Who’s using it as a daily driver?

[Ineos4]

No side steps?

Looked at getting side steps, but got rocksliders. I had a Nissan Pathfinder r51 previously (which was written off in Jan from a headon) . on a 4x4 weekend, the step got pulled off, never the same. Would never get steps for 4x4ing again. Was driving wife's Mercedes b200 for far tooooooo long! Missed my 4x4.

 

[Ineos4]

That e-brake is pretty high isn’t it? Love the brown leather option

I was looking for the electric brake thinking no it's a hand brake, then seen other comments, ive never heard it called an emergency brake, because you use it every time you park.
Although in Victoria you can't teach a learner driver with an electronic brake because in 'emergencies' you need to be able to take control.

 

[Logsplitter]

View attachment 7817567

600km done in 2 days, 7-8 hrs driving
Absolutely love it.
Had my first work meeting in car, bloody awesome, could use laptop webcam without issue, console for coffee!

Steering what a crock of manure from others, 2 corners and you figure out you can't drive like a lunatic around a junction.
Software gremlins, having them constantly but nothing that hasn't disappeared on different drives.
Windscreen is surprisingly huge
Wipers, drove in heavy rain for an hour, the bottom right corner isn't covered, but if your looking down there at 100km/hr you're not looking at the road and have bigger issues
Head lights, I've never had so much light on dark country roads
Getting in and out is harder, bumped head a few times
Only a few have recognised the car, one seen my rego and thought it was the cycling team and didn't know there was a car company.
Indicator light needs to be replaced again, glue/epoxy just isn't sticking, but awesome to know it was printed on a 3d printer in Melbourne!
Seat covers are crap, and lift out of position every time I get in and out of car.
Impressions from others:
Son thinks the back seats are much harder than he likes for long drives
Wife struggles getting in car and can't read arm rest in door, I think it's awesome.
Steering wheel is awesome with the grab section on lower part so comfortable for one hand

Wow, it's a beast, holy crxp that's solid, quality of interior amazing, looks like a cockpit.
I work for a power system company supplying closed systems for caravans and the CEO said, that is the best electrical assembly he's seen and he previously worked in the auto industry.
Loves the display of power input/usage.
Loves the finishing of the control panels

Maybe you need to raise the seat up for your wife so that she can put her arm on the door armrest. Myself and my wife are not tall and we have pumped the seats up so that we have a better driving/ passenger position and can both use door armrests.

 

[bigleonski]

Ah, yes..Emergency Brake. I still call it a handbrake or parking brake also

I’ve driven a manual most of my life and only time I’ve seen them go that high is if the cable needs adjusting or a power lifter yanks on the lever, haha….after which it needs adjusting

I drive a land cruiser. They need adjusting 15 minutes after they've been adjusted.

 

[anand]

only time I’ve seen them go that high is if the cable needs adjusting

That's actually a pretty common angle on the Grenadiers

 

[bigleonski]

I was looking for the electric brake thinking no it's a hand brake, then seen other comments, ive never heard it called an emergency brake, because you use it every time you park.
Although in Victoria you can't teach a learner driver with an electronic brake because in 'emergencies' you need to be able to take control.

I recall reading an article about a young American girl living over here who was gobsmacked that everyone in Australia actually uses the handbrake every time they stop and park. She said that no-one in American uses the handbrake - that's what Park in your transmission was for. I wondered if this was true or not at the time.

 

[anand]

She said that no-one in American uses the handbrake - that's what Park in your transmission was for. I wondered if this was true or not at the time.

100% accurate

 

[Krabby]

I recall reading an article about a young American girl living over here who was gobsmacked that everyone in Australia actually uses the handbrake every time they stop and park. She said that no-one in American uses the handbrake - that's what Park in your transmission was for. I wondered if this was true or not at the time.

Pretty much. Perhaps that’s why we use the term ”emergency” to describe it. I personally use it - the fit has a traditional one like the Gren. My wife uses it in her Outback but it’s electric. Kinda weird actually.

 

[AnD3rew]

I recall reading an article about a young American girl living over here who was gobsmacked that everyone in Australia actually uses the handbrake every time they stop and park. She said that no-one in American uses the handbrake - that's what Park in your transmission was for. I wondered if this was true or not at the time.

Terrible habit though. The “park brake” as Americans call it, in the transmission is just a small metal pin in most transmissions and shouldn’t be relied upon to repeatedly hold the whole weight of the vehicle, particularly on steep inclines. Should always use the handbrake (emergency brake for Americans) and preferably before you put it in park so as not to load up the transmission pin.

 

[DCPU]

That's actually a pretty common angle on the Grenadiers

I'm going to say it's a little too high and needs adjusting down.

I wouldn't want it any higher than this:

 

[DaveB]

Terrible habit though. The “park brake” as Americans call it, in the transmission is just a small metal pin in most transmissions and shouldn’t be relied upon to repeatedly hold the whole weight of the vehicle, particularly on steep inclines. Should always use the handbrake (emergency brake for Americans) and preferably before you put it in park so as not to load up the transmission pin.

