[nc_detail_garage]

Hi everyone, We picked up a '17 base holdover last week to replace the wife's aging VW. I tried my hardest to get her into an Audi but she wanted something a little bigger than the SQ5. Fortunately, the few remaining holdovers on the east coast were being drastically discounted which brought the price down to a respectable level. I work in finance full-time but do low volume detailing on the side for fun.

I'm planning on spending the next two weekends getting the interior and exterior dialed as the paintwork could use some polishing, despite the 100 miles on the odometer. I'll likely make another progress thread to share the process and products but wanted to do a introduction first.

 

[Joe]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[slojotaa]

Hi everyone, We picked up a '17 base holdover last week to replace the wife's aging VW. I tried my hardest to get her into an Audi but she wanted something a little bigger than the SQ5. Fortunately, the few remaining holdovers on the east coast were being drastically discounted which brought the price down to a respectable level. I work in finance full-time but do low volume detailing on the side for fun.

I'm planning on spending the next two weekends getting the interior and exterior dialed as the paintwork could use some polishing, despite the 100 miles on the odometer. I'll likely make another progress thread to share the process and products but wanted to do a introduction first.

Welcome, and when you are done giving it a "once over", you will be very happy. Welcome to the forum!

 

[amyj]

I just bought a loaded up levante 2017 with 6000 CPO miles dealer vehicle. I thought they gave a very good value given the CPO for 2 years was included and it belonged as a demo car for its early life with a june inservice date. $60,700 with everything including upgraded stereo, cooled seats, 20 inch tires, metallic paint. i am happy to wait for the truck to arrive with it. I am having some remorse however not getting the black with the Zegna package. That was a different dealer and 4,000 more but same original sticker price or very close. Went with champagne and saddle. i think it is beautiful too from pictures. Wish someone would reply who has seen it. Hoping the fact that it is not offered in 2019 will allow it to stand out when being resold.
I very much like the color that you got as well. I don't think we will miss not having the S. I do think the Cayenne was smoother and more comfortable.

 

[nc_detail_garage]

I just bought a loaded up levante 2017 with 6000 CPO miles dealer vehicle. I thought they gave a very good value given the CPO for 2 years was included and it belonged as a demo car for its early life with a june inservice date. $60,700 with everything including upgraded stereo, cooled seats, 20 inch tires, metallic paint. i am happy to wait for the truck to arrive with it. I am having some remorse however not getting the black with the Zegna package. That was a different dealer and 4,000 more but same original sticker price or very close. Went with champagne and saddle. i think it is beautiful too from pictures. Wish someone would reply who has seen it. Hoping the fact that it is not offered in 2019 will allow it to stand out when being resold.
I very much like the color that you got as well. I don't think we will miss not having the S. I do think the Cayenne was smoother and more comfortable.

Congrats on the purchase. This one had an msrp of 86.4k and we bought for 62k for a holdover '17. that kind of markup is silly.

 

[nc_detail_garage]

3k miles and our first CEL - Hydraulic Steering Error. Local dealer gave us an Enterprise Q50 for a loaner.

The window trim is heavily oxidized and planning on asking them to replace. I'm assuming this is a non-starter but I've tried a few times to bring the finish back with no luck.

 

[MackCastillo]

Wow thats really nice

 

[MackCastillo]

I really likes your work.

 

[Suzanne Adivari]

Amy....I have had a 2018 in dark blue with dark gray and dark tan interior and in the almost year that I have had it I have only seen one other Levante in black on the road in my area and I live in the suburbs of Atlanta....I traded in my 2011 Porsche Cayenne and I agree with you the Porsche was like riding in your living room it was so smooth and comfortable ride. The Levante is a true sports car....How is your gas mileage. I don't drive mine much but when I do it shows it's getting about 4 mpg...."4".....I keep telling my husband it's either an error or something is wrong...I thought the Porsche was a gas hog but this is worse. I've also had issues with it staying in the mode where it shuts off the engine at stop lights and such to save on gas...sometimes it works but most of the time is doesn't....you know car dealers if they can't re-produce the issue when you bring it in they tell you everything is fine...especially if your a women...

 

[nc_detail_garage]

I believe my wife is seeing about 17mpg during the week, mostly city driving. The dealership said the software needed to be updated to fix the CEL. Little odd as the dealership said everything was current when we bought it in June. Either way, the CEL is gone.

Little out of sequence, but I installed paint protection film on the bumper, full hood, headlights, mirrors, and tail gate. I used 3M Pro V4 and was my first solo install since completing the training in June. More recently, I started covering the lower rockers and will eventually make my away around the front fenders. I topped the PPF with SwissVax Mystery and have been maintaining it with a variety of AngelWax products. The dark brown interior is prone to skin oil transfer and will receive a more permanent solution (likely IGL Leather) in the coming weeks. I used Gyeon Leather on my S4 as that too turned white-ish after a week.

I'm slowly dropping hints that we'll sell the Levante in favor of a Q8 next year. I can dream, can't I?

lev_1 by Larry Bishop, on Flickr

front_after by Larry Bishop, on Flickr

mashood_1 by Larry Bishop, on Flickr

mashood_2 by Larry Bishop, on Flickr

 

[jlbusch]

you should know that when auto/start/stop is on every time it stops it resets the gas mileage. try to turn off the auto start/stop (use the steering wheel toggle switch on the right) to see the actual mileage. City MPG is around 14 depending on driving style and sport vs normal mode. I get 20-22 on the highway during my commute.

 

[Joe]

WOW! Looks great!