How do you use your's???????

[kazam401]

Article in todays Daily Mail regarding 4x4 owners

It's going on about 4x4's clogging the roads outside schools etc. Gives some interesting stats

Fewer than 4 in 10 drivers of larger 4x4's ever even venture out of town.

Most people buy such a vehicle primarily for it's safety features or image.

1 in 3 4x4 drivers say height and sturdiness make them seem safer than normal saloons.

1 in 10 owners got theirs because they do not trust their partners to drive anything else.

Only 38% of 4x4 owners have ever driven to the countryside in their 4x4's

Just 12% have used theirs off-road.

13% of owners said main attraction of 4x4 was image.

Makes you wonder who these 1,900 drivers where or perhaps where they asked the questions (outside the local primary school perhaps or maybe in the sainsbury's car park)

Must say some of the reasons were a consideration when I bought the Surf........I do feel safer driving it and the height of it is a bonus (especially when your a short *rse like me)

Image.........well it's a Surf...nuff said

As for not going off-road............come saturday morning it would seem that I am going to join the elitist group of OFF-ROAD 4x4 OWNERS can't wait

[laser_jock99]

That falls in nicely with my THIRD OWNER THEORY.

Only the third (and later) owners actually use 4x4's for what they were built for.

I bet they only interviewed the first or second owners.

Personnaly I try to break my Surf on a regular basis. It's happiest when up to the axels in mud. Judging by the condition of the underside the previous owner(s) never left the city in it.

Nevillef

[kazam401]

Good point Laser_Jock99 don't know if I would be so keen to chuck my motor around some muddy tracks if it was a £30000+ posing machine.

Tho if I had the ££ for such a motor I don't think I would be that bothered about getting it dirty.......................wo uld just get some chimp to clean it for me.

[Elvz]

The arguments about people using 4x4's for school runs and shopping are supposedly based on concern for the environment but the true origin of most of these sentiments is envy.

I've just paid almost £28,000 for a new SUV (which I am still waiting to collect) and I wont be taking it to any muddy fields to play because quite simply that isnt what it was made to do. It was designed for exactly the urban environment that it will spend its life in. I dont think it has much poser appeal but then I sort of look on things from the point of view of the car having status because it belongs to me rather than the other way around. Like most 4x4's it's quite big, very comfortable, has lots of space and a very high probability of survival in serious RTA's.

It was also made to cope with appalling roads that haven't been resurfaced in 25 years and and are littered with pot holes and "speed humps", main roads that my local council decide not to grit when it snows, clueless morons who can't understand the concept of a nearside to nearside junction, people who can't reliably parallel park without hitting something, etc, etc, etc....

It does all these things much better than any other class of vehicle and it's 100% street legal so I'd have to be mad to choose anything else....

...I probably am mad coz I still have my Hilux truck

[Fish]

How do you use yours?

Use it for work m8, simple as that. Had a transit and hated it, self employed so thought why the hell should I drive a POS van so bought the surf. It's easier to drive, carries all my gear and b****cks to the IRS, V*T & 4x4 hate'rs.
I work hard to earn a living, (and pay my tax's) and feel entitled to enjoy at least something and if that something is my surf and the odd scurmish off road in said surf then so be it.
Sorry Elvs but cant agree with you. If your going to spend that sort of money on a vehicle why not use it for what it was designed to do!
Spend 28k on a motor home and you would sleep in it on some site away from home at weekends with the kids getting a life.
Spend 28k on a sports car and you would see what it would accelerate and handle in comparison to others of its type enjoying yourself getting a life.
Why spend that on a 4x4 and just use it for shopping and as an urban cotton wool protection wrap round system. There are plenty of sites that will let you try out that vehicles abilities without causing damage, sorry m8 but if all you want is what it does on the road, get a volvo!!!

[Koi]

Had a van previous to the Surf, just used it to go to work (one place) and carry me fishing gear, thats it. After 2 1/2 years of it I thought bout time I got someting else. I looked at all the other makes, then saw a surf it was the only one that fitted my requirements, Paj/shoguns to short in the back (even the long Wheel base) and wheel arches to obtrusive in the rear cargo area.
Fronteras, well I just walked on by, same for the Fords, rangies etc just not for me. My uncle bought a £45,000 (and that was discounted) 4.5 HSE vogue all singing and dancing one and to be honest while it was fitted with every luxurious item you can think off I thought the ride was pants. It was so willowy it made me feel sea sick.
The Surf is just ideal, goes down the pot holed, muddy tracks to some of the fisheries I use, gives me immense fun at the offroad days, it does exactly what I bought it for.

[robnw67]

Camp

I bought mine for camping. There's usually two of us plus a dog, plus a load of gear. It soon became apparent that the old Fiesta was a bit on the small side.

Aside from the odd rough camp site or unpaved road to a point of interest, I won't take mine off road. I used to do it with my previous 4x4 and it cost me a fortune in repair bills. We're also planning a road trip to Scandanvia next winter, so I got a set of snow chains!

I'm keeping mine nice for long distance luxury cruising carrying loads of stuff. We're also planning a road trip to Scandanvia next winter so I got a set of snow chains!

Having said that, it also copes with the daily commute to work and shopping!!

Rob

[Guest]

I bought mine cos I wanted something Big - I like the high up position especially on the M25. I also wanted a good load space as I have been doinga lot of DIY / Building work on my house. I also wanted a Diesel because of the mileage I was doing and an Automatic. With aircon on top there was very little choice.

