What Should I Really Buy Instead Of A Range Rover?

"Margin Of Error" (marginoferror) 10/02/2015 at 15:50 • Filed to: LETTER TO DOUG

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Hello everyone, and welcome to Letters to Marvin , your weekly Oppo column wherein someone submits a letter to Douglas DeMuro, and then Marvin responds with helpful, reasonable advice that makes the world a better place.

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So the question this week was : What should I buy instead of a used Range Rover with an awesome CARMAX warranty.

Well, the answer is a brand new Dodge Durango R/T with its awesome FCA factory warranty, crazy incentives AND 0% interest up to 84 months, which is like 50 years for a medium Dog.

The Durango is based on the RAM pickup, so it’s a real truck with a real truck chassis that will easily tow your Range Rover back to your local Carmax dealer.

The interior is just as Baller, red leather bucket seat at the back, embroidered R/T badge, it’s just as plush and exclusive as the RR.

Even more gadgets than a used Range Rover can ever dream of having, and they all work !

5.7L HEMI engine will leave the the fat Rover way behind

And finally, a rich racing heritage that makes the Durango a lot more capable on a racetrack.

Marvin Oliver Eubanks is a freelance writer, essayist, automobile historian and civil aviation Guru. Follow him on Twitter !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

djmt1 > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 15:53

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Knowing Doug, I bet he buys a Discovery on the basis that the parts are cheaper.

Margin Of Error > djmt1 10/02/2015 at 15:54

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I still believe the Durango is one of the greatest SUV on the market right now

BigBlock440 > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 15:59

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The Durango is based on the RAM pickup,

That’s never been true, unless you count a Dakota as a RAM pickup.

Margin Of Error > BigBlock440 10/02/2015 at 16:00

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The Dakota, if it would still exist, would be a RAM Dakota.

djmt1 > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 16:00

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... I’m sure you do?

Textured Soy Protein > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 16:01

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The Durango is based on the RAM pickup, so it’s a real truck with a real truck chassis that will easily tow your Range Rover back to your local Carmax dealer.

The Durango is rides on a longer-wheelbase version of the Jeep Grand Cherokee’s WK2 platform, which itself is based on the Mercedes W166 ML/GLE-class.

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 16:01

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The interior is just as Baller, red leather bucket seat at the back, embroidered R/T badge, it’s just as plush and exclusive as the RR

You say that, but there are leather seats us plebeians have. Then there leather seats the other half has...

Also 360BHP < 510 BHP last time I checked.

MonkeePuzzle > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 16:02

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I’m confused, why is your lead image’s hand not make masturbatory motions?

Margin Of Error > MonkeePuzzle 10/02/2015 at 16:03

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I really wanted to have this one instead but it wasn’t working and I had to fire my Photoshop guy last month. I would be happy if someone would fix it for me (for free)

jjhats > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 16:07

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ew mopar

Nibby > BigBlock440 10/02/2015 at 16:07

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Durango’s front end’s looks are based on the RAM, aside from that, the current gen Durango is essentially a stretched Grand Cherokee.

Nibby > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 16:09

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Durango’s front end’s looks are based on the RAM, aside from that, the current gen Durango is essentially a stretched Grand Cherokee.

Rico > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 16:10

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TIL this thing has 3 rows.

Margin Of Error > Rico 10/02/2015 at 16:12

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Yes it does

505 - morphine not found > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 16:16

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The interior is just as Baller, red leather bucket seat at the back, embroidered R/T badge, it’s just as plush and exclusive as the RR.

No, it’s not. And you would know that, if you ever tried sitting in the “leather seats” of a Mazda 6, then of a BMW 5, and then of a RR. These aren’t even in the same ballpark, and I bet the Durango has something resembling the Mazda version, or maybe the funny stuff in low-level Volvos.

BigBlock440 > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 16:18

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Sure, but the Durango pictured isn’t even based off the Dakota anymore.

Wacko > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 16:31

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one of the greatest or one of the only....

Cause most SUVs now are actually cuv.

like the explorer, the pathfinder.

Only true SUVs are the durango, the Grand Cherokee and the GM yukon/suburbans.

Alex from Toronto > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 16:36

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I think the Taho/ Suburban/ Yukon/ Escalade would be a better choice.

MonkeePuzzle > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 16:38

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free? that’s MY price!!!

Spaceball-Two > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 17:00

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I’m actually shopping these and Grand Cherokees at the moment. I love the Durango but dat ass is sooooo much mini-van while the front looks bad ass.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 17:37

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The difference between the very “ew” outgoing Durango and this nice new one is staggering. They’re two different animals. Only thing I will say is that, at 7.3 seconds to 60, even a last-gen HSE (non-supercharged) Rover will outpace the Hemi Dodge quite handily.

Oh, and the current Durango is a unibody crossover, which is not in any way, shape, or form based on the Ram.

