Today, if you want to drive the safest and best vehicle, it’s no secret that 4WDs are at the top of the list. Whether you want the perfect people mover, or to cruise in style and comfort, a 4WD is the perfect way to do so.
It’s easy to get excited at the thought of buying a new 4WD, and for a good reason too, however there are certain mistakes which are easy to make that can affect your enjoyment of your new vehicle!
5 Most Common Mistakes People Make When Purchasing a 4WD:
1. Inaccurate Marketing
We’ve all seen the commercials showing a 4WD in all its glory. Driving over challenging terrain, and conquering sand dunes with ease. Without so much as a ding or a scratch, but, that doesn’t mean that every 4WD can do that. Especially not without modifications and extra accessories.
If you try and recreate what you’ve seen in the commercial, then you aren’t going to have a good time. If you are a brand new 4WD owner, you could end up causing significant and major damage to your beloved 4×4, not to mention, you will also be putting yourself at serious risk of injury, too.
Aside from damaging your brand new 4WD and injuring yourself due to reckless driving, any warranty claim could be dismissed. This will leave you out of pocket for the repairs yourself.
2. Buying The Wrong Accessories for your 4WD
A novice mistake many first time off-road vehicle owners make is not doing enough research before handing over their hard-earned money. This can also lead to purchasing the wrong accessories for their vehicle.
Common mistakes include:
- Carrying high-lift jacks which cause damage when used near fragile body panels. (High-lift jacks are only safe to use on a 4WD which has side, front and rear bars which feature inbuilt sockets designed for a jack attachment)
- Splashing cash on mud-pattern tyres but only staying in the suburbs. Never planning to take the 4WD on off-road terrains
- Compromising on-road handling by adding needless high suspensions lifts
- Having heavy empty roof racks – which leads to staggering fuel consumption rates
3. Saying no to a crash course
New 4WD owners sometimes think a right of passage to owning an off-road vehicle is to take it off the beaten track right away. Trying to take on the roughest terrain is a mistake.
Before heading off-road, it’s recommended to sign up for a 4WD crash course run by a certified trainer.
In the course, you will learn the basics such as:
- How to set tyre pressures
- How to deal with flat tyres
- How to judge your 4WD’s capabilities and limits
- How to execute the convoy procedure
Also, with experience, it will allow you to make more informed decisions on which modifications or accessories are right for you.
Based on your needs, letting you get the best add-ons to complement your 4WD and take your experience to the next level.
4. Going Way Over Budget
It’s easy to get carried away and excited when purchasing your very first 4WD, especially if the salesman encourages you to stop using your common sense, and focus on getting your dream vehicle.
It’s suggested for beginners not to buy too many accessories and modifications upfront. Instead, it’s better to take the 4×4 off-road a few times first. Another option is to sign up for some training sessions with a 4WD club to get you going.
Once you have some experience under your belt, it will help you decide the type of 4WDing you plan to be doing. Then you can add accessories and modifications over time. This makes sure you won’t hurt your wallet, or splurge for everything up front and find you don’t need it.
5. Buying The Wrong 4WD For Your Needs
It’s somewhat common to buy a new 4WD and then to discover that the vehicle is better suited for a different use than what you had in mind!
An example is purchasing a 4×4 with the intention of going off-road and taking on the toughest terrains imaginable. But, the vehicle was made with the purpose in mind of being a safe family mover.
Buying the wrong vehicle can lead to a long shopping list of modifications to your brand new 4×4, before you can even dream of using it how you imagined.
While it’s true that some 4WDs may need basic modifications to suit specific uses, they should be somewhat affordable. It’s recommended to assess your needs and intended use when buying either a brand new 4×4 or a second hand one, and end buyers remorse.
Are you still confused about your next purchase?
Contact Sandgate Auto Electrics today by phone on (07) 3269 3158 or email mail@sandgateautoelectrics.com.au