Who needs a 4x4, who wants a 4x4?
Discussion
lockhart flawse said:
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.
How do you get about your farm?We don’t live in a country where personal purchasing choices are dictated by need. We are lucky. Most of us can have something more than the thing that meets our most basic needs.
So, irrelevant question.
And as others have said once you’ve had a RR, you realise that all the benefits it provides on road mean that off road ability is icing on the cake.
So, irrelevant question.
And as others have said once you’ve had a RR, you realise that all the benefits it provides on road mean that off road ability is icing on the cake.
I kid myself that I 'need' (read want) one for the couple of times a year when the roads round our small village flood. And the other couple of times a year when it might snow.
The reality is after driving Dad's FFRR Autobiography for a few days I decided it was the comfiest and best all rounder I've ever driven. As said above, the on road ability was enough for me - I just love the extra piece of mind you get knowing you can pretty much drive it anywhere and floods, mud and snow aren't really the problem that they would be to my F Type!
It helps that the massive boot can swallow my drum kit and PA system for gigs, and the hybrid part means I can commute on very cheap leccy alone. P400e RRS incoming in Jan!
The reality is after driving Dad's FFRR Autobiography for a few days I decided it was the comfiest and best all rounder I've ever driven. As said above, the on road ability was enough for me - I just love the extra piece of mind you get knowing you can pretty much drive it anywhere and floods, mud and snow aren't really the problem that they would be to my F Type!
It helps that the massive boot can swallow my drum kit and PA system for gigs, and the hybrid part means I can commute on very cheap leccy alone. P400e RRS incoming in Jan!
lockhart flawse said:
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 regularly visit Grimwith Moor in the winter - I wouldn't fancy trying that in a mini. For a long time our two cars were a TVR Chimera and a Hilux Surf. That latter could go a lot of places that the former couldn't plus we could sleep in the back of it on impromptu hill walking weekends. We now live in the sticks at the top of a quarter mile of steep track off a lane that is regularly a foot under water. The Surf certainly isn't a necessity, but it's certainly useful. For example, neither the TVR nor the Leaf would have been capable of dragging a cattle grid out of its pit up the driveway last weekend. The 508 might just have been able to do that, but being a Peugeot, its electrics are all f
ked up and it screams that is knackered each time you insert the key and refuses to start.
ked up and it screams that is knackered each time you insert the key and refuses to start.I conned myself into believing I didn't need a 4x4 for 7 years. I gave in this year and I should have done it sooner.
It's a snotter of a Vitara but it eats up forest tracks instead of having to gingerly avoid potholes and ruts. I've towed cars out of ditches, vans out of fields.
Looking forward to proper winter weather.
It's a snotter of a Vitara but it eats up forest tracks instead of having to gingerly avoid potholes and ruts. I've towed cars out of ditches, vans out of fields.
Looking forward to proper winter weather.
Always hated them, then I needed one for a lengthy job I had to do up a mountain track in France and am now an addict, the seat/driving position in a Range rover classic is the best thing for me on a long trip too, I have an E39 530i se touring which is an actual pain in the backside past a 2hr drive, the range rover I can do 10 hours in comfort
I have wanted a Land Rover since I was a kid. I definitely don't need one, but I still bought an old 90 a few months ago. I will probably do the occasional bit of green laning in it and if we have snow, I will doubtless go out for a play. If the weather is too bad I work from home, although when the diesel ban comes in, I won't be able to drive it to work anyway.
Grahamdub said:
...bought an old 90...
Me too - a 30 year old V8 CSWI don't 'need' it - but the X3 would struggle doing the trials and TYROs that we enjoy and it's proving it's worth as a workhorse in the new (to us) rural environment.
It's great for tip runs - we shove all the hawthorn cuttings in the back - not the sort of stuff you'd put in a leather covered interior!
I still use the X3 for when I do 'need' a quick 4x4 though.....
I “need”: one because the packaging of modern cars (i.e. cabin space) is ste given the size of the cars....I’m just over 6ft, like my driving position relatively far back....in something like a 5 series or A6 there’s really not that much leg room behind me. I could sit further forward but we drive out to the Alps a couple of times a year so passenger space is a big plus. And obviously on trips like that we’re fully loaded with a roof box as well and the 4x4 with snow tyres means we know pretty much that we’ll get to our destination. The 4x4 and snow tyres also come sin handy because we live in a hilly area and the roads just grind to a halt with even the slightest amount of snow. Being able to use back roads is a big plus.
te given the size of the cars....I’m just over 6ft, like my driving position relatively far back....in something like a 5 series or A6 there’s really not that much leg room behind me. I could sit further forward but we drive out to the Alps a couple of times a year so passenger space is a big plus. And obviously on trips like that we’re fully loaded with a roof box as well and the 4x4 with snow tyres means we know pretty much that we’ll get to our destination. The 4x4 and snow tyres also come sin handy because we live in a hilly area and the roads just grind to a halt with even the slightest amount of snow. Being able to use back roads is a big plus. Cheib said:
I “need”: one because the packaging of modern cars (i.e. cabin space) is ste given the size of the cars....I’m just over 6ft, like my driving position relatively far back....in something like a 5 series or A6 there’s really not that much leg room behind me. I could sit further forward but we drive out to the Alps a couple of times a year so passenger space is a big plus. And obviously on trips like that we’re fully loaded with a roof box as well and the 4x4 with snow tyres means we know pretty much that we’ll get to our destination. The 4x4 and snow tyres also come sin handy because we live in a hilly area and the roads just grind to a halt with even the slightest amount of snow. Being able to use back roads is a big plus.
Have you been in a current A6...there is a lot of knee room even behind a six footer. Way more than all but the biggest 4x4s.te given the size of the cars....I’m just over 6ft, like my driving position relatively far back....in something like a 5 series or A6 there’s really not that much leg room behind me. I could sit further forward but we drive out to the Alps a couple of times a year so passenger space is a big plus. And obviously on trips like that we’re fully loaded with a roof box as well and the 4x4 with snow tyres means we know pretty much that we’ll get to our destination. The 4x4 and snow tyres also come sin handy because we live in a hilly area and the roads just grind to a halt with even the slightest amount of snow. Being able to use back roads is a big plus. Kawasicki said:
Have you been in a current A6...there is a lot of knee room even behind a six footer. Way more than all but the biggest 4x4s.
Nope last went shopping for a family car 2 1/2 years ago so haven’t looked at the current A6. The one that was available then didn’t have great rear leg room. Will take a look ! I did see a new A6 recently and thought it looked bloody massive so clearly some of that size has gone into the rear legroom. Gassing Station | Land Rover | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff