VW Vortex - Volkswagen Forum banner

Capable Luxurious SUVs?

31K views 321 replies 58 participants last post by  Smooremin 
#1 ·
SoI am falling down the rabbit hole again..... Here I go. (copied from OT)

With the Heep failing emissions, I am not sure I want to keep putting money into it. It has been a perfect side car for us over the last year. It was cheap, it runs well, it just is starting to really show its age and at this point it is 17 years old. In thinking of what I would want to replace it with, I want ot stay in the "Rugged" SUV area but would like a lot more of the niceties I am used to. I keep coming back to late model Lexus SUVs. Either a 2010ish LX570 or 2012ish GX460. the GX is wildly inexpensive for what you get. a 2012 with 85k with every and all lux bits I would want seems to hover right around 20K. The LX is about 10K more for a car that is a few years older with 40% more miles, but seemingly will hold its value more.


What does TCL think of my stupidity? Any other suggestions other than a 4runner? I would still like to be able to take it down to a Cabin Fest or go camping so something that is capable is important, but like I said, I would like to have more of the niceties.
 
#238 ·
Needs more filter please.
 
#239 ·
 
#240 ·
Well, got my sensor put on today:

Untitled by smooremin, on Flickr

Great success. No more tire warning light. While they were at it, I had them rotate the tires as they hadn't been done yet since they were put on. While they rotated the tires, I had my guy check the pads and they have a ton of life left. Seems as if they were nearly new when I bought it. Was a little worried about that since I have no idea when they were last done.

Now its time to get some snow :D

Untitled by smooremin, on Flickr

Oh yeah, the other day I properly spaced out the roof rack. They were too close before, looked like some T-Rex arms.
 
#241 ·
Nice.

I got notification from Vroom today that Monday is D-day.

Put the carpet back in the JKU yesterday, starting to have minor pangs of regret. Hasn't leaked the whole time it's been raining the past week.

It's a tarp, I'm sure.
 
#248 ·
Nice! I love the red. I just picked up a 2020 4Runner for my wife and decided to see what Vroom would give me for my 2018 GC Trailhawk. They offered about a thousand over buyout so I took it. Just brought home a 2020 Trailhawk last week, went with essentially the same one I had before but this one has the lux package. You are going to love it, Enjoy!!

Took it the next day for Tints, that's probably the extent of my mods on this one but...we will see!

 
#250 ·
Today was a pretty productive day with the Jeep. Got a notification in the mail the other day I am due for emissions this year and had until the end of January to make it happen. There used to be a location .5 miles from me, naturally they closed it a year or so ago, so I had to trek out to the burbs. The good news was I was in and out.

Untitled by smooremin, on Flickr

The process was super simple. You pull in, he scans the VIN card on the door, asks you to step in a room for 45 seconds and hands you a paper letting you know if you passed or failed. I passed with flying colors and wont have to take it back for two years.

On the way back from the burbs, I finally decided I would take it to my local CJD dealer to get an estimate on the dash peel/wilted leather issue that is well known. Over on Jeepforum, jeep has an account under the name JeepCares, and if you send them an estimate, they will work with you to try to get a replacement good willed.

Untitled by smooremin, on Flickr

No surprise, it is NOT cheap to do. So I forwarded this over to JeepCares and am not waiting to hear what they have to say. There is a 10 page thread in the WK2 forum specifically referencing this on going issue. Just hope to be able to get this fixed. I will happily pay a small percentage of the cost of the repair, if Jeep is willing to stand up and do the right thing.

Untitled by smooremin, on Flickr

As you can see, it is pretty bad as it is, and if it does not get fixed, I have read, that it will eventually start blocking the defrost vents from defrosting the windshield making it impossible to see out of.

So we shall see :peace:
 
#251 ·
As you can see, it is pretty bad as it is, and if it does not get fixed, I have read, that it will eventually start blocking the defrost vents from defrosting the windshield making it impossible to see out of.

