Giving Thanks... (1 Viewer)

[TheGrrrrr]

I just want to say Thank You to the community here. I joined the club back in October but had been lurking while I shopped for many months before that. After having spent the last few years with an L322 Range Rover and participating in those forums I jumped right in but never really took stock of the community here. For some reason tonight it just occurred to me how much value this community has provided and that I have been taking it for granted. Both communities are full of well-meaning enthusiasts with great knowledge and experience, and who give freely. The Rover forums were immensely helpful to me in sorting out my rig and diagnosing problems and finding fixes to the myriad failures in the platform despite the L322 being an incredibly capable and fun vehicle. Visiting there now I notice just how overwhelming the "xxxxxx is broken, Help!!!!" threads are. I didn't realize it until now, but that really sucked the life out of this hobby for me.

In contrast, I spend my time on here learning about how to get the most out of my vehicle both on the road and on the trail, reading about actual adventures people are taking and great mods, the AMAZING vendor community... and yes, the occasional quirk or common issue with these beasts. The difference is in the vibes. Since joining Mud and buying my 200, I've become so much more excited about this hobby and spent so much more time actually using my vehicle that I almost failed to recognize just how powerful the positivity of this community is in fueling my enjoyment of the platform. I think we all owe a lot of that to the greatness of the vehicle itself, but I also think strong communities that support each other are a function of the kinds of people that are attracted to those communities. I guess what I am trying to say is, you all have been great and I didn't want to forget to say thank you and I promise to give back as much as I get.

If you need reminded of how good we've got it, I can suggest a few other forums to visit. Just don't give them any crap, they are good people stuck in an abusive relationship. Glad I got out of mine.

P.s. The 200 hurts my wallet every bit as much as my L322 did, just in much more enjoyable ways.

 

[Angelo1]

I get where you’re coming from. Before i decided to take the plunge back into LC waters, I cruised the Range Rover and Raptor forums for awhile. I test drove my buddies new MY20 Baja SC Raptor on 37”s. It was a beast and scary fast for being so big. The size and my youngest not liking how bouncy it felt on the highway when she tried to take a nap in the back, killed the deal. The LRRR drove like a dream. However, the forums confirmed what I already knew about the many ownership issues and scared me away as I’m looking for a very long term suv. The LC just checked enough boxes for me and I’m so happy have made my last suv purchase for the next 15yrs.

 

[tincan45]

I just want to say Thank You to the community here. I joined the club back in October but had been lurking while I shopped for many months before that. After having spent the last few years with an L322 Range Rover and participating in those forums I jumped right in but never really took stock of the community here. For some reason tonight it just occurred to me how much value this community has provided and that I have been taking it for granted. Both communities are full of well-meaning enthusiasts with great knowledge and experience, and who give freely. The Rover forums were immensely helpful to me in sorting out my rig and diagnosing problems and finding fixes to the myriad failures in the platform despite the L322 being an incredibly capable and fun vehicle. Visiting there now I notice just how overwhelming the "xxxxxx is broken, Help!!!!" threads are. I didn't realize it until now, but that really sucked the life out of this hobby for me.

In contrast, I spend my time on here learning about how to get the most out of my vehicle both on the road and on the trail, reading about actual adventures people are taking and great mods, the AMAZING vendor community... and yes, the occasional quirk or common issue with these beasts. The difference is in the vibes. Since joining Mud and buying my 200, I've become so much more excited about this hobby and spent so much more time actually using my vehicle that I almost failed to recognize just how powerful the positivity of this community is in fueling my enjoyment of the platform. I think we all owe a lot of that to the greatness of the vehicle itself, but I also think strong communities that support each other are a function of the kinds of people that are attracted to those communities. I guess what I am trying to say is, you all have been great and I didn't want to forget to say thank you and I promise to give back as much as I get.

If you need reminded of how good we've got it, I can suggest a few other forums to visit. Just don't give them any crap, they are good people stuck in an abusive relationship. Glad I got out of mine.

P.s. The 200 hurts my wallet every bit as much as my L322 did, just in much more enjoyable ways.

I agree. I haven't been here long, but the overall vibe is WAY better than any forum I've encountered. Folks here are a wealth of information. The small amounts of bickering and personal attacks are mostly ignored. I came form the Tacoma side of things, and generally avoided posting in the forums because it was completely counter productive. This community is day and night difference. More doers than talkers for sure. That makes a big difference.

 

[TheGrrrrr]

Just so my post isn't interpreted as an attack on the Rover community, let me be clear, I absolutely adored my rover and that community is without question just as dedicated, supportive and enthusiastic as any. Many of them do get out one the trails regularly, and without issue, and post about their experiences. Over time though, as the L322 platform has aged, more and more the discussion has become focused on problems and repairs. While this is to be expected, it has changed the experience. The people are no different than the folks here, they are great, just the conversation has shifted.

I don't want this thread to devolve into a RR bashing festival, I just wanted to acknowledge the value of this community and thank everyone for their support.

 

[Dayhiker]

I mostly lurk as well, but have been on many forums over the years for the various cars I've owned. This forum definitely is a gem and contributed to me getting my 2011 LX.

