FWD vs 4WD cars for general use and ski trips...

While I appreciate your advice and sentiments I am looking at 2016/2017 and newer and (in the nicest way possible) do not care about the reasoning behind why it is a good car, I am sure there are many valid arguments for why it is, but I simply will not consider it as I want something "nearly new" with newer technology and warranty.

Ah well, yes. Say no more.

Well, you're foreign, so I don't suppose we can blame you for your appalling taste.

Price-wise, even some of the nearly twenty-year-old Defenders I looked at were not far from that. Often tarted up, fancy alloys etc. and with body panels that were still all flat and shiny, so not what Iwas looking for at all. Mine's a well-used example, mechanically (and chassis-wise) in perfect nick but a little cosmetically challenged. Perfect, in other words. Bought from dealer with a new MFK for around half that price, it ws actully quite a bargain. Seems like prices are starting to rise across the world since they've discontinued the model completely.

Oh, and I've noticed one oddity of driving a LR here - drivers wave at each other, even Swiss ones. Quite surreal, but in a nice way. Not sure you'd get that with your Mercs or your Toyotas.

Heh, yes indeed!

If only you could find a 7–8-seater with a hard top! I love the camper, though.

Ace1, that's a good, established Swiss name... which canton again?

It's a gesture of sympathy, actually, or perhaps a plea for help. You're supposed to stop and render assistance.

There's a similar cult following for pre-2000 LandCruisers, and I get plenty of friendly waves in my other AWD car. G-drivers mostly draw looks of Swiss envy.

7 in the back, 2 up front.

https://www.tutti.ch/de/vi/luzern/fa...339?redirected

They're a blast, and incredibly easy to work on.

That one's 6WD, right? Does that complicate the servicing?

We bought ours new in the UK before coming over. It was fabulous for 10 years - 100k miles - then everything went at the same time and it all turned into a bl**dy nightmare- suspension then fuel pump - kept conking out as soon as we were on steep incline. Never ever again - and don't talk to me about Emil Frei garages

Part of the Subaru Forester choice was because we have a great independent Subaru garage here, we can really depend on and trust. Weight in gold that ...

Every time I visited an Emil Frei garage I was back out the door in no time. Just bad vibes, I guess!

Guys is there any real downside, other than reduced warranty length (24 months), to buying an imported car from a dealer like Topcarzug? https://www.topcarzug.ch/

No free service packs & expect zero service, both before & after sale..

Just depends what you expect from a garage, service or low price.

If you want a no-frills G for a better price is the term you need to search for Mercedes "Wolf" - that was the name of the German military issue Gs. Dozens in the market, but they are rock bottom basic. Still the best difs around.

I am aspiring for something German, AWD and either hybrid or electric - no diesel

No, but it is very easy to do yourself and save even more $$, most big manufacturers, BMW, Merc, VA, Audi sell 6 month old cars and will sell you an additional full warranty foir extra 2 years.

I have a Merc well in excess of $150k and the 2 years additional manufacturer's warranty was about €1400.--

Free servicing....my CLS63 costs about Chf 500.-- for an annaul service, and the oil that I supply, Mobil 1 according to MB spec costs me less than Chf 100.-- for 10 litres.

The garage are obliged to put the oil you supply into the car, especially if it is under warranty, and providing it is 100% according to manufacturers specication/homologation, the warranty is still 100% valid.

I think "zero service" is stretching it a little. What do you base that statement on?

Im looking at the VW Golf 1.8 TSI Alltrack 4Motion. It looks decent, has good technology, is AWD and has lots of space and practicality. I was looking at a Golf/A3 sportback but in the end I really think it is much more practical to have the additional boot and cargo space for those times you need it.

Hmm I need to investigate this.

Ask for a test-drive & report back, meanwhile I won't hold my breath.

I preferred the normal estate version in 4motion to the alltrack (though in part that might have been as it was the R version) when I test drove them earlier this summer. But still didnt like the driving position in the golf.

As far as I know there is no non-R version other than the Alltrack... happy to be corrected though!

The R version is sweet but for me completely unnecessary.

You are correct... Only the diesel gets 4motion in the standard.

Ahh yes, I forgot to be specific there because I am looking at petrol only.

... because?