Im new user here, so sorry this migth be under wrong genre. I´m between 2007 RRS and Mercedes ML. Both i think are good cars. Only thing what i`m wondering that how much faults in real life they have. Brief look from this forum shows that RRS has quite a lot, but if i take 500 RRS`s how much really there is defects / faults. Engine would be V6 Diesel.

I have owned a 2005 TDv6 2.7 SE launch day car, a 2007 TDv8 3.6HSE and now have a 2015 SDv6 HSE Dynamic, none has had any major problems at all, the TDv8 needed a new set of ARB Bushes after a year but otherwise none of them has made an unscheduled visit to a dealership. All were bought as new cars and I was delighted with them. I have only owned one Land Rover since 1996 that needed any unscheduled visits to the dealers workshop and that was my last Evoque that was poorly assembled and suffered big electronic problems after LR carried out a gearbox ECU software upgrade, but I know that after I sold that car the next owner had no problems at all with it.
Bear in mind that most car forums are a place for owners to complain and that there are not often posts as to how great a car is though when reading the posts. There are an awful lot of older Sports out there that run and run and run without problems, we just don't hear about them! The biggest problem with complex cars like the Sort and The ML is that people try to run them on a tight budget and don't spend on servicing by a knowledgable specialist or at a main dealer. Also these car are capable of a lot of abuse and high miles and when something goes wrong it can be expensive to fix. 2020 Pangea Green 1st Edition D240 New Defender 110 is here and loving it
2018 Melting Silver Mini Countryman PHEV - soon to be replaced
2015MY Corris Grey SDv6 HSE Dynamic, the best car I have ever owned, totally reliable only a cou0le of rattles in 3 years, now no longer in my care
Also in my garage is a 1996 TDi300 Defender 90 County HT made into a fake CSW

I have a 2008 Sport 2.7TDV6 and went through similar decisions as yourself with the Sport, ML, X5, and Touareg. I went with the Sport because it's the best tourer of the bunch. For me this is important because I regularly drive from South Australia to Cairns in Far North Queensland. On the way I always encounter mud, sometimes extremely bad washouts, numerous floodways, sometimes flooded up to 500mm deep. I wanted a car that could handle all that, but also be good to drive around town and be a good looking car with a luxurious interior. I didn't really like the look of the D3 and I thought the build quality was much better on the Sport than on the BMW era L322. I also liked the look of the Sport better than the earlier L322s.

The Sport is a proper off-road car that has been tweaked to be a bit better on road than the D3 and a bit more luxurious and high end. It is slightly lower than the D3 but doesn't really lose anything to it off road as it has better departure and ramp-over angles and a shorter wheelbase. The ML and X5 are not off roaders in any real sense - they have optional equipment (the ML has the off-road pack with air suspension, diff locks etc and the X5 has optional air suspension) but at least in Australia, it's extremely uncommon for any of them to have those extras. Those are all standard on the RRS, and it's all well sorted - the Sport's air suspension is infinitely better than the rivals', the 4x4 system works better, it's tougher with a full ladder chassis and it can ford deeper than any of them. The Touareg does have some off road ability but the Sport still runs rings around it off-road. The Sport is heavier though and on-road the German SUVs are sharper both in the engine department and in cornering - but not hugely so. It really depends on what you're going to use it for - all the RRS's cool off-road stuff is really lost if it's just going to be a grocery getter.

To distill that:
As an around town SUV - I'd choose the ML - more power, better economy, interior is more premium.
If you're doing any sort of touring, RRS hands down.

In the 100k odd I've done in mine since having it, I've replaced:
-suspension compressor
-lower control arms
-timing belt
-oil pump (preventative measure)
-alternator
-battery

-apart from a rattly sunroof that is annoying me, it has no rattles. Build quality is pretty good.
-I get about 10L/100km on average. About 7-8L/100km on the hwy. MY08 RRS TDV6, Chawton/Black, sunroof, hk, 268k km
2001 Audi A4 1.8T quattro 5mt sport, 340k km
1990 Nissan Pintara TRX, lots of mods, 438k km

Last edited by RichG on Tue Dec 22 2015 11:43pm. Edited 1 time in total

It's funny having been on here a few months after I had some issues, I have been amazed at the volume of negativity at times, and your post just reminded me why I swore I would never had a mercedes again.

I had a new one in 2004 - and had this deal with the local merc dealer that the last Friday of every Month he would come and pick it up and attempt to resolve the many many electrical gremlins and other issues it had.

To be fair to merc - it never left me completely stranded - although I did have " limp mode home for the last few miles" on more than one occaision.

The grass isn't always greener -

Personally for me - on or off road nothing beats the driving ability resilience of a Landrover - Yes I could have more sporty on road numbers, but the limiting factor would be the off road useage, and towing off road at that.

Most of all it comes downs to your needs and personal preference.

I've owned three RR Sports (one TDV6 & two TDV8's) and one W164 ML 420 CDi Sport and the RR Sports win in 9/10 areas, the only thing the ML does better is, because it's more road focused, sits on the motorway better.