SteveLehto > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 17:46

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When I saw this week’s question, I assumed Doug’s column would be one word. “Anything.”

I didn’t actually read his column (ironically, it was TL;dr) but I’m guessing he wrote more than that. All of it, extransous.

Margin Of Error > MonkeePuzzle 10/02/2015 at 20:06

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Thank you so much, this is fantastic ! and I just replaced the lead pic

Margin Of Error > SteveLehto 10/02/2015 at 20:17

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To be honest, I also TLDR’d Douglas’ post. Mos of it. I think mine is more concise.

Vítor > Wacko 10/02/2015 at 20:57

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And the Range Rover...

boxjohn > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 21:02

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so, so unreliable. You’ll need that warranty.

Chariotoflove > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 21:03

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Please make this a regular column.

ranwhenparked > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 21:05

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I think it briefly was a RAM Dakota for like the final model year.

Margin Of Error > Chariotoflove 10/02/2015 at 21:05

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As long as Mr. Douglas DeMuro does one, I will.

Blake Noble > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 21:07

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“The Durango is based on the RAM pickup, so it’s a real truck with a real truck chassis that will easily tow your Range Rover back to your local Carmax dealer.”

Nope. The current-gen Durango is based around the WK2 Grand Cherokee platform, which is unibody.

2014Challenger > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 21:07

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I absolutely LOOOOVE the Durango, especially the R/T. However, there is a TON wrong in this article.
Incentives vary by area, but currently in my market, (mostly AWD) an AWD R/T has either $750 in incentives OR 0% for 60 months.

Durango is most definitely not “based on the RAM pickup, so it’s a real truck with a real truck chassis”. It’s unibody, based on Mercedes architecture, though the 5.7L can tow 7,200lbs in AWD form.

Hoping this article was meant as a joke... Even though the Durango R/T is pretty awesome and very underrated.

Shoop > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 21:09

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Why isn’t your nick Marvin of Error?

Margin Of Error > Blake Noble 10/02/2015 at 21:09

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This has been said before, so let’s just deal with it. Altering the original content would dilute the propos

pfftballer > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 21:09

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So much misinformation. A Range Rover will take the doors off a Durango R/T in a drag race and on the track forget about it.

cream wobbly > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 21:09

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no

2014Challenger > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 10/02/2015 at 21:09

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Except that 7.3 is based on the old 5 speed. The new 8 speed helps tremendously in performance... “The 2014 R/T hit 60 in 6.6 seconds and finished the quarter mile in 15.0 seconds at 93.2 mph, as opposed to the 2012 R/T, which went 0-60 in 7.3 seconds and ran the quarter mile in 15.6 seconds at 87.9 mph.”

JustMeh > BigBlock440 10/02/2015 at 21:10

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If its on Jalopnik it must be true.

If they took to time to check their facts there wouldn’t be as much time to post cheap shots at an automaker or make illegible infographics.

2014Challenger > 2014Challenger 10/02/2015 at 21:11

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Plus for an extra... idk, $50-60k you can probably make a few mods that make it a little quicker. Hellcat Durango anyone?

Margin Of Error > cream wobbly 10/02/2015 at 21:12

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boxrocket > BigBlock440 10/02/2015 at 21:14

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The Durango (current one) is based on one of the Mercedes SUVs - M or ML, probably ML - like the Grand Cherokee platform-mate, but has three rows to the GC’s two. Allegedly the Durango is being axed soon and the Wagoneer/Grand Wagoneer will take its place as FCA’s three-row SUV.

Blake Noble > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 21:14

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I suppose. But, unibody or not, the Durango could still haul a Range Rover back to Carmax because it’s an actual functioning vehicle as opposed to, well, whatever you’d consider a Range Rover. A rolling cat turd with leather seats maybe?

3Pedals4Ever > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 21:14

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Pretty cool vehicle, but

1. Not a truck chassis

2. Not as nice inside as a Range Rover

Unless you really need the third row, I'd say get a Jeep Grand Cherokee.

JD2112 > jjhats 10/02/2015 at 21:15

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Wait till January and get the Durango SRT Hellcat!

RC > Nibby 10/02/2015 at 21:15

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Yes, but it has the Hemi so nothing else matters.

Margin Of Error > 3Pedals4Ever 10/02/2015 at 21:17

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Yea, verily

but how much cheaper ?

it’s 70% of a RR at 40% of the cost.

Ojitheunseen > jjhats 10/02/2015 at 21:24

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How dare you!

3Pedals4Ever > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 21:25

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To someone in the market for a Range Rover, it's more like 10% of a Range Rover. That said, I've been inside upper level Grand Cherokees, and they are plenty fancy for me.

IAmOrson > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 21:25

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Great answer! 2 answers for the price of one question. Can’t be happier.

