In the Spring of 2009, my wife and I were driving a 2006 Cadillac STS-V and a 2009 Pontiac G8 GT. With a combined horsepower of 830, we got where we needed in a hurry, but once winter hit, we realized neither car was very practical. So, we decided to sell both cars and go with a SUV. We seriously considered the BMW X5, GMC Yukon, Mercedes ML and Audi Q7. We ended up going the Q7 route, and it really was the right choice. We both loved its looks, practicality, and overall driving experience. Our Q7 was equipped with the 3.6 litre V6 which put out a mediocre 286 bhp. Honestly, I always felt like the vehicle was underpowered. The TDI version would have been our first choice at the time, but there was a huge waiting list in my city. The 4.2 was substantially more expensive and offered a relatively small power upgrade of 54 bhp. We chose this car right off the lot because we loved the Garnett Red Pearl paint and it was loaded with all options minus the 3rd row seating. We enjoyed our four years of relatively trouble-free ownership. The only problems we had with the vehicle over that time was a malfunctioning door handle, squeaky sun roof, and a "clunk" when engaging the car in drive. All problems were rectified by our dealer with little to no fuss. One modification I made to the Q7 was the brakes. I upgraded the pads and rotors shortly after purchasing it. The OEM pads produced a merciless amount of brake dust, so I went with a set of Hawk LTS pads that lasted until the car sold almost four years later. A fun modification I made was moving to a 22" Porsche Cayenne replica wheel in a gloss black. I went with 285/35 Yokohama Parada Spec-X A/S performance rubber. It was a real head turner. I sold the Q7 with under 60k km's on the clock. There was some wear on the outer edge of the passenger seat, but the car was otherwise perfect. I got over 70% of what we paid. I was quite happy with that. This is the car that transported our son home following his birth, so it will always hold a special spot in our hearts. It served our family well during our time together. It was dependable, comfortable, and I was proud to drive it. You can't really ask for much more than that from a family hauler.
2 Comments
Mario
11/25/2015 08:21:59 pm
that is just awesome!
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Rick
11/25/2015 09:13:10 pm
Thanks, Mario. It was a very nice SUV.
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Who is Rick?I'm just a guy who loves his garage, Audi, and detailing so much he blogs about them. RAD PartnersRAD FriendsAuto Obsessed
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