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Original poster

Ive got a 4x4 and wont apologise for it.....

94 replies

jampot · 13/11/2004 18:02

A little thread for all 4x4 mummies (and daddies) whether you use it on the school run or to carry pigs t'market.....

Do you fit the stereotype of flash, over indulgent, stuck-up-your-own-arse Joseph wearing dizzy bint who doesn't care for the environment or anyone else? I don't.

OP posts:
MistressMary · 13/11/2004 18:04

Me neither!!!
Defender of the realm!
Long live 4x4s.

Original poster
jampot · 13/11/2004 18:05
Grin
OP posts:
Davros · 13/11/2004 18:08

Me too (not apologising that is). Just a boring old cliche, sick to death of hearing it. I suppose some death trap 2cv blasting out fumes is better?

Freckle · 13/11/2004 18:11

Don't have a 4x4 (Galaxy instead), but I am all for greater height - being a short squirt and all that. Is there more room in a 4x4 than a people carrier? Mine's a 7 seater, with a tiddly boot space (just enough room for the dog). My friend's Mercedes M Class doesn't have any boot space if all 7 seats are used.

MistressMary · 13/11/2004 18:15

Also good for hacking off Ramblers on by-ways with! True.

Tissy · 13/11/2004 18:21

I've got a Freelander. I live on a farm in Scotland and in winter the gritters don't get to our road till midday, so I wouldn't get to work without it. I love being high up (I'm 5'2"), and I love not worrying about the 2' deep floods I had to drive through recently to get dd to nursery at 8 am. I have no designer clothes and am otherwise pretty right-on

zebra · 13/11/2004 18:32

Yeah but Tissy -- living where u do, it makes sense u have a 4x4!

Original poster
jampot · 13/11/2004 18:49

Zebra - that's the whole point of this thread - you don't have to justify why you've got one. All too often on this site (and im sure lots more) people have to justify why they drive what they do, why they send their kids to the schools they do, why they bottle feed etc. I have to say one of the best posts I've read has come from PPH when she posted why she sent her kids to private school - totally honest!!!

OP posts:
Twiglett · 13/11/2004 19:10

4x4's that don't go off-road are just sad

Twiglett · 13/11/2004 19:10

how's that for honesty

KangaMummy · 13/11/2004 19:10

We have got a VOVLO XC70

yes it is a 4x4

Yes I do drive DS to school

Yes we do live on the borders between countryside and town

BUT we do live at the bottom of steep hill driveway and before we got this car DH had to dig the snow and put salt and grit down so that we could get out onto the road.

We love our 4x4

hatter · 13/11/2004 19:15

oh god what a mess I weave. My first posting on this subject (some months ago) was to point out that making generlisations about people based on they car they drive is OUT OF ORDER. My most recent post (which is the source of the Joseph reference) also pointed this out, but did say that there are some 4x4 drivers who fit a certain stereotype. I don't belive in making generalisations about people, and I don't think making generalisations about 4x4 drivers is any more acceptable than any other generalisations. So please accept my profuse apologies if I have offended anyone. FWIW drive an audi estate, and there are plenty of people who would make generalisations about me based on that

hatter · 13/11/2004 19:18

it would seem I'm a bit paranoid - just seen the morons post. I expect I've caused less ofeence than I originally thought.

Davros · 13/11/2004 19:29

Well I'm all for generalisations and generally I think that the general public who in general don't drive 4x4s should generally shove it.

Wallace · 13/11/2004 19:35

Twiglett - I have this image of a shiny clean 4x4 with a miserable face because it has never been off-road

MistressMary · 13/11/2004 19:35

Yes, we get the max use out of ours too.
On road, off roading, getting down and dirty and using the winch.
Great fun and practical. And very cultish too in landyrover circles.

Tissy · 13/11/2004 19:42

MM, I would love to have a defender with a winch, and preferably a spotlight too! When we went to the Landrover showroom, the salesman, who was probably pulling a fast one, said that all second hand Defenders were rubbish as they had been thrashed- how would we like a new one? Not in our price range, unfortunately!

JanH · 13/11/2004 19:44

Me too, Wallace!

Somebody should write a book about it - Sally the Sad Little 4x4 - tears dripping from its headlights

Slinky · 13/11/2004 19:44

I currently drive a Toyota Previa - but my next car will be a 4x4.

I too like being "higher up" particularly as I am "King of the Road" - I like to be able to shove all the "littlies" out of the way

Original poster
jampot · 13/11/2004 19:47

Excellent idea Janh can we do it as a "follow me on"

OP posts:
tearful · 13/11/2004 19:58

I am currently driving a long wheel-base Defender. It is a farm vehicle and great. I use it instead of my estate car because I do a school run with 5 children, but it is fairly hard work -no suspension, takes hours to warm up, leaks in the rain (of which there is plenty - also in Scotland). But it is great in the snow, and the floods, and I do a 5-mile journey which takes 20 mins so you can work out what sort of drive it is.
I have to say, and I'm sorry to put people's noses out of joint, that I really object to mums who a) drive their children to school within the village where the school is, and b) have one of these massive things as a status symbol. They have 2 children and no dogs, and they live on a (flat) housing estate. I know these things because I know the people. I'm afraid I just see them as spoilt, and in a way I suppose I'm a bit envious, because I cannot imagine the conversation with my dh which went "this is what I think think we should spend a vast amount of money on, for no better reason than I like it" - does that happen? It must do.

Ronniebaby · 13/11/2004 20:01

I aint gonna apologise for my taste in car, or try now to justify it on here, did that in the other thread.

So b*lloxs to the idiots that complain, obvoiusly got nothing better to do with their time.

I also get max use out of mine, in fact so do half of my family & friends, cause there is SOOOOOOO much room in mine, I'm a removals vehicle toooo , I dont see them complaining about 4x4.

Neither would half the idiots who post against them if they were to use them

Ronniebaby · 13/11/2004 20:02

BTW - Janh how the devil are you, and your P/C car

Davros · 13/11/2004 20:03

It calls to mind the story of Princess Maraget and Elizabeth Taylor (honest!).
Looking at Liz's latest jumbo diamond, Mags says "its a bit vulgar isn't it?" and Liz gives it to her, puts it on her finger and says "not so vulgar now is it?"

fruitful · 13/11/2004 20:07

My 4x4 doesn't ever get to go off-road. Its not sad cos it doesn't know what its missing. I never park next to other 4x4s in case it talks to them and finds out. When we drive past billboards with 4x4 adverts I keep talking to my car to distract it so it doesn't see.

Actually Which? described my car as "an estate car on stilts" which is exactly what we wanted - high up, more boot, and could cope with an icy ungritted hill.

Tearful I love those conversations - dh and I both wanting to spend lots of money on something we don't need and trying to justify it, until we give up and say, lets spend it cos we can! I feel a new pram coming on...