Who needs a 4x4, who wants a 4x4?
Discussion
Something that came up in conversation this weekend was that I don't "need" a 4x4. I don't live at the end of an impassable country lane, I don't regularly need the ground clearance and I don't regularly need to extra propulsion. No, I don't "need" a 4x4, I want one. As a bonus, it's nice to know that should my route home from work be partly flooded (has happened before) or I'm at work and there is a huge dumping of snow (has happened before) I am better placed to get home safely than if I were in another car.
So I open it to fellow Land Rover owners/drivers: where do you place on the need/want spectrum?
So I open it to fellow Land Rover owners/drivers: where do you place on the need/want spectrum?
I spent the first few years of my working life in the early '90s working for the Scottish Milk Marketing board. Visiting farms in rural SW Scotland. One day went to 28 farms, carrying kit, muddy back roads and farm tracks. Only on Christmas and New Years day the service did not work.
60 000m per year I covered.
4x4?
No
The most basic 3 door Astra.
n/a diesel Merit.
60 000m per year I covered.
4x4?
No
The most basic 3 door Astra.
n/a diesel Merit.
loskie said:
I spent the first few years of my working life in the early '90s working for the Scottish Milk Marketing board. Visiting farms in rural SW Scotland. One day went to 28 farms, carrying kit, muddy back roads and farm tracks. Only on Christmas and New Years day the service did not work.
60 000m per year I covered.
4x4?
No
The most basic 3 door Astra.
n/a diesel Merit.
Did something very similar in England for the MMB in the '80's. Good old Astra Merit basic model - NO options (not even a radio).60 000m per year I covered.
4x4?
No
The most basic 3 door Astra.
n/a diesel Merit.
I've been in agriculture in one way or another all my life, and have had a 4x4 (mostly for towing) since the early 90's.
OP - one thing not to forget when considering a 4x4 for those infrequent occasions when inclement weather makes the going difficult - is that there will very probably be a whole load of ordinary cars getting in the way anyway.
If you're slightly well equipped you can help them out in order to get through, but I've been in situations where cars have been getting stuck faster than I can pull them out!
ETA: On re-reading your OP I'm firmly on the need side for my work, but it seldom gets used the rest of the time.
Edited by sunbeam alpine on Monday 11th November 13:53
I could tailor a list of wants and needs to perfectly suit my SC L322 easily enough, but I could do that for any of the other cars I own as well.
The only thing I'll add is that my L322 is an almost a one-size fits-all car. There are times when I'd love it to return 50 to the gallon rather than 18 and for it to be half its size when parking, but alas not.
The only thing I'll add is that my L322 is an almost a one-size fits-all car. There are times when I'd love it to return 50 to the gallon rather than 18 and for it to be half its size when parking, but alas not.
Absolutely no need whatsoever for one. Even though we’re rural and can get snowed in a car would be perfectly adequate.
But my wife will only drive Discoveries because when someone drove into a previous Disco the other car was written off and the only damage to the Disco was a reflector falling off the bumper. And they’re high up. So now we’re on Discovery (and 4x4) number three.
I wanted an RS6....(which would’ve been cheaper on fuel than a petrol D5!). The D5 is brilliant though.
But my wife will only drive Discoveries because when someone drove into a previous Disco the other car was written off and the only damage to the Disco was a reflector falling off the bumper. And they’re high up. So now we’re on Discovery (and 4x4) number three.
I wanted an RS6....(which would’ve been cheaper on fuel than a petrol D5!). The D5 is brilliant though.
900 ft above sea level, 12 miles up a single track road then another 2/3rds of a mile up a 20% gradient forestry road to the house. I don't need a 4x4 to go anywhere, but it's handy for peace of mind when I want to get home.
I do currently have an old Shogun, but that's more about towing heavy trailers and getting in and out of fields than needing one for the road.
As a rule, I tend not to venture out on trips away from the house if the road doesn't look good enough for an ordinary car,that way , if the weather goes downhill I've still got a chance of getting home again.
Round here, most people who live in or within a couple of miles of our local (country) town have 4wd of some sort. Most of my near neighbours who live further out in the country don't bother.
I do currently have an old Shogun, but that's more about towing heavy trailers and getting in and out of fields than needing one for the road.
As a rule, I tend not to venture out on trips away from the house if the road doesn't look good enough for an ordinary car,that way , if the weather goes downhill I've still got a chance of getting home again.
Round here, most people who live in or within a couple of miles of our local (country) town have 4wd of some sort. Most of my near neighbours who live further out in the country don't bother.
