ITDS – It’s The Driveline, Stupid! Not as memorable an acronym as KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid), but it serves as a reminder of the main reason for picking up this book. Forget the tarty wheels and their ridiculous watch-strap tyres, the back seat video, the gold-plated iPad dock and the warmed water-bed for the sinister Weimaraner dog – the most important part of what you are buying, or have bought, is the driveline. By-pass the fancy ® and ™ items and three-letter acronyms cluttering up the brochure. Ask about the driveline; know about it, be sure of what it does for where – and the way – you’ll be driving. It’s why you’re buying a 4x4.

How to buy: The questions. What to ask:

• Selectable 4x4, auto-engage 4x4 or permanent 4x4 – as on p.2.13?
• Really ‘permanent’, around 50/50 front/rear split with centre diff?
• If auto-engage, does it start off in 4x4?
• Selectable diff-locks: rear/front/both?
• Real locking diff or braked-wheel traction control?
• If auto-lock, how? When? What %?
• Auto-4x4: active or passive? (p.2.18)
• Any modifying control such as Terrain Response or an Off-Road button?
• What does that do – exactly, in detail?

Four-by-four driving, 6th edn      ISBN 978-0-957585-6-6 Author: Tom Sheppard