Originally Posted By: 440Magnum
Originally Posted By: edyvw
That being said, few days ago FINALLY got my hands on Dodge Durango R/T. I will need bigger SUV and thinking Mercedes GL, VW Atlas, Dodge Durango R/T.
Mercedes is floaty, there are issues with air suspension, and coming from BMW it feels like Buick. VW Atlas is ridiculously underpowered. However, I was really, really surprised by Durango. Great engine (even better sound), ZF8 transmission (same like in Audi and BMW, though not as fast and aggressive as in BMW). It is cheap inside, not as tactile as my X5, BUT, here is what I liked:
1. Compare to current X5, steering wheel feels better (not even close to E70 BMW, but then, no SUV has steering feel of E70). It is electric, but feels ok.
Its very interesting to hear you say that, especially as you are someone with a pro-BMW bias. When my wife needed a new vehicle and wanted an SUV a few years back, we shopped pretty much all the available rear-drive or RWD-based 4WD SUVs (FWD, transverse engines, and I will never meet again if I have any say in the matter). It came down to the Grand Cherokee (same chassis with a shorter wheelbase as the Durango), and the X5. Both my wife (not a car person) and I felt that the X5 more or less handled like a barge. Very much NOT what I would have expected from BMW. The JGC is not exactly a corner-carver, as you said, but its at least very stable and responsive. The X5 wallowed like a 71 Cadillac Fleetwood and had an extremely disconnected feel. We tried a couple because we thought maybe the first one had a mechanical problem. I've never mentioned that because I figured I'd get nothing but mockery, but it was a very clear difference in favor of the WK2 chassis. I later had an X3 rental and it was much tighter, but too small and the ZF shifter in it was even more balky and counter-intuitive than the one in the WK2.
This new X5 (F15) is a garbage. It is BMW attempt to get Lexus customers. The electric steering wheel reminds me of rental Hyundai Sonata from 2007 I once drove. My wife's Tiguan has more composure over bumps then new X5. Driving X5 E70, which puts smile on my face every time I sit in it, and driving F15 when they perform some work on always troublesome SCR on my diesel, is like going from Ferrari to Pinto. Yes F15 is nicer inside, but too many gimmicks, suspension soft, not composed etc. There is a reason why BMW fell from No.1 luxury brand in US to I think now No.3. It is just a fact. BMW right now has just one proper driving model in line up, BMW 2. If I get Durango R/T probably i will get BMW 128i or newer M235i with stick, just because they drive soooo good.
That F15 X5 to get to drive good you need to order with adaptive drive, which of course once it brakes is going to cost you one of kidneys (there is just no other way around it).
On maintenance note, I agree with some people. BMW's are much cheaper to maintain then popular opinion would suggest (now those new ones with adaptive drive might be different story). Soon I will replace brakes, and for example I paid two front rotors, Brembo, $124, ATE pads $74. Rear rotors were $80 (Pagid) and pads (ATE) $56. I do work on my own, but BMW is really not expensive to maintain unless you drive diesel and have to deal with emission stuff (and that is problem with all new diesels, not BMW per se). But, gassers even in E70 I have do not have oil dipstick and for example there were instances when sensor failed and did not report proper level of oil. That is something I just cannot get over. One of the reasons (other then ridiculous mid-range torque) I got this diesel is that it has oil dipstick.
But on topic of Durango, yes it has some cheaper materials (not any cheaper then VW Atlas), but transmission is good (it is ZF after all), engine is simple but strong (I need something with plenty torque at this altitude) and that SUV just drives good. It is bit on hefty side (almost 5,500lbs) but again, drives good, has MB platform but no air suspension except in the back with tow package. You sit in it, turn on, turn off ECO (that start/stop system) and you move on.
In F15 you sit, you turn off start/stop, set up suspension to sport, every time you turn off goes into comfort. You have to drive a bit to check oil, which might be good, or bad, you just have to trust sensor. But I guess it makes difference that you have gauges on iDrive that tells you how much hp you using or torque. That is more important then coolant gauge I guess.
