Launch Vehicles (again ... oh no!!!)

[Jono]

Sorry Chrisallse, but one of my 110's covered 1/4 mill. miles all on its lonesome and I still don't agree with you. This despite having many, many of Solihulls products from 88's to 130's and pretty much all in between. If you want to make them the "best" off-road you gotta work on 'em. Take a look at the picture of the 100" monster towing the Shakespeare I posted a while. Great vehicle, but hardly standard.By the way? What vehicle did they use for the first Camel Trophy? Answers on a post card please...

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by Jono

What vehicle did they use for the first Camel Trophy? Answers on a post card please...

Jeeps. But they couldn't really hack it so they changed to Land Rovers after that!

John

PS Sorry, couldn't find a postcard . . .

[chrisallse]

Thats fine Jono, i dont expect anyone to agree with me. I know what i like and I buy what i like...but that said you must have either liked yours or been a glutten for punishment

[Jono]

Originally Posted by John Kennett

Jeeps. But they couldn't really hack it so they changed to Land Rovers after that!

John

PS Sorry, couldn't find a postcard . . .

smartarse!.. and what was the first centre steer LR chassis?

[Jono]

Originally Posted by chrisallse

Thats fine Jono, i dont expect anyone to agree with me. I know what i like and I buy what i like...but that said you must have either liked yours or been a glutten for punishment

Abso - bloomin - lutely! I love 'em to bits and currently have a 110 hardtop as my "company car". My Wife drives a Freelander. But that don't mean I think they're "The Best". I like their idiosyncratic ways.. really I do...

[Brambles]

Ladies & gentlemen,

Moving away from the 4 x 4 debate for a second, I give you my vote for the ultimate tow vehicle

Good night

[bogib]

I can´t resist after reading ashbypower´s post about Hummer to send picture of mine. Good for towing but a heck of a tractor in city driving.

[Phil Davies]

Originally Posted by Jono

But that don't mean I think they're "The Best". I like their idiosyncratic ways.. really I do...

And that's the whole point. In the same way that TVR owners recognise that their cars are appallingly put together and will mercilessly slag them off to each other, you'll never hear any of them uttering a bad word about them outside the 'inner circle'. They accept the annoying faults and readily expect them to break down terminally at least once a year, in exchange for seriously large doses of sideways fun and burbling V8's

[John Kennett]

Originally Posted by Jono

smartarse!.. and what was the first centre steer LR chassis?

Don't know for sure, but I'd guess that it looked pretty similar to a Willys Jeep!

John

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by Jono

...and take a good look round your house and business... how many of the products that you have brought are actually MADE in the UK?

That is the whole point - ask any Yank - German - Italian Froggie etc and they will actually stop and consider where a product is made before making the final purchase - how many British people do that?

Reebok used to sell trainers in the USA in Union Jack boxes - they wouldn't dare do that in the UK!

As to looking around my home

Surround sound system - Joe Pubic think Jap stuff is the business - for not a lot more you can get real high end British stuff

I have a mixture of Celestion - Tannoy - A+R(cambridge) - KEF and Mission - awesome stuff - well made and sounds amazing - I paid about the same as my mates Jap system and it knocks spots off it.

Remember the British music hardware industry is similar in many respects to the RIB one - lots of small independents.

TV is made in Bridgend - admittedly by a JAP firm.

Cooker is a Tricity - works fine and hasn't broken down in 10 yrs - halogen etc

Washing machine and tumble drier are Hotpoint - again seem to wash clothes quite well.

Surely as many of you here are in business yourselves it must make sense to buy a local product and keep OUR economey buoyent and not someone elses?

Mate of mine builds lots of houses and is very rich - buys all sorts of foreign stuff - Mercs etc - doesn't realise that by buying local more people will have more money to buy HIS houses!!!

[boatster]

HOw about Mitsubishi Pajeros/Monteros. I forgot what they're called in the UK though. I have a Montero here in the US and I love it. Great mileage, reliability, powerful enough to tow my 4.0 avon rib.

Adam

[bogib]

Hi Boatster, in UK they are named Shogun, see Janet&Bill writing on this thread earlier today.

I could always borrow Jón Baldur´s Trabant as it has legal and approved towbar fitted.......... is totally neat in city traffic and parking nearly everywhere needs only just over half marked car park .............

[boatster]

That is correct. The names slipped my mind. Anyways they are great trucks indeed. I have no idea how strong the feeling for domestic vehicles is in the UK but over here in California/US you'd be crazy to drive an American domestic. Crap I tell ya!!!

[bogib]

boatster you can tell me as I owe Chrysler LHS

[boatster]

Oh!!! I'm sorry

[bogib]

No problem my mate boatster, I am familiar with European, American and Japanese cars, also I have Dodge Ram 3500, Subaru Legacy and Skoda Octavia do travel a bit to UK and US and hire rent a car most times.

[Dave Clarkson]

Originally Posted by gavin

the reason Rover, is such bad quality, is because it is too unionised

I'm sorry Gavin but that's total bollocks. The Nissan car plant in Newcastle, the Toyota plant in Derby are both unionised plants and are some of the most productive and best quality plants in the world. It's too simplistic a view to say that there is one cause. It's a combination of piss poor attitude of both the management and workforce, poor design, past under investment and above all insufficient respect of the determination of the Japs to build the best quality cars.

[jwalker]

Originally Posted by chrisallse

They are built like BSH's far tougher than Jeeps etc...just get under a defender and have a look at the Chassis, running gear etc...there is no better tow vehicle.......and they look great too

Not.

I've spent many an unhappy hour looking at the chassis...welding it, and the lace curtain inner wings and the front and rear body to chassis mounts and the front foot wells. Then there's that terrible steering box which leaks after, er, no time at all and that dismantleable draglink ball joint which regularly fails and that top A frame axle ball which is almost unremovable because of the rust. Oh yes, then the rusting inner sills, and the corroding brake pipes under the front wings and the shaking skuttles and, and, and... Take your blinkers off guys.

However, there are two threads here; 1, Which is the toughest off road vehicle and, 2, Which is the best luxury vehicle with leather, air con, etc. which will also pull your boat up a slip and cope with the sand and shingle.

Thanks, Chris, for showing us the pre-warped panels. I didn't have a picture to hand.

[Windchill]

Saltwater, aluminium, steel, all together at once!!!

And, it is said that Lasndies were invented on Anglesey - for hunting sheeps I believe. Trouble is, sheeps are now faster!!

If I could afford anything not on HP Phil, the ultimate pose I saw some years ago was a smart new Aston on Nefyn beach with a dirty old Seagull o/b in the boot - distain for money or what!!! That would be my choice!!

[Brambles]

Originally Posted by Chris Murray

After lots of excellent advice from members of this forum, it seems that I need to buy a large 4 x 4 (for an 8.5 Scorpion) with an automatic gearbox.

Chris,

One thing's for sure you will not be disappointed with the boat!

What engine(s) did you decide on?