R Class versus Q7

[Brett]

hawk20 - having read the various reviews, I understand where you are coming from. I've seen one in the flesh but not gone and examined it in detail, but by all accounts it doesn't add up. Shame really.

 

[BenzComander]

In conclusion!!

As I started this post, thought I might have maybe the final word!

To buy or not to buy an R class is surely a personal thing, based upon the parameters you set for the role the vehicle will be put to.

We have four kids, we like the Mercedes brand, have owned several variants and been lucky to drive several others, so we are glad Mercedes have done a 6 forward facing seat vehicle.

We love the E Class estates we have owned, but my kids are now complaining of feeling car sick facing out the back window, so we see the R as a natural progression for us, when we can afford one!

As for interior room, this again is down to personal opinion. When we test drove the R320CDi, we found no problem with legroom in the front (I'm 6.0"), and the seats were as comfortable, if not more so than our E. We also, in the showroom, arranged all of the seats in a LWB version and I was able to sit comfortably in all rows of seats. Also, the access to the 3rd row was excellent, try that in a Q7!!

So, in conclusion, we love the car and will in the future own one. In LWB, in Black with the 20"rims and privacy glass!! (When funds permit! ) We’re with you Bobby Dazzler!!:bannana:

 

[ian_c_uk]

I suspect there will be a change in this model year that makes it more attractive.

 

[nickg]

Like what - cutting the price??

I've just traded from a 2 seater sports car to a family car. I am fortunate enough to be able to spend £30K+ on a car and was making the buying decision.
I love mercedes. Surely this makes me prime R Class buyer material......

So, why didn't I buy (or even consider) an R Class ? - the look and style of it.
It is horrible to look at and looks so big that one assumes it will drive like a minibus.
Plus it has not really been marketed hard in the UK. Outside of members of this forum I would bet there is a big majority in its target market who don't even know what an R Class Mercedes is.

I bought a 4x4 - for the practicality and the looks.

The R Class will never be a big seller in the UK, its far too big. But its a car primarily for the Us market where it is "normal" size and quite good looking compared to most US cars.

Having said that, with the discounts supposedly offered, it does seem to offer really good value against other comparable lux estates and 4x4s.

 

[ian_c_uk]

Assuming what something drives like and actually driving one are two different things. It offers enough 4wd ability for what people need, more economical than an equiv 4x4, quieter and safer to hustle \ control at speed (lane change \ obstacle avoidance).

Add in the "anti-4x4" feeling that is rising and you have something that doesn't make the Chelsea school mum look like she wants to burn a forest \ run over your children. I'm not saying this is my feeling, but you know it exists.

The look and style *are* an aquired taste, I can't imagine anyone lusting after one but in the right colour (dark) and the right wheels (big\AMG) it looks handsome enough. Don't get me wrong, I'd still prefer (on image) a Q7.

I'm not planning on buying one, but I can see the advantages it has in that sector, and *having driven one* I think it's certainly "a nice place to be" for travelling long diastances.

 

[BonzoDog]

This debate has helped me warm to the R class. This is not bad as Mrs Bonzo keeps saying subtle things like, "Let's get one."
As a father of five kids I can see the advantages. When my four boys all had to be carried just about the only thing available was the Peugeot 505 Estate. The Espace was an alternative but the expression "I am not driving a van." killed that one. The big advantage of three rows of forward facing seats was that it left room for a bit of luggage behind. The 505 did an excellent job but the French do not seem to have pursued that market other than for some half-hearted attempts. Now a LWB R Class would have been just the business.

 

[BenzComander]

I remember our own 505 as kids, great car to carry loads of people and their luggage as well.

The only problem we had is it made us kids feel sick, because of the floppy French suspension.

You might need to wait for the bench middle seat option on the R (if they ever offer it!!) if you want to carry five kids and the wife!

 

[BonzoDog]

I remember our own 505 as kids, great car to carry loads of people and their luggage as well.

The only problem we had is it made us kids feel sick, because of the floppy French suspension.

You might need to wait for the bench middle seat option on the R (if they ever offer it!!) if you want to carry five kids and the wife!

All grown up now except for number 5.

