Hils Everitt – Editor at Large
Cosmetics all sorted and the shiny side steps duly removed, it was time for my Grand to have its MOT. Time has flown by since I bought it six months ago and I expected it to pass with flying colours. As it was first registered in April 2009, this was only its second test.
So as usual at MOT time for whatever vehicle I have, I took it to my mate’s garage Central Auto Centre in Green Street Green rather than make a round trip to the nearest Jeep dealer near Ashford in Kent, which is way too far away.
It did indeed pass with flying colours, after I was reminded to remove the large ‘Media’ sticker that I had left in the windscreen after covering a couple of features on the Wales Rally GB in November. I rather liked that sticker, but it had to go as any MOT inspector would require its removal, it didn’t impede vision at all, but them’s the rules!
Louise Limb – contributor
It’s been a few months since the Mass Air Flow meter was replaced (at considerable cost) and after no improvement in performance, my friendly mechanic Phil went back beneath the bonnet and tightened the throttle cable – there’s a locking nut at the engine end, as it felt slack. The result was immediate (and cost nothing as Phil’s one of the good guys). Once again my wheels could tackle hills with the confidence of a mountain goat. Nearly six months on and a couple of fully loaded trips to shows, the Grand Vitara is running as well as ever, though there’s been a recent slight drop off in power again, requiring lots of gear changing. When Phil’s back from his holiday in the Caribbean (vehicle maintenance people, like hairdressers, will never be short of work) he can see if it’s slackened off and do whatever’s necessary.
Bob Cooke – contributor
From a high point overlooking the lake it looked a bit like a little kid’s playground with Tonka toys scattered all over the place – mainly Land Rovers, since the Yarwell Quarry site near Peterborough is home to a Land Rover enthusiasts’ group, and it’s so popular that the place positively swarms with old Series Land Rovers and nicely modified Discoverys. Fortunately they don’t mind other marques joining in the fun, though the marshal who welcomed us to the site did give us a friendly warning: “There’s been a lot of rain,” he said, “So the lake is deeper than usual. Our advice is to stay away from the water – and don’t expect us to recover you if you don’t.”
For many city folk the lure of 4×4 ownership is such that a car only has to look like a 4×4 to succeed. Nissan’s prescience in tapping that resource has made their ‘urbanproof’ Qashqai a best seller
Looking to buy a 4×4 for the first time? Well, as you might expect, our first reaction is, well done – and our second is, what took you so long? But to be serious, a fatuous comment like that is of little help to someone considering a 4×4 vehicle for the very first time and if that’s you, hopefully we can offer some pointers for you to consider and ensure you make the right first choice.
A drive last year on the icy roads of a Canadian winter reminded editor Nigel Fryatt of what a competent, comfortable and pleasant car the Freelander 2 is. It was a reminder, rather than a sudden realisation, because we’ve always liked Land Rover’s compact SUV, it’s just that little has changed since the introduction in 2006, so we’ve not felt the need to reappraise the model on more than a few key occasions.
There’s always going to be the potential to improve a 4×4 or add more accessories to it, but the list of options can be bewildering and choosing the right ones isn’t always that easy. It is, however, easy to throw a lot of money at a vehicle, but be left wondering whether it was really all necessary. We’ve all been there; purchasing products from the Internet and Shows, sometimes only to gather dust in the garage.
The Yeti has proved an impressive sales success for Skoda and the latest revised version is likely to gain more converts, thanks to the fifth generation Haldex clutch
I haven’t dared to tell Pete how I came to get the Cherokee stuck, because he’d call me such an idiot. Particularly since, for once, his 1949 Willys just didn’t have enough oomph to pull my Jeep out of the mud hole. When he drove off without a word I assumed he’d got the hump and had just abandoned me, but he came back with Brett Mawer in his high-rise Range Rover which hoiked the Cherokee out of the hole as easily as a bear snapping up a salmon.
Louise Limb
After months of rain the venerable Freelander, like everything else, is becoming rather soggy. Pressed into service on alternate days to eke out the miserly mileage allowance permitted under the unreasonably expensive insurance terms, the Land Rover’s eager TD4 engine is relishing the 90 mile commute my other half has begun travelling each day, a more economical if tedious VW Golf doing the other 50 per cent of what are currently very wet journeys. As a result, the old blue Freelander is becoming cosmetically rather sad looking. Kept outside, the metal window seals are crimping even further, giving their rubber coating a curled appearance, the rust spots are spreading and the rear door is becoming even tattier. I dread the day if and when the incredibly complex rear window cum door lock mechanism breaks. Nevertheless, with the repeated deluges something was bound to give.
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