[Hugi]

For the past few years I've been driving an aging Volkswagen Golf called "Goebbels" (because it's small, loud, German and ugly). Not a bad car, but since I'm an avid hiker and mountaineer living in Iceland - not exactly suitable. Poor Goebbels has been stuck in snow in the mountains, stranded on rocks in the highlands, blown off the road in extreme winds etc. etc. Eventually the poor thing just gave up and plain died.

Which gave me an excuse to upgrade .
My choice: A '99 Range Rover with a 2.5 litre diesel engine:



I've had it for roughly two months and I love it. In a perverse way. I've taken it to the most ungodly places in the Icelandic higlands - and it's like floating around in an airconditioned sofa. Kind of surprising, given that it's (still) only equipped for city driving.

Any other RR owners around here?

[Hugi]

And for the heck of it: Good old Goebbels in a typical situation:



Edit: This was supposed to be an edit, not a new post. Oh well..

[abbaZaba]

I love the look of land rovers

[Doofy]

Sweet ride Hugi. I love the Mk2 Rangies.

[awaspaas]

What's the difference between a Land Rover and a Range Rover?

[Art Vandelay]

Land Rover is the company. Range Rover is the model.

[awaspaas]

Originally Posted by Art Vandelay 

Land Rover is the company. Range Rover is the model.

Not the best naming scheme. I bet a majority of the public uses them interchangeably.

[Dakarʒ]

It probably costs them 15% of possible sales.

[Hugi]

Thanks, all . Doofy, yeah, I think the MkII's look by far the best of the Rangies. The new ones look terrible compared to the P38's (except for the RR Sport which goes back to the P38A look).

Regarding the LR/RR naming scheme, well, the older Land Rovers were utility vehicles. Land Rover wanted to create a SUV for the general market (long before the word "SUV" existed) and tried (successfully) to distance the RR a bit from the traditional Land Rover reputation by giving it the new name.

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by Dakarʒ 

It probably costs them 15% of possible sales.

I disagree with your method of research. Please tear apart my post line by line detailing exactly why I'm wrong about everything I've said.

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by Hugi 

Doofy, yeah, I think the MkII's look by far the best of the Rangies. The new ones look terrible compared to the P38's (except for the RR Sport which goes back to the P38A look).

Totally agree.

[JMan09]

Nice car, I've always like the Range Rovers and other Land Rovers. And hopefully one day after college I'll be able to buy one.

[Sage]

Ooh, nice ride! And it’s also nice to see someone using it in its natural habitat – kudos to you.

[OreoCookie]

My father drove the predecessor for a while. Ugh, hated it. Even though it was large on the outside, the trunk was small and it drove like a tractor. Even the large V8 couldn't make it fast (yes, we drive fast on die Autobahn … ).

But I from what you put poor Goebbels through (Goebbels was limping, too), a car with 4wd sounds more reasonable anyway. Congrats and enjoy. I also prefer the design of yours to the boxy look of the predecessor.

[moonmonkey]

Originally Posted by awaspaas 

What's the difference between a Land Rover and a Range Rover?

Land Rovers were originally designed as a no frills military vehicle, like the British equivalent of a jeep (its design was actually inspired by the jeep), these are used by the military and farmers.

Range rovers were probably the worlds first luxury SUV, and have been around since 1970 and cost a fortune, these are mostly used by Yuppies and Gangsters.

The lines between the two have become a bit blurred with the Landrover discovery, which is used by yuppie farmers and military gangsters.

Very cool cars.

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by moonmonkey 

The lines between the two have become a bit blurred with the Landrover discovery, which is used by yuppie farmers and military gangsters.

...yuppie farmers and military gangsters who all happen to look exactly like farmers' wives.

(Until the Disco 3, of course, which is much more tasteless and bling than its predecessors - probably in an attempt to woo the urban (c)rap crowd away from their Escalades.)

[analogika]

Originally Posted by moonmonkey 

yuppie farmers

Ah, the yuppie farms of the West...

Rows and rows of Gucci- and Armani-clad handsomes, ready to be harvested and sold to large corporations - what a majestic sight!

Do you get better results planting them head-down or feet-down?

[Mastrap]

Originally Posted by Hugi 

My choice: A '99 Range Rover with a 2.5 litre diesel engine:

Nice engine.

They are amazingly capable cars.

[ajprice]

Originally Posted by awaspaas 

What's the difference between a Land Rover and a Range Rover?

Land Rover


Range Rover

[KeriVit]

Ssshhhhh. Don't tell Rob.

[Goldfinger]

Great looking machine but VERY unreliable. A family friend had two, they were both extremely unreliable.

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by Goldfinger 

Great looking machine but VERY unreliable. A family friend had two, they were both extremely unreliable.

I believe they'd got the reliability issues sorted by Hugi's model year.

[Laminar]

Originally Posted by KeriVit 

Ssshhhhh. Don't tell Rob.

Well, the guy offroads often, so it looks like he can justify owning an SUV.

[shinji]

Nice car- I like Range Rovers.

[imitchellg5]

Originally Posted by Laminar 

Well, the guy offroads often, so it looks like he can justify owning an SUV.

Yeah, but Rob would say you can do the same thing in an Outback. I like it though, I love Land Rovers. I have a friend with a Discovery II, it's a wonderful machine.

