Ello everyone,
Just jumped back onto the Jeep ship after a good 14 years or so (My previous was a 96 XJ cherokee sport which served me well) and after months of research bought a 2003 V8 WG overland.
I've clocked up 500kms in a coupla days just testing it out and so far am very impressed.
Something of note that I only recall being mentioned offhand once in all my readings is the fuel economy is actually pretty damn good. In the straight 6 (and 300Kg lighter) XJ I averaged 20 litres/100km city, while my new best bud has so far been getting 17 city and 12 highway. Hell even my old EL falcon wouldn't get beyond 15 city. Good stuff.
The quadra drive is great. I've taken the thing on some pretty soft sand (expecting a fair bit of delay before the power transfers like I've seen on countless youtube videos - I guess all using to little additive or the wrong type?) but it's actually pretty instantaneous - though I guess you guys all know this
Getting it into low range is a bit of a bitch though - the manual says at crawling speed shift through neutral into low in one fluid motion to the meshs can sync; but at walking speeds in Drive it won't budge. I have to shift to neutral before I can move to 4x4 low - but being in neutral on sand means I am of course stopped!!!, so it sort of crunches, and same thing going back to 4x4 full time with a bit of a thud. I can't remember the XJ ever doing this but it's been a while.
Anyway I'll end my ramble there and hope to see a few other Sandgropers around the traps.
Cheers
Trav from Perth
