Driving JunkI really like driving junk. Now, that doesn't mean I don't appreciate a shiny new 4x4 smelling of leather and plastic, or whatever that new car smell is supposed to be. It's just that an older rig that's been around the block has its own smell of oil, grease, dirt, and rancid french fries that just can't be duplicated. The same goes for the exterior, where the paint should be weathered to a fine patina with a spot of rust here or there that can't be paid for; it has to be earned. You see, in this business the term junk is a term of endearment.
An old 4x4 like this seems to be much more relaxing to drive off road, since a few battle scars from trying a new line on an obstacle or scraping along some brush doesn't maim the rig as badly as a new vehicle. And it's not a matter of carelessness or poor driving either, it's being able to drive on the edge without having to worry about the first scratch or dent. It's more like the look of an older person who has earned his wrinkles and sags through experience, or maybe a good rollover or two.
Mechanically, the term junk doesn't mean that the rig is falling apart or unsafe either; just worn in, not out. True junk has a patch here or there on a component that got whacked on the trail, or even a hodgepodge of non-factory parts or custom creations that all work in harmony. You know that a beefy, high-clearance bumper on your 4x4 is a better asset than flimsy pieces of plastic tacked on either end of a brand-new vehicle. To me, that plastic crap 6 inches off the ground is the negative connotation of junk, not the positive one of a well-seasoned 4x4.
Of course, the staff here at 4-Wheel & Off-Road gets to deal with both types of vehicles, since we test new factory offerings, but drive old junk. Next month we'll have the complete lowdown in our 4x4 of the Year test on the new crop of 4x4s to hit the dealer showroom, from trucks to SUVs and whatever else we find on the market. We'll take these fancy new pieces of automotive engineering and put them through their paces in a grueling weeklong test. We'll take them on trails that grind off undercarriage protruberances, pinstripe the paint 'til the detailers cry, and crunch a running board or two on those cars that can't even be crawled under by a skinny girl.
But what we won't do is thrash these vehicles just for the sake of carnage. Sure, it might be fun, but that sort of driving gains us little knowledge of a rig's true potential. We push these rides to their limits, but not past them, as we can with true junk. We'll have to park these new 4x4s on the outskirts of the lot to protect them from door dings, keep the bed free of cargo that might scar or dent it, and treat the interior like it's your mother's living room. Cars will get too close to us on freeway mergings instead of giving us a wide berth, and gas station attendants will ooh and aah about our new '04 such-and-so. But regardless, we'll feel more comfortable in many ways when we get back to driving our own quality junk.-Rick Pw