews from the magazine publications from back in the day.

I personally like the L405 looks, but the ride is just too soft and having had an SDV8 version a few years ago I should have known that really. Cost be around £8k in 6 weeks just to make that mistake plus a similar drop with the GL63 i put in against the 405 since I accepted a really sh*te deal on it compared to others so all in all a good £15k down the drain in 2 months hence not being able to buy an SVR.

Really appreciate the comments, will go ahead and place a deposit and go test drive it at the weekend

Good luck, hope it does the trick

It’s interesting to read this as a L405 owner. I love it, but I’d never describe it as “sporty” drive

Wish my old man had been so thoughtful when I was 5!  A Fatty owner, just dropping by

This is my old one Carlos
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ad...icle-check Andy.
21 Ford Ranger
Gone but not forgotten
Focus RS Red Edition
2015 RRS AB Fuji.
2014 RRS SC Santorini
2016 VW Amarok
2014 RRS AB Fuji
2012 RRS Red Edition Fuji
2015 Nissan Navara
2012 RRS SE Santorini
2008 RRS White
2007 RRS Santorino

Hi Carlos,
As far as a test drive goes I always ask to have minimum 45 mins-1 hour or longer in the car with or without a sales guy/staff to get various roads/speed covered to help make a decision.
Good luck

Hi Carlos, in your test drive, remember to turn the dial to Dynamic mode , the twisty road symbol on the left, then find a road that looks like that symbol and give it the beans.  MY15.5 SDV6 HSE Dynamic without the H . Yulong White

Had a go of one close to me today, had 90k plus miles on and I was thinking it would be tired out, knocking, shimmy etc but wow it was solid and wow, completely different to drive compared with a 405, everything from the throttle reaction to just feeling less huge and boaty, Im gutted I went 405 again, it will now cost me around £8k extra to buy the same car, fu*king boll*cks!!!!

Really glad I asked the question here, it prompted me to take a drive today and its what I wanted all along. Love how its much more instant, more noise, stops harder, rides flatter, feels as refined and so on.

Thanks guys

It’s a lot of cash to be sure, but glad you’ve found what you were looking for  A Fatty owner, just dropping by