Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2020 i NZ4WD

When my daughter Kate’s teenage friends found out that her Dad got ‘new cars to drive for free’ (I wish!) the first one most asked about was a Jeep Wrangler. “I SOOOO want one,” cooed one. “They are just SOOOO cute,” opined another. The silly thing is (or rather was) that Jeep, like most other car companies, only puts ‘press vehicles’ on its fleet when they have a new model they want to tell the world about. They’ll also fly the odd (very!) journo to a ‘world launch’ ahead of time to generate pre-interest if the model (and news outlet) is considered important enough. But neither I nor NZ4WD are on that exalted list! Obviously I have driven the new JL Wrangler (as well as its predecessor) but in both…

As bombshells it was up there with the biggies – Holden announced just before Christmas that it was changing the way it went about its ‘car’ business, effectively consigning the Commodore nameplate to history in favour of a ‘modified portfolio dedicated exclusively to Sport Utility Vehicles and Light Commercial Vehicles (SUV and LCV).’ Holden Australia Interim Chairman and Managing Director, Kristian Aquilina, said the focus of the portfolio was consistent with customer preferences, with the Acadia, Trailblazer, Equinox and Trax rounding out a comprehensive SUV portfolio; and the Colorado tackling rivals in the LCV segment. “Holden is taking this decisive action to ensure a sharp focus on the largest and most buoyant market segments. “In New Zealand year to date, all Holden LCV and SUV models have registered substantial growth,…

Last November saw me head to the USA to tick off a couple of those things we Kiwi 4x4 types often – I find, anyway – wonder about; the first one being the annual SEMA Show in Las Vegas Nevada. The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show is a ‘trade show’ which (and I find this quite incredible given the sheer number of people who turn up and pack the place out every year) is not actually open to the general public. So it’s not simple to get entry for many of us. I gambled on my ‘journalism’ (any time Pete, mate! Ed) credibility and managed to obtain a media pass, something that’s an advantage at the event, even speeding access through the ever-present security scanners on every entry to…

It’s as small as a pen, easily popped into a shirt pocket, but Narva’s new LED pen light packs a powerful lighting punch. It’s part of the new range of ALS (Advanced Lighting Systems) LED pen and Uutility light range that has just gone on sale in New Zealand. These hi-tech, quality lights come in all shapes and forms, but each is compact enough to be easily carried around in a pocket, purse or glovebox, ready to be used at a moment’s notice. “I can think of any number of times that a handy, yet powerful light such as these would be useful around the house, workplace, out on a job or when camping out at night,” says Tim Paterson, National Sales Manager of Griffiths Equipment Ltd, the New Zealand…

So, the current model Isuzu D-Max – which has been on sale here for eight years with only one major upgrade – is not the newest, nor the fastest, not the cheapest nor the flashiest ute on the market. No, the current model D-Max – which is on run-out now pending the release here sooner rather than later on the all-new 2020 MY version – sells on the merits of simply getting the job done. “How quaint,” for instance, I thought, when magazine sales manager Dan Prestige handed me a ‘key’ to the LS-spec auto I used to re-acquaint myself with the current model just before Christmas. For $56,990 RRP you are buying a solid, practical, well-built and reasonablyspecced turbo-diesel double-cab utility with a hard-won reputation for ruggedness and reliability.…

Like getting out and about in this great little country of ours and enjoy taking photos along the way? Then you really should consider entering NZ4WD magazine’s long-running monthly Your4s photo competition. Geraldine man Paul Richards did, and he won a brand new set of Kumho MT51 tyres for his trouble. “I went to Blairs (the NZ Kumho importer) this morning and picked up the set of Kumho MT51 tyres from Mike. I am thrilled to have received these tyres so big thanks to Blairs, Kumho and NZ4WD mag,” said Paul who owns a Mazda BT-50 ute. The tyre windfall could hardly have come at a better time for Paul either. Early this month (Feb 2020) he is off on a ‘trip of a lifetime’ with High Country Journeys, traversing pretty…

With Saturday morning chores out of the way, we headed up SH1 from Wellington, meeting up with our friends Gillian and Ashley for a late picnic lunch at Otaki Forks. The road from SH1 up to the car park at the start of the tramping tracks has been repaired after a major slip a little while ago, and is in good condition, although unsealed and a little rough in places. With a beautiful sunny day, the first car park was a little crowded, so we continued to the camping area a little further up the valley, stopping to enjoy a couple of small waterfalls on the side of the road on the way. On arrival, we took advantage of having 4WDs to park up for lunch on some rough grass,…

For this season’s opening series round we again returned to Opunake and the Clement’s farm but using a different area from our previous visit here. Locals Alan and Shona Stone are absolute legends to their club and to the Central Zone of the NZ Four Wheel Drive Association (NZFWDA), and for this event they single-handedly organised the round and pegged out all of the hazards. Much like the previous Zone meeting where they were two of the only four people who turned up, it is an unfortunate sign of the times when it comes to service to voluntary organisations and clubs. We are lucky to have these great people. Especially when you look at the other events like the Brass Monkey motorcycle rally which may disappear (for the exact same…

