I've had my eye on Land Rover trucks for as long as I can remember, basically fell in love with them when my parents took me on a "see where we were born" trip to England. We played in a friend's Land Rover for a day and really got to enjoy how flexible it was.

Although mine isn't one of the classic Land Rovers, I'm extremely happy with it. I didn't buy it new, but instead a year old from the dealership; apparently the original owner ended up with a divorce and the wife took his kids, so he didn't want 7 seats reminding him of bad days.

Now, instead of his "to the mall, office, and house" the LR3 is being used as a proper off-road vehicle! I play in the dust with a club in British Columbia, Canada (I'm from Richmond), but I've been known to putter around with a couple friends too. She's already got some bush-based battle wounds, but I think they just add to the image.

That isn't where the fun ends. A friend was poking through the manual and pointed out that the beast can haul 7700 lbs. 7700 lbs! So, she went into the dealership and had the tow package installed. I started with a tiny little 12/24 popup trailer, but decided that it didn't really do justice to the image of the truck. It went away and was replaced with a 26 foot full size travel trailer. Fully loaded the darned thing hits 7300 lbs, but the truck pulls it without issue. I've taken it up a few of the local "hills" just to see how the truck handles the incline, and was stunned as it actually overtook many of the cars. No, I don't drive like a moron all the time, but I had to know how it handled.

So, one would think that is where my LR3 experience would end. I mean that it goes off-road and it hauls a 7000 lbs trailer. What could be left?

I work part time in the Air Force Reserve, and it gets a fair amount of abuse with that too. It is occassionally loaded with 7 people, gear, and various other things.

I have to say that it is a great vehicle with amazing flexibility and function. I've enjoyed all the things that it offers, and so have many of my friends (new and old). My only remaining thought regarding the LR3? How does it manage to do all this while still providing me a luxurious driving environment. Heated seats (even for the second row seats) are over the top. Heated front, side, and rear windows is shockingly useful especially during the "try to get stuck in the mountain snow" runs. Three sunroofs? wow.

Overall, I'm looking forward to being a member of this board and getting to know my truck and those who enjoy it. Hopefully, I'll be able to start contributing something too, but let me get used to how things are done here first.


Regards,

Jon (Mirth)