If you own a car like a jeep or a 4×4, then there is quite a chance that you will have bought it because you are interested in some form of off-roading. OK, so many people will own these cars for the school run, which is definitely over kill, but at the same time many will be wanting to drive off into the bush at the very first opportunity. If that is you, and you have just shelled out on your very first new or used Jeep, then there are few tips and pieces of advice that you will want to listen to before you charge off into the jungle for your first session. After all, off-roading is a skill, and that means it has to be learnt.

To start off on the right foot, you must remember to always be cautious. Don’t just be cautious whilst you are getting to grips with off-road driving – always be cautious. That way you will be best prepared if you end up in a dangerous or challenging situation. Make sure to always check the area you are driving into before you go in – if you’ve seen Indiana Jones, you will know juts how treacherous adventures can be! You need to identify any debris, drops or other such obstacles that could hurt you if they go unnoticed.

When you actually get driving, make sure to take care. This isn’t the sort of environment you care tear off wildly into, due to the unpredictable nature of it and the random quality of the hazards you might encounter. This is especially true if you are adventuring in the wild, rather than a specially design track. Always be careful driving around corners (slow and steady wins the race!), to make the ride as smooth as possible. In the same vein, never put your foot to the floor on the accelerator, or alternatively, never push the break right to the ground – unless in an emergency. Steady acceleration and breaking will make it easier to keep control of the car, and should give you more traction. Always start in a low gear if you are going up hill, and gradually speed up, that way you are less likely to spin or slide.

Whilst all these tips are useful, you will still make stupid mistakes unless you admit to your amateur status. You will NEED to take an off-road driving course, because all the practicalities of driving are very different when you are on tarmac to when you are actually off-road. These courses aren’t all too expensive, and you can do an intensive one for a week or two to really learn everything there is to know. Even better, these courses are all around the country, giving you lots of places to try out your skills. You could even, if you were really dedicated, head to a foreign country and make a holiday of it – Australia, for example, has some great off-roading holidays and adventure getaways that would be great fun!

Author Bio: Pete J Ridgard is a writer and a car enthusiast. He currently writes for the automotive industry. Here he discusses Used Jeep cars.

Category: Automotive
Keywords: Used Jeep,Jeep,Cars,Automotive