 

[cmcollar]

Your post is so very well stated! I've only been involved in this forum for a few days, but I immediately came to the same conclusion as you! Thank you for taking the time to express your thoughts!

Bravo to everyone involved in this community!!

Chris

 

[finlayforprez]

I feel the same way! I joined last year when I got my 2018 LC200 and it's been such a great experience. Like you, I had a Land Rover (2 of them actually in a few years) and was very active on those forums. I had a heavily modified 2013 Land Rover LR4 that I LOVED to pieces, but I made the switch to the LC200 for a variety of reasons, with the number one being reliability. You are right, the Land Rover forums are riddled with diagnosing issues and the potential for mechanical/air suspension/electronic issues was always on my mind during trips - and for very good reason. I did love my Land Rover LR4, it was so special to drive, but I have not looked back since I got the LC200.

 

[4xoddic]

Lucas - Prince of Darkness - Lucas Electrical Humor Jokes

www.mez.co.uk

Just to finish any RR bashing on a humorous note!

I started subscribing to 4WD mags in ~ 1976. There weren't many LCs even pictured in articles, even fewer Land Rovers. But I do recall one LR article & the myriad of spare parts stowed in easily accessible spots on the Rover for trailside repairs.
While discussing early cars I owned with the owner of an RV dealership/repair shop; I mentioned owning a 1965 MG1100 & 1970 Midget, he got a big grin, said he'd been stationed in England (~ 1960s) & OH YEAH, Lucas invented darkness! (Going over a RR track, the bare & frayed braided ground wire running beneath the tranny broke, leaving me dead in the road. But boy, that Midget was fun!

I mentioned in the "LC failing in America" thread that LC longevity has contributed to sales decline. We owned our 1988 FJ62 for 18 years. After buying another, & letting the rusty one sit for 6 months, I had to make my only major repair: replacing a water pump. NOTE: ih8mud advice on an FJ62 water pump => IF the dealer's estimate is that low, let them find out how many shop hours it takes.

 

[tbisaacs]

Didn't expect to see so many recovering Land Rover owners in here

 

[Angelo1]

Didn't expect to see so many recovering Land Rover owners in here

Funny, because I was an LR4 owner once as well. I actually loved it. Very comfortable, tons of cargo space, etc. I just had air suspension issues. I really miss the captain arm rest for the driver and passenger. I was disappointed when they dropped the V8, probably would have bought it again if they kept the V8 but because of that, I started looking at alternatives and was introduced to my first 200.

 

[finlayforprez]

Didn't expect to see so many recovering Land Rover owners in here

I have been "sober" now for almost a year. HAHA!

I do miss my LR4, but I definitely made the best decision going with the LC200. Unless they drastically change the Land Cruiser, I will probably be an owner for life.

 

[TheGrrrrr]

I just want to reiterate everything I said in the original post. While everything I said over a year ago is still true, it has been built upon tenfold since then. This community truly is one of the resources I've drawn on to help get through this pandemic. The past year has been difficult for everyone in a multitude of ways, but one benefit has been the opportunity to refocus on the hobbies and interests that make all the hard work worth it. For me that has been getting outdoors, building my Cruiser and finding joy in the little things like tackling a new trail or learning how to approach an obstacle that I wouldn't have attempted previously. The hard part for me has been the isolation, the lack of social interaction and mostly travel. This community has provided so much in support of the best aspects of this difficult time and easily as much or more to relieve the strain of the more difficult aspects.

I can't tell you how much events like LCDC meant to me last year and it came at a really perfect time where I needed to get out and move. The best part though was getting to meet many of you, which has made Mud infinitely more enjoyable. So thank you to all who contribute and to all who have offered advise, encouragement and many laughs. I'm hopeful that this year we can all get together again and I can meet many more of you.

-Matt

 

[Woodland Realm]

Can anyone recommend their preferred Range Rover forum? My buddy is a RR guy, and regularly expresses envy over the great LC information I get here. He’s found nothing remotely similar for his RR. Any thoughts?

 

[TheGrrrrr]

RangeRovers.net was my primary. Good group there for the L322 at least. Not sure about other platforms.

 

[bentonrover]

I too was a sinner. Many years and many models deep. I also had my FJ62 along side of them all. Just couldn't give up on the 62 which was actually the problem child (still is). Discoweb.org was my poison. I still check in from time to time. Now I just push button my 08 LC and move/drive on. Couple of my formers....

 

[Sinister]

RangeRovers.net was my primary. Good group there for the L322 at least. Not sure about other platforms.

I was on the same one. Good group of guys there.

 

[greynolds]

I previously owned a 1995 Disco (purchased used) and 2014 L405 RR (purchased new). Despite the glitches, I had a ton of fun with the Disco. The L405 was a different story. It had some stupid issues at delivery and after 6 months of frustration with it, I moved on. But I moved on the G-wagons before ending up here. With the warranty expiring on my G-wagon, I decided it was going to be too expensive to keep long term (don’t ask how much $$$ the first brake job cost on a G63, even with an employee discount on the parts).

i also previously owned an LX-470, have been a member here for some time now and agree that this forum is one of the best.

 

[Cruisin911]

This community is phenomenal. The larger brand specific forums seem to not have the same level of camaraderie. The LC community is unique and I'm thankful as well for the wealth of information.