[Mastrap]

Originally Posted by Goldfinger 

Great looking machine but VERY unreliable. A family friend had two, they were both extremely unreliable.

I know what you mean - electronics in particular. But that was earlier and the 99 model should be fine. And with the diesel engine there should be even less problems.

[voodoo]

Nice ride! What did you pay for it?

V

[shifuimam]

Originally Posted by voodoo 

Nice ride! What did you pay for it?

V

No kidding. Aren't Range Rovers at the high end of the SUV market?

Not to mention the crap mileage you're going to get on that thing... sorry, but I'm just really biased against SUVs. They don't seem to make a lot of sense unless you plan on hauling really heavy things (like horse trailers and construction equipment), or you offroad all the time (which most SUVs can't actually do).

[Dakarʒ]

Did you not notice where he's using this thing to drive around?

[analogika]

Originally Posted by shifuimam 

No kidding. Aren't Range Rovers at the high end of the SUV market?

Not to mention the crap mileage you're going to get on that thing... sorry, but I'm just really biased against SUVs. They don't seem to make a lot of sense unless you plan on hauling really heavy things (like horse trailers and construction equipment), or you offroad all the time (which most SUVs can't actually do).

Do take a look at his location. Look up that weird-sounding name in Google if you have to.

Take a closer look at the image he posted of his car. Pay special attention to the background. That is not a press photo. That is his car, in the actual location he's using it.

Then take a look at his second post - the one with Goebbels half off the road. Notice anything about the environment?

Yes, this guy lives in the one place on the planet where NOT driving an SUV is a real problem.

[zro]

Originally Posted by analogika 

Yes, this guy lives in the one place on the planet where NOT driving an SUV is a real problem.

Beverly Hills?

[analogika]

Originally Posted by zro 

Beverly Hills?

That is a problem in itself.

[moonmonkey]

Originally Posted by analogika 

Do take a look at his location. Look up that weird-sounding name in Google if you have to.

He's in a vodka bar?

[analogika]

Exactly.

And he needs a car that won't fall over when he does.

[Railroader]

I love this place.

[analogika]

Yo.

[himself]

Originally Posted by Dakarʒ 

Did you not notice where he's using this thing to drive around?

Not to mention, it's a diesel engine. Shifuimam's mileage concerns don't apply.

[voodoo]

Ah for off-roading or highland-driving in Iceland, a diesel engine is a must. I would choose a Chevrolet Suburban, converted, myself. They come highly recommended.

V

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by voodoo 

Ah for off-roading or highland-driving in Iceland, a diesel engine is a must.

How come? Damp HT leads sort of thing?

[macintologist]

Range Rover is the only cool SUVs. Looking at any other SUV makes me think the owner wants to f**k his sister.

[Dakarʒ]

Nah, I'm quite fond of Jeeps.

[voodoo]

Originally Posted by Doofy 

How come? Damp HT leads sort of thing?

Yeah, lots of river crossing can really choke a petrol engine.. It is easier to set up a dedicated air intake hose on the roof on a diesel car. Also wet diesel engines can be restarted without the need to dry the spark-plugs (because diesels don't have these) and they use less fuel which makes it more convenient on long treks over the highlands where gas stations are few and far between (and space on board is not much for extra fuel).

There are many practival values for diesel engines when travelling in the highlands of Iceland.

V

[Dakarʒ]

Originally Posted by voodoo 

Also wet diesel engines can be restarted without the need to dry the spark-plugs (because diesels don't have these)

Yeah, I remember I tested the hell out of that theory when I was a teenager. My mother lent me her Diesel VW Quantum one day after it had poured, and my friend and I decided to spend the day finding every large puddle there was to blast through. The engine never sputtered.

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by voodoo 

Yeah, lots of river crossing can really choke a petrol engine.. It is easier to set up a dedicated air intake hose on the roof on a diesel car.

Ah, yeah. Figured it'd be something like that. Just wanted to confirm, since I've never been to Iceland and don't know the terrain.

[OreoCookie]

Originally Posted by Doofy 

How come? Damp HT leads sort of thing?

Diesels are more reliable (no spark plugs and electronics related to that), consume less and have a lot more torque than an equivalent petrol engine. Plus, you have a much larger range (the big Audi A8 Diesel -- a 300+ hp vehicle -- has a range of 1000+ km!) -- I guess that comes in handy in the Icelandic equivalent of `middle of nowhere'.

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by OreoCookie 

Diesels are more reliable (no spark plugs and electronics related to that), consume less and have a lot more torque than an equivalent petrol engine.

I own both diesel and petrol Jeeps and, as such, am well aware of the different design and performance characteristics. The question was more directed at the "in Iceland" part of the statement.

[WhozeJohnGalt]

I don't really care if this dude owns an SUV, as it seems like it will at least be used as an SUV should be used: Shitty conditions, tons of snow, off roads, etc.

If he's just using it on paved roads all the time to go the grocery store, that's stupid and wasteful.

[xi_hyperon]

Congrats, man. Wishing you plenty of travels free of troubles in the extremes nature offers there.

[voodoo]

Originally Posted by xi_hyperon 

Congrats, man. Wishing you plenty of travels free of troubles in the extremes nature offers there.

At the end of the civilized world.

V

[moonmonkey]

Originally Posted by voodoo 

At the end of the civilized world.

V

He's in Dover?