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4X4

Rivian R1T – test drive discussion

14 November 2021 Robert Pepper

The Rivian R1T is perhaps the most significant vehicle to hit the market in recent years because it represents the future – a vehicle designed from the ground up as a BEV (battery electric vehicle) AND as a real offroad 4X4. So when I saw David Tracy of Jalopnik had written a very detailed and […]

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Lightness in action – why not for 4X4s?

14 November 2021 Robert Pepper

Making a vehicle light is what is known as a virtuous circle. The lighter a vehicle is, the less strong the components need to be, which means they’re lighter…and that’s the circle. A lighter car needs a less powerful, and therefore heavy engine. The brakes don’t need to be as heavy-duty as there’s less energy […]

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Does a GVM upgrade increase your towing capacity?

5 November 2021 Robert Pepper

On the face of it, no it doesn’t. A GVM upgrade only increases the legal amount the vehicle can weigh, which has the effect of increasing how much it can carry. But one of the towing limits is in fact GVM, so if the GVM is increased, you may actually be able to tow heavier […]

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Simple ways to show how trailer weight distribution matters

1 November 2021 Robert Pepper

Don’t let anyone tell you different – trailer weights and dynamics are complex. But, unfortunately, if you tow heavy trailers you really need understand some of the basics about weight distribution, because it has a dramatic effect on trailer stability. Some people won’t need to watch the videos below – they are the folks who […]

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Why the ‘leave a location voicemail’ is a bad idea

24 October 2021 Robert Pepper

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This bit of advice is rapidly circulating the Internet, and it really shouldn’t be: Why this advice is bad In brief; if you have phone signal, send a text message for help to your friends, or if dire, call 112. Don’t waste time and battery power on changing your own voicemail which is a very […]

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Got a flat and don’t carry a spare tyre? Here’s your solution!

22 October 2021 Robert Pepper

Modern tyres are more puncture-resistant than ever, so many cars simply don’t come with a spare tyre as carmakers claw back the space and weight, fighting to meet efficiency targets. This is all well and good until you actually have a puncture, and then you’re immobilised. Runflat tyres are an option, but expensive, uncomfortable and […]

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4X4

Land Rover Defender L663 GVMs for Australia

20 October 2021 Robert Pepper

There has been some confusion over Land Rover’s unusual, but not unheard of approach to GVM (Gross Vehicle Mass) for Australia. That’s because there’s different GVMs for different configurations. Today I checked with Land Rover, and they confirmed the GVMs for the Australian L663 Defender 110 are (direct copy-paste): 110 5 Seat – 3200kg 6 […]

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TruckFriendly – how caravanners can share the road with trucks

17 October 2021 Robert Pepper

Caravans are heavy, big, and slow compared to a car by itself. This brings them into conflict with another set of road users who are also drive heavy, big and slow vehicles…truck drivers. But there’s significant differences between caravanners and truckies, who have restrictions that include: deadlines; vanners don’t usually care too much about time, […]

2021 Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series Sahara.

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3500kg tow-rated wagons – which can tow the most?

14 October 2021 Robert Pepper

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So you want to tow a heavy trailer? Generally, you’re better off with a wagon than medium ute because the wagons typically have higher GCMs closer to max tow plus GVM, all-wheel-drive, and handle better…but which wagon? In this video I analyse the specification of nine 3500kg-tow-rated wagons to see which ones can actually tow […]

4X4

LC300 vs LC200 payload, towing analysis

5 October 2021 Robert Pepper

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What’s the LC300 like to tow with compared to the LC200? Well, I’ve towed 3000kg with both and so far, my view is the 300 is the better towcar. But it was only today I managed to get all the technical details required to do a proper specification analysis to see which vehicle has a […]

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