Why the split on SUV's?

[Willy Nilly]

0llie said:

My Range Rover is shorter and narrower than your F10 5 Series.

So the 5 series, is bigger, cheaper, drives better and breaks down a bit less then? You must really need that extra drive axle.

[anonymous-user]

swerni said:

clarki said:

swerni said:

As a 4x4 driving cyclist, I thought I was in the road user most hated, but I think you win

It's ok, I like winning.

Time to play Most Hated Top Trumps.

I win. RR, Audi *and* cyclist. And triathlete, so even the cyclists hate me.

[Impasse]

Willy Nilly said:

The SUV buyers are the ones trying to justify buying them, if they just said they wanted one then fine, but it's always a gravel road, 3 snow days every other year, once drove past a field, etc.

Nope, the SUV buyers are the ones having their purchasing choices questioned and it's only ever them who feel they have to justifiy their car. No one asks accusingly why an estate driver has not got a Yaris, no one demands to know why the hatchback driver needs the 1.6 when the 1.2 will do the same job. No one questions the MPV driver why they have seven seats for their three person family.

It's just the 4x4s/SUVs who have to go through this barrage.

[Steve7777]

I have a 'sporty' SUV (Cayenne Turbo) which was a compromise purchase taking into account my wife's wish list and mine, but I've grown to love it and I've found big SUVs have definite benefits over other cars:

- The high driving position means I can see further down the road in traffic past the other SUVs, and so it's more relaxing to drive dangerously close to the car in front. Ideally nobody else would have a big SUV so this wouldn't be necessary, and ideally if you left a sensible stopping distance nobody would pull into it, but they do, so we are where we are.
- People get out of the fast lane on the motorway when I come up behind them in a way they didn't in my old Audi. It might be because my car is so ugly people don't want to have to look at it in their mirror, but on a busy motorway it makes it faster point-to-point than anything.
- I'm going to come off better than most things in a head-on collision.
- I only drive at the weekends so don't really care about the cost of fuel, but it has a bigger tank than my old car so I like that I don't have to fill it up as regularly.

Basically if you're going to do three laps of the M25 non-stop and then crash head-on into a Ford Focus it's the ultimate tool for the job.

[Roger Irrelevant]

jamieduff1981 said:

I don't hate them.

I'd never sacrifice the benefits of a proper car to spend serious money on an SUV though.

Pretty much this. Given that in 17 years of driving I've never needed any sort of serious off-road capability I find that an estate is just more practical, particularly if you actually do any sort of sport that requires stuff to be lugged about on the roof - 4x4s are a pain in the arse in this respect. For me a 4x4 would just add weight and cost and not be as fun to drive.

The only time I get annoyed by 4x4s are when I meet one coming the other way on one of the many single track roads moor round where I live and the driver is apparently petrified of putting their left-hand tyres off the edge of the road onto the smooth grassy verge. If you're going to spend a wedge on a car with a fancy 4wd system you may as well give it at least some gentle use now and again.

[maurauth]

Roger Irrelevant said:

Pretty much this. Given that in 17 years of driving I've never needed any sort of serious off-road capability I find that an estate is just more practical, particularly if you actually do any sort of sport that requires stuff to be lugged about on the roof - 4x4s are a pain in the arse in this respect. For me a 4x4 would just add weight and cost and not be as fun to drive.

The only time I get annoyed by 4x4s are when I meet one coming the other way on one of the many single track roads moor round where I live and the driver is apparently petrified of putting their left-hand tyres off the edge of the road onto the smooth grassy verge. If you're going to spend a wedge on a car with a fancy 4wd system you may as well give it at least some gentle use now and again.

Definitely agree, whenever I go to Cornwall on the small roads I always find myself taking my RWD 2 seater half off the road despite the risk and the tart speeding round a blind bend is too afraid to get her tyres dirty and wants me to reverse 300yds instead.

[Slow]

maurauth said:

Roger Irrelevant said:

Pretty much this. Given that in 17 years of driving I've never needed any sort of serious off-road capability I find that an estate is just more practical, particularly if you actually do any sort of sport that requires stuff to be lugged about on the roof - 4x4s are a pain in the arse in this respect. For me a 4x4 would just add weight and cost and not be as fun to drive.

The only time I get annoyed by 4x4s are when I meet one coming the other way on one of the many single track roads moor round where I live and the driver is apparently petrified of putting their left-hand tyres off the edge of the road onto the smooth grassy verge. If you're going to spend a wedge on a car with a fancy 4wd system you may as well give it at least some gentle use now and again.

Definitely agree, whenever I go to Cornwall on the small roads I always find myself taking my RWD 2 seater half off the road despite the risk and the tart speeding round a blind bend is too afraid to get her tyres dirty and wants me to reverse 300yds instead.

One of the reasons I got my RR, 10 miles of single track lanes from mine to town.
To the people saying they are never used off road, only had mine 2 months and it's been round a 4x4 course, towed a trailer, rescued a stuck van and did 4000 miles in complete luxury. I may be a minority but the amount of dirty looks I get being just 20 in such a car is stupid. The damn thing costs less than a corsa vxr which everyone my age seems to have, yet no one bats a eyelid that they are in a 10k+ car.

