4WD - how did you get the bug???

[Addy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Addy]

My introduction to 4wding is a bit like trojan, used to go to places that you can't go to any more.
Agnes waters is one of them, the springs used have heaps of good tracks down to the beach in deep water nat park.
Don't think my kids will be able to drive or camp on the beach when they can drive or have a family.

[Andy_B Member Find all posts View Profile Close Andy_B]

I grew up with 4wdrives, my dad original had a V8 CJ5 which he used to pull moose out with (it was pretty cool cause my dad put 2 handbrake in for each rear tyre, so pretty much had a traction control system) . And he use to take me and my brothers blueberry picking out in the bush too (with a good bit of 4wdriving too).

After so many seasons of moose hunting and abuse my dad sold the CJ5, because my dad started using ATV's to pull out moose. My parents bought a 1984 Jeep Cherokee in 1990. It was actually the first year of the Cherokee and Jeep was still owned AMC.

Around 3 years later my parents bought a GMC suburban. Eventually, the Jeep started to get a fair amount of rust, so we sold that and bought a toyota Camry, but we still had the Suburban, which ended up dying after much abuse from me and my older brother learning how to drive. The Burb blew up it's rear diff on a moose hunting trip, and we sold it.

6 months later we moved to Australia in 2001. My parents wern't considering a 4wd but when they saw the Prado (mainly my dad) he really liked it, And he really liked in came with a diesel, so they ended up buying one. After a few years my dad bought a BJ42 for me and my little borther to learn how to work on cars. My parents moved back to Canada last november and sold Prado too me, the 40 series to someone else.

So that's my story I've always had the bug!

Andy

[ntp Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close ntp]

Re: 4WD - how did you get the bug???

bump

[ozwapet2 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close ozwapet2]

Re: 4WD - how did you get the bug???

I started my offroad experiences in the 70s in NZ when working as a radio tech. for the forestry there.
Mind you it wasn't in 4WDs, only 2WD Mazda utes - if we got stuck going in to a logging camp in metre deep mud, ( common occurence ) they'd come and drag us up on our belly with a logging skidder ( they are amazing machines, go absolutely anywhere ).
When I got to Australia I fell in love with the bush here, especially the High Country and it's colours, smells, folklore and history. After a few years of using a standard car up there, I realised I couldn't get to the best places without a 4WD.
So we've had a 4WD since 2000 - Holdens/Isuzus and Landrovers - the Prado is our first Toyota.

[bgreeni Member Find all posts View Profile Close bgreeni]

Re: 4WD - how did you get the bug???

My first introduction to 4WD was in the army. In those days about the only option for ownership was land rovers that were very expensive.

I drove 2WD utes all over the NT and Kimberly when there was not much bitumen in the late 60's. Found momentum and limited slip dif could get you most places.

Bought my first 4WD - a Patrol in 73. In those days they came with canvas back and in any colour you liked provided you liked pale green!!! Bought it expecting to be working in the bush or remote areas when I graduated. Ended up in Cloncurry with QR. In those days the Flinders Highway was dirt west of Hughenden.

It was a great vehicle, but very rough riding, even with a spring leaf removed and some pieces of rail in the back to load it up a bit. Eventually, when the wife went to Melbourne for our seconds birth I was told thet she was not coming back if that vehicle is still here. - took the hint.

Did not get another 4WD until a Prado in about 2000, followed by a cruiser which I sold on going to UK to work. Back in OZ I got another Prado as soon as I could.

[FlyingBushPig Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close FlyingBushPig]

Re: 4WD - how did you get the bug???

It was a genetic mutation for me. Being from Tassie, the surgeon expected to see a second head but found my condition had given me LT 12 ply muddies for skin on the soles of my feet, my posterior rib cage had sturdy mounts for a roof rack and my nose included a Donaldson pre cleaner. All in all they decided I suited the Tassie conditions and they'd leave me the way I was.

er...yeah, anyway, I grew up doing tons of camping with my family of 7 - Dad, Mum & 4 girls +me. We got around in a Bits-a-mushy Starwagon which dad chucked at anything regardless of it being 2WD. I remember pulling blackwood logs out of the bush with it as a kid when dads mates Rangie couldn't do it (more to do with the driver I'm sure). Dad had chains for it so it did a pretty good job.

Growing up we went on bushwalks all the time, and especially as a teen my best mates were all into outdoors stuff - this naturally led to 4WDing. My best mate had a Lada Niva as his first one when we were 14 & 16 and I decided there must be a better way of doing it all.

He then bought a zook which got us further than I've taken a 4WD since - we took it everywhere and attempted everything. Good times.

Dad then got into fishing in a big way and he needed a vehicle for getting into the remote lakes for trout. Naturally I was keen on that and we bought an FJ40 shorty. It basically became my car - cost me $90 a week in fuel when fuel cost 70c a litre. It was horrendous but unstoppable. Been stuck on Toyotas ever since.

While I had the 40, I started going with SWMBO and once married we bought a Holden Berlina. After ripping off the mudguards a number of times she was convinced we could have a 4WD.