Agree 100%

 

[Ineos4]

Looked at getting side steps, but got rocksliders. I had a Nissan Pathfinder r51 previously (which was written off in Jan from a headon) . on a 4x4 weekend, the step got pulled off, never the same. Would never get steps for 4x4ing again. Was driving wife's Mercedes b200 for far tooooooo long! Missed my 4x4.

I got android auto to work, had to update android version and clear cache and that did the trick!

 

[ECrider]

Don’t. Dis. The. Fit.

I continually promote the comradely of this fantastic forum community. But a man has his limits…


…and a purple Fit too

I bought a Fit/Jazz 2nd hand some 5 years ago for the au pairs to drive the children to school and back. Thinking that out of the small car market it had to be Japanese design. So that narrowed it dow to a Toyota Yaris or Honda Jazz. Decided on Honda. Spent 2k thinking it would get me something reliable and not much to cry about when one of them pranged it.

Well turns out I bought the only lemon Honda made that year. Replaced throttle body/ecu etc and still no fix to the kamgarooing it had 2 months after buying it. Had to replace both wiring looms which eventually made it run sweet as a nut!! Great car just bad luck. Wife hated it, I liked it.

Bought for 2k, spent 2k, sold it a year ago for 1.6k.

Oh well, not too bad but not the ideal!

 

[ECrider]

Terrible habit though. The “park brake” as Americans call it, in the transmission is just a small metal pin in most transmissions and shouldn’t be relied upon to repeatedly hold the whole weight of the vehicle, particularly on steep inclines. Should always use the handbrake (emergency brake for Americans) and preferably before you put it in park so as not to load up the transmission pin.

Yep. Incline or not I hold foot on brake, select neutral, air down in the D4, wait for it to settle, press the hand/ebrake, release foot brake, settle, engage park. done. Only time I don't do this is if parking on the flat and leaving for a week or two then no ebrake for fear rusting on.

 

[alvan]

For me an e-brake is a parking brake electronically/electrically actuated (like e-bike or e-mail...). One of the most stupid think that you can get in a car... Waiting for the Grenadier, I'm driving a rented Peugeot with a handbrake automatically actuated. Big pain in the... you can (must) engage it only pulling the key and disengage only pushing the brake. That's great for the typical, careless, contemporary driver but not for people that know what to do and free to act by his own head depending on the situation...
P.S.: Not to mention the advanced use that can be made of the parking brake during spirited driving...

 

[Krabby]

I bought a Fit/Jazz 2nd hand some 5 years ago for the au pairs to drive the children to school and back. Thinking that out of the small car market it had to be Japanese design. So that narrowed it dow to a Toyota Yaris or Honda Jazz. Decided on Honda. Spent 2k thinking it would get me something reliable and not much to cry about when one of them pranged it.

Well turns out I bought the only lemon Honda made that year. Replaced throttle body/ecu etc and still no fix to the kamgarooing it had 2 months after buying it. Had to replace both wiring looms which eventually made it run sweet as a nut!! Great car just bad luck. Wife hated it, I liked it.

Bought for 2k, spent 2k, sold it a year ago for 1.6k.

Oh well, not too bad but not the ideal!

Knock on wood, it’s been great. Before it became mine, the Mrs. clocked over 155k miles (~250k km) with no issues besides AC needed a top up and just now replaced the original alternator.

 

[255/85]

AFAIK hand operated emergency brakes (or "E" brakes) were a response to single circuit hydraulic braking systems which had only a single master cylinder reservoir. Any leak or flaw in the system rendered a vehicle's brakes inoperative within a very short period of time - sometimes after only one or two applications of the pedal. If you've ever driven a vehicle and had the brakes fail you'll know why that lever is really there and what it's called.

Seat covers are crap, and lift out of position every time I get in and out of car.

Is any one else having problems with the factory covers? Input would be appreciated as I am still unconvinced about the Grenadier or what I would order. Are the factory bottom covers simple stretch to fit like an old woman's shower cap or are there adjustable straps or buckles?

Melvill & Moon use the same gathered elastic approach to their seat covers. They are cheaper than those offered by Ineos, but very gimmicky looking to my eye. TIA.

 

[Jiman01]

Good questions abou the seat cover. Only reason why I ordered them is because I wasn’t sure how quickly the aftermarket would offer them for a niche vehicle. but if IG version is complete rubbish, I’d rather lay a blanket across the seat and wait for a good product than waste $200+.

I always had decent luck with the neoprene kind in my wrangler.

 

[DenisM]

I got android auto to work, had to update android version and clear cache and that did the trick!

Thank you for the detailed feedback
Does android auto require a cable or is it bluetooth or the vehicle's wifi?

 

[255/85]

Good questions abou the seat cover. Only reason why I ordered them is because I wasn’t sure how quickly the aftermarket would offer them for a niche vehicle. but if IG version is complete rubbish, I’d rather lay a blanket across the seat and wait for a good product than waste $200+.

I always had decent luck with the neoprene kind in my wrangler.

They're listed as $415 per row on the US configurator.