Zermatt Vulgaris
Member Since: 12 Jan 2009
Location: aberdeenshire
Posts: 511
  
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| D4 XS compared with D3 SE the trial starts |
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Due to a little bother with the D3 I'm spending the weekend in a D4 XS..as this is likely to be the model i will end up replacing mine for unless land rover do the decent thing and put in an SE model here goes with the initial thoughts.
The D4 XS is quicker by a country mile in comparison to the D3 which makes the whole powertrain feel more refined however the ride seems more audi-esque........hard and less limo like than the D3.
Initial impressions are that i don't like the prime contact points as much as the D3...gearnob is plastic rather than leather trimmed ( if i owned one i would change this to a leather one straight away) not sure i like the soft steering wheel or the playstation 3 stereo controls.
Miss the all green look at night which felt proper land rover ...not convinced by the orange and white look of the D4 and needed to dim the interior more than i would do in the D3...this is probably just one of the things you get used to. somehow when i drove the D3 for the first time i found the controls more intuitive.
Non premium hi-fi is noticable and effects the whole feel of the vehicle.... stereo seems to be less surrond than the premium system in the D3SE..but i think after a while you would forget the difference.
did n't miss the arm rests as much as i thought i would do the cubby box works as a substitute.
xenon lights are a revelation in comparison to the D3 08 MY SEs standard halogens.
so so far in the first hour out in it like some things miss other things ... keep you posted. Visiting from rrsport.co.uk
2011MY Zermatt Silver Range Rover Sport HSE 3.0 TDV6
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 12th Feb 2010 7:35 pm |
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DiscoDad
Member Since: 06 Nov 2006
Location: Beautiful Teesdale
Posts: 3004
 
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Do you like the better power?
Do you like the better acceleration?
Do you like the better handling?
Do you like the smoother gearshifts?
Do you like the better interior?
Do you like the mega-smuggness when you pass a D3? 
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| 12th Feb 2010 8:47 pm |
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Discotres
Member Since: 25 Jan 2010
Location: London
Posts: 8491
 
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Do you like having your sandwiches in a layby while the D3 owners live it up in a nice restaurant with the money they have saved.
Do you like passing D3's pulling into airport car parks on their way to an exotic family holiday with the money they have saved, while you worry if you have enough tent pegs.
Do you wonder what fault will come next, when smug D3 owners already have a laminated pack of cards with what will go wrong next and LR assistance already on their famiy & friends contact list.
Do you look at D3 owners and think, why the  did I sell my D3 and get this
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| 12th Feb 2010 9:16 pm |
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Zermatt Vulgaris
Member Since: 12 Jan 2009
Location: aberdeenshire
Posts: 511
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I really like the extra power it provides; in terms of handling it is a 2.5+t 4X4 so i don't get why it needed to handle any better it seems to have made the ride more brittle....but i'll have another go tomorrow.
i've never found smugness to be a desirable human characteristic.. Visiting from rrsport.co.uk
2011MY Zermatt Silver Range Rover Sport HSE 3.0 TDV6
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| 12th Feb 2010 10:13 pm |
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DigitalJunior
Member Since: 22 Nov 2008
Location: Cumbria
Posts: 4401
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Make you own mind up
But remember in a couple of year D3 values will be at the bottom of the hill when the D4's start to come up to two year old (IMHO)
D4 it is then eh
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| 12th Feb 2010 10:38 pm |
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DiscoDad
Member Since: 06 Nov 2006
Location: Beautiful Teesdale
Posts: 3004
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Zermatt Vulgaris wrote:i've never found smugness to be a desirable human characteristic..
Sometimes it's involuntary!
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| 13th Feb 2010 12:01 am |
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Zermatt Vulgaris
Member Since: 12 Jan 2009
Location: aberdeenshire
Posts: 511
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 Visiting from rrsport.co.uk
2011MY Zermatt Silver Range Rover Sport HSE 3.0 TDV6
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| 13th Feb 2010 12:01 am |
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disco XS
Member Since: 04 Dec 2009
Location: caithness
Posts: 129
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Zermatt Vulgaris wrote:
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| 13th Feb 2010 12:02 am |
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DiscoDad
Member Since: 06 Nov 2006
Location: Beautiful Teesdale
Posts: 3004
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Discotres -
Hombre, how long have you been a D3 owner? How long have you been a member on here?
I think I know how to make an honest comparison.
Now get back in that kitchen and chop some onions!
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| 13th Feb 2010 12:07 am |
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Zermatt Vulgaris
Member Since: 12 Jan 2009
Location: aberdeenshire
Posts: 511
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glad you're happy with the swap... did you go D3 HSE to D4 HSE ?.. i can imagine that was an easier comparison as you have evreything you had and liked before but with more power.
my thoughts and comparisons are based around when the time comes how would i get on with the XS spec level. Visiting from rrsport.co.uk
2011MY Zermatt Silver Range Rover Sport HSE 3.0 TDV6
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| 13th Feb 2010 12:13 am |
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DiscoDad
Member Since: 06 Nov 2006
Location: Beautiful Teesdale
Posts: 3004
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No.
I test drove the D3 HSE but couldn't affort it at the time.
So I had an '07MY D3 XS from new.
Did 75k in it and traded it for a D4 HSE in November.
I must say I had a rather strong bond with the D3 as it was my 'divorce present' to myself.
The D4 feels like a completely different car though.
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| 13th Feb 2010 12:40 am |
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Discodeeva
Member Since: 23 Aug 2009
Location: Swindon
Posts: 66
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Just been priced for the XS and it is a steal for me! Have not test drove it yet but already sent my D3 information back to the stealers for a quote. I am on the brink of splashing another 15k so I am very interested on all the current views of the 4 XS. Do I do it?  discodeeva
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| 13th Feb 2010 7:40 am |
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Zermatt Vulgaris
Member Since: 12 Jan 2009
Location: aberdeenshire
Posts: 511
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Not sure if the german xs spec level is the same as the uk one. I've looked at l d3s and fl2s in France and the specs were different to uk ones. Visiting from rrsport.co.uk
2011MY Zermatt Silver Range Rover Sport HSE 3.0 TDV6
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| 13th Feb 2010 7:48 am |
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Discodeeva
Member Since: 23 Aug 2009
Location: Swindon
Posts: 66
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Zermatt,
It would be a UK spec as I would come over to collect it. I've had many a new car but as the D4 is so similar out side to the D3, that is all that is putting me of really. I may get a test drive today, but you are the man currently, more of your thoughts on the difference D3/ D4.
Regards, discodeeva
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| 13th Feb 2010 7:55 am |
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