Bought a BJ73 - an absolute lemon due to my mechanical naivety at the time (previous owner had stuffed it). Great offroad but it was terrible on road - overheated all the time.
Kids came along and we downgraded to a RAV4 thinking it would get us most places we wanted - which at the time it did...but it suffered badly with completely stuffed steering rack, wrecked undercarriage etc etc.

And here we are today with the Prado, never going back. Love it, it's taken us sooo many places and is perfect for our family at the moment. being back on mainland aus means it's far more suited to us (touring).

[samo Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close samo]

Re: 4WD - how did you get the bug???

grew up around 4wds, the old man had a few land rovers and rangies and spent alot of time up barringtion tops, stockon beach, me fist car was a Lwb 86 soft top sierra with all the std stuff when ya a p plater, subs, stereos, lift kits spotties and of cause the big exhaust, then got into cars and stuck with commodores but then got back into it when i bought me 4 runner and then traded it in on the prado, it gets me where i want to go, not real fast but i aint in no hurry, its got a few things to make it more user friendly. cheers samo

[Papo Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Papo]

Re: 4WD - how did you get the bug???

It wasn't until we were expecting our first child in 2007 that the missus wanted to get a family car and get her dream car - the Prado. I had a Hilux ute for work and didn't want a big car for her. We were given a loan Prado by the dealer (family connection) for a few days to make our decision. I told the missus to use it in everyday situations such as shopping car parks and on the freeway and through the city to discourage her. After 3 days she wanted it more than ever. We had our son in August 07 then another one in January 09. Only used it for city driving until I asked the missus to forget the socks and mugs for fathers day and get me a 4wd training course. We did the course together in December 09 and I let her drive the course with the instructor in the passenger seat. She loved it! Since then, we had an experience on the beach in Lancelin and a track in Margret River. Not much driving yet but SHE has bought a couple of 4wd magazines to see what accesories we need. I have been "good" at alot of things but never excelled at anything - so my old man tells me - and I think I have found something I could do well at and enjoy with the family. I want to get my boys exposed to the outdoors at a young age and as much as possible instead of sitting inside on the computer, so if I can get as much experience as possible and show my boys how much fun they can have, it makes for closer family and more appreciation for life (or so I hope).

[Guest Close Guest]

Re: 4WD - how did you get the bug???

A few Easters ago, a group of families decided to do something different and head up to the Flinders Ranges for a holiday. The places we wanted to go can be driven through in a sedan but no one was going to take their own car. So everyone rented a Commodore wagon except me who decided to get a Patrol and some recovery equipment just in case. But what did I know then... I was driving on dirt at 40psi in the tyres!! And didn't know how to engage low range.

Ever since then, I've always wanted to explore more of the Flinders Ranges as it is pretty much Adelaide's backyard. So we started looking at X-trails as it seems to be the most capable but ugly looking compact 4WD. Then looked at Pajeros but finally landed on a well-priced Prado. Then we found out that our 4th child is on its way, which worked out well as the X-trail (or any 5 seat compact SUV) would have been a bad buy.

Since owning the Prado from mid 2009, we have done 6 trips requiring low range which the X-trail would have had a bit of trouble.

[zookcubr Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close zookcubr]

Re: 4WD - how did you get the bug???

It all started for me when our family moved to Nhulunbuy/Gove NT back in the early 70's. We needed a 4wd just to see the place as we only had a HQ back then and was the newest Holden around. The whole town use to stop and check it out. At first Mum and Dad were feeling a little uneasy until they realized what they were looking at. Anyhow Dad ended up buying a Diahatsu Scat as a second car, same as the Toyota Blizard. We went all over the place in that little truck, but these days your not welcome on traditional lands without a permit, you cant even buy takeaway alcohol or walk on the beach without one. How thing have changed. These days my parents have a GXL 120 and we have 2 4bys in our family plus another project Sierra sitting at home,

Zook.

[fishfinder Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close fishfinder]

Re: 4WD - how did you get the bug???

To much to carry along the beach to a good fishing spot eg rods tackle bait BEER then having to carry all the fish that i catch back

[josprado Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close josprado]

Re: 4WD - how did you get the bug???

Did heaps of camping round Albany with family as a kid, all the good places were always only accessible by 4WD. Many of my happiest childhood memories involve bouncing around in the back of a mid-80's 4Runner with my sister, squished in between a dog or two and an Engel (not likely to happen these days! :shock: )

Resisted temptation at first, my first 2 cars were 2WD. Then I got the Fairmont bogged for the last time and thought perhaps the universe was trying to tell me something.

[Goose Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Goose]

Re: 4WD - how did you get the bug???

got sucked in on camping holidays with the in laws, all the best camping sites it seems need a 4wd to get to them, so once i got the prado it was all about how to make it go it go further, higher and through things to get where we want to go

Goose

[KybraBoss Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close KybraBoss]

Re: 4WD - how did you get the bug???

grew up on a solid diet of Leyland brothers, Harry Butler and Dad's addiction to old LandRovers.
7 F100s, 4 Land Cruisers and one Prado of my own later...