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First 12 hours, two drives and 140 miles Impressions (1kmile, 3kmile 11-24 Update)

parb

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I find that the side windows mirror the interior display when it's dark outside. Made me think a few times that there where a car to my right when I just glanced to the right. I adjusted down the screen illumination after the first encounter which helped.
 

MileHigh

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OK, this is a more of an odd one- Does the IG smell ‘funny’, as in not your usual new car smell? The IG just smells different than any other new car. I can’t even qualify the difference.
 

Stu_Barnes

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OK, this is a more of an odd one- Does the IG smell ‘funny’, as in not your usual new car smell? The IG just smells different than any other new car. I can’t even qualify the difference.
I thought this as well. I was hoping for that chesterfield sofa smell. But sadly no. Anyway Gliptone to the rescue.


It will have your Grenadier smelling like a 1950’s Wolsey in no time
 

MileHigh

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So I’m 1200miles in and have taken it off road with the Red Noland 101 Offroad ‘class’. Generally thrilled with it but to get the issues out of the way:

-Passenger rear door button doesn’t release unless you ‘roll’ your thumb from the back to the front. Known issue, waiting to take it in.
-Same passenger door is holding water after car washes. Looking at problem to make sure it isn’t just a closing tight issue..
-Just find it odd that the infotainment control system is slow to bring up the favorites, and sometime the ADAS is already off? Weird.
-The CarPlay connection is just odd. Has always been on in every car that has had it. Bluetoooth is just odd, but it also connects to the car over WiFi?
-I’ve gotten a ‘squeak’ at low speed from the front suspension. Just annoying.
-I really dont like the steering pump noise. It’s excessive and out of ‘character.
-The lack of built in garage door opener is just odd. I have an opener that links to the ‘MyQ’ phone app, but it is really persnickety.
-HVAC programming is odd. Sometimes doeesn’t cool down very fast.
-Not really a design flaw, but it is TALL, and I’m still trying to figure out tires, lifts and accessories. I also didn’t get the factory rock sliders. I’m working with RRE to get the Black Sheep slider/steps, but it is taking a long time. Even stock, it is hard to get in and out of.
- The steering is fine. It doesn’t drive like it is on rails, but that’s not what it is for.

So no major issues so far.

I have taken it off road an it was supremely capable. Totally feels at home at 10,000 feet and scrambling up and down rocks and mud. All the bitching about the 4WD and lockers goes away after you actually used the system.

I’m more comfortable driving it now. I was so afraid of wrecking when I first got it. I still get a lot of question and comments on it, but since it is ‘old’ to me, I think it isn’t that special. I’ll post a story in the “I saw and IG” thread that is pretty funny.

Performance is good. It won’t win a drag race, but whatever HP/torque it has gives it enough power. I credit the tuning and the 8 speed transmission that downshifts and seems to handle everything well. Took it on I70 for a short trip and it has plenty of umpff up the hills, and the 8speeds gives a good control on engine braking. Good to 10,000 feet so far.

Frankly, this is the LC that Toyota should have come out with, it is what a 4Runner thinks it is, a truck that can go on trials where Defender drivers dream (and have nightmares) about going, a G-wagon with out the douche factor (so far). I love it. I am looking forward to snow and cold with it, just to see how it does.

When people ask me what it is, I say that:
A British Billionaire got pissed at Land ROver for not selling him the old Defender line, so he worked with the Austrians that built the G-wagon to design a true SUV that is made with Italian axles, a German BMW engine, in an old Mercedes car plant that is France. I never thought I’d own a “French” car. It is ‘quirky’ but very ‘honest’ and I love it so far, would buy it again.
 

bemax

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When people ask me what it is, I say that:
A British Billionaire got pissed at Land ROver for not selling him the old Defender line, so he worked with the Austrians that built the G-wagon to design a true SUV that is made with Italian axles, a German BMW engine, in an old Mercedes car plant that is France.
I tell them the same with a slightly different approach.
“It’s been the wet dream of the richest man in Great Britain…”
 

MileHigh

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I tell them the same with a slightly different approach.
“It’s been the wet dream of the richest man in Great Britain…”
I usually work in that this Billionaire, instead of buying newspapers, building rockets, buy airlines or islands decided to make his dream 4x4- and it is the only billionaire’s toy that I’ll get to take advantage of…
 

landmannnn

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-Passenger rear door button doesn’t release unless you ‘roll’ your thumb from the back to the front. Known issue, waiting to take it in.
-Same passenger door is holding water after car washes. Looking at problem to make sure it isn’t just a closing tight issue..

Some silicon spray will help the door buttons.

The doors holding water are where the seal is not stuck to the door correctly.

French car, I've got a very old one, seems fine.
 
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Had a great handover at Red Noland with Rick Dymek and his whole crew inside the garage and in the office.

Just some first impressions, in no partuicular order. Some may sound like complaints, but more along the lines of 'that's odd'. One problem, and one issue that I need to figure out so far.

