Survey Results: 4x4/SUV drivers amongst us...

["Aaron Bohnen" <bohnen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi everyone,

It's been a week since I offered up the following survey to members of the 
BMW digest:
- -----------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi everyone,

With winter approaching and the 4x4/SUV content increasing both here and in
Roundel, I think a little survey is in order. (And I'm supposed to be
illustrating a book right now but I'm bored...)

Do you (a BMW-pilot from our friendly little digest community here on the
internet) also drive a 4x4? If so, what is it, when do you use it, what do
you like about it (if anything)? Additionally, please feel free to add a
sentence or two of your thoughts on the 4x4/SUV issue, or in fact anything
else vaguely related...

Here's the question set:
- ---------------------
1. Name
2. BMW you drive regularly
3. 4x4 you drive
4. when do you drive your 4x4
5. what do you like about your 4x4
6. anything else you think is even slightly relevant
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------

Since then I have received a total of 15 email replies from 4x4 drivers 
amongst us. I also am one so that makes a total of 16 so far that have 
come forward.

Here is an abridged summary of the results and some purely personal 
subjective comments on them. Names are omitted to protect the innocent. 
<<<my hare-brained comments are in brackets like these>>>

- - '95 M3, '99 Grand Cherokee
- - carpool, weekends
- - ride height, hauling ability (incl. children, etc.)

 
- - '87 535is, '86 Bronco
- - construction, fishing, trailer towing
- - good off-road perf, poor mileage
  <<<E28 driver - cool!>>>


- - E36 325i, Scout 800A
- - Snow/crap/mud/mountains/weekends
- - old, ugly, funky, fun to drive
  <<<I loved our Scout - the removeable roof made it FUN too...>>>


- - '88 M3, '88 4Runner
- - daily commuter & winter car
- - cheap to drive (Toyota), sit high, go anywhere
  <<<I've gotta agree with this guy - my 4Runner was a champ too.>>>


- - '86 325, '94 Grand Cherokee
- - family long trip vehicle, and tow vehicle
- - great snow trip vehicle
  <<<My mother and stepfather have one of these - they like it.>>>


- - '98 M3/4, '95 Suburban
- - 95% - Wifemobile, 5% - Off road
- - holds all four sons plus a weeks worth of camping gear (in a Yak Rocket 
  Box)
  <<<We had a Suburban at one point - SPACIOUS!>>>


- - '94 325i, '83 LandCruiser (was), '93 Jeep GrandCherokee(now)
- - Hauling, and/or in wet, snowy or muddy conditions, etc.
- - function, versatility and durability
  <<<80's LandCruiser is a fine truck and a super 4x4. I love my '88.>>>


- - '97 328iC, '86 528e, '95 Ford Explorer
- - need cargo room, when it's snowing/etc, going into NYC, others don't work
- - It get's me where I want to go, cargo room, fairly comfortable. Reliable. 
- - [Kids would rather ride in the 4x4 than in the back seat of either of my 
  bimmers-- they say it's much more comfortable, especially for longer 
  drives (lots of room to stretch out, and the seats aren't so hard).]
   <<<I can buy that - remember taking long trips in back seats?>>>


- - '95 540 6 speed, '89 Bronco
- - Whenever I can (often as I can) Long Trips, Hunting, 4x4 Fun (Snow, Mud)
- - Comfortable,(I'am 6'3"/240) Safe, Fun, Fast (Quicker than my 540!)
  <<<The Bronco is heavily modified! Sounds like a hoot.>>>


- - '97 528i, '96 Suburban 2500 with a 454
- - 528i is in the shop, take kids (4) and their friends someplace, when we 
  go camping or skiing, or when going to Manhattan - NYC cabbies cringe.
- - ride, handling (Bilsteins), comfort, ACCELERATION...0-60 in 8.2 sec, 
  incredible midrange - from 50 to 90 in the blink of an eye - almost as 
  much fun as my E36 M3 was getting on and off parkways.
- - No, I wouldn't trade it for the BMW, nor would I want to drive it every   
  day - but boy, when I do drive it, I really like it!  
  <<<Another Suburban - they're a great truck and so BIG>>>


- - '98 M3/4, Ford Expedition, Toyota 4Runner
- - Expedition: my people and stuff hauler; holds 8 people, 4Runner: off- 
  roader; skiing, up mountains and other remote places during the summers
- - both are fairly luxurious, very comfortable, ride pretty good on highway, 
  great visibility in parking lots; pretty safe.
- - [If you don't need high clearance, mini-vans are probably superior
  to SUVs in almost every way -- except image. Thus, the bad rap is not 
  entirely unfounded.  But there are very good reasons to own an SUV, and 
  people shouldn't assume its for the wrong reasons.]
  <<<I think he's right about this>>>


- - '92 525i, '92 Suburban
- - Towing Sailboat, familymobile, camping vacations
- - heaviest passenger vehicle on the road(very safe), Simple to work on.
  <<<another Suburban - interesting pattern>>>


- - '88 535i, '78 Jeep Wagoneer (the big one), 401 (250hp, 350 ft/lbs of 
  torque), 4 barrel, dual exhaust, Yakima Roof Rack, Volvo Front Seats, 
  part time kit (originally full time 4wd)
- - When 535i isn't available (the jeep guzzles gas)
- - The original 4x4 SUV. 
- - {Design is archaic, but will lay rubber w/all four. Very capable 4x4, 
  Truck like on the road. Weird mixture of parts (GM, Ford, Chrysler, 
  AMC), but simple and easy to repair. Parts are cheap. Superior in 4x4 to 
  any other domestic SUV. Very high stock ground clearance, and fully 
  plated underneath. Plus cool wood trim. 
  <<<I never liked those wagoneers, but it did start the SUV market>>>


- - '90 325i/is, '98 Durango
- - utility vehicle; when my wife lets me; for family trips, especially if 
  we're going to the snow or to my brother-in-law's house in the Sierra, 
  down a dirt road and up a gravel driveway.- Holds 7 (with cup holders for 
  9!); tows great; handles about as well as any 4x4 truck can. 
- - Gas mileage sucks. Lacks a dead pedal. Goofy sun visor mount design.  
- - Wife uses it for hauling kids and dogs around (1 kid and 2 dogs are ours, 
  the rest are neighbors or friends)

  
- - '84 533i, '88 LandCruiser
- - true 4x4 uses, winter access/recreation, hauling people/stuff
- - superb 4x4 drivetrain, bulletproof build, lifetime reliability
- - the best all-around SUV/truck/4x4 I've ever had. At least as far as I'm 
  concerned the only *overall* more suitable truck would be a '90's 
  LandCruiser.
  <<<This is me.>>>
______________________________

So there's an abridged summary of the results of the 4x4 drivers/BMW pilots 
survey.

Hope you enjoyed it!

Best regards to all,

Aaron

___________________________________________________________
Aaron Bohnen                     email: bohnen@domain.elided
- -Ph.D. Student, Civil Engineering Department, U.B.C.
- -Technicraft Engineering Services

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End of bmw-digest V9 #618
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