off roading and the recession

[lambert]

Hi, just been mooching round the modified section and it seems that quite a few project cars are getting re-homed. I put that down to the recession which is fair enough. However there must be some sort of market out there in order to shift these projects. So who is buying them if the people that build them can't afford to keep them.
It's the same on YouTube there seem to be less and less new 4x4 related clips out there as if people have stopped playing with their trucks?
Or am I getting the recession wrong, is there still loads of free cash out there to support playing with 4x4's. Is there a wave of new talent out there learning its craft just waiting to be discovered?

[Range Rover Blues]

The price of fuel has forced a lot of our "regular crew" into Euroboxs.  Some of us now have kids too but that's just us.

It seems people with jobs are just as well off as always, but more cautious and the cost of living has outpaced pay rises regulalry.  Then there's those of us who are suffering because of the cutbacks.

Add to that it's no longer PC to be enjoying yourelf OR driving a 4x4,  I think a lot of people are keeping themselves to themselves.

Either that or they sold the camcorder to buy new tyres

But yes I agree things have gone VERy quiet, just look how slowly the new website is filling up, compare that to how quickly it got going the first time around.

[LandRoger]

I did post something along these lines in the Greenlaning section , i am out on Salisbury Plain 7 days 365 and have noticed since the rise in fuel prices and the general lack of money available  there is a huge downturn in the amount of people laneing out here
we have the most lanes in Wiltshire of any county in UK so this is a good gauge as to whats going on, think people have enough of a problem just keeping the road car T/T MOTed let alone keeping maintaining a toy and it shows in the breakers/scrappies with more offroad trucks appearing than ive ever seen before, no i think people are still just as keen on our hobby but making ends meet is more important right now,  my truck is my every day ride and liveing on the Plain means i drive the lanes every day
and i know how very very lucky i am , ATB Dodger.

[drfence]

i for one 3 years ago had mick at mrm services build me a defender (fantastic job) built from the chassis up and used as 3rd vehicle as a weekend toy,then daughter came along and put paid to that  as well as fuel,insurance and the closure of lanes,very few people now can afford 4x4 as toys unless there trucks pay there way

[Thrasher]

Sold my pride and joy for next to nothing. Sad.

[drfence]

Sold my pride and joy for next to nothing. Sad.

if its any consulation i took a massive hit on the defender,and the lad that brought it wrote it off 

[Thrasher]

I have no idea if Piglet is still in one piece 

Luckily I still have some photos and a model 

[Frankie-Boy]

I have pics of Piglet too, mostly swathed in clouds of steam after fording 

[lambert]

Don't get me wrong I don't go out playing at all cos I can't afford the risk of repairs on what is essentially a works truck(don't feel sorry though as I'm a farmer so there is no shortage of off roading) but I do think were I in a different position I would hock in the fender for a fast road car like a 911 as there are more and better opportunities to have fun that way.

[Saffy]

My defender has been an absolute pig for faults the last few months, the list is LONG and has been costing up to from 50 to 200 per month just for parts. Working full time and using the truck for commuting means running repairs on the drive at night and weekends or borrowing another vehicle. Laning trips has taking a back burner, but I work in Chitterne on Salisbury Plains so occasionally take the scenic routes so the truck remembers what it is for. I am planning on doing direct access to obtain full motorbike license  and getting a bike that I can use for commute and laning. The cost of that won't give me any benefit short term but I guess in over a few years it's going to make sense on the wallet....be fun anyway.

