Up to now, kept away from this topic, saw the word "4x4" and thought.here we go again! Live and let live is my attitude to all things, but i also like to keep things in perspective as well, so if its OK and justifiable for the "apparent" virtues of one thing to be greatly exaggerated, surely its fair to put thinks back in to a sort of fair perspective?
Phil. how can ONE colder winter in the last decade, be a justification for suggesting that people en mass buy a 4x4s? God i have been out all winter driving a 14 and 26 tonnes lorries which drive solely the rear wheels! and as yet not had any serious problems with this winter!
I also suspect [although cannot be arsed to check road tax rates] your vehicles £210 a year has been able to take advantage of the pre 2000 roadtax system ? or could it be the freeze on pre 2006 car?either way but sooner or later as time goes on your choice becomes more limited and i suspect a newer version of whatever you drive would cost considerable more.
Having said that there are indeed a few fair sized 4x4 that dip under the £210.
But what difference does that make anyway? If you are happy and like what you drive, good, but why try justifying something you have no need to?but if you do feel the need to do so, surely you should be more careful of what you say, because it might actually not come across as much of a justification if someone does decide to make comparisons.
I mean is a few days of snow really a good justification to use in your statement for having a 4x4? what about words like reliable and comfortable? are smaller cars driving two wheels less reliable or indeed less comfortable? Do you have to have a large 4X4 so you can see into the car becide you?
Do you actually consider 34mpg urban and 24 mpg towing, to be good mpg in this day?or indeed £210 roadtax to be good?
I certainly don't, and really using this type of info as a means to "try" to justify anything seems rather a waste of time, and like I said earlier why bother.But you did so can I make a comparison using my own old bangers?
Seat Alhambra 130tdi [04] and ford Mondeo 2.2. [06] both are comfortable both are reliable, both are cheaper to tax than you car, both are actually quite big cars, with huge boots. as well..and both can do 50 plus mpg urban and crack 30 mpg towing my 1500kg caravan.
Tyres and brake pads certainly cost no more than your example, and on top of that the Mondeo is one hell of a grand tourer too.
So emmerson you wont find envy from my quarter, but I do wonder why you feel the need to use such an inaccurate statement anyway