[0llie]

Willy Nilly said:

So the 5 series, is bigger, cheaper, drives better and breaks down a bit less then? You must really need that extra drive axle.

I doubt an F10 was cheaper than my RR.

It hasn't ever let me down, and yes, the extra driven axle is essential for what I use my 4x4s for.

[BuzzBravado]

0llie said:

I doubt an F10 was cheaper than my RR.

It hasn't ever let me down, and yes, the extra driven axle is essential for what I use my 4x4s for.

What is it essential for then? That is the line that all 4x4 owners trot out. All of sudden everyone is a fking outdoorsman. Avid potholer are you?

[jgtv]

I got my XC90 because I was looking for an estate and the Mrs liked it more than the V70.
My car is currently a tool for getting from A-B and lugging kit and people about in, I don't care about 0-60 or ring lap times or anything like that, so it made the Mrs happy and its a comfortable place for me to eat up the miles in jobs a goodun for me.

Few years down the line I will look to getting something "fun" or "interesting" again but for now I am happy in my Volvo work horse that just happens to be a little taller.

[Impasse]

BuzzBravado said:

What is it essential for then? That is the line that all 4x4 owners trot out. All of sudden everyone is a fking outdoorsman. Avid potholer are you?

Why is it essential for you to know why it's essential? This demand for intimate knowledge of a purchasing decision is something non 4x4 owners always trot out, almost as if they feel they have right to question it. Avid psychologist are you?

[0llie]

BuzzBravado said:

What is it essential for then? That is the line that all 4x4 owners trot out. All of sudden everyone is a fking outdoorsman. Avid potholer are you?

Quite the opposite, I would rather pour hydrochloric acid into my eyes than go potholing.

Mine are used primarily for off-roading and greenlaning, and occasionally towing large trailers to shows, often across hilly and muddy terrain.



I'm sure a saloon car would be a jolly lovely alternative, but I can't see an XF or 535d (remapped or otherwise) being a particularly useful replacement for my 4x4.

I don't use them 365 days a year because that would be foolish of me, I have much more fun each day in my Cooper S.

[DonkeyApple]

Willy Nilly said:

Impasse said:

TurboHatchback said:

It's your money and if it makes you happy then splendid but trying to objectively justify it is going to be a struggle.

Why should anyone be pressured into objectively justifying their choice of vehicle? It seems that only those who buy 4x4/SUVs are constantly questioned about their purchase or have other road users go into laughably amateur psychologist mode when spotted. Why is this?

The SUV buyers are the ones trying to justify buying them, if they just said they wanted one then fine, but it's always a gravel road, 3 snow days every other year, once drove past a field, etc.

Nope. I've always said I drive them for fun. Yet it seems that on PH some people continually want to ask why or even try and argue with me that I cannot possibly find SUVs fun.

Ive been driven in and driven Rangies since the late 70s. I like them. I get more pleasure out of driving a Rangie than any saloon or estate on the market. They all do the same thing and I prefer the performance advantage of the SUV.

And on top of that, why do users of other car types feel the constant need to forever ask why people drive SUVs? It's clear that as the fastest growing sector people are simply recognising that they are a better alternative for an ever growing majority. One car that does everything you'll ever need including many of the little things you only do every so often.

[BuzzBravado]

Fair enough, good response

[kambites]

0llie said:

Quite the opposite, I would rather pour hydrochloric acid into my eyes than go potholing.

Mine are used primarily for off-roading and greenlaning, and occasionally towing large trailers to shows, often across hilly and muddy terrain.



I'm sure a saloon car would be a jolly lovely alternative, but I can't see an XF or 535d (remapped or otherwise) being a particularly useful replacement for my 4x4.

I don't use them 365 days a year because that would be foolish of me, I have much more fun each day in my Cooper S.

You've got to admit, you're hardly the average British SUV owner.

Having an SUV for that sort of stuff is no different from having a dedicated track car; personally I'd prefer the track car but I can see the appeal of both.

[Willy Nilly]

0llie said:

Willy Nilly said:

So the 5 series, is bigger, cheaper, drives better and breaks down a bit less then? You must really need that extra drive axle.

I doubt an F10 was cheaper than my RR.

It hasn't ever let me down, and yes, the extra driven axle is essential for what I use my 4x4s for.

The 550///M Sport is considerably cheaper than the cheapest L405, we both know that. You can't compare a current exec saloon to an old RR on price.

[maurauth]

I find the best solution is to make sure you buy your RR in British racing green and make sure that at least half the surface area is covered in mud at all times.

[anonymous-user]

swerni said:

Greg66 said:

swerni said:

clarki said:

swerni said:

As a 4x4 driving cyclist, I thought I was in the road user most hated, but I think you win

It's ok, I like winning.

Time to play Most Hated Top Trumps.

I win. RR, Audi *and* cyclist. And triathlete, so even the cyclists hate me.

But are any of them bright orange?

Hmm. No. You might have me there.

[cheddar]

I've just bought an old X5 for £5k and I love it, it's spacious, luxurious, quick, imperious and impervious.

Now that I've switched from the stupid standard big wheels and tyres to something more sensible it'll do ski fields and rough tracks as well annoying everyone in the city centre.

Plus it's got these

[anonymous-user]

Rear tyres?

Non matching parking sensors?