So we shall see :peace:
Yup, I have definitely read about this on the GC forums. Seems to be really hit or miss regarding the extent of support fca will provide. Good luck! I wonder what it would cost to repair the dash on a gc with the upgraded leather interior?

On a related note, I have heard the same rumor several times that jeep used a different adhesive on the dash in '18s and newer. We shall see. Supposedly the CF trim on the srt starts to peel off the various interior panels over time as well. Good times.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
#255 ·
Gotta keep that soul alive, even when you're not driving an Audi.
 
#259 · (Edited)
In GM GMT900 trucks (Tahoes, Yukons, Suburbans, Trucks) it's super common, and expected, for the dash to just crack. The parts aren't terribly expensive but the labor is, and it's a hell of a job to take on by yourself. There is no revised part for it either, if you pay a dealership to fix it chances are within 2-3 years it'll be cracked again.

It's a bit of a catch 22. It's difficult to sell them with a cracked dash and get full asking price, because it's unsightly. But if you pay for it to get fixed, is it worth it? I was quoted $2,300 to have it fixed at the dealership, that included the new dash. I never had it fixed.

Also, this is just a picture from Google Search. This example is pretty bad as it's actually falling apart, usually it's just cracks going all over the place.

 
#262 ·
Just to add a cautionary tale about long-term WK2 ownership, based on my 2011 WD Durango:

My car is at the dealership today, getting a new thermostat at 106k. Here's the list of components replaced over the car's life (it was in CR's fleet before I bought it):

- Thermostat
- Shocks (including the $$$ auto-leveling rear ones)
- Driver's side seat heater element
- Exhaust manifold bolt (common on Hemis)
- Exhaust pipe gasket, causing a jet of exhaust to burn through the plastic surrounding the spare
- Two driveshaft replacements to fix vibrations (20k and 40k)
- Radiator at 60k
- Some sensor that tripped a CEL
- MyGIG head unit
- So many recalls - integrated power module upgrade, sun visors (that cause fire!), sun visors again

It's never stranded me, all of the ADAS stuff works (FCW, blind spot, ACC), and it still looks almost like new, save for bleached window sill trim. But man, this seems like a long list.

Tom
 
#263 ·
It'll be a miracle if I keep anything beyond 18 months.

It's a sickness. Hoping the WK2 is the jack of all trades I've been looking for, and if so - I'll probably buy a service contract through myself at work. :laugh:
 
#274 ·
Man, I don't think I've ever had a vehicle where I pull into the driveway and I just want to stay in my seat and take a nap.

These seats are comfy.
 
#275 ·
#276 ·
I have an irrational adoration for the new Grand Cherokees. Especially with a HEMI.

However, I just can’t seem to talk myself into getting one purely based on FCA reliability issues. Just seeing the “short” list of issues that this guy has had makes my dick itch.

I have a 4Runner, which is boring and slow and all...but it probably won’t fall apart in a year or two. I really wish the Grand Cherokees had the same peace of mind...I’d definitely be in one of that was the case!
 
#277 ·
4R is definitely tried, true, and reliable.

But it didn't give me the fizz, and I vastly preferred the driving impressions and comfort of the WK2. Fingers crossed I've got a good one.
 
#282 ·
Dont let the hate hinder your ability to get a fantastic rig, for super cheap, with tons and tons of features. :thumbup:
It should be noted that, as the guy who posted the list of Durango problems...another Durango is still on the list to replace the old one. (It drives better than the F15 X5 I test drove today.) For me, "hate" isn't as much the word as is "frustration."

Tom
 
#288 ·
The 800 was definitely a nicer place to spend time. The dash was centered on the driver, there were soft touch materials used, etc.

Overall it was much nicer, especially the later GMT800's (2004+).
 
