Should I buy a used Grenadier? (UK)

[joxer]

Hi there, I put my £500 deposit down what seems like many years ago and never went ahead. Now, when I look at autotrader, I see there are quite a few 2023 models with very low mileage for about £45k. This seems like quite heavy depreciation - and good value. Is there some obvious reason that they’re being sold off? For example the lack of servicing garages or even concerns about the future of the vehicle? I’m tempted but wondering if there’s something I’m missing…..

 

[landmannnn]

Most cars depreciate 25% year 1 and 15% year 2.

So if it was £70k new, by the end of year 1 it would be £52k, end of year 2 about £45k.

A 2 year old is great value! Just watch the spec, must haves being difflocks and a towing bracket.

Ideally one with both the rough pack and the smooth pack too.

 

[tartan shepherd]

Great very capable vehicle, a few quirks but access to dealer pretty essential.
If you are in the SE this is an issue. Can't believe Ineos have left it so long, hearsay that a dealer is coming soon, but you'd have set up a pop up facility to cater for existing and potential owners in the short term.

 

[Baron von Teuchter]

Yeah watch out for very basic spec vehicles. I personally think the must haves are rough pack, safari windows, high load circuit prewiring and towbar.

 

[Tom D]

Remember that those 2023 cars were much cheaper to start with than the models now…

Also as already mentioned ones without diff locks and petrols are not very desireable.

 

[Baron von Teuchter]

Also, diesels seem to hold their value better - not really a surprise I suppose. I have a diesel but I kind of wish I’d got the petrol - just less to go wrong long-term and the economy isn’t that different.

 

[MPMarineOps]

I did a similar thing. Put a deposit down a couple of years ago at the very start of the Grenadier journey. Only to cancel the order and get my deposit returned. Despite being involved in some of the early testing. I had reservations. After having had a Brand New LR Defender and a Toyota Hilux I took the bold step and p/x the Hilux against a reduce in price new fully loaded Grenadier in Oct 2024. Would I change that decision - No!
Would I buy another Grenadier tomorrow Yes. Should I replace my current vehicle with another 4x4 would it be a different manufacturer. No - it would be another Grenadier. I have encountered a couple of issues. All which have been well reported on this or other forums/chats or experienced by other owners. None of them catastrophic or major. Remember this is a new vehicle to market. You can do all the pre releasing testing but that is done with a back up team of mechanics and technicians. The vehicle eventually has to go to market and develop. Any early owners should be aware you were/are part of the next step of R&D. The main problem with Ineos has been how they deal with the after sales and support their dealer network. I think they get this now but it is work in progress. There are some excellent either new/pre registered or used deals out there. Do your homework on the vehicle you are after. Make sure you know what all the issues other owners have experienced for example if it has safari windows they don’t leak and it has the latest seal/guttering. Check for any software issues particularly on the ADAS and it has the latest update. Check you have the current door buttons. Check the windscreen. Some have developed cracks. Ineos needs to address the windscreens with a better toughened/armoured windscreen similar to what Toyota use in Hilux’s or Land Cruisers. Personal choice avoid diesel and go for Petrol. I have a petrol one and having driven the diesel ones I hold the opinion the petrol drives and handles better. Unless you are doing crazy miles you won’t save anything in fuel cost as the range difference and mpg between the petrol and diesel variants is negligible. Diesel you will have the pain of ad blue plus Government will
Hammer diesel before petrol on taxes. Find a good helpful dealer/service centre I am in the North West and you have Deva Halliwell Jones (I have had an excellent support service from them) speak to either David Ward on Sales or Sian Wilson. I have heard good things about Lloyd’s Carlisle as well. Hope above helps with your decision making.
For Ref I have a 3.0l Petrol Fieldmaster Utility with safari windows, rough and smooth pack full electrical prep plus some other accessories. Vehicle used on/off road Work in Maritime sector plus search and rescue/ and other outdoor field interests.

 

[Zimm]

Yes.

 

[CRH]

I have found my diesel to.be fairly economical.
I got 2nd hand 10 months old and saved a good chunk and got spec i wanted. Had all the expected issues as a 2023 model but don't regret it. Probably should have waited for a later model but I didn't want the nagging ADAS, I already have a wife for that.

If you are happy with distance to a dealer, then go for it, it's already lost the major hit in depreciation.

 

[Tom D]

I did around 3000 miles in a petrol loaner from the dealer, and now 43000 miles in the diesel. I think there is at least 15% difference in fuel use.. over 20% if towing or driving hard.

 

[Skydance]

24-27mpg in my diesel. With such a heavy vehicle plus the weight of any extra mods roof racks, tents, full drawer system. Torque is key. Drawback is Adblue but some how over 12k I’ve only refilled once. DPF helicopter mode is the only issue but at least it’s burning all the carbon off. With this engine, you never have to rev it to to get peak torque hence why it’s more economical. With regards to 23 to 24 models, I reckon spec wise there isn’t anything difference bar QC might be better. All the 23 models should have been fixed by now under warranty. Personally if I had the choice, I would choose non Adas models.

 

[Jeremy996]

I bought a 2nd hand Grenadier with my insurance money - 2 years depreciation makes a big difference and a 5 year warranty takes a lot of the jeopardy away.

Look very carefully at the specification, as some things are a ball-ache to add, (towbar), and other things are essentially impossible, (extended electrics, safari roof and lockable diffs). Many of the 2023 Grenadiers with low prices have so very weird specifications that you wonder what the prospective original owner was thinking.

My local automotive electrician thought the extended electrics would not be a deal breaker for him as the layout of the Grenadier made adding stuff fairly easy, but this would lead to a custom one-off electrical specification.

 

[DoubleDoom]

Hi there, I put my £500 deposit down what seems like many years ago and never went ahead. Now, when I look at autotrader, I see there are quite a few 2023 models with very low mileage for about £45k. This seems like quite heavy depreciation - and good value. Is there some obvious reason that they’re being sold off? For example the lack of servicing garages or even concerns about the future of the vehicle? I’m tempted but wondering if there’s something I’m missing…..

Ineos wanted shot of MY23 and MY23.5 models. So, it heavily discounted them (typically £7k) and it didn't increase the prices on those model years. They retained their price before discount as it was when they were built. So, MY24 and current year models have shot up in price but MY23/23.5 stayed low.

There are also a lot of N1s masquerading as M1. The N1 is a cheaper than the M1. Not in an unlawful way. Just that the vehicle options and spec look like M1 but are actually N1. For some, that may not be a bad thing (i.e rarely using the rear seats and don't care about driving 10mph slower than an M1 on many roads) but some have found the differences frustrating.

If you are in the SE this is an issue. Can't believe Ineos have left it so long, hearsay that a dealer is coming soon, but you'd have set up a pop up facility to cater for existing and potential owners in the short term.

Ironically, the agent (now dealer) that has sold the most in the UK is in the South East, although poorly located for a model that requires regional dealers, but the rest of the SE is ignored.

With regards to 23 to 24 models, I reckon spec wise there isn’t anything difference bar QC might be better.

That is why I paid a lot more for an MY24 (July 24 build). However, it turns out despite Ineos themselves saying that they had spent time improving build quality, I still have a good number of the bingo card faults. And I have ADAS. With hindsight, I should have got an MY23.5, saved a lot of money and had the same faults and no ADAS.

However, mitigating circumstances were that Jardine in Colchester was an awful agent and put me off buying. Had they been better, I would have had 3 months of extra stock vehicles to choose from. By the time I took another look via Attleborough (who were much better), there weren't any stock vehicles left that had my "must have" options.