"Who needs a 4x4, who wants a 4x4?"
I've had a Range Rover for years - I go off road maybe 6 times a year, it used to be maybe 15 times a year.... I lived, until recently up an unmade track. So I would say 60% need.
Nowadays I could live without it, but I'm used to it and have no wish to sell. In awful weather I'm pleased to have it.... long trips are easy, carrying rubbish around,
I've had a Range Rover for years - I go off road maybe 6 times a year, it used to be maybe 15 times a year.... I lived, until recently up an unmade track. So I would say 60% need.
Nowadays I could live without it, but I'm used to it and have no wish to sell. In awful weather I'm pleased to have it.... long trips are easy, carrying rubbish around,
Need is a tricky one. I don't need to tow trailer loads of horse poo, I could get it from somewhere less muddy or barrow it. I don't need to pull people out of the ditches or use the worst pull in places on my lane. I don't need to do (admittedly only one) off road competition.
But OTOH it's nice that my D4 can do absolutely everything I want of it, including holidays in the south of France as well as everything above.
But OTOH it's nice that my D4 can do absolutely everything I want of it, including holidays in the south of France as well as everything above.
Truthfully, a Focus Estate would do for most of my needs.
Plus it would be cheaper to run by a considerable margin.
I enjoy having my 4x4s though, the D3 is brilliant for shutting out the outside world and letting me drive about in peace and quiet away from all the idiots. Which, justifies it’s existence I suppose.
Plus it would be cheaper to run by a considerable margin.
I enjoy having my 4x4s though, the D3 is brilliant for shutting out the outside world and letting me drive about in peace and quiet away from all the idiots. Which, justifies it’s existence I suppose.
NotBenny said:
Something that came up in conversation this weekend was that I don't "need" a 4x4. I don't live at the end of an impassable country lane, I don't regularly need the ground clearance and I don't regularly need to extra propulsion. No, I don't "need" a 4x4, I want one. As a bonus, it's nice to know that should my route home from work be partly flooded (has happened before) or I'm at work and there is a huge dumping of snow (has happened before) I am better placed to get home safely than if I were in another car.
So I open it to fellow Land Rover owners/drivers: where do you place on the need/want spectrum?
On a similar note, who needs a car with more than 100bhp?So I open it to fellow Land Rover owners/drivers: where do you place on the need/want spectrum?
We live on the edge of the north Yorkshire moors and regularly travel to the centre of the Moors. Been here 15 years and never needed a 4 x 4 . We farm and have a Landy for towing but we've never been in a situation where only a 4 x 4 would get us somewhere. Mini with winter tyres is our bad weather car.
I do need one (transporting dogs whilst going offroad).
I do like them too - high seating position and comfort. Also a couple of memorable drives in terrible conditions when I had no choice but to make the trip.
A Range Rover ticks so many boxes (family wagon, load lugger, luxurious limo, mountain goat) it is difficult to be without one when you know what it can do.
I do like them too - high seating position and comfort. Also a couple of memorable drives in terrible conditions when I had no choice but to make the trip.
A Range Rover ticks so many boxes (family wagon, load lugger, luxurious limo, mountain goat) it is difficult to be without one when you know what it can do.
I have just bought one, a 2010 RRS in Nara Bronze with Arabica leather and it’s a stunning thing! Still very much in the honeymoon period to be fair but with only 40k and warranty I am hoping this lasts a while.......
We live in a Somerset village which when faced with significant water or snow does present its issues!
I have always admired the RRS since it’s release in 2004 and so for me it’s a bit of a treat to own one. We went out for a family birthday meal last night and the rain was torrential yet it sat on the M5 solid as a rock, family in warmth and comfort - it was lovely.
Si
We live in a Somerset village which when faced with significant water or snow does present its issues!
I have always admired the RRS since it’s release in 2004 and so for me it’s a bit of a treat to own one. We went out for a family birthday meal last night and the rain was torrential yet it sat on the M5 solid as a rock, family in warmth and comfort - it was lovely.
Si
jon-yprpe said:
We do ‘need’ a 4x4 as daughter has a horse and need* 3.5t towing capacity for horse box and two horses when not using horse lorry. Also getting out of a muddy field towing aforesaid fully-laden horsebox would be tricky in a standard 2wd car.
But you (wife) doesn't need horses.- wife needs, I try and stay out of it.
And they're dangerous at both ends and crafty in the middle - so best used for glue and Iceland burgers...
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