Belated thoughts on a birthday

4wdNewz recently celebrated its first birthday in this format. The Mark One version was a dot-com site, started with the intention of generating income … at which it was a dismal failure. Despite building excellent numbers only a couple of companies ever wanted to pay to put their products on the site. To be honest, it's better not having to worry about commercial aspects. The site can say what it likes within the laws of libel and not have to worry about offending a client whose likely reaction will be to withdraw.

A cornerstone has been to welcome comment from readers and to publish all those that do not cross the lines defined by either the law or good taste. There's been no lack of comments and, looking back, more than half have been negative, either slagging the site generally or an item in particular. Oh dear. I think some people expect 4wdNewz to be a hard-winchin' all-action site and don't mind expressing their disappointment that it isn't. There's probably an opportunity for a good site on all types of off-road competition.

Thanks to everyone who has visited, commented and, in particular, to those who regularly visit. Your input is always welcome as we lurch into year two.

Phil Hanson

A good start for Grand Cherokee Overland diesel

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"Come on out, I know there's an engine in there … you can't hide forever." I'm driving the new V6 diesel Grand Cherokee Overland, a vehicle that really gives the Range Rover Vogue a run for its money … and it's half the price. The 2987cc CRD engine is impressive. It behaves more like a V8 than a V6, unobtrusively producing 177kW and 550Nm of torque at 1800rpm. Fuel consumption is excellent; I'm often seeing 9 litres per 100km on the averaged readout. A variable geometry turbocharger and an integrated diesel particulate filter help reduce fuel consumption and exhaust emissions. Let's pray the new engine from VM doesn't come with stupid problems like some of its predecessors.

'Virtual' off-roading in the Grand Cherokee

Slight glitch with the Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland's satnav … well, more than a glitch, it went mad. The arrowhead is supposed to be on the 4wdNewz driveway but it's showing it as being somewhere out in the Manukau Harbour! It's been telling me I'm up on hills where there are no roads, in rivers when all I see is a suburban street. Maybe this is Jeep's way of giving Grand Cherokee drivers the feeling that they're hard off-roading without actually doing it. A day later, as if by magic, the system found the road it was supposed to be on and fixed itself.