"How often do you actually need to put it in 4-wheel???" Take it from a old desert rat, it isn't how often you shift into 4WD, it is how often you get stopped or stuck in a short patch of sand or a single deep rut on an otherwise fine 2WD road.
Cheers, Jim -----Original Message----- From: Malcolm McCallum <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Sent: Thu, 9 Aug 2007 4:33 pm Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Field-worthy SUV Doesn't it strike anyone kind of strange that this discussion about which SUV to choose popped up right amidst a discussion about wastefulness? I suggest that 90% of us using 4-wheel drive SUVs for research really don't need them. How often do you actually need to put it in 4-wheel??? Just stoking the fire here! On Thu, August 9, 2007 3:33 pm, Mike Marsh wrote: > Robert, if you don't mind something old, find (with difficulty nowadays) > a pre1985 Toyota land cruiser, also known in Australia as a "troopie". > these are instantly recognizeable by the completely box-like cabin, and > the long-wheelbase model was designed to carry a squad of 8 soldiers in > the rear sitting sidewise on two parallel benches, with a bench seat in > front. The chassis and suspension is mor reminiscent of a locomotive > than a truck completely solid. There is a manual, low-hi range > transmission. You have to get out to lock or unlock the front hubs for 4 > wheel drive. A diesel model will chug down the road at 55 mph forever, > cross rivers, tow less bush-worthy vehicles, etc. > We went to Australia in 2001 to cross the continent with local friends > from Sydney to the Kimberleys. We bought a used long wheelbase 1984 > troopie, had oil leaks in the front hubs fixed, and set out on a 3 week > expedition. We covered 10,000 kilometers, perhaps 1/3 of it on unsealed > (unpaved) roads of various degrees of roughness, had no breakdowns (well > ,the clutch was slipping the last 600 km), one flat tire, and came away > loving our vehicle, which we sold to a friend. You must not need to go > fast, as the fuel economy drops. With 2 fuel tanks you have 400+ mile > range. > Mike Marsh >> Subject: >> Re: field-worthy SUV >> From: >> William Silvert <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> Date: >> Tue, 7 Aug 2007 18:16:59 +0100 >> >> >> I'm no expert on this, but colleagues who have worked in Africa swear >> by the Toyota pickups. They run circles around Land Rovers and the like. >> >> Bill Silvert >> >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Robert Long" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> To: <ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU> >> Sent: Tuesday, August 07, 2007 1:23 PM >> Subject: field-worthy SUV >> >> >>> Hi folks, >>> >>> This is a fairly general question, but I'm looking for a small- or >>> mid-sized >>> SUV to serve as a field vehicle. It will be used extensively both on- >>> and >>> off-highway, although need not be capable of truly ruggged >>> off-roading. A >>> good amount of rear cargo space would be best (which eliminates some >>> of the >>> smaller SUVs like the Honda CRV), and decent gas mileage will be a >>> strong >>> plus. >>> >>> Can anyone recommend a few makes and models based on personal >>> experience in >>> the field? >>> >>> Thanks, >>> >>> Robert > Malcolm L. McCallum Assistant Professor of Biology Editor Herpetological Conservationa and Biology [EMAIL PROTECTED] [EMAIL PROTECTED] ________________________________________________________________________ AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about what's free from AOL at AOL.com.