Ojitheunseen > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 21:27

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Why this over a Grand Cherokee, though?

Margin Of Error > Ojitheunseen 10/02/2015 at 21:32

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Bigger and better

Loan Pickle > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 21:33

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If you fold down the second and third row seats, you can fit a couch in the back.

CalBearsFan99 > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 21:33

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How sluggish is the V6?

Isignedinwiththegoogle > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 21:40

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Pretty sure this platform was co developed under Daimler Chrysler and is shared with the the ml/gl/Cherokee. Ps I have one.

cream wobbly > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 21:43

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I wrote something longer, then thought better of it, then went to delete it and you can’t delete comments here.

Basically, if you’ve looked at a Rangie and you wanted it, then there’s nothing that will fit the same Rangie-shaped hole in your life. I owned a two door original version. It was bloody fantastic.

Ojitheunseen > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 21:44

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It’s certainly bigger. Qualify 'better'.

ramajastang > SteveLehto 10/02/2015 at 21:44

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tl;dr version of dougs: jokes, jokes, land rovers are terrible, jokes, land rovers are awesome, jokes, buy a toyota land cruiser.

Hodog16 > cream wobbly 10/02/2015 at 21:49

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Very eloquently put!

Josh > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 21:52

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You really need to start doing a deadspin fun bag style Q&A every week.

hella cool colin > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 21:59

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i’ve got a lot of respect for the Durango. Unashamed, bold, brash, MURICA. I love it. 100% would whip one if I already had a garage full of Volkswagens and Mercs.

Nibby > RC 10/02/2015 at 22:01

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HolmerS > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 22:03

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I enjoyed my Durango years ago. It ran fine anyway. But I’ve owned too many Chrysler/Dodge products over the years and have lost any faith I had. They just never last. And I don’t keep cars long generally. If I had to pick one to be the best of the group from that manufacturer, I’d pick the Sebring Coupe I had. It was well built and comfortable. It also never rattled or made strange noises like all the others did at some point.

Pif > hella cool colin 10/02/2015 at 22:05

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Sounds like it would fit right in your stable. Given that it is based on a Merc body.

hella cool colin > Pif 10/02/2015 at 22:08

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I had a grand Cherokee, ya know. The one like this. I loved it's Mercedes DNA, but I wish they would get back together. All the clever Mercedes engineering without the badge. Pretty cool in my opinion.

Garrett > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 22:14

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Is this a column or a Dodge ad?

Kinja'd Again > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 22:17

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The interior is just as Baller, red leather bucket seat at the back, embroidered R/T badge, it’s just as plush and exclusive as the RR.

That interior is fucking hideous and it is in no way on par with any modern Range Rover’s interior.

Even more gadgets than a used Range Rover can ever dream of having, and they all work !

No, not at all. The Range has far more useful gadgets and they're not all plastic garbage.

5.7L HEMI engine will leave the the fat Rover way behind

The supercharged Range is about 1.5 seconds quicker to 60. The NA V8 is about .5-1 second quicker to 60.

And finally, a rich racing heritage that makes the Durango a lot more capable on a racetrack.

LOL NO

Whitesmoke > SteveLehto 10/02/2015 at 22:26

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“Extransous” - is that French lawyer talk? My thesaurus got wiped out by a meteor strike.

Whitesmoke > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 22:26

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I would tend to agree. Although I’m of a certain age wherein nothing is TL to R.

sporkalicious > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 22:30

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so you are going to buy the most unreliable american SUV instead of the most unreliable european SUV? I have an old isuzu I could interest you in....

Zissou > djmt1 10/02/2015 at 22:44

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No. Doug doesn't want to pull up next to Range Rover and know he settled. If he was willing to settle, he would have bought a 4Runner.

swoodward > jjhats 10/02/2015 at 22:53

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You shut your whore mouth.

prizrak > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 22:54

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A Miata, the answer is always a Miata

Jordaneer, The Mountaineer Man > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 23:01

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Y U NO HELLCAT SWAPPED DURANGO,

HNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNG

miken > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 23:28

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What should you buy?

1. Goats

2. Used Condoms

3. Tickets to the next Washington Redskins Superbowl

ANY of these are more useful over the next six months than a used Range/Land Rover.

R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet > Margin Of Error 10/02/2015 at 23:29

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but....but...no off-rad ability.....

I’m the weird kind of rover owner who takes it out into the sticks, rocks, and mud......

Margin Of Error > JustMeh 10/02/2015 at 23:40

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Next time take some time to check your grammar.

Margin Of Error > Shoop 10/02/2015 at 23:43

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Because that’s the way it is.

Margin Of Error > Ojitheunseen 10/02/2015 at 23:44

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Better = More good

Margin Of Error > Kinja'd Again 10/02/2015 at 23:45

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Next time juste write your own column

Margin Of Error > Isignedinwiththegoogle 10/02/2015 at 23:46

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Source ?