Our monthly feature showcases 4WDs doing just about anything except rolling over or burning! We will award a grand prize of a set of four Kumho 4x4 tyres in the NZ4WD Annual issue. This contest is open to all readers who are not professional photographers. IMPORTANT: Photographs must have been taken by the person entering them, or have the photographer’s written permission. Email your digital images and a detailed caption to: editor@NZ4WD.co.nz Send your prints and detailed captions to: Your4s with Kumho, PO Box 65-092, Mairangi Bay, Auckland 0754. Be sure to include your postal address! Submitting photos The basics: as with any photo, there’s no substitute for an image that’s sharp – in focus and free of camera shake. It should be well-exposed. Size and type The ideal submission…

The New Zealand Four Wheel Drive association (NZFWDA) and Valley 4WD Club were both fined in the Wellington District Court last year for offences arising from two charges relating to breaches of the Resource Management Act during the Deadwood Safari National Trial in November 2018 which resulted in damage to a tributary of the Mangaroa River and unconsented discharge of sediment into a river system. Neville Dunton, NZFWDA President, issued a statement to members on December 13th 2019 on behalf of the NZFWDA Executive Committee following the conviction on December 12 2019 with fines, in the case of NZFWDA, of $38,000 plus costs. The Valley 4WD Club had earlier been fined $60,000 plus costs back in October 2019. Both defendants had pleaded guilty. All member clubs on notice In his…

Australian 4WD aftermarket specialist ARB has inked a deal with the big Nitto King of the Hammers event in the US this year to be the official locking differential and air compressor supplier of organiser Ultra4’s race series. An Ultra4 fan favourite which began in 2008, King of the Hammers was instantly regarded as one of the most technically challenging races in the world. Since then ARB has been a frequent vendor at the event, displaying its latest product and providing technical support to all those competing with ARB Air Locker and ARB Air Compressor gear. This year’s event kicks off on January 31 and goes until February 09 with the ‘main event,’ the Nitto Tires King of the Hammers ‘rock race’ taking place on Friday Feb 07. Racing will…

Prior to starting 4X4Explorer and moving to the South Island, all of my trips were solo affairs in the previously purple Prado. At this point, the only modifications that I had made to the truck were a drawer system, which converted to a sleeping platform and fitted it with a set of All Terrain tyres. Thinking back with hindsight about all the trips that I did, I probably got away with more than I should have. That said, prior to selling up in Auckland and heading to the Mainland, quite a bit of work was done to create a vehicle capable of sustained Overlanding. I have written about this previously but the main mods included a dual battery system, removing the back seats to create more storage, a complete Rhino-Rack…

From afar it could be easy to assume that the various ‘… ’stan’ countries of Central Asia are all much the same. But – believe me – they are not. Okay, at one time they were all part of the former Soviet Union, yet the incredibly rich human history to this region dates back so much further than that. And geographically, scenically and culturally, there exists striking differences between these countries. Kyrgyzstan is the second ‘stan’ we explored, and as shown with this article its landscapes are wildly different from the unique desert settings shown with my previous article from Kazakhstan. In fact, nearly 90 percent of incredibly mountainous Kyrgyzstan is situated above 1,500 metres elevation – most of it much higher, right up to the country’s highest peak at…

The internet and social media have become entwined in our recreation with the ease of communication. Unfortunately, not all that communication is to be believed. Just ask President Trump! A case in point was prompted by a four-wheeler who monitors some of the various Facebook groups with links to four-wheeling around the North Island and questioned the posting with photos by one group extolling their great day out, on what is private land. It’s interesting because their Facebook page states clearly: “No Trespassing! This group does not condone trespassing on private property. Only interested in tracks that are open to the public or tracks you have permission to be on.” Clearly their level of research as to the actual status of the land was rather rudimentary and probably summed up…

Back in 2000 Winch Challenges were just getting started here in NZ and though they were mainly based in the North island, local Southlander Roger McKay built up a mid-1980s Hilux to compete in these events. I first saw the Hilux in about 2000-2001 at a local 4WD event and liked the look of it right away. I guess the lift kit, large mud tyres and bright graphics looked pretty cool to a young kid. Roger competed in the Hilux locally and nationally before shipping it all the way to Malaysia in 2002 to compete in the Rainforest Challenge (which you can read about in a great article in NZ4WDmagazine February 2003). While they didn’t win the event, the Kiwis won the respect of locals and fellow competitors. Roger later…

Well that went quickly, didn’t it! A whole year disappears like mud flung out the back of Nick Hall’s class 8 Toyota Hilux Prolite. Speaking of which, we were talking about Nick’s national championship recently and it gave me a moment to reflect on the history of trucks winning the championship. How many have done so? Well, not many. Start at the start, with a very special truck still sitting in a shed in Christchurch. Andrew Thomasen’s mighty yellow Toyota Tundra was designed on CAD at Rod Millen’s team facility in California while Andrew worked there. It was basically a Trophy Truck downsized to suit New Zealand conditions. Yellow peril A massive four-cam petrol V8 engine sat well inside the wheelbase and drove the front and rear wheels through a…

