Just had to get trailer hitch and trailer light kit. YOWZA! LR sure has a captive market there.....
Accessories are Crazy Expensive
- Thread starter champana
- Start date
How much was the light kit and was it easy to install? Ive been wanting the hitch and light kit, but dont have any trailers to tow, so its difficult to justify. However I would like a swing away rack for the bikes.
Right about the yowzaa... its way to damn expensive for things. I guess since theres a smaller market the accessories manufactures make up for the lack of quantity and quality, in their extreme pricing. I would say almost all of the add-on accessories I have purchased sporting the LR badge, were to some degree a disappointment in design, function or durability. The Auxillary lights on bumper topping the list! they look cool but, like having a kitchen candle on bumper.
Right about the yowzaa... its way to damn expensive for things. I guess since theres a smaller market the accessories manufactures make up for the lack of quantity and quality, in their extreme pricing. I would say almost all of the add-on accessories I have purchased sporting the LR badge, were to some degree a disappointment in design, function or durability. The Auxillary lights on bumper topping the list! they look cool but, like having a kitchen candle on bumper.
my dad bought the stuff for his LR3 a while back, I wasn't in town when he bought it so he paid a shop to install it. They had to take out the spare tire among other things to wire it up, its simple, but can still be a PITA from what i've heard and see from the instruction booklet that came with it.
These are the Bumper/A-Bar mount light. The LR ones that used to be on my DII, I wired and mounted them on the Yakima rack and they are much brighter than my other ones. I am not familiar with any other LR lights.
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Paid $320 for hitch on ebay and $150 for wiring kit from roverconnection. Still... that is crazy.
I paid $316 (not including state sales tax) new at dealer by asking them for best price and to match another online price. They said the list price and price they usually sell them for is $395, so I was really pleased.
NOT pleased that land rover requires such a lame and expensive part just to be able to tow. I really don't understand the whole design! The Range Rover only requires a standard hitch that you can buy anywhere.
That all said, compare and shop around. This site http://www.rovercity.com/LR3/Acc/lr31.html has the cheapest prices I've found. I think some of their prices on the site are out of date- so email them. I have not ordered from them, but used their prices to go on and negotiate with.
NOT pleased that land rover requires such a lame and expensive part just to be able to tow. I really don't understand the whole design! The Range Rover only requires a standard hitch that you can buy anywhere.
That all said, compare and shop around. This site http://www.rovercity.com/LR3/Acc/lr31.html has the cheapest prices I've found. I think some of their prices on the site are out of date- so email them. I have not ordered from them, but used their prices to go on and negotiate with.
LANDO0077 said:
you're right. it does come with the territory.
but compare the price of a D2 vs the LR3. The company made the LR3 have such specific trailer hitch and wiring requirements so they can get more profits rather than companies like Uhaul and Autozone who can sell the comparable D2 wire harness and a generic hitch. Its pretty ingenius actually, but quite annoying.
stolenheron said:
Some of the accessories are designed for multiple vehicles, trailer hitch, LR3 and RRS (possibly RR). The wiring harness basically plugs into the vehicles wiring, designed to work after a quick connection. I have seen a few butcher jobs on D1?s where U-Hall tried to install a trailer wire harness. In one case it was messing up the vehicles rear lights. I rather pay a bit more knowing that it is going to work out of the box and be relatively easy to install.
Winslow
the hitch wiring was super easy and obvious to install myself. my new bike carrier is totally cool. no trailer hitch block required thus not the terribly low rear clearance with it in.
See the first 4 shots in my web link below. of course you have to first get the bumper or at least a swing away tire carrier.
See the first 4 shots in my web link below. of course you have to first get the bumper or at least a swing away tire carrier.
Jwest... my friend you have the sickest LR3!! I like the PDC sensors are still on the rear steel bumper. Do you downhill at Snowshoe? I wasnt able to make it this year but I hope to go next year once the snow melts away.
The bike rack is cool, but I still think the roof rack and hannible awning are the most useful acc you have..or at least they would be for me.
Did you ever have the swing away bike/ski rack(LR one). what kind of MPG do you get when you are fully loaded?
