4 x 4 - raison d'etre?

Herzlos

motorguy wrote: »

So?

They're popular and people like driving them.

Also, where did anyone say they were economical. I got 28mpg out of my 3.0d x5.

I'm jealous, I only get 26mpg out of my family saloon. This idea that 4x4's are all worse on fuel than normal cars is just silly.

Joe_Horner

notanewuser wrote: »

Let me know when your tent wears out next and I'll send you a bra to replace it.

But surely that'd reduce support for your reasoning? :P

epninety

Herzlos wrote: »

You actually can. For pre-97 and B+E drivers it's the actual train weight that counts (Ifor Williams sent me a quote from the head of VOSA) rather than the gross weights.

Thanks for the clarification, is that statement online anywhere?

It makes no difference for me as I'm usually at the 3T+ end of things, but might be handy to know for the future.

Joe_Horner

Herzlos wrote: »

You actually can. For pre-97 and B+E drivers it's the actual train weight that counts (Ifor Williams sent me a quote from the head of VOSA) rather than the gross weights. But still for a 3.5T plated trailer it probably weighs at least 500-1000kg empty so you'd need something big if you've got anything in it.

Or, in the case of my old Triumph (built before train or towing weights were specified), it's effectively "if you can move it, it's legal". You're still limited to the 7.5T overall limit, of course, but a 61bhp 1300 isn't going to move a 6.5T trailer anyway

DKLS

andydiysaver wrote: »

Subaru's drink as much petrol as 4x4's - why would I want one of those?

So right my old forester used to do 8mpg on boost, my smile would be a mile wide and it handled awesomely in the snow, even better on summer rubber

lostinrates

We have a small holding. Our four by four is a working vehicle But its also our ONLY car.

It copes with such things as towing agricultural or horse trailers, being used as a make shift scaffold tower. Its used as a working vehicle off road at least twice weekly. Its the one my dogs get in, the one my clients get in. The one I fill to the brim at the agricultural merchants, or take hay out to fields in.

Its also the vehicle I drop my husband at the train station at for his City job, the one we turn up in at Social engagements and the one I spend a lot of time in in winter and summer. Its quite nice if it has things like heating and power steering, and air con. (Tbh, air con is more valuable than heating, a hot car in summer is a night mare, a cold car in winter....well...we're bundled up in clothes anyway).

What we try and do is have a front that stays vaguely civilised and a back that is able to be sections off and then 'mucked out' as needed.

I find driving harder than I used to, and the old series three I used to have would no easy task to drive a couple of hours (only an hour and a half in a normal car) to see my husband and friends mid week in London for a meal or a trip to the theatre, something I'd like to get back into the habit of (I'd love trains, but trains stop running to the sticks longs before supper would be over) so it has to be a car.....

And running to cars for a once a month trip? Excessive.

We are currently discussing what to replace our ailing land rover with. Its on deaths door and won't be economic to patch up much longer.

We have an insurance write off defender we could patch up for the field and agricultural merchant runs then I could have something a bit more driver friendly for longer runs.....whether that should be four by four or not is a point of frequent debate in our house.

Personally I reluctantly think the defender having sat and rotted for three years nice the accident should be got rid of and we should stay one four by four family...but defender or plusher I'm a bit more open on. The lure of the heated seat is significant.......but a short wheel base defender probably meets our requirements sufficiently. ( apart from comfort)

bigjl

I drove a D4 for a week paid for by Jaguar Assist.

It had high miles for the age and had certainly been abused.

But it was lovely to drive and was better on fuel than my 08 Pathfinder and a lot smoother.

An ex MOD Police Pathfinder or ex BTP Pathfinder may be just the thing for you. Put on some proper tyres and you are good to go.

But the D3 is not far removed from the D4 and a commercial version of that may suit your usage. Though be wary of the LEZ as not sure if it would affect a commercial D3.

Captain_Flack.

bigjl wrote: »

I drove a D4 for a week paid for by Jaguar Assist.

It had high miles for the age and had certainly been abused.

But it was lovely to drive and was better on fuel than my 08 Pathfinder and a lot smoother.

An ex MOD Police Pathfinder or ex BTP Pathfinder may be just the thing for you. Put on some proper tyres and you are good to go.

But the D3 is not far removed from the D4 and a commercial version of that may suit your usage. Though be wary of the LEZ as not sure if it would affect a commercial D3.

I think anyone not used to driving a 4x4 will find a pathfinder very agricultural.

pineapple

I would love a landrover but the village garage tells me they are prime targets for theft in this neck of the woods.
I actually do live off road in a hilly rural terrain but the experience of neighbours seems to be that a Jimny is better for year round driving.
Also big heavy 4x4s aren't that good when going downhill in wintry conditions..
As for Jimnys they are teeny inside - I've heard recommendations to take the back seat out.
Currently I'm driving a 206 with winter tyres on the front.

Richard53

I've had a Ninety, a Series 2a, one Disco 1, two Disco IIs, a classic Rangie and a P38 Rangie, so the evidence is I like Land Rovers. At the time of ownership, I was doing a lot of off-road competition, and they were necessary vehicles for the out-of-the-way places I needed to tow a tonne of Class 5 trialler. But the real reason I stuck with them all was the fun of driving them - the high driving position mainly. The P38 was absolutely the best car I have owned, comfortable, quick enough, very luxurious and an awesome tow vehicle. Only its staggering thirst and worries about the fragility of 10-year-old electronics made me sell it.

Admittedly, that pink Range Rover is horrible, but then so is any other OTT blingmobile.

The OP seems to have a very superior attitude to other people's choices, typical of so many today. We used to accept that everyone was different and we rubbed along, but these days if you don't like it you try to get it banned, and vilify a whole section of the population into the bargain.

It's a bit like smoking, really. I've given up 4x4s, but I won't criticise anyone who wants one. We all have different lives and needs (practical or emotional), and thank God we are not all the same.

ETA: I suspect the OP's feelings are directed against the chavvy self-centred culture that encompasses rich footballers, WAGs, Hello magazine, Paris Hilton and Jordan's artificial comedy breasts, rather than the actual transmission arrangements of a particular set of vehicles. In that I would agree with him, but he focused on 4x4s, and he got what he got.