Thread: Whats everyones opinions on new 4wd vehicles.

Irrespective of manufacturer, it seems to this one that mass consumerism is now indelibly imprinted in new cars, such that they are designed to only last a few years before they are so unreliable they have to be replaced.

Pat,
I generally agree with your sentiments - maybe with a little less passion because I just dont care what new 4wd are released Im not interested in any of them!!!!!

For me the biggest thing is the stupidly huge increase in weight that makes my job of recovering these plastic pieces of junk so bloody difficult.

Steve

Manufacturers know that the biggest market for new 4wds is mothers who feel safe in them driving their kids to school (survey any primary school) then off to battle shopping centre car parks, so they build them accordingly.

The cost of a new Landcruiser is because the percentage mark up over wholesale on a Landcruiser is the highest of any vehicle on the Australian market. That is our (as in consumers) fault, because we keep buying them (supply and demand). Also, if you think the Toyota V8 diesel is more reliable than a new 3.0 lit Nissan, ask a diesel specialist. Modern high pressure injection diesels are all slaves to fuel quality. Notice that since the introduction of common rail diesels an entire industry has grown around protecting the poor delicate things from all but the most pure, high quality fuel.

Generally, too much electronics. Fine, when working, but electronics has always been (and until proven otherwise, still is) the most unreliable part of a motor vehicle. When I select low range, I want a lever to physically lock it in, not a button on the dash because mums prefer it like that (refer to paragraph one).

That's more than two cents worth, ten cents at least.

Ditto roverrescue. I'll hang onto my 300tdi Defender until the death of one of us, and I have every confidence the defer will outlast me and 90% of any cars made today.

Great thread and its something I often think about. But for me its not just a matter of finding a car which ticks all the boxes, its bigger than that, namely where are we going with cars?

The P38 RR is now very much overlapping in price with the RRC becuase the RRC is cheaper to own. The P38 is a very simple car compared with nearly all new cars.

I see two selection pressures on making cars more complex and heavy, 1. government regulations for safety and emissions etc.. and 2. customers wanting internet in the car (eg flashing stuff with buttions)

My horrible vision of the future of cars is cars which cannot be repaired and are writted off all the time from minor hits, such complex machines which cannot be fixed ever even by dealers because they cannot match a manufacturing line, cars life span so short that upgrading is neccessary and manufacturer warrany mandatory, and ownership a thing of the past, where we own a car much more like a phone, $800 per month spend and free upgrade to the latest model every 5 years.

The only way to avoid this is to make cars weigh 1 tonne each, which means smaller and less safe in a crash against a 2 tonne car, but of course if every car weighs 1 tonne, then its just as safe as if every car weighs 4 tonnes. Equal advantage.

So I dont like where all this is going but for me I intend to solve the problem in two ways. 1: if I am rich I just buy the latest range rover every 2 years and sbe done, and 2: identify which model I am happy to live with long term, which I can maintain long term, get parts for cheaply and have a nice drive. I have done this in the RRC but if I upgrade I cant see myself being able to go past a d2a, or perhaps the bmw 3.0L L322 diesel.

In conclusion who bloody knows!

Pat,you are 100% correct ,looks like the simple family 4wd wagon has gone the same place as the dinosaurs,it's just a fact of life out of our control

Well,dunno what we do.

Looks like i just gotta keep the D2......forever.It ticks all the boxes,none of the new stuff seems to anymore.

Now don't get me started,how to wreck the best 4X4 by far?........easy,fit it with 19" rims,with no option of anything smaller



NUF SAID

[QUOTE=PAT303;13" and drinks like an Irishman"[/QUOTE]

With couth and a great deal of culture, I assume you mean. Much the same as my D2, which does look like a real 4x4, and not a mobile brick.[ and doesn't need a backup vehicle with electrician, mechanic, and PR person to accompany it off road]............. Bob

Pat,

I get asked this by customers quite often, and my answer? I pointed to my RRC with the Isuzu transplant, or now my Isuzu county which will have a new A/C system, uprated seats and soundproofing etc and short of SRS and ABS etc etc it will do EXACTLY the same job for 1/3rd of the cost. Obviously it is my choice and most of them look horrified at owning such an 'old' vehicle, but those people may one day have to accept a tow from another 4wd traveller driving another 'old' vehicle.

Real outback touring in the true sense still requires the same parameters as 30years ago, simplicity, reliability and economy.


I will be buried in my 110.

JC

I will be buried in my 110. Much prefer you leave it to me in your will, old chap...

JC[/QUOTE]