Anatomy of A Land Rover Wheels Event

First off, what is a Wheels Event? A Wheels Event is an event hosted by all Land Rover dealerships where Land Rover professionals guide customers in their own vehicles through an outdoor “off-road terrain” with challenging and technical plains. These events show customers how to use their Land Rovers in rough and challenging conditions. These events are held quarterly (check with your local dealer for the next event date).
At Land Rover Las Vegas, we implement an entire customer-centric event with all levels of off-road driving experience welcomed. Let’s face it, any vehicle can be demonstrated on the road just outside of the showroom. How many SUVs can be put to the test and driven on a 45° slant without the slightest bit of slippage or tipping? Only Land Rovers can because they are 100% centered and bottom heavy while other SUVs are top heavy and unstable.
How are the Event locations chosen?
First, a Land Rover professional will go out and scout an interesting spot. We try to find an urban, eccentric area where most customers probably have never been or have never heard of. Since Nevada has a plethora of open land, we are very fortunate to have several admirable venues to choose from.
We typically host our events based on two factors:
1. Destination: We like to choose a location that has a heightened technicality-based terrain. On occasion, we choose more popular venues that are typically less challenging for our customers. These venues that are more location based are normally a 3 on a 1 to 10 difficulty scale (1 being the easiest to 10 being the most challenging). These events are great for new Land Rover employees to see the “other side” of the vehicle. These events usually garner more participants than the technical events because it is a good opportunity for our first-time clients to “test the waters “of their Land Rover. In the past, some of our event venues include historically significant sights, ghost towns, mining camps and areas of that sort. Research is always done before each event by a Land Rover professional and customers are given a handout with the GPS coordinates and the stories behind each point of interest that will be driven through.
2. Technicality: Our technical events are usually about a 7 based on a 1 to 10 difficulty scale. Our employees are extremely experienced and help customers through areas that require spotting and are more abstruse. Regardless of the difficulty of any event we do, we bring Land Rover trained technicians in case of any mechanical difficulties that may occur during complex driving.
Once our venue location has been chosen, a Land Rover off-road specialist will do a pre-run of the course approximately ten days before the event date. The pre-run is done to trim any brush that might scratch a vehicle and to also ensure that all of our vehicle models will safely pass through each obstacle. The pre-run is done ten days in advance because the desert in Nevada is very unpredictable. Flash flooding can alter a trail dramatically overnight. We also do this to time the day from start to finish so that we are able to give our customers an accurate agenda on the day of the event. We make all necessary notes and get the GPS coordinates as well. We always warn our customers of the risk involved in these trips and suggest to take off the front air dam and running boards (if equipped), and also suggest having your vehicle pre- inspected by a Land Rover professional so that there are no surprises in the middle of the desert.
How do we find out about Event dates and what should we expect during our first Wheels Event?
We use social media sites such as Facebook and direct email to invite our customers around 30 days prior to the event. Our average Wheels Event hosts 15 to 20 customer vehicles, depending on the trail’s difficulty (first come, first serve. We hold RSVPs). We have such a small group of vehicles because we don’t want anyone waiting for 30 minutes to get through a narrow pass.
We normally have three support vehicles at each event. These vehicles are equipped with a winch, recovery items and/or first aid kits and water. We number each vehicle with a sticker and provide two-way radios for communication in each vehicle.
Lunch is arranged and paid for by Land Rover Las Vegas. The event coordinator will pick up sandwiches in the morning and pass them out to everyone. On many occasions, we have a caterer drive out to our event’s lunch site. In the past we have had Cow Camp Catering cater an event with Chef Jim making amazing fried chicken, tri tip and delicious peach cobbler. If we are doing a destination event, we will eat there. We always provide plenty of water and snacks throughout the day.
A typical Wheels Event takes place on a Sunday. Our customers arrive at the showroom; we will have breakfast (usually bagels), juice and coffee. We then give a brief description regarding the adventure we are about to explore, hand out an agenda and off we go!
 

Attachments

  • IMG_6819.JPG
    IMG_6819.JPG
    419.8 KB · Views: 5
  • IMG_6891.jpg
    IMG_6891.jpg
    336.1 KB · Views: 6
  • IMG_6927.jpg
    IMG_6927.jpg
    547.2 KB · Views: 3
  • IMG_6957.JPG
    IMG_6957.JPG
    403.5 KB · Views: 4
  • IMG_6932.JPG
    IMG_6932.JPG
    157.5 KB · Views: 3
Last edited:

roverrocks

Expedition Leader
First off, what is a Wheels Event? A Wheels Event is an event hosted by all Land Rover dealerships where Land Rover professionals guide customers in their own vehicles through an outdoor “off-road terrain” with challenging and technical plains. These events show customers how to use their Land Rovers in rough and challenging conditions. These events are held quarterly (check with your local dealer for the next event date).
At Land Rover Las Vegas, we implement an entire customer-centric event with all levels of off-road driving experience welcomed. Let’s face it, any vehicle can be demonstrated on the road just outside of the showroom. How many SUVs can be put to the test and driven on a 45° slant without the slightest bit of slippage or tipping? Only Land Rovers can because they are 100% centered and bottom heavy while other SUVs are top heavy and unstable.
How are the Event locations chosen?
First, a Land Rover professional will go out and scout an interesting spot. We try to find an urban, eccentric area where most customers probably have never been or have never heard of. Since Nevada has a plethora of open land, we are very fortunate to have several admirable venues to choose from.
We typically host our events based on two factors:
1. Destination: We like to choose a location that has a heightened technicality-based terrain. On occasion, we choose more popular venues that are typically less challenging for our customers. These venues that are more location based are normally a 3 on a 1 to 10 difficulty scale (1 being the easiest to 10 being the most challenging). These events are great for new Land Rover employees to see the “other side” of the vehicle. These events usually garner more participants than the technical events because it is a good opportunity for our first-time clients to “test the waters “of their Land Rover. In the past, some of our event venues include historically significant sights, ghost towns, mining camps and areas of that sort. Research is always done before each event by a Land Rover professional and customers are given a handout with the GPS coordinates and the stories behind each point of interest that will be driven through.
2. Technicality: Our technical events are usually about a 7 based on a 1 to 10 difficulty scale. Our employees are extremely experienced and help customers through areas that require spotting and are more abstruse. Regardless of the difficulty of any event we do, we bring Land Rover trained technicians in case of any mechanical difficulties that may occur during complex driving.
Once our venue location has been chosen, a Land Rover off-road specialist will do a pre-run of the course approximately ten days before the event date. The pre-run is done to trim any brush that might scratch a vehicle and to also ensure that all of our vehicle models will safely pass through each obstacle. The pre-run is done ten days in advance because the desert in Nevada is very unpredictable. Flash flooding can alter a trail dramatically overnight. We also do this to time the day from start to finish so that we are able to give our customers an accurate agenda on the day of the event. We make all necessary notes and get the GPS coordinates as well. We always warn our customers of the risk involved in these trips and suggest to take off the front air dam and running boards (if equipped), and also suggest having your vehicle pre- inspected by a Land Rover professional so that there are no surprises in the middle of the desert.
How do we find out about Event dates and what should we expect during our first Wheels Event?
We use social media sites such as Facebook and direct email to invite our customers around 30 days prior to the event. Our average Wheels Event hosts 15 to 20 customer vehicles, depending on the trail’s difficulty (first come, first serve. We hold RSVPs). We have such a small group of vehicles because we don’t want anyone waiting for 30 minutes to get through a narrow pass.
We normally have three support vehicles at each event. These vehicles are equipped with a winch, recovery items and/or first aid kits and water. We number each vehicle with a sticker and provide two-way radios for communication in each vehicle.
Lunch is arranged and paid for by Land Rover Las Vegas. The event coordinator will pick up sandwiches in the morning and pass them out to everyone. On many occasions, we have a caterer drive out to our event’s lunch site. In the past we have had Cow Camp Catering cater an event with Chef Jim making amazing fried chicken, tri tip and delicious peach cobbler. If we are doing a destination event, we will eat there. We always provide plenty of water and snacks throughout the day.
A typical Wheels Event takes place on a Sunday. Our customers arrive at the showroom; we will have breakfast (usually bagels), juice and coffee. We then give a brief description regarding the adventure we are about to explore, hand out an agenda and off we go!
My idea of a "wheels event" in my beat up old Disco is to see if I have some gas money, make a cheap sandwich, and either head out to my local boonies alone (I enjoy solitude not a catered ultra-rich snob affair) or head out with my mostly equally poor Jeeper friends for an exploring day of the local free BLM/FS trails we live near. Most of us learned how to four wheel on our own or our fathers taught us not some expensive professional LR safari guide leading out rich pampered 80 grand or more new Rover owners. We are blue collar red necks and proud of it. Your attached photos show nothing more than level 2w drive "trails" where a freshly waxed new Rover gets to splatter a little mud and end the day sipping champagne. To each his own exploring I guess be it high brow or blue collar low brow. Do you have miniskirted blonde hostesses to kiss any tiny scratch and make it feel better?
 
What we are doing is simply introduce new folks to the capabilities of thier new Land Rovers. However it is open to all of our customers from old Series vehicles up to the new 2012 Ranger Rover Superchared. The photos I provided in this post were a small sample of us scoutning. If you re-read the story, you will see that we typically will go on trails that are anywhere from scenic to quite challenging, and we only eat sandwiches on the trails, no catering! Please join us on our next event!
 