Last few month I have had...
Replace two rear tyres.
Replaced rear section of exhaust as it was broken.
UJ seize unexpectedly without warning.Replaced ALL propshaft UJ's.
Heater matrix coolant leak causing low coolant alarm to sound- bypassed matrix and now relying on the eberspacher for heat.
Blockage in fuel line caused breakdown.
Leak in rear fuel tank, Replaced with new tank- broke the fuel sender... replaced with spare.
Blockage in front fuel tank line caused another breakdown.
Leak in the fricken front fuel tank - can't be arsed to replace the custom tank so de-commissioned entire veg oil conversion. Going to cut top off tank and use aux battery box.
Fuel filter replaced.
Engine oil/filter 4000 mile service. Cleaned K&N filter.
Throttle cable snapped in Warminster after works curry night, had to drive home with a wire attached to  linkage and used a hand throttle. - new throttle cable fitted.
Eberspacher stopped working - fixed itself after pulling it out for inspection.
All bulbs in the dash panel have blown except the temp gauge.
Replaced missing bolt in exhaust manifold that had caused a leak and weird noise.

[LandRoger]

Don't get me wrong I don't go out playing at all cos I can't afford the risk of repairs on what is essentially a works truck(don't feel sorry though as I'm a farmer so there is no shortage of off roading) but I do think were I in a different position I would hock in the fender for a fast road car like a 911 as there are more and better opportunities to have fun that way.

 

So what are these better opportunities for fun in a 911??????  all i can think of is a better opportunity to pay more insurance :rolleyes:and a great opportunity to spend more time in filling stations/workshops as they take loads of expensive servicing to keep them in tune -my son had a 02 model for a while and soon went back to a Supercharged Rangie,

[Drift]

Its kicked my butt the recession.
Last year I was made redundant after 23 years, I have done various temporary jobs and kept some money coming in but the uncertainty of this has impacted greatly on my green laning.
I need the truck to keep going and keep reliable as other than her car my 4x4 is my daily hack.
The irony is I have had time to modify it more but not the financial confidence to use it for fear of breaking it or better usage of the fuel money.
I am working on contract at the moment and its looking good for permanent in March, but you never know and until then I fear its going to be the same situation.

Truck looks great now though   

[lambert]

Don't get me wrong I don't go out playing at all cos I can't afford the risk of repairs on what is essentially a works truck(don't feel sorry though as I'm a farmer so there is no shortage of off roading) but I do think were I in a different position I would hock in the fender for a fast road car like a 911 as there are more and better opportunities to have fun that way.

 

So what are these better opportunities for fun in a 911??????  all i can think of is a better opportunity to pay more insurance :rolleyes:and a great opportunity to spend more time in filling stations/workshops as they take loads of expensive servicing to keep them in tune -my son had a 02 model for a while and soon went back to a Supercharged Rangie,

Yeah I know what you mean fun is expensive nowadays and the opportunity to go back 20 years to 50p a liter is never going to happen. But to my mind a fast road car is more discrete and a bit less un pc than a 4x4 that and the rate at which lanes are being put beyond use by motors does beg the question of why not swap if I'm not tied to the 90 for work?

[LandRoger]

My twin cab Mitsy L200 is the perfect vehical for me  cant see myself driving an ordinary car  problem being the Mitsy has no soul or character but it does most things well ,now the 90 ive just sold "old Jack" was so endearing but ive reached the age when its hard to be keen in the winter mornings knowing that the heater wont heat for ages and i will get a ice bath from the condensation dripping from the mass of bare metal every time i hit a pothole in the road, so even if i stopped laning i would still drive a 4x4 just a more refined and cosy one but fact is wont stop laning its hard to break a 35 year habit.

[YT]

Money is tight. I'm on disability benifits and my cherokee is my toy,  and everyday hack. I was unable to get a 4x4 on motability, they wanted 2k advance payment on a jimny !!hence I had to buy the cherry. I can't afford to break it or have it off the road. I DO still have a play, it just requires a bit of restraint to minimise the chance of breakage, ok a 4L petrol isn't the cheapest to run, but it's a crackin drive, and I'm willing to put up with 12mpg round town.

[dxmedia]

Money is tight. I'm on disability benifits and my cherokee is my toy,  and everyday hack. I was unable to get a 4x4 on motability, they wanted 2k advance payment on a jimny !!hence I had to buy the cherry. I can't afford to break it or have it off the road. I DO still have a play, it just requires a bit of restraint to minimise the chance of breakage, ok a 4L petrol isn't the cheapest to run, but it's a crackin drive, and I'm willing to put up with 12mpg round town.

