Hello all, this is my first post here but have been lurking for many months. Just have to say up front that this forum is incredible. I’m glad to be a part of it.
I wanted to share my story of how I decided upon the 200. I know there are probably people out there who are trying to find the right truck and so perhaps this will be helpful to some. I also want to say that this is not going to be for everyone. My interests and priorities do not fit everyone…
A little background on me. I am in my early 30’s and have a wife and two small children. We live in Durango, CO. I have never owned a cruiser. We have had Suburban’s and other SUV’s
Here is what I was looking for in a truck:
Able to carry >7 people
Ability to do moderate to difficult off-road adventures
Reliable
Comfortable on long car trips
Front and rear heated seats (wife demanded this )
I first started to look at the Suburban/Tahoe. We looked seriously at a 2013 but I was appalled by what I considered cheap quality interior. We have an older burban which was great but I feel that Chevy has really dropped the ball recently. I also felt a bit concerned with the long wheelbase of the suburban with some of the tight twisty trails that we have here in the San Juans.
I also considered the Sequoia and it seems a great truck but seemed enormous and not “plush” enough.
I then started to look seriously at the LR4. I was actually in contact with two dealers and thought that it was my new truck, however, several things bothered me. One is obviously its reliability. In doing reading it seems the new LR4 is much improved when it comes to reliability but I was still quite concerned especially given that we live four hours from the nearest dealer. The second issue was that Land Rover has seemingly abandoned the off-road segment. It comes standard with 19 inch wheels and there is really nothing in the way of good tires for 19’s especially with adequate side walls. I looked into the option of buying custom 18 inch wheels from Britain but they were pricey and I just felt irritated that Land Rover would do that to people. Other small irritating things were the use of premium fuel, the enormous sun-roof, and a feeling of being cramped in the truck.
On a trip to California we were fortunate to test drive both back to back. First the LR4: I think the interior feels “grander” than the LC. Not sure how to put it better and my wife doesn’t agree with me but that’s what I felt. The LR4 also felt more sporty.
We then went to drive the 200 and it made an immediate impression! It was roomy and spacious. The interior was fantastic. The ride was pure butter. It comes standard with 18 inch wheels and is obviously super reliable. We have a dealer in town which makes me much more comfortable buying. As soon as the drive was over we knew we had found the right truck.
We bought a 2013 in December and I can say we are fully in love. No regrets whatsoever. We have added Goodyear Duratracs and Slee sliders and looking to upgrade the suspension soon.
Here is a pic of the truck in Moab late Dec 2013
I wanted to share my story of how I decided upon the 200. I know there are probably people out there who are trying to find the right truck and so perhaps this will be helpful to some. I also want to say that this is not going to be for everyone. My interests and priorities do not fit everyone…
A little background on me. I am in my early 30’s and have a wife and two small children. We live in Durango, CO. I have never owned a cruiser. We have had Suburban’s and other SUV’s
Here is what I was looking for in a truck:
Able to carry >7 people
Ability to do moderate to difficult off-road adventures
Reliable
Comfortable on long car trips
Front and rear heated seats (wife demanded this )
I first started to look at the Suburban/Tahoe. We looked seriously at a 2013 but I was appalled by what I considered cheap quality interior. We have an older burban which was great but I feel that Chevy has really dropped the ball recently. I also felt a bit concerned with the long wheelbase of the suburban with some of the tight twisty trails that we have here in the San Juans.
I also considered the Sequoia and it seems a great truck but seemed enormous and not “plush” enough.
I then started to look seriously at the LR4. I was actually in contact with two dealers and thought that it was my new truck, however, several things bothered me. One is obviously its reliability. In doing reading it seems the new LR4 is much improved when it comes to reliability but I was still quite concerned especially given that we live four hours from the nearest dealer. The second issue was that Land Rover has seemingly abandoned the off-road segment. It comes standard with 19 inch wheels and there is really nothing in the way of good tires for 19’s especially with adequate side walls. I looked into the option of buying custom 18 inch wheels from Britain but they were pricey and I just felt irritated that Land Rover would do that to people. Other small irritating things were the use of premium fuel, the enormous sun-roof, and a feeling of being cramped in the truck.
On a trip to California we were fortunate to test drive both back to back. First the LR4: I think the interior feels “grander” than the LC. Not sure how to put it better and my wife doesn’t agree with me but that’s what I felt. The LR4 also felt more sporty.
We then went to drive the 200 and it made an immediate impression! It was roomy and spacious. The interior was fantastic. The ride was pure butter. It comes standard with 18 inch wheels and is obviously super reliable. We have a dealer in town which makes me much more comfortable buying. As soon as the drive was over we knew we had found the right truck.
We bought a 2013 in December and I can say we are fully in love. No regrets whatsoever. We have added Goodyear Duratracs and Slee sliders and looking to upgrade the suspension soon.
Here is a pic of the truck in Moab late Dec 2013
In Moab I ran a few trails with Slee in his 200 on 35s and ever since then I've wanted one haha.