Created by Toyota New Zealand as a one-off concept truck to demonstrate the range of accessories available for Hilux at Fieldays, the Hilux Gladiator is a muscular beast equipped to handle anything New Zealand can throw at it. Stretching the definition of fully loaded, the Hilux Gladiator is based on a 4WD double cab Hilux SR5 and has around $65,000 worth of modifications and accessories. When Chevy and Michele Alexander saw the Toyota Hilux Gladiator at the Mystery Creek Fieldays in 2017 (they go every year after spending their honeymoon at Fieldays), they couldn’t take their eyes off it. In fact, over the course of their four-day trip to Fieldays they visited the hyper-accessorised Gladiator several times. When they returned home to Taupo, they visited their Toyota dealership to see…

The Cross Country Vehicle Club Wellington (CCVC) is commencing the build-up to their 50th anniversary in 2021 with a call for photographs from the club’s five decades of four wheeling. The Club came about after a few people got together in August of 1971 for the first Deadwood Safari; run in Upper Hutt as a contest to see who had the best four- wheel-drive. The record books show Tony Street was the first to enter and Mr A McLean, driving a Toyota won the competition which had over 50 entries and was run over three timed sections in the Akatarawa Forest including a run up Deadwood Ridge. The Deadwood Safari, as one of the oldest 4WD rallies in the country, was run through old logging tracks along the Deadwood ridge…

Terrain Tamer have officially launched their new eStore, a retail platform allowing customers to purchase 4WD parts through the existing Terrain Tamer website. In development for over two years, the eStore houses Terrain Tamer’s extensive catalogue of over 40,000 different 4WD parts, and allows users to easily search for compatible parts for their vehicle, by entering the make, model year and product category they require. eStore orders are then fulfilled by whichever of Terrain Tamer’s 30 locations around Australia is closest to the customer, who can also nominate to either collect the order or have it delivered to them. “We’re finding that more and more of our customers are wanting to order online and in their own time,” says General Manager, Brent Hutchinson. “The new eStore makes everything easily accessible…

Rightio then, let’s start with the BIG news first. Just before Christmas Holden killed the Commodore and declared itself now ‘a brand dedicated to selling a raft of SUVs (Sport Utility Vehicles) and LCVs (light commercial vehicles).’ At the same time Head Office was delivering this bombshell, its NZ division was focusing its promotion attention on the ability to two of its new ‘flagship models’ – the Z71 Colorado Ute and the seven-seater Trailblazer – to tow things. In particular the modern generation of ‘home-away-from-home’ caravans from Jayco. So, which would I choose if I had the dosh? Given I’m a family man blessed with an all-girl – other than me – family, comfort wins out every time over cool, so the Trailblazer was the weapon of choice. That decided,…

So, Isuzu has done the right thing and designed and built an all-new D-Max for 2020 and beyond. The new’un is both longer and wider than the current model and though some reports talked about a ‘twin-turbo’ two-litre engine it appears that they were ‘wide of the mark’ and that the main D-Max TD DC ute markets like our’s, Australia’s and where it is made (Thailand) will see a revised 140kW/450Nm (up from 130kW/430Nm) version of the existing 3.0L four cylinder under the new-look clamshell bonnet. There’s a distinctive angularity and sharpness of form to the look of the new model with a sharp creased belt-line running at door-handle level from the back of the large pumped out front wheel arches to the trailing edge of the tray. Up front…

Regular readers will recall that in the New Zealand winter of 2019 we escaped the cold and headed to Europe to log some epic expedition routes for the website. We arrived in the UK at the beginning of June and by the end of the month, had bought and built a Mitsubishi Pajero suitable for sustained Overlanding. You can read more about the trials of the build in the December issue of NZ4WD magazine. The first route that we logged took us down through France, into Italy and finally to the French Riviera. Our last article left us spending the night at Fort Foen, having tackled the 3009m Col de Sommelier. One of the important things that we are proud of being able to share at 4x4Explorer is local knowledge.…

You can see these little villages long before you reach them. It’s not the houses that you first see in the distance, but the green of the trees amidst the otherwise tree-less surrounds. We ventured into this particular village seeking to fill the Pajero’s onboard water tank. Villages like these typically have roadside water sources where the houses don’t have running water. Seemingly untouched by time and seldom visited by foreigners, we first discovered what gems these little villages can be to visit in Albania a few years ago. Pleasant encounter While we collected water from the roadside well an old woman ventured out of her nearby house, armed with her kettle to fill. Her hidden motives for coming to the well precisely at that time were nearly as transparent…

February winner – Cian Bennett  The Ed literally bumped into the young bloke who took these shots at Drifter ‘Mad Mike’ Whiddett’s big Summer Bash meeting at Hampton Downs in December. Cian (pronounced Sean, btw) is just 13 years of age and had pestered his Mum to drive him up to the event from Thames so he could practise taking photos of ‘mean-as’ drift cars. When he got there though he was just as taken with all the ‘spacey’ 4x4 tow vehicles. These are just three of the hundreds of shots he took. He is going to be so ‘buzzed out’ when he sees them in the mag!…