After alot of thinking and analyzing a bunch of cars in every possible category Ive come to a final two vehicles which Ive decided I want if I manage to get a job that is possibly being offered to me, or even if not, but just at a later time. Keep in mind this wouldnt be for at least six to eight months, and Ill probably still look for something cheap and interesting in the meantime. BTW... That 750.00 truck I mentioned previously... the owner called me back and apparently it runs fine, just needs the ball joints greased and a new tire in the back... thats still a possibility.
Anyhow, the two contenders are the 2004 Volkswagen Phaeton W12, and the 2003 Land Rover Range Rover. Both vehicles should be in the 35-39k range by the time Im ready to purchase one. The lesser the better of course, and an absolute steal on either one could decide the deal anyway...
So here are the pros and cons of both vehicles:
Ive had my eyes on the 2003 Range Rover since it was introduced stateside in 2003 and replaced the stodgier (but still attractive) 1994 era version. The BIG plus for this car is its an entirely BMW based platform, and part of what Ive wanted to get back to is the BMW driving experience I miss so much... BUT, with something bigger and more useful than my old shoebox sized 330i. The current 7 Series is still too much to catch my attention, at least in a decent condition low mileage version... and theres nothing too special about it anyway...
Cons for the Range Rover though are...
*They are common, almost as much so as your garden variety Navigator or Escalade. Thats not a bad thing necessarily, but it feels a little better not to see yourself on every street corner, and the Phaeton really takes the cake on this attribute.
*The Range Rover interior is beginning to get dated, not because the design overall is not timeless and well crafted, but just the devices within the vehicle are not much different than say what youd find in the previous generation 7 series. The navigation system for example is the old model that was in fact introduced in the previous 7 series. Its not 3D, and its CD based. I would prefer even I-Drive to something so old, and in fact Ford has since replaced it with a more modern Jaguar/Ford system. It also lacks creature comforts like heated and cooled seats or Radar cruise control... Things the Cadillacs and Lexuses of the world have been making more and more commonplace.
*Maintenance costs... The 2003 is not really a first year model because it existed in Europe since late 2001 as a 2002 model, but still this is a complicated vehicle with alot of stuff that just breaks, and can be expensive to fix. The Phaeton has a 4yr. 50k Scheduled Maintenance and warranty that makes this alot more bearable.
*Its relatively slow... In this era of 400hp family cars being ever more prevalent, a 70,000.00 SUV with only 280 horses worth of go power is a little disappointing. Granted its the BMW 4.4L unit under the hood, so it probably *feels* more like about 300hp or so. This may be a moot point, but Ive never driven one so I dont know.
Still one HELL of a truck no matter how you slice it.
2004 Phaeton W12...
There is not much I have to say about the Phaeton... This is a car I now admit I completely overlooked previously. I laughed at it along with everyone else and then it just snuck up on me recently. Ive really become drawn to it for many reasons. Firstly, the W12 version is very very nice inside and out... the press rags claim that the W12 sounds sneezy compared to the rumble of the V8... but oh well... Ill take the 420 horses over 335 for a tad more anyday. In a weird way, this car even reminds me of me a little bit. Its got tons to offer, its every bit as good as all of its classmates, yet its always been overlooked or kicked out of the club. My life seems to go quite the same! Finally... it is an uncommon car. You can say it looks like a passat all day long... but when you actually SEE ONE in person, the car has a menacing stance and sheer size that no one could mistake for a the pithy Passat. Its got a terrific broadshouldered appearance only comparable to the Bentley Continental GT it shares a platform with. The bottom line is, for a nearly NEW car with plenty of warranty and all the luxury you could ever want, the Phaeton is quite simply the best luxury car value on the market PERIOD. Continuing depreciation will only make this more evident, with W12's already being sold off for 42k. Also, while some might find the coming discontinuation of the car as a big negative... I argue the opposite. I think it will be neat to have an ultra-luxury luxo barge that only ever existed in the version I would own. There will never be any "better" or "newer" Phaetons, its like a time capsule sealed shut on the current model. Not to mention VW's reluctance to ever pursue that market again.
Cons:
*Questionable reliability and service network. While the car includes a comprehensive warranty and maintenance program, actually GETTING it serviced seems to be another ordeal altogether. I believe this is supposed to be alleviated by Audi dealers taking responsbility for working on Phaetons from now on. This will be a much more pleasant experience for dealer and owner alike. Unfortunately, the cars have also not proven to be very reliable. Some of the 04's on the used market are VW courtesy buybacks that had minor glitches the original owner was not satisfied with. Again however, the 04 Phaeton is NOT a first year model, the vehicle was released in late 02 as an 03 model in Europe.
