Hummers

[Bavarian Boy M3]

I know this is probably a cliche, but i just hate these monsters. they have absolutely no purpose, seeing as to maybe 1% of owners ever take them offroad. they are ugly, horrible on the environment, slow, and dangerous to other drivers, just like all other SUV's. the hummer is just an extreme example of an SUV. and why would any sane person ever lower, put aftermarket rims, etc. on a hummer, or for that matter, an escalade or navigator or any other SUV? im glad in a way that this gas crisis is coming, because it will force SUV drivers to buy an economical, REAL car.


and while this is off topic, why is there the word "sport" in sport utility vehicle? i know im not the only one who knows these things aint exactly sporty.

[landyacht]

I say if you have the money and want a toy and do those things to it, power to you.

My

[ExtreemATV]

Bavarian Boy M3 the main reason that people will customose there SUV is the same reason that they if you had a normal car, but you have more of a variety on what to do. When you start of you do one thin at a time and on thing leads to another and you end up with a monster ot fit for the road.

With SUV's the fule economy is much cheaper than a normal car because the engine isnt woking to push the car (RWD) or to pull the car (FWD) it is desined to drive with all wheels moving the car this dosen't do anything to the fule economy.

[Jimster]

Then why do Excursions and Hummers struggle to make up double digit MPG figures?


I say make it so that to drive an SUV (or Ute) of any sort you should need a special licence.

[Z_Fanatic]

Originally Posted by ExtreemATV

With SUV's the fule economy is much cheaper than a normal car because the engine isnt woking to push the car (RWD) or to pull the car (FWD) it is desined to drive with all wheels moving the car this dosen't do anything to the fule economy.

huh? Not all SUVs are 4WD, and even the AWDs aren't real off-road vehicles. And uh, hate to break it to ya, but most SUVs get less mileage than regular cars, it's just common sense. SUVs with off-road capabilities are real gas guzzlers, i.e. 4WD mode.

[ExtreemATV]

Not all SUVs are 4WD, and even the AWDs aren't real off-road vehicles.

car manufactures mark a vehicle as an AWD (All Wheel Drive) so if you were to take it off road they wont be blamed for any damaged because it is not marked as a 4WD.

SUVs with off-road capabilities are real gas guzzlers, i.e. 4WD mode.

you being a motorbike fan you wouldn't know that there are 3 modes 4WD can be in 2WD, High Range, and Low Range 4WD. 2WD is when you are in the city, High Range is when you are going over 70km/h so you don't wast alot of petrol, and Low Raing is when you realy want the strength out of the 4 wheels and that is when you waist the most amount of petrol. AWD only have 1 mode and that is and it is tecnical, they normully star of as RWD and when it detects a slight slip in the rear diferential then the front tyres get traction, this power to all wheels.

[Z_Fanatic]

Originally Posted by ExtreemATV

car manufactures mark a vehicle as an AWD (All Wheel Drive) so if you were to take it off road they wont be blamed for any damaged because it is not marked as a 4WD.



you being a motorbike fan you wouldn't know that there are 3 modes 4WD can be in 2WD, High Range, and Low Range 4WD. 2WD is when you are in the city, High Range is when you are going over 70km/h so you don't wast alot of petrol, and Low Raing is when you realy want the strength out of the 4 wheels and that is when you waist the most amount of petrol. AWD only have 1 mode and that is and it is tecnical, they normully star of as RWD and when it detects a slight slip in the rear diferential then the front tyres get traction, this power to all wheels.

how is that even relevant to what I said? it is a no-brainer that more fuel consumption when you have more tires spinning and more weight. figure it out. even if the SUV is FWD, the weight alone pushes down to 18-20 mpg, plus the power of the engine and the weight it's hauling are accountable variables. and those AWD systems are quite useless for off-roading in today's SUVs, they're different than real 4X4.

I test drove Land Rover Discovery during off-road demonstrations and almost bought one, so me being a motorbike fan... that made no sense at all.

[Broadsword2004]

Well I say screw functionality, you buy what you want. So many people act like you should just buy a vehicle for what you need; this is America, not the military. If you like big SUVs, then fine, buy 'em, if you can afford them is my motto.

[Neutrino]

Originally Posted by ExtreemATV

With SUV's the fule economy is much cheaper than a normal car because the engine isnt woking to push the car (RWD) or to pull the car (FWD) it is desined to drive with all wheels moving the car this dosen't do anything to the fule economy.

Please don't tell you are actually trying to say that SUVs get better mileage because of AWD?

Originally Posted by ExtreemATV

AWD only have 1 mode and that is and it is tecnical, they normully star of as RWD and when it detects a slight slip in the rear diferential then the front tyres get traction, this power to all wheels.

Do not lecture bavarian boy when you have no clue yourself. Most AWD cars nowadays are full time AWD generally with a 50/50 split that varies acording to tire slippage. And some AWD cars do have more than one mode, the 99+ Jeep Grand cherokees have a low transfer case for when the going gets tuff.

The system you described is present in only a few SUVs nowadays, FX series for example which employ the same system as the gtr skyline.

[ToyTundra]

I thought "sport" in SUV was from the sportsmen who used them to hunt/camp/explore before SUVs were "in." Am i right?

Originally Posted by Neutrino

The system you described is present in only a few SUVs nowadays, FX series for example which employ the same system as the gtr skyline.

Chevy suburbans have "auto 4wd" which also engages 4wd when there is slippage. It seems too complicated to be practical IMO.

