4 x 4 - raison d'etre?

snowcat75

motorguy wrote: »

Can you show me where anyone on here has said they drive an x5 or similar because they *need* one??

Thats my point - everyone judges a premium 4x4 driver and says "oh oh he clearly doesnt need one" but he never said he did need one, he just wanted one.

Theres plenty of posts on the needs for a 4x4 on this thread, truth is no one does, If I didn't have one do you know what Id manage , like my father did, when it snowed he walked 7 miles to milk cows twice a day he survived like everyone else did for thousands of years before him, As I said nothing against those who want one but be honest you don't truly Need one, Its the same as mobile phones, computers laptops and many other things, we convince ourselfs there needs, but actually true needs are food, shelter, warmth and water.

andydiysaver wrote: »

whereby I think that by displaying I have lots of disposable cash I might make up for the fact I'm in some kind of mid life crisis?

TBH I always think cars mean nowt, anyone can own what they want as long as they can meet that monthly finance payment, Iv known some truly Rich people, that could buy property s for millions of pounds cash, however drove cars that were 20 years old, appearances mean nothing those who truly have money seldom waste or flaunt it, I never judge a book by its cover, just the merit of the information it contains.

motorguy

snowcat75 wrote: »

Theres plenty of posts on the needs for a 4x4 on this thread, truth is no one does, If I didn't have one do you know what Id manage , like my father did, when it snowed he walked 7 miles to milk cows twice a day he survived like everyone else did for thousands of years before him, As I said nothing against those who want one but be honest you don't truly Need one,

Where?

I'm talking about premium 4x4s.

Who said they needed an X5? Or an ML or a Range Rover Sport?

Show me where someone said they *needed* one.

snowcat75 wrote: »

Its the same as mobile phones, computers laptops and many other things, we convince ourselfs there needs, but actually true needs are food, shelter, warmth and water.

Exactly.

So why do people take the hump because someone drives an X5 or a Range Rover Sport?

snowcat75 wrote: »

TBH I always think cars mean nowt, anyone can own what they want as long as they can meet that monthly finance payment,

Yup. Or handle the depreciation.

snowcat75 wrote: »

Iv known some truly Rich people, that could buy property s for millions of pounds cash, however drove cars that were 20 years old, appearances mean nothing those who truly have money seldom waste or flaunt it, I never judge a book by its cover, just the merit of the information it contains.

A lot of truly rich people know that regular people have a chip on their shoulder about wealth. That may well be customers, or clients.

Not a good idea to turn up at a clients in a Ferrari - makes them think you're fleecing them.

A mate of mine is a motor trader and he'd the most beautiful Porsche. He loved it to bits. Had to sell it in the end as it got to the point where some people refused to sell him a car because they thought he was clearly making too much money.

Moreoften in this country we dont feel pleased for the success of others, we resent it.

motorguy

andydiysaver wrote: »

I wonder is the chip on my shoulder so large it takes up an entire street that would normally allow two cars by, just to over compensate for my fragile as an eggshell ego, whereby I think that by displaying I have lots of disposable cash I might make up for the fact I'm in some kind of mid life crisis?

I wonder if you can see the irony of defending the accusation of having a chip on your shoulder, by clearly demonstrating you have a chip on your shoulder?

Strider590

snowcat75 wrote: »

TBH I always think cars mean nowt, anyone can own what they want as long as they can meet that monthly finance payment, Iv known some truly Rich people, that could buy property s for millions of pounds cash, however drove cars that were 20 years old, appearances mean nothing those who truly have money seldom waste or flaunt it, I never judge a book by its cover, just the merit of the information it contains.

True that.......

Family used to live in a very affluent area, lots of BIG houses (we're talking 900k+ in todays money). Most of the houses had 10+ year old cars on the drive. People with insane amounts of money, but very down to earth and friendly.
We moved to a small village, a complete contrast, lots of medium sized 3-4 bedroom homes, fancy cars on the drive (or private plates on older vehicles), almost every home had walled front garden with electric gates.
The residents (with the exception of people who'd lived their decades), we're all arrogant and self important tw@s, all what you'd call "new money", except they didn't have any money, just lot's of debt.



And to answer the OP, the reason is usually about power, about feeling important, feeling in control. It's why old people in big cars are a f**king nightmare, they drive about trying to enforce their own version of the law onto other drivers, probably because having lost control of their own bodily functions, it's all they have left.

WTFH

My wife has a 4x4 (VW Tiguan softroader). We live up a hill, 5 miles from the nearest street lights, not on a gritting route. Most families near us own a 4x4 and a normal car, the idea being that at least one vehicle will be able to get up and down the road when the weather is bad.
My car is about the size of a Golf. I tend to work away from home during the week, and she has a 20 mile commute. When we go away, if we're taking the dog, then it's the big car. If we're on our own, it's the smaller one. We change cars every 6 years or so.

We don't live in a town. We don't use a car for a 1 mile "school run". We don't have a driveway or a garage to keep the cars nice and warm in.
(which reminds me of the last time I drove out of SLC, I got to the destination to find that the multi-storey car park was heated to 16C, so that the cars were warm and dry when their owners got into them)

motorguy

Strider590 wrote: »

And to answer the OP, the reason is usually about power, about feeling important, feeling in control.

As opposed to just enjoying a big car?

facade

motorguy wrote: »

Not a good idea to turn up at a clients in a Ferrari - makes them think you're fleecing them.

A mate of mine is a motor trader and he'd the most beautiful Porsche. He loved it to bits. Had to sell it in the end as it got to the point where some people refused to sell him a car because they thought he was clearly making too much money.