The shift to neutral for a car wash is bizzare. I forgot to ask why it would be a safety feature. For a drive/drag through car wash, you put the car in nuetral and it is dragged through the washer. The IG for some reason, when you put it into N, after a set time it will shift to P by itself. Don't know if all recent BMWs do it, but there is some procedure to disable it. I'll just hand or wand wash.
There is no passenger side lock/unlock button on the door, even though there is a panel? The drivers side is the only lock/unlock? Just odd.
The lack of vanity mirror on the passenger side is just odd. Surprised there isn't a Playboy picture there to confirm that a chick didn't help design the interior.
The lack of Homelink is really odd. That is where the drew the line on cost? I thought that was going to change for the US spec models.
Loud wind noise at 70MPH from that vertical windshield and exposed wipers.
And the stero does a good job of masking it :)

Rear seat passengers appreciated the views and the headroom. They were surprised at the noise level, with a rolling softop Jeep being the closest comparison versus other full body SUVs. Also complained about vibrations and bounciness. Not sure, going to look into it further. I have a seperate thread. This was only one of two complaints.
The other complaint was the sticking the the passenger rear door button. Sticks and the door won't lock closed. Molesting the button gets it to pop out. Known issue, checking with dealer to see if it had been addressed on mine.
The rear cargo area got accolades for the amount of space. The doors were liked.
I didn't get the steps or sliders yet- and you(I) really need them. It's just a bit too tall to get into easily, but i'm all torso with a 29inch inseam. The rear seats are a bit higher. Definately needs some kind of step even with standard tires.
Drove it a farily heavy snow storm home from dinner. The standard beams aren't that bright, but the brights are very good.
The first comment I got was when I parked at The Bee Restaurant at the Broadmoor for lunch directly after the pick-up. I had walked away and I was taking some picks. A lady walking by said, "Someone left their lights on....". They went out as a fumbled with the FOB.
Need to find the honk to confirm locking. Also, the keys lock and un-lock icons are too similar.
For all the comments on steering and 'centering' I didn't see any of it, that I didn't expect from a 4x4. Turning radius is large, but so is my 23 4Runner. Stearing feel and 'wander' is probably better than a 21 JKL.

My wife doesn't like the car, but like the wife in "A Christmas Story" and the 'Leg Lamp', I think she knows enough to keep her pie hole shut and I'll eventually be easier to deal with. She thinks its my mid life crisis car, so she's giving me a lot of rope. She thinks it will be gone in 2-3 years.

Still positive on it. The basics (outside of the rear seat passenger comments) are great. Plenty of power up to 7300 feet. That drive up I-25 can get nutty. I ended up at 91mph at one point. 7,000 feet and 90mph is usually Cessna territory... Tried to keep it variable and under 75 for most of the trip for engine break in (is any necessary?)

ETA:
Onthe key issue, I think the major issue is that the key hole is angled, so you have to insert the key at an angle. Frankly, change the key 'stick' so that when you hold the key straight up, the key is turned to the angle of the key slot. Your body is made to hold something upright, not at some random angle.

Also, some aux power gidget squeals when you are in park or moving every slowly and press the brake or turn the wheel. Not horrible, but sounds cheap.
My wife an I were just introduced to the sticking door knob this weekend while taking her out to dinner. I rounded the corner leaving our neighborhood and the door flew open, thank God she was belted in or I'd be looking for another dinner date.
 

rovie

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My wife an I were just introduced to the sticking door knob this weekend while taking her out to dinner. I rounded the corner leaving our neighborhood and the door flew open, thank God she was belted in or I'd be looking for another dinner date.
I have not yet heard of the door flying open completely. The safety catch should still hold the door in place. So that it rattles but doesn't open.
 

Max

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My wife an I were just introduced to the sticking door knob this weekend while taking her out to dinner. I rounded the corner leaving our neighborhood and the door flew open, thank God she was belted in or I'd be looking for another dinner date.
Graphite power for the Knob and the doors need a fair slam on closure for a month or so💪
 

MileHigh

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Totally forgot that I had this thread. Just passed 3k miles. I work from home and travel by air 50% of the time, and we didn’t take a trip this summer. I don’t think anything has really changed. THe BlackSheep rails+step were a welcome edition, but I’m starting to realize that my wife still struggles a bit. Once they get into it, they enjoy riding in it. The views get the most comments.

I’d say that the biggest thing is that I feel like it is ‘broken in’ - by that I mean that I get in and everything feels like ‘home’. She just rolls well, can get out of its way. Interested to see how she handles snow with the standard tires (non-kO2). Want to get out for the Red Noland training.

Problems are still the sticking rear passenger door button, but my daughter has mastered the reset on it. The same door holds water after a car wash. I wish the steering pump was quieter, or at least lower pitch. ADAS and stop/start disable is now just part of the ‘launch checklist’.

The only mods I’ve done are the BlackSheep rails, and painting my tow hooks red. If I weren’t garage height restricted, I’d be doing more mods- and the issues with lifts give me pause. But I think next trail season I’m going to put KO3s on, see what options there are for a winch, add an electrical/battery system, we lost power for 14 hours and the IG would have gotten some brownie points if I had been able to brew a coffee for my wife. I’d like an awning of some sort for next summer, but it would probably have to be modular/removable for garage issues. By next fall I need a cargo space storage for photo gear.

Still get a lot of comments and questions, but more people are aware of what it is. Mostly dudes, only one lady asked me about it. Hardware store parking lots are the most common- and valets always want to talk about it. I don’t see many here in DEnver, but I’m not out that much. My family gives me reports. There is at least one other one at my kids HS.

All in all, it’s going well. I look to get it out more next year. Interested to see how it handles mountain snow driving. Here in CO it’s kind of crazy. Up to 12,000ft, and the I-70 corridor is either stop and go at steep inclines and declines, or 70mph on wet/snowy/snowy-maybe-icy in traffic. Flat land at low-altitude with ice is bad enough. I-70 in winter is a wholenother level of pucker.

Background- I have a base, with almost all the options except for the front winch and the battery. I have 3 lockers, full electrical, leather, Safari windows, et al.
 
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