Fizzing at the bung..to reality.

[Plasnart]

A Y62 newby's early observations after 5000km on road only:

So I bought myself a new Y62 late last year (2022), wide-eyed and bushy-tailed.
I drove it stock, and loved it.
The TI-L front bumper was as ugly as sin with its fake plastic chrome inserts, but got plans for that.
The factory rims looked better in real life than in the brochure, but the 265 HTs had to go.
So after 246km I lay under it and replaced the silent factory exhaust with an aftermarket system.
I chucked new rims and some AT tyres on it and woohoo...loved it.
I had a bullbar installed, replacing the ugly factory plastic front end. It looks the part, but front suspension performance was substantially affected even though I didn't exceed maximum front load limit. A bit vague cornering over bumps now.
Adaptive cruise control - needs re-calibrating after bullbar install. It tried to kill me a few times after "seeing" slow vehicles in neighbouring lanes as if they were in mine and applying emergency braking. Thank god nobody was up my arse at the time.
Steering wheel.....too skinny. My Ford Terrtitory has a much better ergonomic (bit thicker and smaller diameter) steering wheel.
Steering wheel control buttons...not intuitive. I still need to look down to pick volume control and various other buttons. In comparison, the Territory's buttons are "just there" like a Jap-build should be.
The 7-speed transmission is quite honestly bloody disappointing. There is no logical reason for so many gears matched to this amazing engine. Let it pull. (I compare it to the Territory's straight 6 petrol engine that torques so hard through a 6-speed transmission). One or two less gears would see this big donk pulling harder down low and less "flighty".
Cruise control is hysterical. On gradients, on resume, even on setting it. Annoying.
Its factory headlights, great.
Its internal ergonomics, great.
Cooled seating, unbeatable!
Its looks, great.
Its engine.... f_cking amazing. No more to be said.
The HBMC (Hydraulic Body Motion Control) suspension is something else! Bloody amazing. No going back.

These observations are based solely on my highway blast up to Queensland and back over the Christmas break. Maybe some of my negative opinions will change once I get the thing properly off road which I admit I haven't done yet.

Maybe that transmission will win me over in the bush!