Has anyone got a 4x4?

[momof2]

We have just decided to get rid of our faithful Hippo (Nissan Micra) and branch out into the uncertain world of much larger family cars.
I have been looking at a discovery or freelander - please note all old ones not new.
Has anyone any experience of how good/bad they are please? Or any 4x4's they would recommend or MPV's
Many thanks

I have to agree, they are a bit flash in the urban environment - they don't have any more seating than a volvo v/xc70 and they certainly don't have bigger boot space either. I don't think df's boot is any bigger than my mondeo boot.

I honestly think an estate is rather more practical in an urban area. I can see the appeal of an elevated driving position but as a 'normal car' driver I do find them very annoying. Parked next to one in Tesco today and could not see whether traffic was coming or not as I reversed out of the space. ANd if they pull up next to you on a junction/roundabout to go left and you are going right, or vice versa, impossible to see past them.

Wonder if any MNers are going to the big LONDON meet up in 4x4s??

I've got a big victorian house but idon't get in it every day knowing i could potentially cause an above average amount of harm to other road users and pedestrians.

well yes it does for a great amount of people! Ever heard of supply and demand?

SK -there are loads of 4x4 parents at my kid's school. It's in a narrow street just off the ringroad of a suburban town, a very built up residential area and they have a lot of problems with school run congestion.

Jools, I disagree and think yours is the nicest 4x4 to look at personally.

Skinny Cow,

The lack of clarity, sense or even wisdom in your arguments leaves little for someone like me to add to.

You are your own worst advocate - anyone reading your postings will pretty soon work out what type of person you are.

The fact that you drive a 4x4, seem born of little intelligence and have the "well its my soddin right I'll do what I bloody well want" attitude seems to add it up really.

Doesnt seem to be much more to be said about you in my opinion. Pity you cant extend your vision a little to the next generation but there we have it - you are obviously myopic in mind and vision and probably get your world view from articles written on the backs of your cereal box.

I hope one day you finally blossom and graduate to newspapers.

Nuff said - G'dine.

my own car is a Ford Ka - do I pass muster?

I'm not sure where it is that everyone has interprated my arguement as a green issue, its safety i'm more concerned about but fox hunting well.....

but would the congestion just "go" if they changed to saloon cars? I dont think so! The same number of cars would be on the road

G'dine - what an arrogant and unworthy post - you do yourself little credit.

Actually, to say ours is an 'affluent' area there are not that many 4x4s on the school run at all. Most walk though tbh - otherwise see a couple of Galaxies but mostly 'normal' sized cars parked around me. Lots of those little A class mercs though - horrid little smart car type things - yeuk!

Oh SK of course there would be less congestion, use your head! They take up less space, you can see round them, they're not as wide, they don't block the pavements, other cares can get past them, not stuck behind them.... need I go on....

Supply and demand, ha well well done you for contibuting to it, what a load of rubbish, obviously that justifies your whole arguement, silly me.

Gdine - bollocks!

Totally uncalled for G'dine.

Is myopic your favourite word?

Sorry, I've been abbreviating SK when I meant SC.

I don't know GDg Skinny cow has dealt out her fair share of abuse at me, luckily i couldn't give a monkeys!

I'm very myopic ain't I GDG?

where have I abused you MKM?

but polite and non-judgmental

Don't think any 4x4 driver has yet managed to explain how they can justify choosing to drive something that is so dangerous to pedestrians. 4x4s just are inherently much more dangerous than other cars. If one hits you, you go under it, not onto the bonnet.

Anyway Momof2, seeing as you posted this in March last year, what car did you eventually choose?

Chip on shoulder springs to mind, very patronising when you know nothing about me, but to be honest it really means nothing to me. I just find the cj=hoice to have a car which is more fatal than others baffling, oh well.

Oh yes, so she did

ANyway, just so you know, I'd go for an estate not a 4x4 though I would like 7 seats...