Lucida, Surf, Range Roveror Discovery.

Rangies and Discos were too expensive as Auto Diesels and My wife didn't like the look of the Lucida.

So Surf it was. Mind you now I've got it, a bit of Off roading is a load of fun, not that I want to do any really extreme stuff as it is still my everyday car for work.

It does fit all the criteria I set for it, loads of room, load space, good diesel engine, decent auto box, comfortable and reliable.

Cheers

[turbotommy]

I've had a couple of 4runners since 1994, and got one orginally as i lived in california and did lots of rafting/climbing/skiing/roadtrips. For rafting you need A LOT of stuff, and have to drive long distances on rutted tracks. Having seen most 4x4s in this environment it was clear that the 4runner was the best (though no landys out there). They have good clearance and handle well on road (esp the 1st gen with fiberglass top and roll bar).

Since moving back to the UK, i've had a 3.0TD, mainly because i like the 4runner but also because i now have a 2 year old sprog. I like the fact that these vehicles are near bullet proof, which makes it safe for the little one. If people drove more considerately and carefully i'd consider getting a 'normal' estate, though i doubt the MPG would be hugely better.

Because i'm driving a large vehicle i feel that it is important to be extra polite to other road users. I let pedestrians cross at 'give way' signs, because it's polite (and the highway code says so). I'd urge other surf drivers to do the same. Remember; your driving your 'fave' toy so be nice to others.

Finally, can i suggest that people get rid of their bull bars ? These things are really bad news for pedestrians. You don't need them on a surf. I've hit a deer at speed (and avoided several), and they don't make much damage. These things might be of use in the outback but not europe.

Surf on, dudes

[europa88]

I've had a couple of 4runners since 1994, and got one orginally as i lived in california and did lots of rafting/climbing/skiing/roadtrips. For rafting you need A LOT of stuff, and have to drive long distances on rutted tracks. Having seen most 4x4s in this environment it was clear that the 4runner was the best (though no landys out there). They have good clearance and handle well on road (esp the 1st gen with fiberglass top and roll bar).

Since moving back to the UK, i've had a 3.0TD, mainly because i like the 4runner but also because i now have a 2 year old sprog. I like the fact that these vehicles are near bullet proof, which makes it safe for the little one. If people drove more considerately and carefully i'd consider getting a 'normal' estate, though i doubt the MPG would be hugely better.

Because i'm driving a large vehicle i feel that it is important to be extra polite to other road users. I let pedestrians cross at 'give way' signs, because it's polite (and the highway code says so). I'd urge other surf drivers to do the same. Remember; your driving your 'fave' toy so be nice to others.

Finally, can i suggest that people get rid of their bull bars ? These things are really bad news for pedestrians. You don't need them on a surf. I've hit a deer at speed (and avoided several), and they don't make much damage. These things might be of use in the outback but not europe.

Surf on, dudes

With respect near 2 tonnes of surf at excessive speed is still not pedestrian Friendly! But I take your point about bullbars!
Education of pedestrians with mobile phones would be a good initiative as previously discussed on another post! My a-bar is to support my lights, not to clear kangaroos off the road!

[Nick V]

With respect near 2 tonnes of surf at excessive speed is still not pedestrian Friendly! But I take your point about bullbars!
Education of pedestrians with mobile phones would be a good initiative as previously discussed on another post! My a-bar is to support my lights, not to clear kangaroos off the road!

Education of drivers with bl00dy mobiles still ain't getting very far Nearly got side swiped by some ar$e on one last night - but it was all right cos he held his hand up to apologise!! I know what i would have done if he hit me

Haven't got bull bars myself, but don't think there is any evidence to say they make a collision with a person worse or not,

Cheers, Nick

[turbotommy]

Yep, you're right, keep your speed down in urban areas. I find that a 4runner is an excellent obstacle to boys in hot hatches; it can be quite hard to get past. I think of myself as a mobile speed hump, and a lot of the abuse that i get involves suggestions about 'humping'; i wonder what they mean ;-)

Be nice to other road users, so that people think 'wow, nice 4x4 and what a polite dude/dudette'

How about mounting the lights on the roof, and losing the bull bar ? With lights on the roof you may have less trouble with people shunting them while parking.

How would you feel if someone with bars hit a member of your family ? It makes a big difference to the outcome/survival. Yes, i know that lots of numpties walk about in a dream/on the phone, but one has to pay attention while moving 2 tonnes of dangerous metal.

California dreamin....

[turbotommy]

Education of drivers with bl00dy mobiles still ain't getting very far Nearly got side swiped by some ar$e on one last night - but it was all right cos he held his hand up to apologise!! I know what i would have done if he hit me

Haven't got bull bars myself, but don't think there is any evidence to say they make a collision with a person worse or not,

Cheers, Nick

I believe that there is evidence that pedestrians hit by vehicles with bull bars come off worse than than if hit by large vehicle without them. It seems pretty obvious that they would, since the damage in an accident is worse when the impact is focussed onto a small area, rather than spread over a big one. It is why the fronts of cars are becoming rounded, smooth and softer. And why stick out logo on bonnets had to go (eg jag, roller).

The thing with the bars is that they are soooo not needed in the UK.

[pops]

would appear that the 12% who use them for off roading must be surf owners on here then

[onlynik]

My surf takes me to work everyday, but does alot of town driving, I'd been after one since I first drove one in 97, now I am in a possition to do that.

It will be taken off road - this weekend - and many other time as I find more places to take it.