Garmin has added 300 new mobile speed camera zones to its coverage of the Republic of Ireland. So if you’re planning a trip to the Emerald Isle, a Garmin sat nav might be just the ticket – to save you getting a, err, ticket.
Garmin’s range is extensive, so there should be something for everyone. All Garmin GPS systems are loaded with speed camera information for the UK and Ireland. Better still, the data is regularly updated.
This range of portable chargers for electronic devices has just been introduced by Devon 4×4. Manufactured by Powertraveller, the chargers provide instant power, regardless of your location.
Powertraveller equipment is designed to military specifications and tested in some of the world’s harshest places. It provides power for a range of appliances – from iPods to laptops. There’s even one that can recharge a car battery. These are serious bits of kit, perfect for overland adventurers and anyone who is frequently on the move in their 4×4.
Prices start from £25; visit www.devon4x4.com for more details.
Here’s a useful piece of gear for your truck: a hands-free kit for use with your Bluetooth mobile phone, which also enables you to play music through your 4×4’s stereo. The Jabra Cruiser2 is a neat little black box, which clips handily to the inside of your vehicle’s sun visor.
It’s easily set up – our test product was coordinated with a Blackberry in seconds, and facilitated easy conversations on the move. The speaker is clear, despite its compact dimensions, and a simple tap of the unit enables you to answer and terminate calls.
Pick-up owners will be interested to learn that Proppa has become the sole UK distributor of Sammitr SMM hardtops. The rugged tops are manufactured out of galvanised steel, making them as strong as a car body. They are coated with a 0.8mm anti-rust treatment and are painted to an exceptionally high standard.
The SMM canopies are renowned for their strength, durability and safety. They are also deceptively light, making them a good choice for people who want to keep their pick-up’s weight to a minimum.
SMM hardtops are available to suit vehicles from most mainstream pick-up manufacturers, including Ford, Isuzu, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Toyota. A range of colours is available. www.proppa.com
Freelander 1 owners can now order a bespoke panel filter for their Td4 engines, to improve performance and throttle response. The filter is available from induction specialist Pipercross and is a direct replacement for the OEM part. Improved airflow is key to deriving the best possible performance from a diesel engine – and this is where the Pipercross filter comes into its own. Manufactured from multi-layered foam, the filter is reported to improve airflow by a factor of around 30 per cent.
That equates to a significant boost in liveliness – something that many Td4 owners will feel is a welcome change.
The filter costs £34.85 and an equivalent component is available for puma-engine Defenders as well. www.pipercross.com
Ann Lockley – contributor
It felt good to climb into the old Range Rover after five weeks of driving such a wide variety of vehicles while travelling in the States. I missed the amount of visibility from the cockpit of the RR, the height when in traffic, how easy it is to manoeuvre her, and even the space other drivers tend to allow you, although I am not sure it is a sign of respect or a concern that parts may fly off at any time. Either way, sliding behind the wheel felt like coming home.
Bob Cooke – contributor
I can state with absolute veracity that putting on a show for the photographer is the only reason I got the Cherokee planted up to its floorpan in soft sand at the Hogmoor Enclosure off-road site on an All Wheel Drive Club Driveround day recently. Hogmoor has a fair variety of conditions, but its main feature is lots of soft sandy soil that can be fairly treacherous – it doesn’t take more than a few spins of a wheel that’s lost traction to grind itself inextricably axle-deep into the ground, and that’s particularly likely to happen if you’re attempting a steep climb. I had to be particularly careful, since the Cherokee’s tyres are relatively narrow 225-section Mud Terrains, and although they’re the newer type with the less-course tread pattern they’re still aggressive enough to turn the wheels into grinding discs on soft going. So, most of the time, I’d kept to the rather more stable areas under the trees, which was actually quite interesting in its own way because of the way the softer soil had been eroded away where there weren’t any trees, leaving the forested areas standing high above the surrounding terrain. That made for steep climbs up in among the trees, and it takes care to enter those areas without scraping the bodywork. Or, to be more politically correct, without barking the trees, particularly in the case of the Cherokee which has had so much bodily contact that an additional dent or scratch would simply blend in with their surroundings.
Hils Everitt – editor
At last, Happy New Year it is indeed for my Grand that has really suffered in 2010. Am I glad to see the back of that year. Readers with good, long memories will recall that I was without my silver machine for several months while Mercedes Benz refused to release any parts to Jeep dealers during the financial trouble for the US company. I finally got delivery of the reconditioned auto gearbox which worked beautifully, but I’d almost forgotten what the Grand Cherokee looked like it as it been gone so long.
Nigel Fryatt – contributor
Thank goodness we were ready! As regular readers will know, our December issue had a detailed feature on winter driving, with specific advice on winter tyres. Little did we know that the snow was on its way to us so early this year, arriving by the freezer-full at the end of November. It was to provide a stern test for both our Toyota and its new winter tyres.
Louise Limb – contributor
What is it with these Jimnys? After the ignominy of having motorway spray kicked in my face by last month’s diminutive, aquaplaning Suzuki, the bobtailed Jimny I was overtaken by this month could easily have been driven by the Jack Russell on the passenger’s knee for all the respect it was showing the steep, snow-slithery Pennine lane my Grand Vitara was lumbering up in four high. A wee bit too much on the gas and the little Suzuki went into a bit of a shimmy on the salty slush. I thanked the God of tarmac and dirt that there was nothing coming the other way. The Jack Russell’s guardians were having snow fun in the arctic sun and, with similar disregard for the edge of the snow-hidden tarmac, they took off up the embankment, rounded an innocent Rowan tree a few times and stopped for a quick photo call before heading off back down toward Silsden, the Jimny wagging its tail like an eager pup.
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