Well I'm convinced. It is ridiculous that anyone anywhere isn't smart enough to buy a land cruiser. They are clearly the best vehicles ever made for every situation.
The problem i have is that I'm old school. I will never trust an automatic transmission as we know them at this point in time for an expedition as much as I do a manual. Same can be said for a tried and true mechanical diesel vs an engine with a computer controlling a major portion of its operation. I grew up seeing the old LCs and Range Rovers in the African/Australian documentaries, Wild Kingdom episodes, and in magazine articles. Unlike today they weren't paying for product placement, they were truly what those in the know had determined to be the best they could get for their usage. They were robust BUT they were also able to be repaired in the field with simple tools by folks with average mechanical knowledge.
All the computerized driving aids and engine management systems have opened up many motoring opportunities to people who otherwise would never have learned to handle their vehicle without them. Soccer moms can turn a lap in their minivans at the same corner speeds as '80s sportscars. johnny yuppie can turn a couple dials on his brand new bone stock Range Rover and traverse widely varying terrain with total confidence that 20 yrs ago would have required a heavily modified rig with special tires and set-ups for each condition and lots of experience to perform safely.
Perhaps it makes things safer, perhaps it is just dumbing down the driving experience. I don't know. I just shake my head when I see the self parking cars, self braking systems, little knobs so you can back up a trailer like a video game, traction control that won't allow you to clear the treads on your tires or get a run at a slick hill, and on and on. In some ways I'm looking forward to the self driving cars as I feel there are too many folks for whom driving is an inconvenience that they can't be bothered enough to learn to properly do or pay sufficient attention when behind the wheel.....and that is just on regular roadways! Can't even calculate the amount of people I've seen hurt or endangered, vehicles damaged or destroyed, equipment left/lost in the woods/mud and trails damaged to the point others could no longer use them or resulted in being closed down. Perhaps if they keep making new vehicles less and less off-roadable it will make that aspect of the car hobby "safer" too. Only time will tell. Until then....buy something/build something, whatever your into, and take it out and enjoy the scenery......or don't! "They" will take it away soon enough.:smiley_drive:
