monkeyfudger, it's a great set but... the OP was talking mud, snow etc not slick rock climbing. Besides, was it the same driver? The same rock? You could put me in the RR and I wouldn't climb it for toffee, maybe the LR driver wasn't as good as the other guy?
IMO for mud etc the simpler the better.
Chat Forum
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What is the best 4*4 out there?
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Posted 2 years ago #
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Driven a fair amount of 4x4's, predominantly land rovers, some stock spec, some kitted up for off roading. Already said it recently on here, but the one thats impressed me most in its handling of the current conditions is the current style range rover. Its traction control, stability control and abs systems have made it consistently better at maintaining grip in the ice and snow than any of the others i've driven.
But, as already said, it all pales into minority compared to the person behind the wheel and how they drive the thing.
Posted 2 years ago # -
My old boss used to have a ford ranger pickup that we used for festival work and another company I worked for had a mitsi l200 and a navara and they were great in all sorts of conditions. We used the things on Glastonbury even when it was super super muddy and that is a real test with mud axle deep! I took it over old Mac road in the peaks which is seriously rocky and it made it! It was even fine in the snow when we worked in Winter! Those kind of things are a lot cheaper than a defender and I reckon that unless your doing some serious off road enthusiast type stuff then a pickup or a generic off roader would be fine?
Posted 2 years ago # -
It's the same hill, somewhere in South Africa if I remember correctly, seem 'em ages ago and thought they proved a good point.
Did you see the Range Rover come down? It would take the best driver in the world to get the Defender down as safe. In your opinion, but I would disagree, most people don't have the skills. Driver aids and mode switches like the Range Rovers have can make you look like a god!
Life long Defender fan by the way, I'd choose a Defender every time
Posted 2 years ago # -
Not failed me last, or this winter (*cough* minor mechanical excepted). I doubt it's anywhere near the best, but it's had me sailing up hills in the snow (without snow tyres) and on/off snow covered grass verges where rwd tranny vans were stuck with just two wheels on/two off. Bloody scary if you don't treat it with care in just RWD, but driven sensibly has been a great tool.
Posted 2 years ago # -
For what the OP asked, Defender evey time. I bought one off this very forum about 10 years ago, it's been brilliant.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I love my Defender to bits, but is it the best 4x4 ?
It has a wonderfully British imperfectness about it - it is stunningly capable in some ways, and yet leaky and noisy.
It can be easily repaired, and every bit of it is replaceable, but those parts occasionally seem to travel together in a rather loose formation.
A Discovery will do most of what a Defender will if you don't mind paying modern car prices for all the bits that you will catch on the scenery as you drive through it.
A Freelander will do more than you would imagine, but has it's limits.
Toyota make some very capable off-roaders, but they are dull.
If you need a 4x4 for the school run/keeping up with the Jones's and the tricky bit of Tesco's carpark then VW/Audi and BMW make some good vehicles.
Whatever you consider is the "best" depends on what you want to do with a class of vehicles in which all 4 wheels are driven.
Posted 2 years ago # -
monkeyfudger, I'm happy to disagree
BTW I really don't think any Western vehicle is as useful off road as the trusty UAZ the Red Army have been using for yonks. No maintenance other than a hammer and some wire, diesel in, off you go.
For me, the real off road in Europe is this:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIpRju_pJAM
Does it show I like mud?Posted 2 years ago # -
And for a laugh:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=afJ18eJeNgUPosted 2 years ago # -
I saw a Khan Range Rover Sport earlier with a tricked up exhaust on it that actually ran below the level of the spare wheel, leaving the car with about 4 inches of ground clearance, total numptyism, had the worst blingy wheels Ive ever seen, you cant buy it.
No you are wrong, look, classy qualitage, and Saltaire!!!:
Kahn stuff = as classy as an Alsation chained to a stainless steel carvan
Surf-Mat = as culturally ignorant as a traffic cone on the A34...
Look pon it; well hench:
Posted 2 years ago # -
hairychested, WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted 2 years ago # -
My L200 is fine offroad, and has been perfect in the snow/ice. When it had the standard tyres on, it got abit hairy in the wet sometimes, but only lost the back end once or twice and that was probably due to me going too fast into wet roundabouts. But got Cooper S/T's fitted a few months back and they've made a huge difference to road handling and I've hardly had to touch 4wd in the snow.
It's never going to be the best offroader, but it keeps up fine with all the lifted Discos and Defenders when we go green laning. It locks the centre diff when it's in 4wd and has a rear difflock, so it's pretty capable when it gets rough. The main drawback is the massive rear over hang, the towbar takes abit of a beating getting dragged around sometimes
Posted 2 years ago # -
depends whos driving .....
just got me a defender - drove it down to my house and it took me 3 or 4 goes to get it back out ..... deep snow with compacted ice under neeth .... got it out though - didnt take it back in just left it at the top !
Posted 2 years ago # -
didnt take it back in just left it at the top
I thought you wanted something to get you up n down the hill at your place?
Could you have not done the same (left it at the top) with car you have already?