My last trip I avg 13 with the bikes, rack and luggage bag. I just bought the MTRs and the 29th of this month I will be heading back to iowa. I can alreday notice a diff in the mpgs.. something around 16 mpg with no rack with new tires.
I will only have the rack, bags, and lights on top.. I think the bikes on top create a great amount of drag.
The audi info was a help, I still like the Allroad. I guess its sort of the same as the A6 wagon, but not really. So you would rather have an Audi/Saab than a Cayenne? After all the Dec and Jan events, I hope to start a more serious stance on getting rid of the TT.
I have a hard time buying things objectively, I see one I like and I get it.. not good at testing a whole lot of vehicles.
The bike rack is cool, but I still think the roof rack and hannible awning are the most useful acc you have..or at least they would be for me.
Did you ever have the swing away bike/ski rack(LR one). what kind of MPG do you get when you are fully loaded?
My last trip I avg 13 with the bikes, rack and luggage bag. I just bought the MTRs and the 29th of this month I will be heading back to iowa. I can alreday notice a diff in the mpgs.. something around 16 mpg with no rack with new tires.
I will only have the rack, bags, and lights on top.. I think the bikes on top create a great amount of drag.
The audi info was a help, I still like the Allroad. I guess its sort of the same as the A6 wagon, but not really. So you would rather have an Audi/Saab than a Cayenne? After all the Dec and Jan events, I hope to start a more serious stance on getting rid of the TT.
I have a hard time buying things objectively, I see one I like and I get it.. not good at testing a whole lot of vehicles.
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Thanks for the comments. I don't know what you mean by the "LR" swing away but I do have the Thule swingdaddy or whatever it's called, none of those work once you have the tire carrier system and the low ass quick-block LR receiver is annoying because some basic driveways cause the tires of bikes to just about touch due to the distance and angle of the rack arm so low.
To me, the Cayenne is great for an "extra" vehicle, suitable mostly for going a long way but with little stuff or people, the rear seats are short depth and the cargo area small for an "suv". Otherwise, I think they're pretty cool but why not have a real suv and a fun car for the same $. I say same because I don't consider any of the Porsches worth having unless they're really the top models. Then, on that same track, why not consider the VW Touareg V10 engine - beats the shot out of any other engine in an suv in this country and that's before the chip that really turns it into pure beast all the while attaining 24mpg on the hwy regardless of gear and even the cargo pod we had on the roof.
I wanted the "fun" alternate car to be really fun though and to me that means 6spd for fun, lots of power for fun and an all wheel drive wagon for practical usability. The bmw 535 wagon only came close in all around and the saab was neat but with GM weak, not so sure about it's long term support, etc. Again, the v8 growl and traction of the newest quattros is just perfect.
So, I studied the cars this time because the last few times I did just what you said, I'd check out one idea, and the next day have the keys. After driving my 96 disco for 5 years, this approach resulted in: (chronologically)
06 Toyota Tundra, 06 Toyota Land Cruiser, 04 Land Rover Disco II -still have in NC for work
, 06 LR3 HSE (steering column broke), 06 BMW M Z4, 07 Subaru 3.0 R Wagon, 07 Range Rover Supercharger (full size - so fun, so impractical), 07 LR3 HSE (the black on I have in Seattle), 07 bmw 328i Sport wagon, 08 VW Touareg V10, 08 Audi S4 wagon.... and a couple cool bikes like the Ducati 749r set up for racing, and an 07 bmw R1200s bike replaced it later.
So, I suggest test driving from now on
I still get 13 mpg or less... but then I'm using larger tires which show 8% less on the odometer. I see the lr3 as my compact AT-RV.
To me, the Cayenne is great for an "extra" vehicle, suitable mostly for going a long way but with little stuff or people, the rear seats are short depth and the cargo area small for an "suv". Otherwise, I think they're pretty cool but why not have a real suv and a fun car for the same $. I say same because I don't consider any of the Porsches worth having unless they're really the top models. Then, on that same track, why not consider the VW Touareg V10 engine - beats the shot out of any other engine in an suv in this country and that's before the chip that really turns it into pure beast all the while attaining 24mpg on the hwy regardless of gear and even the cargo pod we had on the roof.