#292 ·
Neither of them are very capable nor luxurious. Lets take this chat to the Camisa bashing 911 thread.

























































:p
 
#296 · (Edited)
My goodness, someone talk some sense into me. I just found nearly a perfect 2018 trailhawk. Right color, packaging and options. it has 10,000 less miles than my '14, but is still under factory warranty and I would imagine an extend one would be cheaper than the one I have now.


Is it worth 10k to switch to a 4 year newer car with only 10k less miles?

PFCs







Edit:I have thought about it, it would not make sense. :peace:
 
#317 ·
My buddy is looking to upgrade his old CRV with something nicer, a bit bigger, more powerful, and with some real offroad ability for his out of the way fishing spots.

He doesn't want to pay the Toyota Tax so I started him looking at WK2's. Now he's hard on the hunt and trying to find just the right one. I've spent so much time convincing him that I kind of want one now, too. Though I'm a Toyota fanboi so a Lexus GX is more likely for me.

Either way... how's life with your truck fellas?

Driven: 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Summit 4X4 V-8
 
#318 ·
Still fantastic. With the new house it fits perfectly between the garage and the deck, and either perfectly protecting the garage door with the R8 or you slide it all the ay back to the fence and you can still pull out the R8



She has been driving it mostly since I got the S4, but we used it to help in our move and it was fantastic. It swallowed probably 8 big boxes with zero issue and still had some room left over for ancillary things.

And damn does it sound good when it starts up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#320 ·
Good to here. Seems like such a great blend of luxury, power and genuine Offroad capability.
 
#321 · (Edited)
I was thinking about making my own thread for this but glad I came back here and read through yours. I've been toying with the idea of actually purchasing my first vehicle ever. I have always leased VW and Audi through the VWoA family lease plan for the last 16 years. It's been great when the right cars are available for me but they aren't always on the list and I typically keep something for about 6-8 months.

I loved my Q7, the SQ5's have been a riot, and I've gotten accustomed to driving SUV's over the last few years. Now I want something very capable off-road, but still luxurious and nice to drive on the highway for 2-3 hours a day when needed. I want something I can modify with tires, skid plates/bumper protection and use it for a mix of off-roading and camping. I guess the kids are calling it overlanding now ;)

Originally thought about the 4Runner TRD Pro but the luxury and features just aren't there, especially compared to the new Audis. I love the Gladiator for what it is, but couldn't live with it everyday.

The Grand Cherokee was never really on my radar until I saw this video on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dD9u9AC51zs and then started to do more research on the available features. The GC Trailhawk almost seems like it aligns well with a Touareg in terms of luxury and off-road capability but has the modern features I've come to expect like adaptive cruise and lane keep assist.

Smooremin, I saw your thread on the truck but don't see the GC in your sig anymore. Did I miss somewhere that you got rid of it?

I'm glad I found all the other Tralhawk owners in this thread and look forward to finding the right one. I'll be on the search for a 5.7 Sting Gray Trailhawk with luxury group, tech group and HID/LED lighting.
 
#322 ·
Smooremin, I saw your thread on the truck but don't see the GC in your sig anymore. Did I miss somewhere that you got rid of it?
Yep. You mustve missed it. I traded it in, on a stupid, non passable deal, on an eTron. It normally wouldnt have been done, but Covid and the deal made it worth it.

I still highly recommend the WK2 and may consider one when the least is up on the eTron. But there are a few other cars on the radar. But I still see my old one as the guy who bought it from the store lives down the street from me. On my recent camping trip, I found my self missing the jeep. It would have been such a better rig to take than the 2500. But, for the cost savings, its worth it.

Dont let anitFCA noise creep in. Get a warranty, find a good dealer, and you are good to go. Keep in mind, its now 10 years old. They have worked out the kinks. But you know that if you went through this thread, you know how I feel about it.

I just want to see the new WL, Grand Wagoneer and Bronco before I get another WK2. But if those dont give me what I want or are too expensive, I will be considering a newish Trailahwk too :thumbup:
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top