*Sloppy handling. Alas, a VW is not a BMW, and the reports Ive read frequently complain that the VW has somewhat numb steering and doesnt communicate the road as well as a BMW or even a Mercedes. This could be an issue for me as thats one of the main reasons I LIKE the Germans in the first place. Cant be any worse than a Lexus though...
Thats all I can think of for now.
![]()
![]()
![]()
![]()
Anyhow, the two contenders are the 2004 Volkswagen Phaeton W12, and the 2003 Land Rover Range Rover. Both vehicles should be in the 35-39k range by the time Im ready to purchase one. The lesser the better of course, and an absolute steal on either one could decide the deal anyway...
So here are the pros and cons of both vehicles:
Ive had my eyes on the 2003 Range Rover since it was introduced stateside in 2003 and replaced the stodgier (but still attractive) 1994 era version. The BIG plus for this car is its an entirely BMW based platform, and part of what Ive wanted to get back to is the BMW driving experience I miss so much... BUT, with something bigger and more useful than my old shoebox sized 330i. The current 7 Series is still too much to catch my attention, at least in a decent condition low mileage version... and theres nothing too special about it anyway...
Cons for the Range Rover though are...
*They are common, almost as much so as your garden variety Navigator or Escalade. Thats not a bad thing necessarily, but it feels a little better not to see yourself on every street corner, and the Phaeton really takes the cake on this attribute.
*The Range Rover interior is beginning to get dated, not because the design overall is not timeless and well crafted, but just the devices within the vehicle are not much different than say what youd find in the previous generation 7 series. The navigation system for example is the old model that was in fact introduced in the previous 7 series. Its not 3D, and its CD based. I would prefer even I-Drive to something so old, and in fact Ford has since replaced it with a more modern Jaguar/Ford system. It also lacks creature comforts like heated and cooled seats or Radar cruise control... Things the Cadillacs and Lexuses of the world have been making more and more commonplace.
*Maintenance costs... The 2003 is not really a first year model because it existed in Europe since late 2001 as a 2002 model, but still this is a complicated vehicle with alot of stuff that just breaks, and can be expensive to fix. The Phaeton has a 4yr. 50k Scheduled Maintenance and warranty that makes this alot more bearable.
*Its relatively slow... In this era of 400hp family cars being ever more prevalent, a 70,000.00 SUV with only 280 horses worth of go power is a little disappointing. Granted its the BMW 4.4L unit under the hood, so it probably *feels* more like about 300hp or so. This may be a moot point, but Ive never driven one so I dont know.
Still one HELL of a truck no matter how you slice it.
2004 Phaeton W12...
There is not much I have to say about the Phaeton... This is a car I now admit I completely overlooked previously. I laughed at it along with everyone else and then it just snuck up on me recently. Ive really become drawn to it for many reasons. Firstly, the W12 version is very very nice inside and out... the press rags claim that the W12 sounds sneezy compared to the rumble of the V8... but oh well... Ill take the 420 horses over 335 for a tad more anyday. In a weird way, this car even reminds me of me a little bit. Its got tons to offer, its every bit as good as all of its classmates, yet its always been overlooked or kicked out of the club. My life seems to go quite the same! Finally... it is an uncommon car. You can say it looks like a passat all day long... but when you actually SEE ONE in person, the car has a menacing stance and sheer size that no one could mistake for a the pithy Passat. Its got a terrific broadshouldered appearance only comparable to the Bentley Continental GT it shares a platform with. The bottom line is, for a nearly NEW car with plenty of warranty and all the luxury you could ever want, the Phaeton is quite simply the best luxury car value on the market PERIOD. Continuing depreciation will only make this more evident, with W12's already being sold off for 42k. Also, while some might find the coming discontinuation of the car as a big negative... I argue the opposite. I think it will be neat to have an ultra-luxury luxo barge that only ever existed in the version I would own. There will never be any "better" or "newer" Phaetons, its like a time capsule sealed shut on the current model. Not to mention VW's reluctance to ever pursue that market again.
Cons:
*Questionable reliability and service network. While the car includes a comprehensive warranty and maintenance program, actually GETTING it serviced seems to be another ordeal altogether. I believe this is supposed to be alleviated by Audi dealers taking responsbility for working on Phaetons from now on. This will be a much more pleasant experience for dealer and owner alike. Unfortunately, the cars have also not proven to be very reliable. Some of the 04's on the used market are VW courtesy buybacks that had minor glitches the original owner was not satisfied with. Again however, the 04 Phaeton is NOT a first year model, the vehicle was released in late 02 as an 03 model in Europe.
*Sloppy handling. Alas, a VW is not a BMW, and the reports Ive read frequently complain that the VW has somewhat numb steering and doesnt communicate the road as well as a BMW or even a Mercedes. This could be an issue for me as thats one of the main reasons I LIKE the Germans in the first place. Cant be any worse than a Lexus though...
Thats all I can think of for now.
