Why have 4x4s?

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by blueboar

I own a 4x4..... always have and at present all ways will. I have a series 2 discovery, But unlike the chelsea tractors etc, I need mine.

It takes me 20 minutes driving off road to get to the shops (well actually to get off the reserve). There is no need for the X5's, Porsche's etc complete waste of money, they are just fashion statments, its vehicles like these and the bloody chelsea tractors that give us 4x4 owners a bad name.

I work for The National Trust on a very large coastal site and we need 4x4's to do our jobs as do all the other conservation bodies looking after the countryside and managing it for everyone, and we get stung for high insurance, road tax etc because of the above.

But why is there a need for a ferrari that does 195mph and you can leagally do 75mph on the roads, why have a sports car that does 9 - 14mpg, why don't the press have ago about them............................................

But don't forget 75% of all landrovers ever built are still running on the roads, and if thats not being green/recycling I don't know what is, the jap cr@p thats on our roads now, give them 10 years max and they will join the thousands other vehicles in the scrap yards.

Leave us true 4x4 owners alone, ;

Well said blueboar, mine is 33 years old I used to own a horse and carry bails of hey and straw in it..But now I carry compost and plants from the garden centre and a wet muddy dog from fields. I won't be going to London in it.

[blueboar]

At last, an article from the BBC that has woken up to the fact that it's not just 4x4s. Its from the BBC, so it must be the true.............................................. .


BBC NEWS | England | London | Family cars among 'gas guzzlers'

[hunterswind]

I have 2 Discoverys 1 defender 110 double cab and a rangerover all used for work. Whats the problem ?

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by hunterswind

I have 2 Discoverys 1 defender 110 double cab and a rangerover all used for work. Whats the problem ?

The problem is we are getting screwed: eek:..

[hunterswind]

Red Bio fuel !!!!!!!!!!!

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by Kayleigh

The problem is we are getting screwed: eek:..

Thats quite true ( I - well work- have a nissan D22 pick up) but it is really the fault of the other sort of 4x4 driver - if there werent so many bimble brains driving chelsea tractors that never leave the city let alone go off road -used purely to take tarquin and jemima to school- the govt wouldnt be so inlcined to pick on the 4x4

personally i think we need to do like they do in australia and have a seperate class for utility vehicles (utes as they call em) meaning that vehicles meant for work could be taxed etc much more lightly than the chelsea tractor.

[hunterswind]

Get oil from chippy add small amount red paint for lubrication and bingo trucks run on it ( or so I have been told )

[hunterswind]

No one drives nissan d22 pickups anymore get a Landrover !!

[Kayleigh]

Mine cost a grand to buy and 3 to put right...Now it runs like a dream..

[hunterswind]

You have to love them is yours a 300 tdi ?

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by hunterswind

No one drives nissan d22 pickups anymore get a Landrover !!

I'd love to ( a 110 with bench seats in the back would be ideal for what we do) but it isnt my decision - also we are working over an area that spreads from glocestershire to surrey and bucks to wilts and landies, though they have a great many good qualities are not great on the motorway.

Similiarly i would like to swap my private car ( a ford ka) for a landie lightweight or wolf , but as my fiance is over 300 miles away i dont fancy driving the whole length of the M1 in a landrover on a fortnightly basis.

[hunterswind]

110 td5 double cab is my fave and it sits at 60mph no probs just turn R2 up lol

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by hunterswind

110 td5 double cab is my fave and it sits at 60mph no probs just turn R2 up lol

I kind of rest my case - it sits at 60 no problem , but i like to cruise at 70 ( or 80 if the bizzies arent about )

A while back when i was a contractor I had an ex army 130 V8 converted to lpg - that would do 70-80 but we had to wedge all the windows with bits of carpet and wear ear defenders to combat the noise

[hunterswind]

To funny, 110 chipped TD5 is awsome it thrashes her Rangerover but its a bit bumpy plus you have to shout to pasengers

[eeyore]

i think i'll leave it till i'm living up north - with the better half - i really fancy a lightweight (again - i drove one for years) but they are leaf sprung so the ride is really bumpy/wobly above about 60 - not the best for whacking up the M1 in the early hours

[hunterswind]

I have 1994 300 tdi disco auto 198,000 on the clock great for scooting about in and the heater works

[hunterswind]

woops forgot as you are single the seets fold back

[eeyore]

Originally Posted by hunterswind

woops forgot as you are single the seets fold back

actually i'm engaged - but folding seats will be handy for carrying large loads of logs , bales of straw and all manner of other cack that currently gets jammed in my unsuspecting poor old ford ka.