Quite, the builder who has just finished working on my house always arrives in a battered old estate car, but from his hourly rate he must have a fleet of Ferraris in an underground garage over at his private estate.

motorguy wrote: »

Moreoften in this country we dont feel pleased for the success of others, we resent it.

More a case of resenting ourselves for not having the courage to seize the opportunities that others did IMHO. We look at people who appear less intelligent/qualified/hardworking etc. than ourselves, and rue the fact that they need a wheelbarrow to take home their cash each week while we work our row out for a few pennies more than the bills.

andydiysaver

motorguy wrote: »

I wonder if you can see the irony of defending the accusation of having a chip on your shoulder, by clearly demonstrating you have a chip on your shoulder?

My original post is pretty indicative of my position on how ridiculous 4x4's are:- If that, indeed, is a chip, then it's deep fried and absolutely enormous....


A>B road user, like my in car music, appreciate a well made sports car, comfortable in a saloon. Try not to annoy other drivers and drive considerately. Have owned several different ones, seen good and bad in each...... UNcomfortable with 4x4's because they encroach into the comfort of others, whether that be taking up entire streets, mowing people down with iron bars, or generally being the large obnoxious attention seeking status symbols that they are


It has been correctly pointed out and largely ignored that the climate here is not harsh and most owners have little to hide behind other than their need for swank, or as Paul puts it "want" for swank, which is actually more accurate - nobody needs these things in this country except farmers and very rural people. for Mr or Mrs surburbia wanting to make a fashion statement, it's a want not a need but that want is based on not only a psychological deficiency, but a disregard for others - cyclists, children, other road users spring to mind. And don't quote lorries at me, how many lorries do you see in suburbia doing the school run?


why would anyone normal want or need something not suited to the terrain they inhabit, that cost much more to run and tax, and annoyed other road users? I can see hyracinth bucket ordering richard to get one of these things and never drive it to make sure everyone passing didn't miss it parked outside the house... Though they would never admit it, deep down I suspect that this is the real motivation and reason that many of these urban off road warrior types are attracted to these things.

sinbad182

The multiple paragraphs you've posted on the subject desperately trying to convince others (and probably yourself) that you are 'right' are not exactly a sure fire sign of someone who's comfortable with their own lot in life.

I think the insecurities and ego complexes that you are obsessed with start a little closer to home than the 4 x 4 drivers....

I drive an Insignia at the moment, but if I had the money I'd be right on a Range Rover Sport. Lovely looking cars. Would get one primarily because I like them, but knwing it upsets tarts such as yourself would be an added bonus!

motorguy

andydiysaver wrote: »

A>B road user, like my in car music, appreciate a well made sports car, comfortable in a saloon. Try not to annoy other drivers and drive considerately. Have owned several different ones, seen good and bad in each......

Surely you dont *need* a sports car though? Typically they're harder on fuel, hard suspension, and often driven by idiots and middle aged men with a mid life crisis.

andydiysaver wrote: »

UNcomfortable with 4x4's because they encroach into the comfort of others, whether that be taking up entire streets, mowing people down with iron bars, or generally being the large obnoxious attention seeking status symbols that they are

I've never seen a 4x4 that takes up an entire street, nor have i seen one mowing people down with iron bars.

And i might have news for you - obnoxious !!!!!!s tend to drive all sorts of cars.

andydiysaver wrote: »

It has been correctly pointed out and largely ignored that the climate here is not harsh

Nor is the climate here "good" enough for convertibles, but we're the biggest buyers in Europe of them.

Nor are our roads good enough, or clear enough or unrestricted enough to justify sports cars but the UK is a major buyer of those too.

andydiysaver wrote: »

and most owners have little to hide behind other than their need for swank, or as Paul puts it "want" for swank, which is actually more accurate - nobody needs these things in this country except farmers and very rural people.

Correct. Few people *need* them but wouldnt life be boring if we only got what we needed?

You dont *need* a sports car, for example?

andydiysaver wrote: »

for Mr or Mrs surburbia wanting to make a fashion statement, it's a want not a need but that want is based on not only a psychological deficiency, but a disregard for others - cyclists, children, other road users spring to mind. And don't quote lorries at me, how many lorries do you see in suburbia doing the school run?

They a bit en vogue at the minute and have been for a number of years, but as i said in one of my earlier posts, the trend is not towards larger, but smaller, more economical 4x4's and soft roaders, so i'm not seeing this as a world ending problem?

andydiysaver wrote: »

why would anyone normal want or need something not suited to the terrain they inhabit, that cost much more to run and tax, and annoyed other road users?

They're big and comfy and usually come with lots of toys. My X5 was genuinely like driving a 5 series, only with much more practicality and a higher driving position, which was great.

So what if they cost more to run. If you can afford it - and i think therein lies the problem for a lot of nay sayers - then who cares?

andydiysaver wrote: »

I can see hyracinth bucket ordering richard to get one of these things and never drive it to make sure everyone passing didn't miss it parked outside the house... Though they would never admit it, deep down I suspect that this is the real motivation and reason that many of these urban off road warrior types are attracted to these things.

Sorry, but generally wrong.

There has been a massive move from the likes of 7 series / s class / jaguar xj buyers into 4x4s. They're seen as massively luxurious and more practical than a large exec car. One of the car mags had a "head to head" between the new rangie and the new S class, as they were both seen as competitors in the same market. Of interest the Rangie won.

Yes, some are driven by wannabes, but thats the same for any premium type car.