Hi there, I've finally overcome my shyness and decided to write this message on the forum, cos of what happened last week. After three years of work I got the yellow baja bug registered on thursday.

On Sunday with my wife and 6th month old we went for a drive up into the brindabellas just behind Canberra. It was so cool, I was hammering up the main dirt road lots of dust and rocks being thrown out the back, I drove up a steep rutted 4wd track and had to turn around half way up because a tree had blocked it off. We followed a few fire trails and a steep powerlines trail with lots of waterbars and rocky hairpins that the beetle just chugged up and around. The final thrill was a really steep grade climb out of a creek which we used to do in 4wd low in the landcruiser, I put the boot in and the beetle clawed her way up and out without a hint of a problem. My wife did look a bit worried that we were going to tip over backward.

All this with a swing axle baja with 31X10.5 R 15 tyres on the back and a new 1914 cc motor.

Does anyone have any advice on what the limits are for these cars?

I wonder now if I could manage a simpson desert crossing later in the year... hmmm

Stephen

pics pics pics!!
and pics of the car!
sounds unreal, cant wait till my off road sedan is ready for some adventures..
as for limits, check these two links out

http://www.netspot4u.com/~manxclub/gallery/Ormeau-2004 

http://www.netspot4u.com/~manxclub/gallery/album153 

both guys from AVD I think

keep chuggin :P

The only limit is to NOT do it with a 6 month old in the car....apart from that you have probably just touched the surface of its capabilities..:party

After a day of reflection and only driving the baja two and from work, there are a few things that i'm wondering about, firstly, the car seems really good at going up steep hills, i'm not as confident going down, she popped out of first a few times, and I don't know about relying on the brakes, (disks and type 3 drums) any thoughts out there?.

Also fuel range, I think I got about 11 litres / 100 km, considering that much of it was in first and second, that seems really good, what do others get?

I'll borrow a digital and get some piccies.

And i'll make sure to take the baby out before I do any really silly stuff .

goodto see more offroaders on here, one you go off the blacktop you never go back

Yeah its lots of fun.....although just wait until you start breaking stuff and you're having to fix it....:thumb
If you dont already have a gearbox strap for the front of the gearbox then that would be a good start.

The only limit is the driver these things can get into some some really mean places it just comes down to do you want to take it there, my bug is the the green one in them photos and that place is classed as crazy by all 4wds and we often get in there and mix it up with them and alot of times show them how it should be done but it does come at a cost i have a pile of broken car bits around the back of my shed gear boxs, tie rods, panels, tyres, gaurds and other bits but i used to be out there every 2nd weekend but i would not have it any other way i love my offroading i dont build my cars to look good cause if i did i would be unsure of taking it up there and hanging of the side of a mountain.

Tim

[Edited on 16/3/2005 by MUD BASHING ANYONE ??]

G'day Stephen,

good on ya!! The Bajas' limits are pretty much governed by the capability of the driver, so get out there are find its' (your) limit, you might suprise yourself!
I took my Desert Bug across the Simpson in June/July 2000 and had no trouble at all, in fact the Bug outperformed the three 4x4s that went with us ('98 Discovery 2.5 Tdi, '97 3lt deisil Hilux T/cab and '94 2.8lt deisil Hilux T/cab. The Bug was the only one to climb "Big Red" to the top (first go!!), and it weighed about 1.6 tonne (we carried everything we needed for the trip on or in the Bug).
Have fun,
Cheers, Ian.