Margin Of Error > sporkalicious 10/02/2015 at 23:46

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Probably more reliable than than turbo hybrid Volvo, just sayin

Margin Of Error > Garrett 10/02/2015 at 23:47

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Both

Margin Of Error > CalBearsFan99 10/02/2015 at 23:47

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Half sluggish

Josh Cayea > Margin Of Error 10/03/2015 at 00:08

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Sure, because a 7 year loan on an FCA vehicle sounds like a GREAT idea. What could possibly go wrong with that plan?

Margin Of Error > Josh Cayea 10/03/2015 at 00:09

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Absolutely nothing (compared to a used RR)

MarcusAurelius > HolmerS 10/03/2015 at 00:15

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Depending on what year it was that Sebring coupe was basically a Mitsubishi Eclipse.

Battery Tender Unnecessary > Margin Of Error 10/03/2015 at 00:15

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5.7L HEMI engine will leave the the fat Rover way behind

Depending on the model Range Rovers (Full fat and Sport) are 1.5-2.5 seconds faster to 60 than an R/T Durango...

Margin Of Error > Battery Tender Unnecessary 10/03/2015 at 00:18

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When they work

HolmerS > MarcusAurelius 10/03/2015 at 00:27

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I bought that new in 2001.

Battery Tender Unnecessary > Margin Of Error 10/03/2015 at 00:42

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Again. The reliability joke that doesn’t really apply to any Range Rovers made in the past 3-4 years when TaTa took over and fixed everything. Especially with the L494 and L405. It’s anecdotal but I’ve owned 3 Range Rovers in 6 years (started with a 400hp, then a 500, now a 550) and none of them have been to the service department for anything but scheduled maintenance. Also, Cadillacs also used to be slow and the Mustang was an awful car...how times have changed.

Zoom > Kinja'd Again 10/03/2015 at 00:56

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Except for your acceleration times this is all just subjective garbage.

Go ahead and put 6 grand a year in repairs into any used rat pile Range Rover a la Demuro vs actually driving the Dingo......

Zoom > Margin Of Error 10/03/2015 at 00:58

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It is.

Actually a stretched last gen ML unibody.

But so what. About the only thing left is central unibody rails.

LoremIpsum010101 > Margin Of Error 10/03/2015 at 01:21

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Welp, you aren’t wrong, that’s for damn sure.

Though I’ve always thought the answer to what is the best not-Range Rover was a Land Cruiser.

Or, my personal favorite, the the poor-man’s-not-a-Range-Rover, the Mitsubishi Montero.

TheHondaBro > Margin Of Error 10/03/2015 at 01:26

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The Range Rover is an executive-style luxury SUV with off-road capabilities. The only SUV that comes close to that is the Toyota Land Cruiser/Lexus LX570.

The only reason you wouldn’t buy the Cruiser is the badge. Other than that, it’s a much more worthy contender than a gaudy Mopar.

The Cruiser has just as much off-road credibility as the Rover, both of which having been originally inspired by the same car, the Willys MB.

That being said, the Range Rover wins in several places such as average fuel economy (15.5 MPG vs 20 MPG). However , that can be attributed to the Rover’s larger fuel tank (27.7gal vs 24.6gal). The question the buyer needs to ask themselves: would he/she prefer cheaper or less-frequent fuel stops?

The Rover has a larger turning radius (40.4in vs 38.7in). However, this isn’t a very significant difference. If the buyer is the type who would need as small a turning radius to be able to maneuver through a dense jungle or canyon, the Cruiser is what to get.

I can go on, but this is how you write an effective column. Don’t just vomit uneducated nonsense all over the screen.

Daemon_EA > Margin Of Error 10/03/2015 at 01:30

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The issue is there aren’t suv’s anymore with off-road chops. Used H3?

lecrab > Margin Of Error 10/03/2015 at 01:51

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Jaloknik, so next time, I’ll write here what one should buy instead of a Range Rover.

Machingadera > miken 10/03/2015 at 02:17

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^Notice; Dodge product not on list.

Garrett Davis > JustMeh 10/03/2015 at 02:24

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Protip: this was written by an Opposite lock commenter, not by Jalopnik staff.

FizzerFZ1 > Margin Of Error 10/03/2015 at 02:45

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Why not a Toyota Land Cruiser / Sequoia, Lexus LX? Luxurious? Check. Practical? Check. Reliable? Check. Easy to maintain? Check. Capable? Check.

michaeljayallen > 2014Challenger 10/03/2015 at 02:50

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Yeah, I thought that pickup truck based thing was wrong.

derekson > Margin Of Error 10/03/2015 at 03:14

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The Durango isn’t based on the RAM pickup. It’s based on the same (Mercedes) platform as the Grand Cherokee, GLE/ML, and GL.