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I know I’m going to take stick on this but how about some really honest opinions on 4x4s we have known, owned and loved or hated. I’ll kick it off in reverse order of the ones I have owned.
Suzuki SJ413 – Not the 80’s girly jeep that most thought it was, mine was a hardtop van, proper Samurai not the Santana one. It had Mud Terrains and it was brilliant. It was cheap to run, it thrived on abuse, I used to change the oil when I remembered, about once a year on average. When the power died too much I changed the plugs. That car would go anywhere off road, I had it buried halfway up the spare wheel at times. The only downside was a 13 hour drive to Scotland with a max top end of 75, Like a mini series landy.
Daihatsu Feroza (Sporttrack) – Funny little car but good fun. Not
much good off road but great fun on it. 16v engine was more suited to a sports car but very reliable and I used it every day for about 5 years and stuck 80,000 miles on it with no big problems.
Range Rover 3.9 SE – Sublime, everyone should have one for a while. Everyone always knows where to find you, either going to, in or coming from a petrol station! Never really tried it off road but I’m sure it would not have disappointed. Loads of goodies in, some really subtle, but you just appreciate them, heated door locks, heated washer nozzles and best of all auto dipping rear mirror. Hugely expensive to maintain though, Landrover dealers charge like wounded rhinos, find a good independent with proper diagnostics. Best thing though was that V8 sound.
Rav4 – Well its not really mine its my Wife’s (gotta say that). Good fun on the road, like a little 4x4 sports car. Its an import and has a centre difflock, first time she used it prompted a call to Toyota about how to disengage it (press button and reverse a few feet in case your wondering) .We call it the skate.
Land Rover Series III. – The original, and some say still the best. Full of character and a pain to drive, slow, noisy, clunky, uncomfortable and the only fluid that stay in is the rain that leaks onto your seat overnight. But brilliant off road, spares are pennies; any bog idiot with a spanner can fix it, usually with some sticky tape and WD40. I love it though, brilliant off road, looks better with that “distressed” look and made for taking crap to the dump, just got to convince them to let me out with it after! One question though, where does all that petrol go, it doesn’t get converted to much forward motion so what happens to it? Known as the skip, cos all the rubbish gets thrown in it till I go to the tip.
Pajero – This aint gonna be popular, but this has to be the best car I ever owned. It was brilliant. THE most comfortable car to sit in ever, very relaxing drive but it was soooooo slooooooow. I did best part of 100,000 miles in mine for the cost of brakes, tyres and cambelt. The first serious work I needed was just before I outed it. I never took it off road but it was an excellent if slow towcar. Had a blowout on my caravan at 60 and all I felt was a pit of a tug backwards. Downside is the lack of power (2.8 may be better) and that “Pikey” image it gives you.
Shogun Sport (2.5 petrol) – Only had this for a week when garage loaned it to me after they stuffed up fitting the towbar to my Surf and I need it to go on hols. Nice car, not enough space, lovely drive, that V6 noise was to enticing and I went far to quick in it. It was on my shortlist when I bought the Surf and I’m sure I made the right choice now.
Surf – Only had it a couple of months but so far I’m well happy, it is like new. I can’t believe it has so much grunt. It’s a good powerful towcar but suspension is far too soft at the back. Just swapped the springs for 20% uprated, will see if that makes it much better. The car looks brilliant; it is a real head turner if a bit pansy in lilac over silver with a deep front airdam and wide body kit. Not too keen on the carlike driving position and find the seats a bit thin and uncomfortable. I haven’t taken it off road and the 4wd will only get used to pull caravan out of muddy sites, which it has done well so far. My Wife raves about it, in fact she has nicked it and given me the Rav to drive to the station (it is a LOT easier to find a parking space). All in all I love it and am looking forward to many happy years with it and I’m sure it will steal the Paj’s crown, it has already taken the “heart” part, just needs to prove itself for the “head” part if you see what I mean.
Over to everyone else to tell us about your “exs” and loves of your lives.
