What's it all about?

[Apache]

So there are other 4x4s out there. The Nissan Pathfinder looks like a nice machine. Hell, the Rangey Sport looks like a nice motor too. Pre-4x4, my Alfa V6 was a wonderful place to be, my Mk1 MR2 was the best handling, most involving drive ever and my VTEC CRX was an absolute screamer!

Why then did I sell them to end up with a slow, agricultural, fuel thirsty 13 year old truck - which I would not part with until it or I die?!?!

Really, it's not enough to say 'grin factor' is it? The Alfa, the MR2 and the CRX all had huge grin factors, and the CRX was an incredible f**ny magnet, managing to be cute and lairy all in one go! Why do these trucks get under our skin like no other vehicle does?

Yours puzzledifically.

[surfcarl]

my thoughts exactly.....
2 of my previous are volvo t5, and, saff cosworth 4x4, gone from one extreme to the other......
miss the cossie the most..... now that was GRIN FACTOR, or was it WARP FACTOR ??

carl......

[Philip]

Now thats the question!

Since owning my first Surf 2 or 3 years ago(Surf's make time go faster) i now go on Forum 3-4 times a day. I buy things which make the Surf look better, without making any difference to performance, look on Ebay everyday, to see if any bargain parts up for sale. You may think this is normal, but before owning Surf i had Jag XJ40 and thought i would never have another car, especially as i do quite long trips, but the minute i got my first Surf that all changed. For one thing, on long trips, you or your passengers do not get so tired. My wife used to sleep most of the way to Italy, but now does not feel so tired or me neither. I think that in a lower car, you become a bit mesmerised? whereas as your field of vision is larger, its not so tiring.
For over 10 years i have been showing Fuel Cat etc at car shows, although never had any interest particularly in cars. Never bought a car magazine and look at me now, writing to hundreds of people, who i feel i know, just because we all have one thing in common, WERE SURF OWNERS.
My new Surf 3rd gen has 4ins exhaust, been chipped, raised, widened etc and sounds like an Aston Martin, which must make me the oldest boy racer on the Forum. 60 next March.
Anyway, thanks to the Forum. Its added a new dimension to my life at least.
Happy Sunday
Philip
PS have 2nd gen for sale.

[POPEYE]

Not quite Philip i was 60 last april and just as mad as you Dont really know what it is about the surf, obvious things i suppose are the look, the feel, the comfort, the height, the stuff you can add to it and the forum (which i've never had before) i did join the uk buick owners club years ago but that was before the personal computer became so commonplace, the club had the occaisional "meet" and a monthly photocopy newsletter, not a patch on this forum, it could be 6 monthe before ya got an answer to a question,
I've owned yanks, vans (which apart from the surf i still prefer) fords, vauxhall's, you name it, and i've lavished more time and money on the surf than any other veh, Even newer 4x4 dont do it for me, Still think the 2nd gen
pajero is a nice looking truck though but the surf has the edge,

[hotjames]

Me too, a while age I had a mad thought, I'll sell the Surf and return to a normal car, so I bought a 3 series BMW, lovely car, all mod cons, etc., left the Surf on the drive telling myself I would get round to selling tomorrow.

3 months later, tomorrow never came, BMW gone, Surf back on the road. I even bought the lass new spots and tyres by way of an apology for having a fling. Joy!

[Bunkle]

couldn't agree more

my wife has a seat leon cupra which goes like stink etc etc, so why is it when we travel into work together on thurs and fri i always volunteer to take us in the surf rather than the brand new seat, i'll tell you why, cause i prefer to drive the surf, it's ridiculous, mrs b sits there huffing and puffing, muttering along the lines of "slow old tractor" and i just don't care, even my 2 year old always says "daddys car, daddys car" whenever we go out - it's a fact, surfs are addictive

[Camone]

Knowledge is power

It is all about being a superior being. Only had the surf for about three months and a month and a half of that she has been in the shop getting a new head. But I could not wait to get her back and cruise down the motorway head and shoulders above most other things on the road.
If it was any other car, and the head had gone so early on I would have probably chucked in the towel and got something else. But not with the surf!

We know something the rest of the world is yet to discover.

[The Mechanic]

Cor!!!

Don't you just luv em to bits eh! What a fantastic motor to be able to make most of us give up caring about 'the other tin boxes'. We have an 05 Passat (well some one had to buy it!) and if I drive that I soon start to miss me truck, I do seriously.

I was rubbing me ands over the calipers and front hubs today, greasing the top and bottom ball joints....fiddly little buggers those blanking plugs on the bottom joints...discs are fine, pads are good and now the military spec waxoil has been liberally dotted about every where the Surf seems to get better and better.

[Shab]

Ditto...

I think I may be one of the more extreme converts. I absolutely HATED 4x4's before I got the Surf...And I mean HATED them. I bought one 'cause we needed an offroader for doing music festivals [clothes from the Wife's shop] and I didn't fancy waiting to be towed out from two foot of mud in a white van. I have a great Audi sitting on the drive that I haven't really driven for nearly two months...I don't know what it is about them, but they have a lot of it!

[Sancho]

It was all a 'chance encounter' for me. I am used to driving small, modern, reasonably fast cars but I needed a 4x4 to take up into the Alps over winter.

I thought about what was cheap and reliable and the winner was a Hilux. I couldn't find any twin cabs (needed to put at least 4 people in it) but these weird surf things kept coming up cheap. In the end I bought one and haven't looked back since.

For me, the 'special thing' is the comfort. I have never before driven anything that I could drive from full to empty in one go, then just walk out and not even stretch. The look of semi-amazement on people's faces when you lower the back window is always good for a giggle too.

Oh yeah, and if you'd told me to buy a 4x4 a year ago, I'd have told you to stick it too. Too big, too slow, too thirsty, too mumsy. How things change.

[stormforce]

i am glad i got 1 now especially after my accident last year which i am still suffering from the surf has been the only motor that i can sit and drive with most comfort.The first time i ever saw a surf was about 3 1/2 yrs ago but couldn't get one at the time so i had a fronterror
but it was only till i could find somewhere that sold surfs and i will never look back.Its the best vehicle i have ever owned

[mickeyboy]

Mickeyboy bursting into chorus........................ .............................. .......................

"THEY PUT A SPELL ON YOOUUUUUU"

[Chillitt]

no matter how comfortable a chair is, its instantly better if you can put your feet up on something. driving a surf is driving with your feet up!

[The Lovely Boyo]

Yours puzzledifically.

Apache, et al,

I've been pondering this thread for a few days, hoping to come up with an answer. I've had my surf for about 3 1/2 years, and try as I might, I can't let it go.

My lifestyle involves lots of camping, surfing (in water on waves variety), mountain biking, etc. The ideal vehicle for me would be a Mazda Bongo. So I done my research, and try as I might, just can't seem to find one I want. Or is there some other reason??????

Now I've started chopping holes in bonnets, fitting intercoolers, doing body lifts, and at the moment am looking for suspension lift kits. By next summer, I will have a beast on my drive.

It just come to me. I'm in love.

[mikey2119]

and the CRX was an incredible f**ny magnet,

Damn, i thought the Surf was supposed to be a f**ny magnet? I've bought the bl**dy wrong car again!!