 

[Rory]

All grown up now except for number 5.

The trouble is that it's not until the kids have grown up that many people can afford the things that would have been useful when the kids were smaller!

 

[BenzComander]

The trouble is that it's not until the kids have grown up that many people can afford the things that would have been useful when the kids were smaller!

Thats exactly what my wife said!! If your in the market for a car with seats for six, all your money goes on keeping the little blighters in shoes!!!

 

[BonzoDog]

The trouble is that it's not until the kids have grown up that many people can afford the things that would have been useful when the kids were smaller!

Precisely. I don't know how we did it in those days. An R Class would have been out of the question. The 505 (and earlier, a 504) served us well. I think the boys were too busy fighting to get car-sick. More than once I stopped on long journeys to France, got them all out and did my verison of reading the Riot Act. Completely pointless, of course.

 

[glojo]

I must confess to very seriously thinking about buying an R-class, but as soon as they came out my enthusiasm disappeared. I felt like a deflated party balloon. Any new purchase must not only tick all the right boxes, it must also ring the right bells.

The R-class has no 'air' about it. It has no Mercedes-Benz appeal! These are my own feelings and I accept others will love it, and that to me is the main reason why we buy a car. The purchase is very rarely due to the old vehicle being worn out, it is usually because we see something that relights the passion of owning a car??

I hope the R-class is the car for you, they deserve to be loved. Rumour has it that some folks like the CLS so much, they actually buy one.

Regards,
John

 

[Rory]

Any new purchase must not only tick all the right boxes, it must also ring the right bells.

The purchase is very rarely due to the old vehicle being worn out, it is usually because we see something that relights the passion of owning a car??

I don't get excited about cars at all now - there's the huge cost of ownership of anything decent, plus the relentless hounding by the authorities, and the fact that you dare not park it anywhere for fear of it being damaged. All those things have taken all the fun out of ownership.

The more expensive a car is, the more unbearable are its compromises. I use our Jazz 95% of the time but even in that there are so many things I'd like to change. It gets away with it because it costs £11K not £40K.

 

[BenzComander]

I don't get excited about cars at all now - there's the huge cost of ownership of anything decent, plus the relentless hounding by the authorities, and the fact that you dare not park it anywhere for fear of it being damaged. All those things have taken all the fun out of ownership.

The more expensive a car is, the more unbearable are its compromises. I use our Jazz 95% of the time but even in that there are so many things I'd like to change. It gets away with it because it costs £11K not £40K.

I must admit, that the cost of ownership is the biggest hurdle for us, but also, would I really like all those lovely new R class seats (Alcantara, what were they thinking!!) covered in the rubbish kids just seem to generate!! As apposed to our lovely old E, which is worth more to us than it probably is in money terms, where I dont lose any sleep over kiddy grunge, and her indoors leaving bits of Amazon Green on variuos posts, multi story car parjs etc!!

When the day comes, we will probably keep the E for general school, shops etc and the R for best

 

[DieselE]

Rumour has it that some folks like the CLS so much, they actually buy one.

Regards,
John

Shame on you John, spreading rumours. Especially when there's very little evidence to back them up.

 

[Mactech]

Maybe John could cope with an E Class with a small touch of CLS ? (Just the wheels)

 

[BonzoDog]

A colleague who had a Q7 has found a way to return it after 3 months. She didn't like driving a tank and was fed up with being accused of being a carbon-emitting, anti-social, SUV driver.
The other had it delivered last Monday and it broke down on Wednesday and had the breakdown truck take it back to Audi.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Strange this thread shoul dbe resurrected today. I saw my first R-Class on the road - and not at a dealers. I thought it looked quite nice, and whilst it was clearly a large car, it didn't look out of place.

 

[hawk20]

All grown up now except for number 5.

Oh. So why do you need an R class??

 

[glojo]

All grown up now except for number 5.

Hmmmmm 5 looks a little like an 'S' :bannana: Perhaps someone, somewhere is trying to say something. What about a nice new S320CDI?

Maybe John could cope with an E Class with a small touch of CLS ?

(Just the wheels)

Any chance of a side profile to actually see the nice looking wheels please?

Regards,
John