4 x 4 - raison d'etre?

pineapple

Richard53 wrote: »

We all have different lives and needs (practical or emotional), and thank God we are not all the same.

And that is the perfect Christmas message thanks
:T

bigjl

Captain_Flack. wrote: »

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

I don't find it as agricultural as i thought it would be.

The Navara is based on the Pathfinder (even thoigh many think the opposite) so it was obviously not built to compete with a RR.

Perhaps mine is a bit plusher than some as it is an Aventura spec with autobox.

But apart from a bit more roll than a car i find it excellent to drive.

Not the most roomy in the back perhaps but it more off roader than soft roader despite the chrome bits.

Wish mine was a Non Dpf model as fuel consumption is not the best unless sitting at 70 on the motorway when it will give over 30mpg.

Captain_Flack.

bigjl wrote: »

I don't find it as agricultural as i thought it would be.

The Navara is based on the Pathfinder (even thoigh many think the opposite) so it was obviously not built to compete with a RR.

Perhaps mine is a bit plusher than some as it is an Aventura spec with autobox.

But apart from a bit more roll than a car i find it excellent to drive.

Not the most roomy in the back perhaps but it more off roader than soft roader despite the chrome bits.

Wish mine was a Non Dpf model as fuel consumption is not the best unless sitting at 70 on the motorway when it will give over 30mpg.

Does the navara have the same engine? I don't remember that sounding like a bag of hammers.

lostinrates

pineapple wrote: »

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.

The defender was the only thing capable of getting us out of our old rural hilly village in the heavy snow four or five years ago.. Heavy four by fours and tractors . The lighter four by fours were coming off the road all over the place. I know because I spent the few weeks towing them off!

We now live in flatter and less isolated terrain, but I know a light four by four cannot cope with the off road work I do.....I need the towing capability.

Frankly I'd be nervous of a lighter four by four in some of the weather conditions that by nature of rural work we have to go out in.

lostinrates

So, I've gone to look up a pathfinder, and I can find out about music things, DVD things, and sunroof on the highlights of the specs, but towing weights, height lengthand vehicle weight, load capacity with seats down etc.....not so much.

They really aren't looking at 'my' sort of market are they, lol.


I'd prefer a shorter wheelbase really. if its going to remain my only car

sharnad

rev_henry wrote: »

I have no idea why people choose to drive 4x4s just because they're flashy and fashionable rather than an equivalent saloon car which is faster, cheaper to run and more comfortable, however if they wish to do so that's fine. Makes the secondhand luxobarges cheap for me.

You don't really need something faster than a 4x4., you can only go seventy anyway

Buellguy

sharnad wrote: »

You don't really need something faster than a 4x4., you can only go seventy anyway

Trust me, I'd rather to 70 in an S-class than a defender LOL

goonarmy

Buellguy wrote: »

Trust me, I'd rather to 70 in an S-class than a defender LOL

70 in a fender? OMG tried maxing my new fender but christ its awful even though it'll do 95.

alastairq

I've recently laid up a Ford Fiesta.

Its replacement is an M-reg Daihatsu Fourtrak.

I needed a tow vehicle, capable of towing 3.5 tonnes.

And the DAihatsu is smaller than a big Transit-type.

So it doesn't block out the light when I park it outside my front door.

It is 2 or 4 wheel drive....2 wheel drive for normal tarmac, or grippy non-tarmac ....using 4 wheel drive on grippy surfaces leads to wind-up...so I rarely use it....probably only to get in, & out of the field where I keep my trailers.

Its a big old diesel engine, but I average over 30 mpg's, even when towing.

But, that has to do for normal domestic journeys as well. Better than my old Volvo, but diesel is more costly per litre.

So far, ultra reliable.

Thus far, costing only the modest purchase price.

Yes, it was a farmer's vehicle....and yes, it smells of wet sheep.

For best fuel consumption, I limit it to around 2000 revs [the red line is 4000!]...which means around 50 mph in top gear.

So what?

I find more traffic gets in my way, than the other way around.

Bonus, I don't get tailgaters any more. Dunno why? Maybe it's because I haven't got a spare wheel cover?

I do overtake stuff....the thing is quite capable of returning good passing times...but I do wonder these days whether the exercise will be 'worth it?'

Young son likes it because it has plenty of places to stow the KFC meals he so likes....places the Fiesta lacked?

It has a cassette player......is that academic?

Do I care what anybody else on this planet thinks of my vehicle, and its usage?

Not one iota....

Nor do I care about sociability.

Which all rather makes the OP's original point, pointless? [and a few others, as well, I suspect?]

bigjl

Captain_Flack. wrote: »

Does the navara have the same engine? I don't remember that sounding like a bag of hammers.

Yes exactly the same engine. The only real difference is a more l advanced 4x4 system on the Pathfinder and i am fairly certain the Nav has leaf springs as befits it commercial vehicle use.

Mayhe the one you owned was broken.

The 2.5 dci lumo was also fitted to the older Navara when it had isues with the bottom end failing.

They fixed that for the D40 but the bottom camchain was no longer a duplex chain just the top one so they had issues with the camchain. Though as mine is fine at over 115k i do wonder if that affected those who mainly drove round town and stuck to the 18k oci.

I change the oil on mine anywhere between 5k and 7k.

Touch wood, apart from internal door handles, common fault worldwide with the Nav and Pathfinder, it has been troublefree.