Thread: Are 4WDs too high-tech for the bush?

Having a simple bingle in one of my diesel Pajero Exceeds (I previously had 2 back to back on lease), I was incapacitated fairly quickly with leaking fluid from the auto transmission. It took specialised equipment that is only available in major centres. I didn't do my planned trip to the Cape as I was too worried I would be stuck 500km or more away from anyone who could fix it.

However, I had no issues on doing major road trips that meant I wasn't too far from a major centre with rescue gear, whether it was Broken Hill, Hervey Bay or Mildura as examples. So it limited me a bit, BTW the electronics weren't exactly brilliant on heavy sand either, but I luv'd the comfort it provided and they were a fabulous cruising car.

One of the prime reasons i brought the Perentie, was to get back to basics with a simple vehicle to do those trips I wasn't game to do in the Pajeros.

Originally Posted by Rosco8

Having a simple bingle in one of my diesel Pajero Exceeds (I previously had 2 back to back on lease), I was incapacitated fairly quickly with leaking fluid from the auto transmission. It took specialised equipment that is only available in major centres. I didn't do my planned trip to the Cape as I was too worried I would be stuck 500km or more away from anyone who could fix it.

However, I had no issues on doing major road trips that meant I wasn't too far from a major centre with rescue gear, whether it was Broken Hill, Hervey Bay or Mildura as examples. So it limited me a bit, BTW the electronics weren't exactly brilliant on heavy sand either, but I luv'd the comfort it provided and they were a fabulous cruising car.

One of the prime reasons i brought the Perentie, was to get back to basics with a simple vehicle to do those trips I wasn't game to do in the Pajeros.

That's what roadside assist is for. I have RACV platinum, a sat phone and epirb as it's cheaper than buying a whole new car

I'm happy to take my electrically laden D2 anywhere. You think it's hard to find a Mitsubishi service centre outside of a major centre, have you looked for a Landy one? Stress less is my opinion. If you are well set up and maintained and have a backup (like a sat phone) don't sweat the small stuff. IMHO of course.

Any Aulro regulars know how I feel about automotive electronics. I have had an absolute rooting by them. From personal experience I don't believe auto electronics are yet sufficiently reliable to be considered for a remote area outback rough usage vehicle. My Falcon ute has stopped with distributor failures (3), modules (2), Smart Lock Box (1), coils (3). Refused to start once with a blown fuse in the interior light circuit. The light is switched through the Smart Lock and no light tells the Not So Smart box that something is wrong so it won't start the car. Each replacement distributor came with a new ignition module by the way. The last replaced distributor looked inside like it had been struck by lightning. I grew up in Winton and my family did remote area mail runs from 1908 with horses until 2004. Working in these areas gives one a great appreciation of vehicle reliability. A dead vehicle can mean a dead driver. One of my failures was on a station track between Diamantina Lakes National Park and Coorabulka homestead. Fortunately I was standing in for a cousin who had gone to hospital. He stressed that I take a UHF with me. Workers from Coorabulka came and towed me to the homestead.

I own a County-Isuzu for touring. Stone reliable, no electronics except in the entertainment system, does 30 mpg up the highway. Old, economical, efficient, and reliable technology.

Would Roadside Assist or the RACQ come to your rescue out there?

While I go along with a lot of Brian's thoughts, there is one aspect in which I disagree. It is neither the use of electronics nor complexity that is the problem - consider for example that my father was very scathing of any car that relied on a battery - he insisted on a car with magneto ignition and crank start. He was also very suspicious of "automatic" devices such as automatic spark advance, believing this was something the driver should control. But most of us grew up with these features the only ones we have ever known, and ones that we regard as 'old school' and reliable.

No, my concern is the overall design philosophy of cars has changed.

The Series Landrovers were designed and built with the intention of being owner maintained and repaired, as reading of the factory workshop manuals clearly shows. Today's vehicles (of whatever type) are not. It is assumed, either implicitly or explicitly, that all service and repairs will be carried out by qualified mechanics in a properly equipped workshop, and often is assumed that it will be by factory trained mechanics.

There is no reason why increased complexity or use of electronics has to mandate these changes. As an example, is there any reason why diagnostic software and a display screen could not be included in the vehicle design? Should add well under $100 to the cost.

John

To answer the last question, I was told today that Land Rover assist will go anywhere, except the sand islands. Due to the dumb driver ratio,

Personally, modern technology is great, but it should all have a dumb limp home mode. So for example if the fuel system is confused, pump excess, rather than stop totally.

John, one of the things that I really miss was when we used to go to the local Repco shop and was able to get from short and long motors, engine heads and gearboxes to distributors and fuel pumps among other parts for Ford, Holden and Valiant
On the top of that the man behind the counter used to have the knowledge to supply you a cross reference part from other vehicle to the one that you have.
I used Austin pistons and other parts to rebuild my Triumph Herald
Now, we the amount of different models and the complexity on some of them we cannot have that very good old service.

The car manufacturers can't make enough money just selling cars, they have to have exclusive rights for service and maintainance of the cars as well. The easiest way to have exclusivity is to not give out any information (OBD codes ect) on said cars (except what the law requires)

Originally Posted by AndyG

Personally, modern technology is great, but it should all have a dumb limp home mode. So for example if the fuel system is confused, pump excess, rather than stop totally.

They do - if any sensor reading goes out of spec default setting are applied - there are very few circumstances where there is absolutely no functionality at all - even if the suspension is on the stops you can still drive - maybe rather uncomfortably but it will still move unless you have big tyres on.