@Bavarian Boy M3:
Yes some SUVs are large, but it is up to the driver to decide where to go/ not go. A smart person will stay out of small parking lots. Some do use their vehicles for what they were designed for (me ). As for the "bling" it is stupid IMO. I blame the rappers for starting the big rims on SUVs

[ExtreemATV]

99+ Jeep Grand cherokees have a low transfer case for when the going gets tuff.

the 1999 Jeep Grand Chrokees were not named as a AWD it was named as a 4WD and when it gets tuff it certently dose .

[quote]Please don't tell you are actually trying to say that SUVs get better mileage because of AWD?quote]

The Toyota Rav4 has been marked as the mosed economical car in australia.

Do not lecture bavarian boy when you have no clue yourself. Most AWD cars nowadays are full time AWD generally with a 50/50 split that varies acording to tire slippage.

my old man owns a Rav4 befor he owned a Musso Turbo Diesel, the Musso was not constant 4WD but i will tell you one thing, that thing is that we only had to fill that beast 1 every 2 weeks. even though he used it every day doing about 100km. with the Rav4 which he purchesed 2 weeks ago he hasnt realy had time to check the economy. befor he had the musso he had a falcon and was forced to chaing it to gas because it was drinking petrol like water.

The system you described is present in only a few SUVs nowadays, FX series for example which employ the same system as the gtr skyline.

the system is simmelar but not the same. i was driving me old mans car on the weekend and yes it is a constant AWD car but not 50/50 it is most likely to be a 70/30 but it is constantly chainging sometimes 50/50 and sometimes 60/40 it is all done troungh a computer.

Do not lecture bavarian boy when you have no clue yourself.

i have had my head under the hood of a 4WD all my life if it was my old mans Musso, Or my cousins Jeep, or my uncles Land Cruser, and i have even worked on a R32 skyline GTSt

[Broadsword2004]

4WD is divided into 3 versions: Part-time 4WD, Full-time 4WD, and Automatic 4WD. Part-time means the vehicle operates in 2WD normally and you have to lock it into 4WD, which usually locks the center differential. Thus the front and rear axles are locked together, making it part-time since; even though such a system will ride okay on pavement when engaged, you'll wear the hell out of the transfer case since the axles should be able to turn at their own rate. Companies know most SUV owners are dumbos when it comes to 4WD systems, so they make sure the vehicle will still drive with the part-time system engaged, they just say not to do it in the vehicle's manual. But for idiots, it will still move along and not throw you out of control.

Full-time 4WD means power goes to all 4 wheels, but the front, center, and rear differentials are all open. Thus, yeah, power goes to all 4 wheels, but if one wheel starts slipping, all power goes to that wheel. Such a system is okay for like ice patches and stuff, but that is why all Jeep Cherokees that had full-time 4WD also had the part-time mode; cuz the part-time mode locks the center differential. Toyota Land Cruisers, which are full-time 4WD, allow you to lock the center and rear differentials, and on older models, the front differential.

Automatic 4WD is just what it sounds; it is automatic 4WD. NOT AWD. Automatic 4WD is when the vehicle operates in 2WD mode, then when wheel-slippage is detected, bam, it locks it into 4WD. Power does not go from this wheel to that wheel, etc....it just locks it into 4WD, probably a part-time 4WD mode.

AWD can operate in a lot of ways, but basically awd means the vehicle sends power "from the wheels that slip to the wheels that grip" as Subaru puts it. A lot of AWD vehicles may be labeled as full-time 4WD and vice-versa, but that is incorrect. Full-time 4WD is just that: full-time 4WD. It doesn't send power of varying amounts to different wheels. It is just plain 4WD that is for full-time use. With AWD the vehicle can operate in 2WD and then activate when wheels start slipping or power can be 50/50 or 35/65 and then activate if say the front needs more power than the rear. In the Ford Explorers, power in the older ones (like 1997) was split 35 front/65 rear (it might still be that; I don't know). Power could be varied around if wheels slipped. Jeep Grand Cherokees with the Quadra-Drive II(or is it Quadra-Trac II???)---the Jeep Grand Cherokee's AWD system---- operate in pure rear-wheel drive, then when wheel-slippage occurs, power is sent to the wheels that grip the best.

Remember, part-time 4WD, full-time 4WD, AWD, and automatic-4WD are separate things.

And also remember AWD just means that the power is sent from the wheels that slip to the wheels that grip. The vehicle can operate normally with power split 50/50, 35/65, or in 2WD until wheelspin occurs, or in other ways even. It depends on the manufacturer. Carlike SUVs with AWD usually operate in front wheel drive then activate AWD if needed. Truckl-ike ones are usually more rear-drive oriented until traction is needed.

[ameri_fan]

gas guzzling

[mason_RsX]

Ok lets look at the real type of ppl who would buy one

Nobody young could afford one, so it really leaves a few kids who get them as gifts and they dont matter.

You get the middle aged man. If he is single he wants something strong and brutish to impress everybody. Plus If he is married he wants to impress his friends and co workers and show everybody that his wife won't stop him from wasting money

Next is the middle aged women (almost no single middle aged woman would buy a hummer me thinks) who wants to keep her kids safe for the 3 minute trip to soccer practice

then theres the random old ppl who wanna look hip, and keep themselvs safe



Oh theres a new study that says you are 11% more likely to die in an SUV in an accident than a car...

[twospirits]

Why is it that when an suv topic is started its always putting down the suv. It always starts with hating the big suvs but it seems that the tone of the message is applied to all types of suvs including the smaller ones, which I don't think are bad in fuel economy as oppose to the big ones. Regardless I think Broadsword2004 said it best..

Originally Posted by Broadsword2004

Well I say screw functionality, you buy what you want. So many people act like you should just buy a vehicle for what you need; this is America, not the military. If you like big SUVs, then fine, buy 'em, if you can afford them is my motto.

my

TS out