aminewyork

Traded in the raptor last Sat for this guy. Supercharged V8 in the exact spec I was looking for. Fingers crossed that I don't encounter too many "rover issues."

Elliott991TS

beautiful car! congrats!

please give us your feedback down the road

ace37

aminewyork

Will do. I feel it's almost sacrilegious spending this much time talking about RR or Fords on this forum, but hey, perhaps future Turbo or TTS owners will benefit from my "experiment," as I call it, in trying out other brands, having been a Pcar brand only owner, myself, for the last 10 years.

Here's my 72 hour take. I haven't owned a Cayenne for a few years, but do own a '17 Macan GTS. So while it's not an apples to apples comparison, I will make references to that car as I drive them both daily at times, depending on my wife's schedule.

Fit and finish (thx to the Velar, the Range Rover line got a slight refresh in '18)

• Interior
  • Unbelievably nice. Leather wrapped everywhere. Feels like I'm in a small yacht instead of a car. So nice, I find myself being extra careful when getting in or moving around. Cabin is just such a nice place. Blows the interior of the (older) Cayenne away. Certainly next level compared to my Macan.
  • Command Seat position - this fabled Rover attribute where you sit up high and see everything - it's real. It's nice, i see why people like it. I, however, prefer to be as low as possible so I find myself constantly trying to move the seat down. Old habits and all
  • Tech - Rover's new PCM, taken from the Velar, looks 21st century. Best "looking" PCM I've seen in cars under $100k. Not the best UX but intuitive enough to figure out in about 5 mins w/o instructions. I pray every day it doesn't have any of the famous Rover electrical problems . So far so good.
• Exterior
  • Beauty is in the eye and all that. Personally, i find the higher end spec'd Rovers to be much better looking than the new Cayenne or Macan.
• Driving impressions
  • Up front - It's not a Cayenne and certainly NOT a Macan GTS/Turbo but it's something different entirely. If you're a "car guy" and are only concerned with driving dynamics on the back roads and such but need an SUV and really want that "car like" feeling - get a Macan GTS or Turbo and call it a day. That is the benchmark for me here. If you need more space, don't mind more of an "SUV feeling" and have the $$, get the new Cayenne Turbo or the as yet released GTS. That said....
  • The Rover (I can only speak to the V8 version as I had to have that)
    • Driving
      • Acceleration - love it. 0-60 said to be about 5 secs but it feels faster than that prob because Rover isn't as planted as Macan. The exhaust not is great..basically one level down from an AMG 63 sound but deep and musclely. I love it.
      • Around town, it's composed and smooth (despite my 22" rims) and just such a luxurious calm place to be. Interior is pin drop quiet. Never had a nicer time running errands. I could stay inside and work from the driver's seat all day.
      • On the hwy - it reminds me of my E60 M5 - feels like a locomotive that just gobbles up hwy miles and power is always present when you need more. Amazing hwy cruiser.
      • It feels a little top heavy around back country turns for sure. Not nearly as bad as I thought but def no PDCC here helping.
• Misc other things I like as well as those I feel it's missing
  • Stereo - I'm and audiophile so this is very important to me. If I'm on a trip or running a 20 min errand, I want my DD to have a nice system. I opted for the 825w Meridian system. It is, by far, the best OEM stereo I've ever had. No question. Bose is total ****. My Burmeister in TTS, which I know people love, never did it for me. It's incredibly loud and powerful but I never liked it. The meridian is loud and clear. The subwoofer, bass and other controls are easy to dial in. And if you're like me and can go from hip hop to classical music in a heartbeat, you'll be smiling for days as EVERYTHING sounds good. So this sound combined with the luxurious cabin = just a new level of enjoyment for me.
  • Things I wish it had
    • No cornering lights. Wish it had those
    • I've grown used to turning off the car and having the convenience of steering wheel moving back and seat moving back - allowing for easier entry and exit. Rovers do not have this feature.
    • No swivel headlights. Those of you who have PDLS+ option know what I mean. Turn steering wheel and lights move with. Nada on Rover

So that's the quick summary. I'm having a good time joking with my friends that soon I'll have problems, Rover will be at dealer, some kind of mechanical issue is around the corner. One of my friends actually offered to enroll me in AAA just as a back up option. While I accept this may happen and have certainly taken the risk with purchase, I figure it's all part of the experience. And as far as the first 72 hours go, my experience has been aces!

Dr Chill

I recommend driving this for a few months then trading it for a 2019 TTS. Then the cycle would be complete. Nice looking RRS though.

aminewyork

ha... i think about that all the time.
I have a '19 GT3 coming in March of next year. As soon as that hits, I won't be able to think about anything else.. literally.

ace37

Elliott991TS

hey, great write up, I'm sure there are plenty of people here that are interested, so please give us a follow up in a few months

I can see why people are lured by Rovers, plenty of things that are very nice about them, I hope yours is trouble free, thanks for sharing the experience with us

aminewyork

thx. I'll keep everyone posted. So far the only glitch I've had is with Apple Car play.. but that is a 100% iPhone/Apple thing, not Rover PCM thing. Have issues with Apple Car play in all my cars.

guab

Nice write up.

Love my '11 RRS. BTW, you do have the equivalent of PDDC (electrohydraulic antiroll bar system). It's just named differently in the RRS -- Dynamic mode. My '11 has it as well. I have 32" KO2's on mine with rods, it makes a much bigger difference with that setup than stock. Surprisingly, I don't feel a dip in power with the tires. Love having 500+ horsepower.

Overall, mine has been very reliable. 2nd rover I have owned. No major issues in either ownership experience. They do need to be well taken care of though -- a lot of owners don't maintain them properly because consumables are expensive (and yes, air suspension components have a service life irrespective of what is mentioned in the owners manual). Also, per pretty much every Indie shop I have talked to, on the L320/L322's you need to change the oil more frequently than the Land Rover recommended interval (every 7.5k or sooner vs every 15k). Not sure if that's the case with the L494.

Randyc151

My wife has driven a LR Disco Sport+ for a year without a single issue or hiccup. (She looked at a Macan Turbo, X3, and GLC43. She chose it for the black roof and wheels!! I'm not sayin a word!)

ChugsTurbo

Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Trackhawk

Harry Da Hamster

Nice Raptors, fellas. I on the list for a 2019 Raptor, been on the list for 8 months now. It's at a dealer in the North East who's offering $1000 above invoice. I'm super impressed with how it drives and rides, and the Ecoboost V6 really isn't bad at all. If and when i get my hands on it, i got it all planned. Road trip thru the Dakota's to the west coast and ship to Hawaii. Mod's all planned out. Full Race turbo kit, Borla S-Type exhaust, front collar leveling kit, SVC front and rear bumpers, and 37" tires. I know, i'm such a bench racer and dreamer... That's if i get it. Doesn't help that i just bought a turbo S and installed a By Design Stage 4 kit.

Harry Da Hamster

What fenders are those?

Harry Da Hamster

Sorry for all the posts, doing some catch up. That's the only thing i'm cringing. Tiny Honolulu compact stalls and parking garages. Lots of people here with huge lifted F250/F350 coal rollers, i have no clue how they get around... Fortunately i have two small day drivers, the Audi A4 and 991 Turbo S.