Thursday, Apr 08, 2010 at 17:23
OBT... my sentiments precisely.
I have NEVER owned a 4x4 (not through lack of want). I have had a couple as company cars in recent years, been on many trips with mates who have one and we are getting an AWD Captiva in 5 more sleeps.
I however believe I have been to
places many 4X4ers haven't even been to.
The best car I owned for off road journeys was....wait for it..... a 1977 Toyota Corolla Wagon. I fitted a 5 speed and raised the
suspension marginally. It had ample carrying capacity, great fuel economy, super reliable, pretty good articulation, and had a REALLY low first gear. Sure it wasn't fast. Best of all, getting scrapes, scratches and dings didn't bother me and if it rained too much, I'd sleep in the car..
There are few
places a 2WD driven sensibly won't get you that a 4X4 will. Lets face it, there's nothing stopping you from traversing the Simpson in a 2WD if you were prepared to winch yourself across every dune. I guess it boils down to how easy a person wants the trip to be. Have we lost our sense of adventure?
It seems most people these days take to the road to get somewhere, in stark contrast to days gone by when the trip was the holiday and not the destination.
Life is a journey, death is the destination, so why rush?
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