KarlVP said:
But why not here? I'm not trying to be a **** or anything but why don't people wheel them here?
Well, I can't speak for anyone else, but here's my take from my own experience (My dad and I split seat time in our D90 for 8 years or so wheeling most areas of this state and Moab, I've had a disco for a year that's seen some abuse):
First off, initial price means that there are just far less of them here in the states to saturate the market. Also with safety standards here, they can make and sell em way cheaper everywhere else. For example, D90s stopped being sold in the states after the 97 model year since 98 had to have dual airbags and it would not have been financially responsible for LR to redesign the whole inside/dash for the few they'd sell here.
Another big issue we ran into was availability of parts. You can break a jeep anywhere and prob meet someone else on the trail or at camp that has what you need and the tools to fix it. If not, a near shop prob has it. If you break something odd with a rover, chances are, you're on your own til you can get something flown in from somewhere far away. Also parts seem to cost 3X as much. One year, we broke a rear axle in the D90 (pulling a broken jeep up moab rim) on the first day of our vacation and couldn't get a replacement to make it within the week.
Therefore our trip was severaly hindered. Now of course you could always keep a healthy array of spare parts, but the ease just isn't there.
I like rovers cause they're easy to work on, built like tanks (look under stock rover vs stock jeep), and are different than what you always see on the trail. That being said, they certainly have downfalls as I've mentioned. The moab broken axle experience and cost of parts is what finally made dad sell the 90. Well, that and the family grew bigger so he built a scrambler
I guess it all just comes down to what you preference is. Do ya like jeeps, rovers, toys, scouts, early broncs, fullsize, etc.? Or do ya like switching things up occasionally? Personally, I've loved the rovers I've been able to wheel. I'll continue to hate my jeep until I can wheel it :redneck: And who knows what I'll build down the road... I'd like to do a series II or III rover cause I love their lines, but who knows...
Anyways, that's just my $.02 from my own experience :beer:
