Kedah 4x4

Preparation

To drive safely Off-Road you don’t need big tires or suspension lifts, a winch is generally just dead weight and all the recovery kit in the world is just going to make you sink deeper in the mire. The most important piece of equipment you need is a reliable, well-serviced and well-maintained vehicle – and please note, dear reader it doesn’t really matter what make it is, every make of vehicle has its good and bad points. Driving Off Road will require you to halve, if not quarter, the time between service intervals, it also requires daily vehicle inspections. Buy a Haynes manual (if available) and read it – then find a reliable local garage or vehicle specialist and get to know them, find out if they will give discounts for regular work.

The next most important piece of equipment is a decent pair of boots. These need to be strong and waterproof and as well as being pliable enough to drive in, they must also be comfortable enough to walk fair distances in.

Third on the list is a sensible attitude towards yourself; your vehicle, its passengers and the area you are driving in and remember you don’t have to drive it.

Find the handbook for your vehicle and read it, learn as much as possible about your vehicle and its characteristics, for example its height and width are just as important as its wheelbase. This can be found when green laning on Exmoor, a fully prepared ’90 will simply not fit down some lanes whereas a long wheel base Samurai will be laughing all the way to the pub.