Suzuki SJ413 – Not the 80’s girly jeep that most thought it was, mine was a hardtop van, proper Samurai not the Santana one. It had Mud Terrains and it was brilliant. It was cheap to run, it thrived on abuse, I used to change the oil when I remembered, about once a year on average. When the power died too much I changed the plugs. That car would go anywhere off road, I had it buried halfway up the spare wheel at times. The only downside was a 13 hour drive to Scotland with a max top end of 75, Like a mini series landy.
Daihatsu Feroza (Sporttrack) – Funny little car but good fun. Not
much good off road but great fun on it. 16v engine was more suited to a sports car but very reliable and I used it every day for about 5 years and stuck 80,000 miles on it with no big problems.Range Rover 3.9 SE – Sublime, everyone should have one for a while. Everyone always knows where to find you, either going to, in or coming from a petrol station! Never really tried it off road but I’m sure it would not have disappointed. Loads of goodies in, some really subtle, but you just appreciate them, heated door locks, heated washer nozzles and best of all auto dipping rear mirror. Hugely expensive to maintain though, Landrover dealers charge like wounded rhinos, find a good independent with proper diagnostics. Best thing though was that V8 sound.
Rav4 – Well its not really mine its my Wife’s (gotta say that). Good fun on the road, like a little 4x4 sports car. Its an import and has a centre difflock, first time she used it prompted a call to Toyota about how to disengage it (press button and reverse a few feet in case your wondering) .We call it the skate.
Land Rover Series III. – The original, and some say still the best. Full of character and a pain to drive, slow, noisy, clunky, uncomfortable and the only fluid that stay in is the rain that leaks onto your seat overnight. But brilliant off road, spares are pennies; any bog idiot with a spanner can fix it, usually with some sticky tape and WD40. I love it though, brilliant off road, looks better with that “distressed” look and made for taking crap to the dump, just got to convince them to let me out with it after! One question though, where does all that petrol go, it doesn’t get converted to much forward motion so what happens to it? Known as the skip, cos all the rubbish gets thrown in it till I go to the tip.
Pajero – This aint gonna be popular, but this has to be the best car I ever owned. It was brilliant. THE most comfortable car to sit in ever, very relaxing drive but it was soooooo slooooooow. I did best part of 100,000 miles in mine for the cost of brakes, tyres and cambelt. The first serious work I needed was just before I outed it. I never took it off road but it was an excellent if slow towcar. Had a blowout on my caravan at 60 and all I felt was a pit of a tug backwards. Downside is the lack of power (2.8 may be better) and that “Pikey” image it gives you.
Shogun Sport (2.5 petrol) – Only had this for a week when garage loaned it to me after they stuffed up fitting the towbar to my Surf and I need it to go on hols. Nice car, not enough space, lovely drive, that V6 noise was to enticing and I went far to quick in it. It was on my shortlist when I bought the Surf and I’m sure I made the right choice now.
Surf – Only had it a couple of months but so far I’m well happy, it is like new. I can’t believe it has so much grunt. It’s a good powerful towcar but suspension is far too soft at the back. Just swapped the springs for 20% uprated, will see if that makes it much better. The car looks brilliant; it is a real head turner if a bit pansy in lilac over silver with a deep front airdam and wide body kit. Not too keen on the carlike driving position and find the seats a bit thin and uncomfortable. I haven’t taken it off road and the 4wd will only get used to pull caravan out of muddy sites, which it has done well so far. My Wife raves about it, in fact she has nicked it and given me the Rav to drive to the station (it is a LOT easier to find a parking space). All in all I love it and am looking forward to many happy years with it and I’m sure it will steal the Paj’s crown, it has already taken the “heart” part, just needs to prove itself for the “head” part if you see what I mean.
Over to everyone else to tell us about your “exs” and loves of your lives.
Nil Illigitimi Carborundum
, four wheel drift when cornering hard in the dry was possible when really pushing it and was brilliant craic.
)
v8 rangie:
she's no angel
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