Sorry hate to be a stick in the mud, but that last post doesn't sit with me.

Money it tight. You have bought a 2nd car as a toy. It's a 4.0 Jeep. It does 12 to the gallon but that doesn't bother you, but money is tight.

I think a lot of this recession is hype being PUMPED AND PUMPED AND PUMPED by the media and the .gov. The torys are in power, they have one adgenda and that is to keep things they way they were (conservative) and that is for us, they working people, to make money for them, the toffs.

If there is no money about and every one is up [!Expletive Deleted!] creak then why was the 2011 christmas sales season one of the biggest to date? The government it trying desperatly to stop people from having money (wage cuts, high fuel prices, pension increases, fear), but the reality of it is, there is little credit out there but it doesn't mean that people don't have money.

[dxmedia]

I also think that greenlaning is dying. In the past 36 months it's gone from a bit of banter from the bobble hats to any chav with a 4x4 and a trailer ripping the lanes apart to the media getting involved big time, BBC putting on tv programs... news papers... very high profile (snowdon) court cases.

Greenlaning is dying, public opinion has shifted in recent months and they don't want 4x4's ripping up their beautiful nation parks. And, to be honest, I don't blame them. I'm on a number of forums, and on EVERY SINGLE ONE people claim to abide by all of the glass rules, and then along come the photo's of lanes being used like winch challenge mud runs, people going off piste and basically acting like arses. And these are the pics which are being put up. Just look at youtube for more and more and more examples.

I'll give it 5 years before all greenlanes are closed unless for access only. 

[lambert]

Such optimism makes me glad I has access rights.

[LandRoger]

The way things are going it could be less than 5 years yesterday out on Salisbury Plain the MOD Police noted and broke up a convoy of 52 vehicals  yes 52 trucks in a line some idiot on U Tube suggested they have a (just tag on event) so they decended on the Plain by the dozens including illegal trucks on trailers it reminded me of the recent riots where the idiots just said sod it we will do what we want, some areas had people going just anywhere they fancied taking no notice of the dangers of the impact area if someone had got blown to bits that would of been the end of public vehicals on the plains, :rolleyes:think the total IQ of these people combined was .5 i was ashamed to be out there driving a prepped 4x4 had to go home i was so damned angry  ,only popped out for an hour to walk the dogs,

On the otherside of the coin last week we had a team of people erecting new Boat signs these dedicated peeps doing this unpaid job in there holiday time were from the exellent Tread lightly team also Dale Wyatt and team from Wilts Glass org,the signs are black/white WCC and red/white when red flags are flying MOD, they are doing the whole plain so plenty to do -have put myself and truck forward to help in the best Mud club tradition

[Saffy]

I put my name forward many months ago to dig holes for those signs but never heard a peep, not even a noted thanks but no thanks.... but that's GLASS for you.... they don't get my monies anymore.

[LandRoger]

Saffy i think the man to talk to in your case would be Stevie Goodz  think he is the organiser for the jobs ,

[YT]

Money is tight. I'm on disability benifits and my cherokee is my toy,  and everyday hack. I was unable to get a 4x4 on motability, they wanted 2k advance payment on a jimny !!hence I had to buy the cherry. I can't afford to break it or have it off the road. I DO still have a play, it just requires a bit of restraint to minimise the chance of breakage, ok a 4L petrol isn't the cheapest to run, but it's a crackin drive, and I'm willing to put up with 12mpg round town.

Sorry hate to be a stick in the mud, but that last post doesn't sit with me.

Money it tight. You have bought a 2nd car as a toy. It's a 4.0 Jeep. It does 12 to the gallon but that doesn't bother you, but money is tight.

I think a lot of this recession is hype being PUMPED AND PUMPED AND PUMPED by the media and the .gov. The torys are in power, they have one adgenda and that is to keep things they way they were (conservative) and that is for us, they working people, to make money for them, the toffs.