I wanted the "fun" alternate car to be really fun though and to me that means 6spd for fun, lots of power for fun and an all wheel drive wagon for practical usability. The bmw 535 wagon only came close in all around and the saab was neat but with GM weak, not so sure about it's long term support, etc. Again, the v8 growl and traction of the newest quattros is just perfect.
So, I studied the cars this time because the last few times I did just what you said, I'd check out one idea, and the next day have the keys. After driving my 96 disco for 5 years, this approach resulted in: (chronologically)
06 Toyota Tundra, 06 Toyota Land Cruiser, 04 Land Rover Disco II -still have in NC for work
, 06 LR3 HSE (steering column broke), 06 BMW M Z4, 07 Subaru 3.0 R Wagon, 07 Range Rover Supercharger (full size - so fun, so impractical), 07 LR3 HSE (the black on I have in Seattle), 07 bmw 328i Sport wagon, 08 VW Touareg V10, 08 Audi S4 wagon.... and a couple cool bikes like the Ducati 749r set up for racing, and an 07 bmw R1200s bike replaced it later.So, I suggest test driving from now on
I still get 13 mpg or less... but then I'm using larger tires which show 8% less on the odometer. I see the lr3 as my compact AT-RV.
I was thinking that Land rover made a swing away bike rack, thats what I was talking about.
I had never even considered the Touareg, and definately didnt know they had such a powerful engine until reading some of your other post around here. My only draw back is the Girl I have, she hates the mini van look of most all SUV's, I had to get her to drive and enjoy the Cayenne before she understood its cool to have a 167mph mini van. I personally like at least one vehicle from every manufacturer. She is the pickiest female I have ever met... not why she settled for my sorry butt. She thinks the 3class BMWs look like hondas and the A4 looks like a Focus.. I cant begin to explain how frustrated I become with her over cars. She does however like the Maserati GranTourismo S, I leave that dealership feeling about 1/4" tall and drooling.. but for 125k I would rather have the R8, she hates the R8..
So thats how the Cayenne came in to being a contender in our next purchase, shes driven it and then liked it... unlike myself I knew I would like it and then drove it.
http://www.clubferdinand.us/index.html
I had never even considered the Touareg, and definately didnt know they had such a powerful engine until reading some of your other post around here. My only draw back is the Girl I have, she hates the mini van look of most all SUV's, I had to get her to drive and enjoy the Cayenne before she understood its cool to have a 167mph mini van. I personally like at least one vehicle from every manufacturer. She is the pickiest female I have ever met... not why she settled for my sorry butt. She thinks the 3class BMWs look like hondas and the A4 looks like a Focus.. I cant begin to explain how frustrated I become with her over cars. She does however like the Maserati GranTourismo S, I leave that dealership feeling about 1/4" tall and drooling.. but for 125k I would rather have the R8, she hates the R8..
So thats how the Cayenne came in to being a contender in our next purchase, shes driven it and then liked it... unlike myself I knew I would like it and then drove it.
http://www.clubferdinand.us/index.html
LANDO0077 said:
The lady has distinguished taste! I've never driven one but I hear Cayenne's are pretty slick, although I think they are rather station wagon looking
The only cayenne i would pay to drive and i drive them alot is the 6speed manual gts or the turbo.
LANDO0077 said:
You forgot to tell her that a Porsche or Touareg only has 1/4 the interior cargo space of the minivan and is therefor nothing like one. Keep in mind what you're paying for, in the Porsche, you're paying for a layer of niceties over the same VW in many ways, look in the cargo area of either and you'll have to be reminded of which one you're looking at.
The V10 TDI, chipped, will be more engine than you know what to do with and will cruise at 24mpg after having pulled a boat over the mtn. They're jsut nuts if you can like the interior finish. The V10 comes with larger brakes, etc like the higher end Porsches.
Have your "girl" look at the photo link below and compare it to a Civic or whatever you said - I don't think so.
http://www.jwestproductions.com/328/