Posted 2 years ago # -
Monkey you don't need all the fancy pants stuff to get down that. Select the right gear get off the clutch and let it go. Most silly accidents on terrain like that is people not trusting the wagon and or papping it and dipping the clutch
Posted 2 years ago # -
Bruce car hasn't been this side of village in 2 weeks - van can't get up the hill it's 2 miles away at bottom of drive - the Landy is about 30 foot from my the house As the last hill is steep and has a 180 deg corner on it that's iced up ! Made mince meat of the straight steeeepest hill I could find even covered in snow ! ! Can live with that ! It will get up the hill with corner once I get confident - I got up last night but inexperience showed . Trying to get Kenneththecurtain to come show me how it's done and tow me out when i get stuck !
Pullin coal in for 2 miles on a sledge in foot deep snow gets wearing fast !
Posted 2 years ago # -
trail_rat - you did engage difflock didn't you ?
Posted 2 years ago # -
Thought 'whaaayy' when I saw a post on the Lada Niva above...
Then the price...
What the ****.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Firestarter- Hence why I said most people don't have the skills, I agree! I've been up and down stuff in an old 110 that hurt my ankles walking up. That hill is stupidly steep tho (even after you've taken the positive camera angle into account
) and is bordering on impossible but the RR made it look easy, Defender wouldn't have done IMO.
Posted 2 years ago # -
@ Hairychested, not had a chance to watch the vids you posted yet, will do later. I spend waaaay to much time on here tho wishing I had a spare couple of grand!! Love the old Russian trucks!
http://www.russianmilitary.co.uk/list.php?headers=land&sub_headers=TRUCKS
Posted 2 years ago # -
Nobodys mentioned Subarus, superb 4x4 "cars"! Heavy on fuel compared to normal cars but drive as a car should and have mechanical viscous diffs to give superb grip on road when required.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Terry, you always move back into the city.
must be some local urchins who can do the coal pullin for you.
Posted 2 years ago # -
For my needs the Discovery 3/4 is the ideal 4x4, more so than the Range Rover (I need 7 seats rather than just 5). Coupled with Vredestein Wintrac Xtreme tyres it's proved unstoppable this week. In fact it's been a bit boring, turning a potential drama into a minor snore-fest.
Heated seats & screen, winter tyres, height-adjustable suspension for the deepest of snow plus the secure knowledge that low ratio and lockable diffs will get you through pretty much anything, all the while doing it in total comfort.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Thought 'whaaayy' when I saw a post on the Lada Niva above...
And you hardly see any used ones around .There was a tidy one on fleabay last week but that's been it lately.They were last around 14 years ago though so it's to be expected.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Will probably get blasted on here, but went to Norfolk for a photoshoot a few weeks ago and was driven around in a fully off-road prepared Range Rover Sport - raised suspension, Cooper STT tires. Was amazing, and according to the guy driving, is extremely under-rated especially as they're always seen on massive 20inch wheels etc.
Still not as good as a G-wagen though. I have a 1989 280GE that I'm currently restoring and putting right. Amazing bit of kit. Parts are a F*ckin nightmare though...Posted 2 years ago # -
nols - very cool! They've started making them again. VERY expensive though!
Posted 2 years ago # -
monkeyfudger - low second, engine brake all the way to the bottom, feet clear of all pedals and blip the throttle when the front wheels touched the horizontal.
i wouldnt take a 90 or 110 up it unless i had a roll cage though; not worth the risk in my book
Posted 2 years ago # -
Does the OP want a 4x4, or a vehicle with 4wd ability for the winters like we've endured for the last couple of years?
A proper 4x4 is about ground clearance, axle articulation, gearing, & tyres. Nissan Terrano IMHO.
A 4wd car is about comfort & economy, and some sort of intelligent 4wd system that prevents a numpty doing the transmission damage. X-trail, Hyundai/Kia efforts, BMW, even Audi I suppose.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Nols, seems funny that they prepped a RR sport and not just a regular rangerover? surely a much better starting point!
G-wagens are lovely but inexplicably expesnive.
Posted 2 years ago # -
all Landrovers are lovely to drive ofroad but a right royal pain in the backside for reliability.
Toyota defo make the best reliable proper off roader.
Subaru Forrester and Outback are brilliant proper off roading road cars - very capable at most peoples definition of off roading.
I've kicked my Landy days into the long grass after giving up on reliability of my last Disco (mk 3) and Freelander 2. now rely on Outback for daily duties and have a Forrester for dirty duties.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Better check the weight of the box and 2 horses. probably over the towing limit which isn't a good idea.
Lightweight box and hers plus the pony are just under and luckily few hills where she goes. But then she loads up with 4 passengers, a couple of saddles and all the gear...
I wanted to get a Disco, but as its her only car she didn't want to be driving around in one all the time.
Posted 2 years ago # -
I've kicked my Landy days into the long grass after giving up on reliability of my last Disco (mk 3)
Agreed, but the only car I've regretted getting rid of was my Disco 3, even though it was a PITA sorting out the niggles. After a 2 year break, I went and got another one, despite knowing all that I knew from previous ownership.
No regrets since doing so - it's a fabulous bit of kit. Too thirsty, too heavy, but it's so good at what it does that I'd forgive it virtually anything.
Posted 2 years ago # -
Mister T - It was a G4 challenge vehicle, left hand drive. No idea why they used a Sport and not a regular. Pretty nice bit of kit, owner didn't seem to give a toss about it getting totally covered in Sh*t during the shoot.
Posted 2 years ago #
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