to not understand the obsession with 4x4s

[Midlandsmum42]

I really don't understand why there are so many 4x4s on the road in cities and the country, half of the parents have them on the school run (when there was a school run). They are so bad for the environment and too big and unnecessary. They weren't needed in the past and aren't needed now. Completely understand why a farmer needs one or someone on construction sites but driving kids to school!!!

Snob value. Seeing them in towns is a joke. Most of the ones i see rurally, are ancient anyway. The new ones are horrendously entitled (driver of course) and park anywhere

Mumsnet has a very weird opinion that anyone who spends money on something they wouldn’t choose to us somehow selfish / wasteful / a twat etc etc

Why anyone thinks it’s anyone else’s business what people spend their own money on is quite baffling. The cars other people drive affect them about 1%. And before anyone piles on to say 4X4 drivers are all pricks who can’t drive, behave, it’s people who can’t drive, not the cars they’re in.

@lljkk

My dad (in USA, where it never snows) only has SUVs. I borrow his car(s) when I visit. The SUVs have cameras to see out the back -- my dad thinks this is marvelous.

I hate them. I hate being high up. so I can't see the actual places around the car. The actual visibility out windows is poor. The inside is acres of wasted space (would be ok if I was 20 stone, I suppose). Doesn't really have a lot of luggage space when you consider the exterior dimensions; my Fiat 500 holds more stuff inside with backseat down, and is more suitable for transporting bicycles inside. The SUV drives like a bus. It parks like a tank. The camera (dad loves) distorts the view. It drinks fuel like a camel guzzles water.

Dad lives in city and never drives anywhere unpaved or even muddy. His actual parking spot (expensive condos) is tiny. He says the SUV is a rare car that 'fits him'; but he fits inside my Fiat . He does want a luxury status car for 2-4 hour drives tbf.

I am not quibbling with anyone who finds SUV suits their country lifestyle. Fiat500s are very common in the little country villages near where I live in east Anglia, they fit on the roads!!

There's a very sad reason why new cars in the USA all have rear cameras - someone's child went behind their car whilst they were reversing and was killed. The parent subsequently campaigned really vigorously, along with safety groups, to get this legislation enacted to save other

We have one because DH business involves towing trailers and going on fields, some of the time. The rest of the time it gets used for commuting, shopping and parked outside our suburban house. We don't have a spare car for him to avoid annoying people.

[quote Iminaglasscaseofemotion]@Shmithecat2 true, its always lower down cars I see with their arses hanging over the end of the space.

I don't actually think a lot of people know what they mean when they say 4x4s anyway. They just mean SUVs and assume they are all 4x4s.[/quote]
As is quite evident by this thread 😂

Love the 4WD/AWD’s I’ve had and would never go back to a car without. Much better visibility/safety and generally space if you’re after all as a criteria.

@samanthawashington

Snob value. Seeing them in towns is a joke. Most of the ones i see rurally, are ancient anyway. The new ones are horrendously entitled (driver of course) and park anywhere

And audis don't have indicators and golfs are all owned by boy racers and foreigners can go back to their own country eh?

I've had 2 4wds over period of around 18 years, mainly for the size with younger children and also because they could be relied on in the snow . We don't live rurally but do live at the bottom of a short sloping drive so would be stuck , potentially, in snow.

Have recently downsized to a smaller car and love the nippiness.

I do think in some cases , Range Rovers, porsche Cayennes and others its all about the status symbol, but we didn't have anything like that.

Could we have a list of the 4x4s that are purely bought as status symbols for the "show offs" of society please, and also conformation of whether we are actually talking about all SUVs or just specifically 4x4s?
I may not even come under the judgemental mumsnet umbrella of entitled 4x4 drivers. Just curios to see if my car makes the list.

@anicecupoftea19

Status in most cases. Keeping up with the Jones. I've got more money than you ... or more finance? 🤔😂

They don't charge by weight and size. There are plenty of much more expensive smaller cars that cost more than a lot of 4x4s. My stepdad's Merc and dad's BMW cost an eye watering amount. But they're apparently allowed because they're somehow not "status symbols" like 4x4s.

I’ve always thought suv’s (range rover, X5, Q5/7 etc) are reverse Tardis’ - much smaller on the inside!

Never seen the point. I dont find them at all comfortable on long journeys. 7 series beemer or Audi A8 are much better.
And for rural winter driving and off road capabilities a pick up like a hilux is way better - and enough room for a herd of sheep.

Suv’s seem to be the worst of both worlds but each to their own.

We have so many 4x4 drivers round here. Yes, proper 4x4s, shiny status symbols. It is hardly proper countryside...some lanes, lots of private schools and farm shops. I have a large dog and horse and manage perfectly well in a little kia. In fact it's great on the country lanes as it takes up so little space. Chugged out of the village in the snow too and I have some £40 snow chains for if it gets really bad. They seem ridiculously huge for people to "Need."

@ParkingFeud

We have so many 4x4 drivers round here. Yes, proper 4x4s, shiny status symbols. It is hardly proper countryside...some lanes, lots of private schools and farm shops. I have a large dog and horse and manage perfectly well in a little kia. In fact it's great on the country lanes as it takes up so little space. Chugged out of the village in the snow too and I have some £40 snow chains for if it gets really bad. They seem ridiculously huge for people to "Need."

Maybe because they don't 'need' them, rather they just like them and wanted them. Or is that not allowed?

Well, exactly. I certainly didn't need a Range Rover, I just wanted one. So I had one.

Why are people so bothered by the space they take up on the road 😂 busses, vans, trucks all take up more space than small cars too. Don't see people starting threads about them.

Maybe because they don't 'need' them, rather they just like them and wanted them. Or is that not allowed?

Perhaps they need one to stop them wanting one.

That's my husband's usual justification for buying frivolities.

@Iminaglasscaseofemotion it's total jealousy 🤣

Better for space. But also getting kids in / out the car. I got an SUV for the height as I have a bad back and it is soooooo much easier doing their seatbelts.

The thread title just came up on my active thread list, with 444 comments!!

@Muffinbutton

The thread title just came up on my active thread list, with 444 comments!!

😂😂 I love things like that- except the time when I sent invoice number 666 to the local church!

Anyway, I had a 4x4 which I was give and hated it as didn’t like the driving position and boot was tiny so it had to go. Dh always has a 4x4 as although we live in a town we need it for our work and loves them. His favourite by far was the Landrover Defender. Great for camping trips too.

[quote xoJellyBean]@Iminaglasscaseofemotion it's total jealousy 🤣[/quote]
It clearly is. I can't see another valid reason for it so far 😂.

I'll tell you what really irritates me are people that drive tiny little cars but seem to believe or feel like they are driving a double decker bus. Watching them take 40 minutes to get their tiny little hatchback in or out of a normal sized space is infuriating . I see this phenomenon regularly in car parks. I would love to know why.

We have an Suv, my husband purchased it, but I drive it about 80% of the time. We do not have a second car as we don’t need one, we can get by with walking, cycling or public transport.

I’ve never been bothered about cars, but I enjoy driving this one.

Just switched from a hatchback to a Volvo XC60, as my family are growing up and needed more space. Its a dream, with so much boot space for holidays/boot picnic's, higher driving position and safety for the family..... never looking back.