Finally got an Engel fridge...

Well said !

Seems to me lots of people get tied up in which brand to buy. I think all of the main line fridges do the job of keeping stuff cold pretty damn well !! and if treated well will last a long time.

Cheers

Well done! I'm still at the esky and ice stage, but I'm hoping the other 98% will let me buy a fridge soon. She says the esky works fine, which is true if we stop for ice every day or so. Like to see how she plans to buy ice when we go across the Simpson or the Canning!

As for the brand, as long as you're happy with it, that's what matters. Once you pay the money, you stop looking.

Brand? Isn't 4wd an image thing? Does it matter if your drinks don't get cold? lol

Leroy

I bought my first Engel(15lt) in 1986 and it is still running and has never been serviced or repaired. Bought my second Engel(32lt) in 2002 and it too works without a hassle despite getting bumped around in me old truck. You could say I am happy with Engels.

Cold water is the nicest thing out in the bush!

Leroy,
My advice is to keep it running all the time. If you can't justify leaving it in your vehicle full time and running off 2nd battery, just leave it in your shed and use as a beer fridge etc.
JMHO
Roachie

May as well "throw my hat into the ring" here....

My (29 L.) Engel has been used (and abused!!) since 1978, and I got it
second-hand !! ... From memory, cost me less than $200... (previous owner had it a few months, decided it wasn't big enough, & "upgraded" to a 40 L.)...
26 y.o. (and looks it !!), and still works as well as the day I got it ! ..
and never been near a "service technician"...

Sparky, if my experience (& that of others) is anything to go by, many years from now, I believe you'll be well pleased you bought an Engel...

BTW, I am by no means "bagging" the competition (I'm sure they are all good!)...

Regards, Ed. C.

Sparky,
On the subject of storage....
While there is no doubt that running the 'fridge continuously will do it no harm at all (indeed, what better way to get "value for money"... use it as a drinks fridge, or even as extra freezer space), from my experience, it is by no means necessary....
As previously mentioned, mine is 26 y.o., and during that time, there have been many, many occasions (when I simply haven't had the time to be "gallivanting about") that it has sat for several months at a time in a dark corner in the shed gathering dust.. When I go to use it again after such inactivity, I give it a good "going over" with compressed air...
Any time it is not in use, we make sure that it's dry inside, & leave a folded handtowel (or similar) under the lid so that it's not sealed, & have never had a problem with mould or "bad smells", and it still works perfectly...

Regards, Ed. C.

Gday Sparky, also on the subject of storage you might want to read post 11921. There are a fair few opinions offered, some I believe are from a fridgie (eskimo I think???)

Regards

Al