Kangoo Trekka

Does anyone know anything about this car? I have been thinking of buying one
to replace my Vitara (I need more room) and was wondering if anyone has
owned one. My Mum has had a 'normal' Kangoo for a year now with few problems
but the 4 wheel drive version is obviously more complex.

How capable are they off-road/on road? What is the fuel consumption like?
Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 20:27:10 +0100, "Robert Clarke"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Does anyone know anything about this car? I have been thinking of buying one
>to replace my Vitara (I need more room) and was wondering if anyone has
>owned one. My Mum has had a 'normal' Kangoo for a year now with few problems
>but the 4 wheel drive version is obviously more complex.
>
>How capable are they off-road/on road? What is the fuel consumption like?
>Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

There's a chap called John Page around these parts who will tell you
everything you need to know - he's their biggest fan

On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 20:27:10 +0100, "Robert Clarke" <[email protected]>
wrote some stuff about "Kangoo Trekka", to which I would like to add the
following:

>Does anyone know anything about this car? I have been thinking of buying one
>to replace my Vitara (I need more room) and was wondering if anyone has
>owned one. My Mum has had a 'normal' Kangoo for a year now with few problems
>but the 4 wheel drive version is obviously more complex.
>
>How capable are they off-road/on road? What is the fuel consumption like?
>Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Those look like seriously tiny wheels/tyres for anything going further
off-road than a gently sloping meadow or beach.. Most of these cars you can't
seem to fit bigger tyres (Honda CRV for example.. EVER seen one on decent
wheels?)

Cheers,
Chanchao

Nope, never heard of it.
..
..
..


Well OK, I admit it I own one, one of the very few it seems.
And my wife and I love it to bits.

Off road it is far, far more capable than you would expect,
both my wife and I now compete in off-road trials in ours
and this weekend had it doing things most people wouldn't
dare in a vitara (That's most people who buy vitaras, not most
people on this group mind you).Obvious problemis ground
clearance although you can change the 185/65 tyres for 195/70
to get about 1/2 inch more. 4WD copes with most things when
you work out how to drive it (Keep the revs high).

Its a bit thirsty on petrol at 28MPG and I've heard the
DCi is sluggish. The petrol has loads of go. On road they a
re very fast from 0-30, less so 30-70 and above that, well
they will cruise at 85 but it's noisy. Handling is scary at first
but very competent, the anti roll bars work and you can
take roundabouts at 30+ before the four wheel slide starts.
Ride in back is bouncy, front is OK although seats are narrow.

Look at kangoo.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk for more informatio
n or email me for the X rated pics.

John.

On Mon, 15 Sep 2003 20:27:10 +0100, "Robert Clarke"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Does anyone know anything about this car? I have been thinking of buying one
>to replace my Vitara (I need more room) and was wondering if anyone has
>owned one. My Mum has had a 'normal' Kangoo for a year now with few problems
>but the 4 wheel drive version is obviously more complex.
>
>How capable are they off-road/on road? What is the fuel consumption like?
>Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
>
>
Didn't someone compete in the Paris-Dakar in one a couple of years
ago?

Regards
Steve G

remove the nospam to email me

On Wed, 17 Sep 2003 07:08:41 -0700, "John Page" <[email protected]>
wrote some stuff about "Re: Kangoo Trekka", to which I would like to add the
following:

>Off road it is far, far more capable than you would expect,
>both my wife and I now compete in off-road trials in ours
>and this weekend had it doing things most people wouldn't
>dare in a vitara (That's most people who buy vitaras, not most
>people on this group mind you).Obvious problemis ground
>clearance although you can change the 185/65 tyres for 195/70
>to get about 1/2 inch more.

Is it possible to raise the body of the car to comfortably fit tyres of that
size (or larger)?

>4WD copes with most things when you work out how to drive
> it (Keep the revs high).

Hm... Isn't that the same as saying that the charecteristics of the engine
aren't really suited to off-roading? (Low end torque more important than high
end power) ? Note that my car is just as bad in this respect and I really
really hate this; you have just no control anymore if you have to rev it and
lots of unwanted wheelspin can occur.

>Its a bit thirsty on petrol at 28MPG and I've heard the
>DCi is sluggish.

But.. would peraps do better at lower revs?

>Look at kangoo.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk for more information
> or email me for the X rated pics.

Wow.. X rated pics of a Kangoo Trekka.......... sounds lovely perverse.. ;-)

Very nice site by the way!!!!!! I was hoping for more embarrassing moments
in the video section though... (And that see-saw thingy.. more an exercise for
hamsters and dogs than for a 4WD is it? Kind of makes you wonder if there
was a tred mill, too? ;-)

Cheers,
Chanchao

> Is it possible to raise the body of the car to comfortably fit tyres of
that
> size (or larger)?
>
Not really, but lack out ground clearance isn't usualyl a problem you just
have to
be very careful how you drive.

> Hm... Isn't that the same as saying that the charecteristics of the engine
> aren't really suited to off-roading? (Low end torque more important than
high
> end power) ? Note that my car is just as bad in this respect and I really
> really hate this; you have just no control anymore if you have to rev it
and
> lots of unwanted wheelspin can occur.

Low end torque would be nice, it gets by though, low range gearbox would
be more useful.

> >Its a bit thirsty on petrol at 28MPG and I've heard the
> >DCi is sluggish.
>
> But.. would peraps do better at lower revs?

True,. True

lovely perverse.. ;-)

> Very nice site by the way!!!!!! I was hoping for more embarrassing
moments
> in the video section though... (And that see-saw thingy.. more an exercise
for
> hamsters and dogs than for a 4WD is it? Kind of makes you wonder if
there
> was a tred mill, too? ;-)

Tread mill, no just a muddy hill to spin wheels on, site will get an update
soon
and hopefully better pics then, I'm normally in the car for the embarrasing
bts rather than taking photos.

On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 20:57:46 -0700, "John Page" <[email protected]>
wrote some stuff about "Re: Kangoo Trekka", to which I would like to add the
following:

>Tread mill, no just a muddy hill to spin wheels on, site will get an update
>soon and hopefully better pics then, I'm normally in the car for the embarrasing
>bts rather than taking photos.

What I'd also really like to see would be some guy in a
serious-as-a-hart-attack off roader (say, LR Defender) (or better yet, the
Hummer H2) making a fool of himself and then you in your Kangoo Trekka do the
same thing without breaking a sweat.. Without cheating.

Cheers,
Chanchao

Going through a 5'5" wide gate

"Chanchao" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 20:57:46 -0700, "John Page" <[email protected]>
> wrote some stuff about "Re: Kangoo Trekka", to which I would like to add
the
> following:
>
> >Tread mill, no just a muddy hill to spin wheels on, site will get an
update
> >soon and hopefully better pics then, I'm normally in the car for the
embarrasing
> >bts rather than taking photos.
>
> What I'd also really like to see would be some guy in a
> serious-as-a-hart-attack off roader (say, LR Defender) (or better yet, the
> Hummer H2) making a fool of himself and then you in your Kangoo Trekka do
the
> same thing without breaking a sweat.. Without cheating.
>
> Cheers,
> Chanchao