News and General

Project 12K – Wheels & tyres
Tuesday, 10 November 2015
Because the Project 12K Jeep will be used as much on road as off tarmac, we needed a tyre with reasonable road manners as well as one which provided good characteristics and traction off-road.
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Load carrying
Tuesday, 10 November 2015
Cottle Motors & Auto Electrix Ltd occupies a prime site on the corner of Highway 16 and Access Rd in Kumeu in Auckland’s north-west.
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Weekend drive
Tuesday, 10 November 2015
The three tracks along the ridgeline on either side of the Manawatu Gorge are all public roads rated as quite easy 4WD trips. However any track in such an exposed area needs to be treated with...
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Camping
Monday, 05 October 2015
We all know that there are major differences between the Australian and New Zealand 4WD markets.
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Winches and winching
Monday, 05 October 2015
There are exceptions but for those chasing mud at some point a winch will normally become a requirement.
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Project 12K – Suspension upgrade
Monday, 05 October 2015
Jeep suspension upgrades are big business in ‘The States with so many options available; Rugged Ridge, Iron Rock, Rough Country, just to mention a few. In fact it was hard to try and select what...
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Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac 4x4 tyre
Wednesday, 16 September 2015
In its new Wrangler DuraTrac, Goodyear has come up with an all-terrain tyre which combines an aggressive look with features which tick all the various performance requirements boxes on as well as off...
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Destinations – The Molesworth
Wednesday, 12 August 2015
After missing out on a South Island trip due to not booking soon enough I decided that we would do the Molesworth trip run by the Molesworth Tour Company.
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Destinations - Australia
Wednesday, 12 August 2015
Want to plan an epic Australian 4WD adventure and need to convince the wife you actually know what you are doing?
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Weekend drive - Ruahine Roads
Wednesday, 15 July 2015
The loose plan was to head up from Ashhurst and follow the road that skirts the foothills of the Ruahine Ranges to the top of the Pohangina Valley before taking on a couple of loop roads...
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Suspension - Popular options
Wednesday, 15 July 2015
One of the great things about owning a 4WD is the almost limitless range of upgrade options you have.
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Ease on to Eskdale
Tuesday, 14 July 2015
We're easing on to Eskdale because that's how you travel in a Series One Land Rover, content with eating up the road miles at just 80 km/h.
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LEDs - The light fantastic
Wednesday, 10 June 2015
Light emitting diode (LED) light bars are the latest ‘must-have’ accessory for the 4WD owner looking to personalise their vehicle, with a number of key advantages over traditional bulb-based options.
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Tips for self-recovery
Monday, 20 April 2015
Once stuck don’t spin the wheels as this will only dig you deeper. Get out and assess the situation as a little spade work taking off a knob or making a ‘track’ for the wheels...
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Protecting your assets
Wednesday, 18 February 2015
While some people look at accessories just for their styling and ‘cool’ factor most are fitted because they have a purpose to fulfil.
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Great Aussie 4WD Adventure Pt 3
Wednesday, 18 February 2015
After some much-needed repairs to the camper and a service for the FJ it was time to tackle one of Australia’s more famous outback adventures, the Gibb River Road, an old cattle route that runs...
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South by south-east
Wednesday, 18 February 2015
The main safety briefing was given by the Wairarapa 4WD Club, who were providing the 4WD support for the day, and this was followed by acknowledgements from Masterton South Rotary Fundraising.
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Testing times in the south
Wednesday, 18 February 2015
If we are being absolutely truthful with ourselves, New Zealand is a very small player in the world of 4WDs and off-road tyres. 
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The High Road
Wednesday, 21 January 2015
For a number of years I have been visiting Takapari Rd, out of Ashhurst, to get some photos of the sub-alpine scenery and expansive views from the top of the Ruahine Ranges. 
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Great Aussie 4WD Adventure part 2
Wednesday, 21 January 2015
With the Nullarbor behind us it was time to head north to visit Australia’s largest open pit goldmine in the frontier town of Kalgoorlie. 
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Welcome to the NZ4WD 2015 Buyer’s Guide
Thursday, 11 December 2014
Previously this section of the Annual was dedicated to providing you with the specification of all 4WDs on sale in New Zealand, but this year we have decided to change it around a bit.
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Destinations & Journeys
Thursday, 11 December 2014
The mighty Molesworth Station is home to two of New Zealand’s best true back-country roads. Ashley Lucas explains their appeal.
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Four Wheel Drive of the Year
Thursday, 11 December 2014
You could call it ‘The Year of The Ute,’ the year – 2014 – when the battle for the hearts and minds of the country’s cockies and tradies went mainstream.
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With the city far behind
Monday, 11 August 2014
With a rather hectic round of work and family activities behind us, May and I decided to take advantage of a long weekend to get away and catch up on the back road sections of the northern Wairarapa...
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Light test photos
Sunday, 22 June 2014
In our July issue we test 12 of the best auxiliary driving lights available in New Zealand. Here are the specifications and features of each product, which we’ve taken from the manufacturers. 
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