Chat & Social > The Bar - General Chat
New 4x4's
muddyjames:
and what will the road tax be like? More than £400 I'm sure! Also gone will be the days of the workshop section on here. In there if it is still around is how to change a wheel or best ways to clean your windows or maybe the best pc software to plug in!. :roll: :lol:
Boggert:
--- Quote from: Range Rover Blues on December 10, 2008, 19:59:50 ---Somehow I suspect that most of those will not be around in 15 years time either, sadly nothing is made to last but morew worryingly is the "end of life" legislation that has been threatened.
--- End quote ---
Agreed, But the facts are that most of our old designs are being rebuilt into modern models... VW Beetle, Mini, Fiat500. the days of home maintenance are going as anyone can see whan they walk into Halfords and it all Bling bling alloys and stick on crap.
The origional discos are rotting and starting to be scraped so where does that leave us the 4x4 family? I guess we have to turn to the new 4x4's if we like it or not.
I know that some 4x4 clubs gave the drivers of the Freelander or Gaylander as I heard it called some stick. Where as in reality it is a capable car on and off the road. I remember following Schuee in his Freelander while laning, it had road tyres that were... lets say a tad worn driving through thick mud, it never even looked like it was going to get stuck!
Now I hang my head in shame as I don'town a 4x4 at the moment, but when I do replace my trusty Zafira, it is most likely to be a Nissan Qashqai 7 seat or something simular...
I figure we have to look to the future for our 4x4's rather than being stuck in the past.
carbore:
I had a long look at that sector recently and the issue is this, as the 4x4 fad and subsequent backlash has been played out the "Softraoders" are changing, many of the CR|V / RAV5 things are becoming more "crossovers" ditching the "chunky off roader" looks so beloved of motring journos. The problem is that very few people who bought these cars really needed them, they werent really any bigger inside than the esate car or even hatch they would have traditionally gone of and the excuse of a "Lifestyle 4x4" diddnt wash becuase all the other cars in the slighyl gravelly car park wernt 4x4 and they got home from the days kite surfing etc. Therefore this class is looking a bit of a lame duck to me.
Unfortunatley when you look at the MPG and C02 figures most of the cross overs have only slightly improved over thier chunkier forfathers and by thetime you get a half decent engine in any of them they often fall foul of the recent tax changes.
Its better news in the traditional off roader class however. The increace in those sales have allowed investment in thigs like teh Disco 3, Pathfinder, Land Cruser, Shogun etc./ Some may think they have lost some of the hardcore functions, but they are all very capable off road. You will still pay a lot at the pump and tax, but due to the decline in desirability thre are some very nice Disco3 etc that are under 10k.
Basically you can have a capable off road vehicle thats great value to buy but expensive to run. Or a compromise thats average in terms of cost but limited off road.
Alterneativley have a practical economical car and run a tax exempt landy.
schuee:
Hi Patrick,
Just for the record, I have a new set of boots on the Hippo now ;) :police::lol:
See you soon, hopefully will book a space at Rockingham LRE for Jan/Feb, will be in touch.
Cheers
Keith
crazymac:
I plan on running my Discovery for as long as I can!! (for that read "until they prise the keys from my dying hands")
There are some of the newer ones I like, the D3 I would have in a heartbeat but can never see me affording one!
I quite like the Pathfinder and Xtrail for looks, not sure about ability? I would guess the Pathfiner is capable and the Xtrail heading towards the Freelander? But again costs come into it.
My Discovery costs me minimal amounts really, £180 a year Tax, £180 Insurance, £1360 in fuel (based on 9000 miles a year at an average 30MPG and £1. a litre and ongoing maintenance of around £200 a year (some years less some more so an average estimated) so approaching £2000 a year.
But if I bought something newer I would have most of these costs PLUS finance!! No brainer really!
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