offroading swb v lwb

[fogman]

its probably been asked 100 times before but attitudes & oppinions change, so as im hoping to add to my fronty family in the future, id like to ask you "dirty lainers" whats the best fronty for off roading, i was swaying towards a swb for some uneducated reason but dont really know why also petrol or diesel ?
cheers in advance for your views

[Krusher]

For purely offroading the shorty has to have it but, as an allrounder the LWB is a safer bet. In my humble opinion...

[4x4 bobby]

[john boy]

Each has there own good points i like my swb but i know one lane where me and alex both got stuck and bra's lwb just walked up with no prob but i do like the way swb handles on the lanes

[john (smifffy)]

[Drift]

Having owned both there are differences.

The swb is less likely to get beached due to the shorter wheel base BUT its more likely to get cross axled because of that same short wheel base.

I find the LWB a bit more refined (as refined as they can be) off road seemingly absorbs more of the terrain where as the swb is more choppy and feels a bit less sure footed.

The swb has a better departure angle as the dents on my lwb backside will testify but you dont have the room or versatility of a bigger boot.

The swb does do well in wooded areas where it doesnt do great crossing ruts.

I think both cars can go the same places as each other but just in different ways.

I wouldnt turn down a swb as a play car but I would have a lwb as well, so its more your own personal preference.
Diesel all the way for torque and simplicity if you get the right engine

[domino]

What would you consider the best engine and why, Drift?

[Wilberforce]

[Drift]

I like the 2.8 purely as its a simple and easy to understand engine, and this may shock a few but I would have a 20l petrol as a swb again easy to work or replace and propper little grunters, great and easy field repairs.

My mind says most other engines are a bit over complex but thats the EU and emmision rules for ya.

[domino]

I would agree with the 2.0 units - they're all much of a muchness between cavalier, astra, frontera (no *real* differences) though I've never driven a 2.0 Frontera. Must say though my TDS is quite quick off the line - I've shocked myself at how quickly it pulls away sometimes!

[fogman]

thanks for the replies so far guys if my cunning plan comes to fruition then my mondeo will go & the cash generated will go towards a second fronty, ill still keep emily [ the lwb] as my day to day travel vehicle [luckily i dont have to go long distances] so the addition will be mostly for playing offroad with so things like ride quality etc dosent really matter. Although ive never been offroading before i know id love it, i used to ride trial/scrambler bikes when ever possible in my youth so i know id enjoy it .
family commitments at this time stop me from even taking a trip out just to watch at the fog days out etc but im hoping sometime next year things will be sorted & ill have a bash

and as domino asks "what is the diesel lump then guys ? i susspect its the 2.8 edit just read previous posts

with all thats been posted i found this little beauty but i do think its a bit outa my price range & it looks too good to ruin,
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ ... &logcode=p

[Big Dave]

Some good info posted above - think it comes down to personal preference.

I've got a 2.8 SWB - mate had a LWB - second mate had a defender (booo)

We all used to play in the same field, swap cars etc. I had fun in all three - but preferred the SWB

[woodwizzard]

Nice little motor and worth £950 to a £1000 in my opinion. None of them are too nice to use off road, they were born to get scratched
2.8 swb has done me proud off road and working in the woods, a lwb would be a pain. Thinking of getting a lwb to give my dogs abit more room but will keep the swb for off road duties.

[Roo]

Hi Fogman
If I had my time over again, it would definitely be a SWB one ,and would of got a Diesel type engine
Good Luck and lQQK forward to seeing what you get Matey
Cheers

[jammywagonwheel]

Hi Fog..
I Bought a SWB 2.0i Petrol Leaf sprung off ebay at the beginning of the month, and havnt looked back!

Good price with plenty of reciepts, never off roaded (until the 25th that was ) and with Gregsters magic tyres (again, thanks for the lend ) it performed faultlessly off road with absolutely no mods at all, it would beat my old Series 3a 88" landy hands down - for ability and comfort - its got a heater for starters:D.

Averaging 30mpg if my calcs and Odometer are right
http://www.fuel-economy.co.uk/calc.shtml
"Your real-world MPG average is 29.11, covering 514 miles using 17.66 gallons of fuel." - and that includes playing in 4L up and down hill and dale on the 25th.

IMO -
If its a weekend toy SWB, if its a day to day - LWB. Fuel / engine choice - Cant say, but The 8v 2.0 petrol is cheap to fix, reasonably simple to work on and its a proven engine (astra, cavalier etc), and if the turbo goes pop on a oil burner... £££££££ kerrrr-chingggg ££££££

SWB -
Good points - agile, better turning circle than my Mk5 Golf! Ecomomical, cheap to run, insure & fix, loads of front and rear leg room, roof and windows out in 5 mins, roof off in 30 mins, enough power from the 2.0 for playing in mud.
Bad Points - Tiny boot (4 carrier bags small), blind spots due to door pillars, more power would be nice, lack of aftermarket bits (compared to Landrover / Suzuki etc)

Is it fun? - ask my Step-daughter


Good luck and I hope this helps
John

[alex]

Just to throw another spanner in the works, the 2.0 is a much lighter lump than the 2.8 . I'm on my 3rd 2.8 and wouldnt swap... but the guys with pick up 2.0's are much lighter, could help re adress some of the shortcomings in power etc.

I would have said the 2.0 is less likely to eat a front diff due ots lower power, but Dan has gone and proved that wrong.

Having had a SWB and LWB play toy, the SWB felt a little unstoppable, very agile, but just lacked room and my LWB doesnt feel much of a compromise. More stable at times, it was the 2 SWB's in our group last year who dented wings on the Bst lane, not the LWB's.

[fogman]

well i think im gona plump for a swb for my offroader there dosent really seem to be too much difference between swb & a lwb so driving a swb would make a change, id like a diesel but after watching the s/e picnic thread im sure a 2.0 will be more than good enough for me & as theres plenty of them to choose from ill probably get 1.
theres plenty of room to chuck enough stuff in the back for a days playing & id struggle to get 2 lwbs on the drive anyway

im gagging to have a go now i just hope i dont end up with a permanent fixed smile like jammywagonwheels step daughter after my 1st session

thanks guys

[Retro Pedro]

Another pointer between petrol and diesel is safety going down steep hills. The diesel will hold you back better than the petrol. If you ever get to go down Krusher's revenge at the S.E. site you'll know what I mean.

[gregster]