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

12V 13Amp Hair Dryer | Caravan 12v Accessories | CaravansPlus

12V 13Amp Hair Dryer.


Portable 12 Volt Coffee Maker


Power Hunt 12V Personal Coffee Maker Kit




problem solved

Originally Posted by vnx205

I wonder if we are missing an important point here.

Maybe instead of asking whether modern 4WDs are too high tech for the outback, we should be asking if they are an appropriate vehicle to maximise the experience of travelling in the outback.

As I told colleagues when I returned from the aforementioned diagonal crossing of Australia in my 1973 LWB 4cyl petrol Series III, if you did the trip in a more modern vehicle, you would miss out on a lot.

In a better sealed vehicle, you would miss the smells of the variety of flora and would not get to enjoy the dust that is an integral part of so much of the centre of Australia.

With air conditioning, you would have no idea of the way the time of year and the time of day produces such a huge variation in temperatures in Central Australia.

With better suspension, you would not get a full appreciation of the difference between sealed suburban streets and the rocks, corrugations, sand and washaways that characterise so many outback roads.

In a faster vehicle you would not have a realistic idea of the vast distances between centres of civilisation that are so much a part of the outback experience.

Furthermore in a quieter vehicle you would have the added pressure of feeling under some obligation to carry on scintillating conversation with your passenger/s instead of being able to concentrate on your surroundings.

It is entirely possible that an all-singing, all-dancing, bells and whistles modern 4WD could complete the trip, but you would miss out on a lot. You might as well stay at home.

Wow! very well said!

Originally Posted by vnx205

I wonder if we are missing an important point here.

Maybe instead of asking whether modern 4WDs are too high tech for the outback, we should be asking if they are an appropriate vehicle to maximise the experience of travelling in the outback.

As I told colleagues when I returned from the aforementioned diagonal crossing of Australia in my 1973 LWB 4cyl petrol Series III, if you did the trip in a more modern vehicle, you would miss out on a lot.

In a better sealed vehicle, you would miss the smells of the variety of flora and would not get to enjoy the dust that is an integral part of so much of the centre of Australia.

With air conditioning, you would have no idea of the way the time of year and the time of day produces such a huge variation in temperatures in Central Australia.

With better suspension, you would not get a full appreciation of the difference between sealed suburban streets and the rocks, corrugations, sand and washaways that characterise so many outback roads.

In a faster vehicle you would not have a realistic idea of the vast distances between centres of civilisation that are so much a part of the outback experience.

Furthermore in a quieter vehicle you would have the added pressure of feeling under some obligation to carry on scintillating conversation with your passenger/s instead of being able to concentrate on your surroundings.

It is entirely possible that an all-singing, all-dancing, bells and whistles modern 4WD could complete the trip, but you would miss out on a lot. You might as well stay at home.

Hahahaha, sarcasm at it's best

And almost true

Baz.

Just to get this clear...I can further maximise my outback experience in a modern car by driving everywhere in low range, with all the windows down and the tyres pumped up to 60psi? There has to be something I can do to the seat to make my experience more authentic? Even with all the above, my arse would still be in a cocoon of comfort...

That would be a step in the right direction, but you will still be faced with the problem that the sound of the kids squabbling and asking, "Are we there yet?" will not be drowned out by the combined sound of the engine, the whine of the gears and the rattles that serve to enhance the sensation of travelling on real outback tracks.

Ah, so those of us with comfortable cars can't have an authentic bush experience. Of course. I mean who would want to ride in comfort with a minimum of noise, with the climate control on stopping occasionally to retrieve cold refreshing drinks from a fridge? Then stopping at the end of a day not covered in dust, refreshed and ready for a great chinwag around the fire? Oh wait, that'd be me

So you can keep your dusty, sweaty, noisy, uncomfortable, tiring, warm beer enhanced 'original' experience and I'll have my 'fake' one every time.

Originally Posted by vnx205

That would be a step in the right direction, but you will still be faced with the problem that the sound of the kids squabbling and asking, "Are we there yet?" will not be drowned out by the combined sound of the engine, the whine of the gears and the rattles that serve to enhance the sensation of travelling on real outback tracks.

Surely with a 58 speaker 2,500 watt Dolby surround sound Harmon Kardon stereo it would only be a matter of the right CD

Tony

Allan your onto something here plus you could make some bucks out of this. ...

Next time your doing a outback trip why not make a recording of the various mechanical droning and suspension banging noises that you are so lucky to experience in your Defender cab and then put them on a disc or memory stick and sell the sound track as the real outback experience to us disadvantaged Disco owners.
Then all Disco owners when out and about on our own big adventures driving down rough city streets can play your sound track on our Harmon Kardon surround sound stereo's and be lucky enough to then experience the real outback. ...


Bugger I was to slow to put this post up! ... TonyC beat me to it.