Embarrassed by lack of 4x4 capability

[techboydino]

this thread is slightly disappointing. I know forums mostly point out the negative points of things and shares ideas on how to overcome them. But this was one thread I was almost reluctant to read. I came home from overseas and decided on buying a luxury ALL terrain vehicle. I researched the LR3 for many months before I bought it. Having read some horrible reviews and some great reviews alike I took the plunge and bought my 06. So far despite some minor issues, I love it.

Haven't been off road too much so I have yet to make a great assessment of the capabilities. I agree that the tires are pretty crappy, and there are some annoying things about the LR3 that I have learned to live with. But I did not expect to see a thread on "lack of 4X4 capability." I bought one off the lot because I was impatient and could not wait for a factory build, so I was not able to get the HD package like I wanted. But it had everything else and was considerable cheaper.

I am planning on some sand runs in Jersey this summer and maybe a trip to OBX. I thought for sure that I would have no problems as long as I used my head and the full capabilities of the terrain features. I have owned a couple tahoes, blazers and other various 4X4's all with minor upgrades and they were all not so off road. I did not think my $50k LR3 was in the same catagory....

 

[nwoods]

this thread is slightly disappointing. ... I have owned a couple tahoes, blazers and other various 4X4's all with minor upgrades and they were all not so off road. I did not think my $50k LR3 was in the same category....

You must not have read the whole thread. Don't confuse lack of knowledge and/or driver experience with the vehicle with lack of vehicle ability.

They drive differently than your old Blazer. Differently in a GOOD way.

There were a lot of skeptics in my club initially, until they realized the LR3 can do everything they could do, and in many cases, do it easily where they struggled. It's gotten to be a bit of a joke now. The last club trail run, the older Rover owners carefully spotted everybody through, then when the LR3 came up, they just walked away, because there was no need to spot for it, because everything was a cakewalk

 

[umbertob]

Although I have a Sport, the platform is basically the same as your LR3 and so is the technology under the hood. The one Achylle's heel of our cars is the stock tires, which out of the factory are barely passable on any semi-serious offroad terrains for the sake of better handling on tarmac. If you want to get dirty, that's a bigger headache with the Sport, since in the US that model is being equipped with 19 and 20" rims only, and chances of finding decent All Terrain tires in those two sizes in North America are slim to none right now. But most Disco/LR3s are being fitted with 18"ers, and there are some good choices of moderately aggeressive All Terrain tires available in that size as detailed elsewhere on this forum.

With suitable shoes on, these cars can go places many other competitors cannot - or at least not as easily. I had similar experiences as Nathan when offroading along with "previous generation" Rovers, our cars just drive differently and don't require nearly as much knowledge or skills to make it over obstacles that can really test other similarly equipped cars and their drivers. You just dial the terrain, point the nose where you want to go and that's pretty much it. To owners of older or less sophisticated SUVs (of any brand, but classic Land Rover owners are the worst) that almost looks/sounds like cheating, which is bound to **** off some of them. They are just dying to see our high-tech air suspensions bite the dust on a trail, that would really make their day! That doesn't bother me one bit. In fact, after a few months of getting to know my car's capabilities off the beaten path I have found the biggest danger - for me, anyway - is overconfidence.

 

[duckdive]

I'll drink to that!!

 

[techboydino]

Im tracking. Ill just have to see for myself. I do enjoy all opinions on this forum, thats what really makes a good forum is all the angles that people have. I will have my compressor ready and hopefully some decent tires soon. Thanks for the replies.

 

[umbertob]

As far as 12v compressors go, I got the Masterflow MF-1050 Tsunami (sold at Pep Boys around here) and for around $50/60 it is very hard to beat. It is nicely packaged, compact and really powerful, restoring pressure in my aired down 18s within a couple of minutes per tire. Only hassle is that you have to connect it to the battery directly with provided alligator clips - there is no cigarette lighter adapter - but that's what makes it so powerful. I have also seen it sold at Costco recently, under a different name.