Decades ago used to tell everyone/anyone to get 4x4 thinking the volume would reduce prices for me and get better stuff because the OEMs would spend more in their R&D to make that breed better...
No longer, as it worked against me....as if had that much pull in getting the volumes up there...Fashion Statement crowd and their checking every last option box when ordering...and wanting to be 'cool' because they want that SUV look did it...
The levers on the floor confused too many and the OEM's service/warranty went up because of that...plus they wanted the convenience of dash mounted push buttons...so the OEM's designed interlocking dual buttons so that they would NOT push them together or some such nonsense in sequencing
So that then had the need for motorized shift linkages at the transfer case...that then had them put in a computer down there...which now takes a technician 4 hours as listed in their book to dial it in after a new one is installed (and it is +$2K parts/labor)...so that now I can NOT shift on the fly like I used to, but have to be at a dead stop or very nearly at a dead stop...then it will 'clank' into low when that 'computer' jams the gears together...
Along that route manual hubs went the way to become auto hubs...that then had those fashion statement folks waiting till they 'had' to get out in the mud/muck/snow/etc to engage or not knowing that hubs need to be re-lubed every other year or so...so they stuck on or off...to now that there are no longer hubs and the front axle shafts are engaged 100% of the time and the disengagement is in the front diff...that now that front diff is flaky because of the mechanism they designed to do via that dash mounted 4x4/low buttons...
Parallel to all that is full time or AWD or whatever marketing verbiage they use today...and when talking to or answering someone who has a problem and ask if they changed the fluid in their 3rd member...'Huh????...what is that???'....it is the 3rd differential in the transfer case...and then ask if they have a compound low in there...another: "huh???...what is that"...
Or the current constant of both asking if it is okay to leave it in lock all the time on pavement to folks saying sure you can, I've been doing that for years with no issues...years ago bet someone on this forum who constantly argued say "Ben knows nothing about this" and told him he would break something in daring him to go out to a parking lot with good pavement/traction...put it in 4x4 lock and compound low even better...turn his steering wheel to one side against the bump stop...then make more than 3 complete circles...keep going and throttle it up even if it 'crow hops' (he didn't know what that was either)...he came back a week or so later threatening to sue me for breaking his truck...another forum member told him I warned him he would break something...never heard back from that guy...and every time this topic comes up...wonder what he broke...
So....now say:
"if you have to ask, don't get it...you will know when you want it"...