If there is no money about and every one is up [!Expletive Deleted!] creak then why was the 2011 christmas sales season one of the biggest to date? The government it trying desperatly to stop people from having money (wage cuts, high fuel prices, pension increases, fear), but the reality of it is, there is little credit out there but it doesn't mean that people don't have money.

You seem to have mis read my post. I actually said the cherry was my toy AND everyday hack. It's NOT a second car, it's the only car. As it came up for

[Bishops Finger]

Just keep doing it.....52 vehicles on lanes...were reg numbers taken?  Owners sites hassled..?

[LandRoger]

Just keep doing it.....52 vehicles on lanes...were reg numbers taken?  Owners sites hassled..?
[/qu
ote]   
     
   Mod Police didnt have the manpower to deal with them all as they like everyone else had a lot of the force on holiday, they were stopping the illegal trucks ie no RTax, Ins,Mot,etc,the rest of them did a starburst and legged it away, the did do a load of filming so probably grab some at a later date hopefully ,

[YT]

The long and short of it is, people dont have the same amount of disposable cash they had. There is a large problem with knobs who dont give a sh*t about anyone else playing off piste. the only chance of keeping byways open long term would be an 'registered 4x4' scheme, where clubs/forums would register with CC's with the assurence that that group/club/forum would abide by whtrever code of conduct, and also suply photos of any off piste use by others. YES, grass them up. I have seen folk say, I'll never be a grass !, your call, grass up inconsiderate pratts, or loose yer hobby. Unfortunatly, this would require ALL the clubs and forums to buy into this,. The problem with this is, there are too many keyboard warriors who can bitch whine and complain all year long, but when it comes time to front up and be a bit proactive to save our passtime, they're nowhere to be seen, or spend an hour typing a post about all the downsides and pitfalls.
 It's heading for the start of a new year, perhaps a new approach is needed.You can be proactive, AND stay within the law.

[dxmedia]

The long and short of it is, people dont have the same amount of disposable cash they had. There is a large problem with knobs who dont give a sh*t about anyone else playing off piste. the only chance of keeping byways open long term would be an 'registered 4x4' scheme, where clubs/forums would register with CC's with the assurence that that group/club/forum would abide by whtrever code of conduct, and also suply photos of any off piste use by others. YES, grass them up. I have seen folk say, I'll never be a grass !, your call, grass up inconsiderate pratts, or loose yer hobby. Unfortunatly, this would require ALL the clubs and forums to buy into this,. The problem with this is, there are too many keyboard warriors who can bitch whine and complain all year long, but when it comes time to front up and be a bit proactive to save our passtime, they're nowhere to be seen, or spend an hour typing a post about all the downsides and pitfalls.
 It's heading for the start of a new year, perhaps a new approach is needed.You can be proactive, AND stay within the law.

Get yourself over to youtube then, I'm sure that there's a thousand or ten number plates you can post off to the authorities for illegal offroading with video proof.

[dxmedia]

And lets start with the mud-club gallery

http://www.mud-club.com/index.php?action=flickrgallerybrowser&setid=72157626988192029

Can see at least 1 photo in there of a truck off the track, also a picture of a truck going down a lane which should have been left due to existing damage.

There you go, there's number plates and everything, go phone the police.

[YT]

And lets start with the mud-club gallery

http://www.mud-club.com/index.php?action=flickrgallerybrowser&setid=72157626988192029

Can see at least 1 photo in there of a truck off the track, also a picture of a truck going down a lane which should have been left due to existing damage.

There you go, there's number plates and everything, go phone the police.

Oh dear. Did someone steal your toys in the past couple of days ?
Not only are you incapibale of reading posts correctly, you also seem to take the hump when YOUR mistake is POLITELY pointed out to you. I would be more than willing to participate in any scheme, unlike yourself (you seem very quick to pass responsibility). Take a chill pill, wind your neck in and start reading posts properly, then you won't have people correct your errors.

[Saffy]

[lambert]

saffy you are a bad man.