roverrocks

Expedition Leader
What we are doing is simply introduce new folks to the capabilities of thier new Land Rovers. However it is open to all of our customers from old Series vehicles up to the new 2012 Ranger Rover Superchared. The photos I provided in this post were a small sample of us scoutning. If you re-read the story, you will see that we typically will go on trails that are anywhere from scenic to quite challenging, and we only eat sandwiches on the trails, no catering! Please join us on our next event!
Why would I drive all the way to Las Vegas to wheel with high brow folks I have absolutely nothing in common with other than the fact I bought my used now-beat-up-as-heck blue collar 97 Disco at an LR dealership like they did their rich "rigs"? Why would I drive all the way to Las Vegas to wheel with high brows when within a hundred miles of me as the crow flies I have the best wheeling on earth? I do know I would learn lots of stuff from your fancy professional instructors as I am self taught but I certainly prefer my low brow red neck jeeper friends over LR aristocrats. I am very glad however that new LR owners are learning to take their fancy Jaguar-powered rigs on something tougher than Rodeo Drive or I-15 or even a (heaven forbid) gravel road. Aristocrats need to run with aristocrats though and poor folks with other poor folks no matter what they drive. You want to do something really interesting/different for your LR dealership wheeling crowd then take them to the Moab Jeep Safari for a few days and have them learn that LR's aren't the only rigs on the road. They might really enjoy wheeling with the blue collar all-makes but mainly jeeper crowd there. Then again probably not. I know I have in my lonely little Disco. Other than that I would enjoy seeing some pictures of some of your supercharged Rovers on some tougher trails. I always like seeing pictures/videos of any kind of LR off road.
 

4runnerteq

Explorer
Then dont go to Vegas. Man. I think its cool thata dealer is doing something like this as well. Wheel your way and let others wheel their way. Good grief.
 

roverrocks

Expedition Leader
Then dont go to Vegas. Man. I think its cool thata dealer is doing something like this as well. Wheel your way and let others wheel their way. Good grief.
Good grief! A toyota dealership "aristocrat". I a mere peasant am surrounded on all sides by me betters. I do so apologize and grovel for me betters. Better change your low brow yota ways and go to work for a high brow rover dealer so you can hang out with the Rodeo Drive/Wall Street set. Cheerio, pip pip, tut tut and all that lost Empire stuff.
 

roverrocks

Expedition Leader
Lol. Id sure hate to have to carry that chip you goton your shoulder. must be very tiring.
Nope. Not tiring at all. I love my old rumpled rover but learned to heartily dislike most rover "people" and their "loftiness" be they old rovers or new rovers. There is an incredible snobbery in the rover ranks. God's Chosen 4x4 personages are many of them which is sad as some rover people are the nicest people one could ever meet. My few rover dealership experiences also were not pleasant for the most part. Maybe you are the same kind of snob be it a toyota snob in which case you should acquire a rover and move up in the world. You will possibly fit right in. Cheers.
 

4runnerteq

Explorer
******** . 1st off I wouldnt consider going to Rover a move up. 2nd I do have a like for Rovers, I like that they have their little offroad courses at the dealers. I have been invited to bring my Toyota to one to see how it does. 3rd I do service some Rovers at our dealer as the nearest Rover dealer is 2 hours away. Couple of Defenders and a few Discoverys.And last usually when one thinks that every one else is a snob it is actually he who is the snob.
Cheers to you. And may you have a wonderful evening. :beer:
 

The Rover Shop

Explorer
Hey rover rocks.. How do you know it's the best 4wheeling on earth..have you been all over the earth... Who the heck are you to go ragging on people you have no idea who or what they are..and those so called high priced safari guides you speak of have probably done more 4 wheeling than you will ever do.. Quite a few camel trophy guys are those guides...you do know what the camel trophy was don't you..or was at too high brow and pompous for you also..you know, tally ho pip pip and all that jazz.. Remember that land rover of yours is made by those high brows..and rag on a jaguar engine in a rover..you have a Buick engine in yours don't ya know..it's your blue collar mentality that keeps you with your blue collar friends, you are right, you wouldn't fit in with the land rover crowd.. Those people have manners and class, you my friend are just an ***...open your eyes and realize it takes all kinds in is world..don't hate people coz they are better than you..hate yourself for not being as good as them..!!!
 

roverrocks

Expedition Leader
Hey rover rocks.. How do you know it's the best 4wheeling on earth..have you been all over the earth... Who the heck are you to go ragging on people you have no idea who or what they are..and those so called high priced safari guides you speak of have probably done more 4 wheeling than you will ever do.. Quite a few camel trophy guys are those guides...you do know what the camel trophy was don't you..or was at too high brow and pompous for you also..you know, tally ho pip pip and all that jazz.. Remember that land rover of yours is made by those high brows..and rag on a jaguar engine in a rover..you have a Buick engine in yours don't ya know..it's your blue collar mentality that keeps you with your blue collar friends, you are right, you wouldn't fit in with the land rover crowd.. Those people have manners and class, you my friend are just an ***...open your eyes and realize it takes all kinds in is world..don't hate people coz they are better than you..hate yourself for not being as good as them..!!!
You just said it all friend. You totally reinforced my point. Your silly, arrogant , snobby reply wins the booby prize. You and yours must suffer constantly from nosebleeds with your long, aristocratic noses so high. Such prissy clowns most of you are.
 

AxeAngel

Expedition Leader
Glad to see a dealer getting out and setting up these events. Then again LR Las Vegas has always been one of the best LR dealers out there and has a great fleet of hard to find rovers. Great folks and very helpful.

What I would love to do one day is to compare off camber of a stock vs modified disco. I dont think my trail truck can do a 45deg approach without tipping.

-Sam
 

Forum statistics

Threads
185,531
Messages
2,875,591
Members
224,922
Latest member
Randy Towles
Top