[hunterswind]

you seriously need to think about becoming a conservationist

[Poirot]

In rural enviroments they are fantasticly useful. My family had a suburu estate car (which was 4wd) legacy. It was good at towing a caravan but when it got to muddy fields it was rubbish, it got stuck two or three times, our discovery easily powers through it.

In essence it depends what you use the car for.

I feel so sorry for any farmers who are targeted by protesters for having 4x4's (and i've heard of cases).

Discovery 3's are so useful we are always using the bootspace, we would never fit all the awnings and tents to go away in the caravan in a toyota prius (no offence they are good cars).

Interesting question now: How can protesters who fly to press confrences about global warming in brussels genever e.t.c. dare to tell 4x4 owners they are using too many co2 emmissions!!!!!!!!

Anyone see the logic

Poirot

[squirrel court]

in responce to not making an effort to make the road wider, it is frustrating but its easier for a 4x4 to pull a small car out of a ditch than the otherway round. and yeah 4x4s get stuck ours mainly in fields and forests, myself i love 4x4s mainly the good old defenders proper 4x4s, however i do agree that in the citys they are completly pointless and alot of these fancy 4x4s dont actually work of the road making them useless

[crispy]

it doesnt surprise me that everyone is defending the use of 4x4's for practically everything...many have totally convinced themselves they need one and at the end of the day if they are doing it why cant I !

its this attitude that has led to the current situation of so many very large 4x4's with low profile tyres, no tow hitch or hint of off road use, maximum height + comfort (and fuel consumption) being extremely fashionable 'accessories' and a must have for anyone who can afford one (and lets face it the demand has increased so much prices are pretty low for these vehicles).

there are many good reasons to own a 4x4 vehicle but we cant carry on with the whole 'if they have one why cant i' attitude.

just wish people were a bit more responsible with their choices

[nigel_b]

I think its easy to get hung up on the fanciful Landrover Defender image whilst forgetting its actually a flawed concept 99% of the time.

I've had 3 "Defenders", a series 2A, series 3 and a 90 County. I'm a landscape gardener but now use a Peugeot and trailer for my business. I made the change 12 months ago as a result of predicted rises in road tax and fuel but this was after I had made my mind up the Defender is a flawed concept.

I decided this after taking half a ton of topsoil in the back 25 miles to Dorchester to lay some turf. With half a ton in the back all the rattles went, the brakes worked without being overpowered, all the gear ratios were correct instead of being over-geared, and the suspension was finally compressed to some extent to allow it to work properly and smooth out the surface.

With half a ton in the back they're great, but with just one or two people they are over-geared, over-braked and the suspension is just far too hard.

Just my view.

[eeyore]

yep there isnt much point in having a 4x4 if all your driving is on road - in my case at least half the driving i do is off road and the 4x4 is a necessity (Peugot estates are great on the motorway but not the best in 8" of mud and 12" deep tractor ruts)

i wouldnt advocate owning a 4 by as a status symbol - my own off duty car is a ford ka - but for the work i do off road capability is a must.

THe 4bys that really annoy me are things like the porche cayenne - probably less capable off road than my KA, drink fuel , and contribute to the bad image of 4x4 owners in the eyes of govt and general public

[crispy]

Originally Posted by Poirot

In rural enviroments they are fantasticly useful. My family had a suburu estate car (which was 4wd) legacy. It was good at towing a caravan but when it got to muddy fields it was rubbish, it got stuck two or three times, our discovery easily powers through it.

In essence it depends what you use the car for.

Discovery 3's are so useful we are always using the bootspace, we would never fit all the awnings and tents to go away in the caravan in a toyota prius (no offence they are good cars).

Anyone see the logic

Poirot

this is a perfect example....every day when you use this vehicle you use a lot more energy to power it than someone who uses for e.g. a ford Ka for daily use, yet you have convinced yourself you need it becuase of the ONE occasion when your matey got stuck a few years back in their subura, or the boot space is so much better etc etc...

put your awning, tents and other heavy items inside the caravan as you tow it, prefferably over the axle.

this kind of attitude is what gives 4x4's a bad name......


"anyone see the logic"

im sorry, i dont see your logic.