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04-26-2009, 12:15 AM | #23 |
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Sorry to rant on about this, but 4wd's are a really "sore point" with me - for 2 reasons. 1) They engender bad driving habits in their drivers, which makes them over-confident and careless, and 2) they're downright dangerous to other road users.
Ever been sitting at an intersection, trying to turn left, and a 4wd pulls up on your right, wanting to turn right. You have to sit there until they go - unless you want to stick your nose out, which isn't a great idea. And they just dont' give a damn that they're in the way. But more importantly, they are dangerous! They handle like crap, so the occupants are at risk - at least they're involved by choice. But other road users, and pedestrians are also at risk - and again, the 4wd owners don't give a damn. Their vehicles can't pull up as quick as a car, they are too wide for the lanes on normal roads, and they inevitable have some kind of "bar" at the front or back. Front bull bars are positioned perfectly to hit a school age child in the head. Where are the damn ADR's on these things - we can't get a freakin' sports exhaust, but folks can put these "weapons" on the front of their trucks. Can you imagine how you'd go if you went to the RTA (or state equivemant) and said - "I'd like to fix this 6' piece of railway track to the front of my car, about 3' off the ground. Is that OK? You can just imagine the response..... How about a 6' piece of 2" galvanised fencing post? No! Well how about a lump of extruded aluminium, that's fixed to the chassis rails. Oh! That's too dangerous? Then I'll have to go to my Toyota dealer and get a bull bar for my Tarago/ landcruiser/ Rav4 See my point..........Sheer hypocracy. Perhaps if we could fit a BMW Performance Exhaust to the front of our cars, then it would get ADR approval. |
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04-26-2009, 06:23 AM | #24 |
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bfi,
I can conclude that, 1) You don't have 2 kids and has to carry a pram and occasionally you need to seat 7 people. Someone needs to buy a 4WD even not intenting to go off road, you know. 2) You have not driven the Cayenne GTS yet. It can be as good as a drive (if not better than) the Caymen 2.9 and can keep up with one on mountain road in sports mode. I had too much of Porsche driving today hehe. I do see your point of having a bull bar is fugly and perhaps dangerous. No the ADR board are not a bunch of hipocrates, they are a bunch of lazy idiots. Only until that old fart and old utes with next to nothing brakes called a hoon, our well maintained 5 star NCAP rated sports coupe will have a fat chance installing a well designed piece of metal under the ADR. Do not start how many times I question the BabyCo or Baby Bunting staff of not ordering ISOFIX baby seats.
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04-26-2009, 07:36 AM | #25 |
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Hi Taka,
I take your point about carrying kids and stroller etc. It isn't easy. I've done exactly that, and never owned a 4wd or people mover. However, we did have the luzuary of always having 2 cars - and at one stage, even owned a Volvo (Oh the shame of it) and a box trailor (for holidays). We certainly were Mr & Mrs Suburbia. On the Cayenne GTS - you're right, I haven't driven one. But, I'm not surprised that they are as good as you say. And if they were representative of the average 4wd on our roads, then safety would not be an issue. I also suspect that folks who buy them are different in their attitude to cars and driving than most 4wd owners. Unfortunatley, at the price they are (what? $200K plus), they are out of the reach of most 4wd owners. My point really is, if people drive with competence and consideration, it really doesn't matter what they drive. It just seems that 4wd's seem to attract prats. That's not to say all 4wd owners are prats, just that prats are over-represented in the 4wd community. Also - I stand corrected regarding the ADR borad - I bow to your greater knowledge -- lazy idiots it is.....lol Cheers, B. |
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04-26-2009, 06:50 PM | #26 |
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bfi,
The Cayenne GTS is 160K drive away.... very tempted for the power of a 911s in a user friendly 4WD. Air suspension, sports setting and sat nav are standard. The car also sits lower for city driving and air suspension can bring it up for serious off road use! Impressive!
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04-26-2009, 06:52 PM | #27 |
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WOW! I thought they were much more than that. While $160K is a lot of money, it's also pretty good value for what you get.
Shows how little attention I pay to that market. |
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04-28-2009, 06:43 AM | #28 |
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The quote just came in from the "authorised" BMW Insurance repairer here in the ACT.
A nice neat $1100, not bad for something we had absolutely no involvement in, except being the owner of the car of course. Lucky we brought a new Astra SRi coupe yesterday (in Melbourne of all places hehehe), it will come in handy when the 1 goes into car hospital for a week. Thanks for the sympathy messages, we have passed them all on to the little car, she says thanks (as does the wife, the registered owner of the little beastie). |
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05-11-2009, 10:35 PM | #29 | |
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Quote:
Looks like i spoke too soon. Came out from work on friday and i had a big dint on my boot. Somebody hit my car and drove off. NO NOTE. I will make a thread when i get home and post pics. I have been to upset to post about it.
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05-11-2009, 11:03 PM | #30 |
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Oh shit! Sarah... noooooooo
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