You can have trouble seeing past a lot of vehicles if you stop 3 inches from their bumper, and you can have minimal trouble seeing past a lot of vehicles if you stop a bit further back, and position yourself accordingly, so that if you did need to pass, you could clearly see to do so.
You don't need a 4x4 for any of that, as others have said, a large people carrier type thing would be far more suitable for your needs.
Bear in mind that 4x4's have long travel, wallowy suspension, designed for going off road. A 4x4 will be far more unstable towing that a on-road vehicle the same weight.
4x4's also have far more whirly round bits that 2x4's, and therefore are less economical, compounded by the fact that the tyres tend to have more drag. 4x4's are also less practical, they tend to have big transmission tunnels, and high floors. A people carrier joby will usually have a completely flat, low, floor. Also most allow the rear seats to be removed completely (I don't know any 4x4's that do), giving excellent luggage carrying abilities. With a 4x4 you have to lift anything up to the higher floor, and the seats will get in the way of large loads. 4x4 handling is also different to a normal road car, they can be less stable, and in some ways less safe.However.............
If what you are really after is the 'pose factor' of a 4x4, then Shoguns are a pretty good machine, as are Land Cruiser Amazons, and the ultimate (though I am biased a little!) has to be the Range Rover/Discovery (same vehicle, different skin). But forget about practicality and economy.
Even so, it's not rocket science to stop a little further back, or position oneself such that one can see past them, in a traffic queue. I'm not on about leaving a bus length between you and the Chelsea Tractor (TM) in front, just a metre or two, and positioning yourself slightly to the right to get a view ahead. It's not like you're not aware of the big vehicle in front of you before you come to a halt.
Oh I don't dispute that. But they're a right pain when you can't see past them in a traffic queueueue. Mind yew the same applies to MPVs.
Not in Bristol where they've made the lanes specially narrow on the M32 so that they can spend months and months and months doing apparently very little. And what if the vehicule in front positions themselves slightly to the right and so on. I've been driving for long enough to know about leaving adequate room between you and the vehicle in front to see round ;-)
The message from "SimonJ" contains these words:
Or, in some cases, designed for pretending you might one day want to go off road.
Why a four wheel drive then? They're 'orrible (apart from the very expensive Toyota Landcruiser). I've been towing caravans all over Europe for years with fwd family cars,-Renault and Citroen. Needed a tow on two occasions only. Once on a beach. Second from the bottom end of a wet farm meadow. Frontera is probably the worst example of the marque you could consider. DaveK.
You are joking of course. A Zafira simply does not have the weight to make a serious towcar.
The LandCruiser was the only one I owned that was truly spacious. They all have high floors and big transmission tunnels that mean they are actually no larger than the average estate car inside.
I owned a series of 4x4s because I was a regular caravanner and needed the off-road traction to move my 'van across winter rally fields. If that's what you do, then a 4x4 is for you. I don't caravan so often now, so an MPV does the job far better for me now.
Na Seriously... It served us well with the horse Turd....
I didnt quite mean this though
Tom
Oh yes it does. And it's front heavy, which is good for a front drive car. Over 2 tons laden too.
Tim S Kemp ( snipped-for-privacy@timkemp.karoo.co.uk) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :
The new one seems to have a kerb weight of 1500kg and a towing limit of
1200kg.You really want to join the nuclear race.
"4x4 are safer than a normal car because they are heavier and stronger etc..." Therefore the higher amount of them on the roads makes the road less safe for the rest of us. Furthermore, why to all the mums who couldn't park there Rover 100 properly outside the school have to move up to a 4x4 which they couldn't park in an empty so**ing field without causing an obstruction.
/rant over
Anyway...now thinking a long the lines of parero or shogun what are the thinking on them?
Bye the bye biofuel has anyone experimented with , and what are the thoughts on the hole idea for cooking oil as fuel.Seems to be lot's of deferent feelings on this from the bung it in- to 600ukp conversion kits.
Chris
Indeed, it's up to you what you spend your money on. Couldn't agree more.
Not sure what size they are tbh, but I'd definitely say go for one of the larger 4x4s, like Range Rover/Disco, as opposed to the Frontera/Freelander size. IMHO.
Not a big expert on this, but I know if not done properly it can clog up commonrail diesel injection systems, but in your budget you're unlikely to get a commonrail one. In fact, personally I'd forget diesels at this price and go LPG.
Another tranny would be far better for those uses than a 4x4.
Well if you ask for peoples opinions, don't be surprised when they give them!
Shoguns are a pretty good machine, but beware of some imports(pajero's) as you may struggle to get some parts for them.
Heh, yup.
[1] Ok, here's the list of stuff I consider to be truly bloody woeful.1- Vauxhall Frontera
2- Alfa 33 3- Alfa Arna 4- Fiat Strada with that 'orrible little 900cc? thing in 5- Allaggro 6- Marina 7- Mk3 onwards Escorts 8- Korean stuff, with the exception of the Hyundai Coupé thing, the 2.7 one. 9- Mk3 Granada 1.8 10- FWD Vauxhalls.
You can get everything if you know who to ask!
"Pete M" wrote in message news:4409c88f$ snipped-for-privacy@usenet.zapto.org...
LOL... the 1.8 Granada.... I forgot about that one !!
Although back in't 70's I do remember oggling at the Granada Ghia Coupe
3.0... but with only bus fare and dinner money I couldn't afford one !!!MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.