Four typical situations, one clear recommendation for each. Decide in 30 seconds.
Skip to the comparison →Spot yours and go straight to the spec.
The 4x4 is your everyday car. You want reliability, a bit of margin on tracks, and no hit to comfort or fuel consumption.
Level 01 Daily use
SuitsDaily driving, well-kept tracks, snow and rain, everyday loads
You're out on tracks and lanes most weekends, and the standard car isn't cutting it any more: it grounds out and the wheels spin on loose dirt.
Level 02 Trail
SuitsForest tracks, club runs, access to land and unsurfaced areas
You're off to Morocco for two or three weeks, loaded to the roof and nowhere near a workshop. You need fuel, water, power and somewhere to sleep.
Level 03 Expedition
SuitsExpeditions to Morocco and the Sahara, dunes, self-sufficient travel
You want to enter a national raid or baja, and the car has to pass scrutineering and hold up to race pace all the way to the finish.
Level 04 Raid and racing
SuitsNational raids and bajas, trials, teams with trailside support
If you'd rather see the figures side by side before deciding.
Swipe the table to see all of it →
| Level | Use | Suspension | Tyres | Lift | What sets it apart |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEVEL 01 | Everyday | Steel sump guard | Standard fuel tank | Daily tarmac use with the occasional run off-road | Reliability and comfort, with a margin off the tarmac |
| LEVEL 02 | Tracks and trails | Front bull bar and sump, gearbox and transfer box guards | Standard tank with mounts for jerry cans | Tracks, green lanes and weekends away | Gains off-road ability without losing road comfort |
| LEVEL 03 | Expedition | Full underbody protection, bull bar, side steps and tank guard | Auxiliary tanks, dual batteries and 12 V outlets | Long, self-sufficient expeditions (Morocco, Sahara) | Genuine self-sufficiency: water, fuel, power and payload |
| LEVEL 04 | Competition | Full race underbody protection and roll cage | Race range and fuel tank compliant with the regulations | National raids and bajas | Built to the regulations, proven in competition |
The technical differences you genuinely feel behind the wheel, explained in plain language.
Progressive coil: soft at first, stiffening as it compresses. Comfortable on the road and with plenty of travel on tracks. It's what we fit on Trail and on most modern 4x4s.
Heavy-duty leaf: carries weight without sagging and is simple to repair anywhere. Less comfortable unladen, but the logical choice on expedition when the car always travels loaded.
It's the single part that changes how the car behaves most. All-season (M+S) for anyone who lives on tarmac. All-Terrain (AT) with reinforced sidewalls for tracks: they grip on dirt and puncture far less. Raid tyres prioritise strength and rapid deflation for sand.
Raising the car improves the approach and departure angles and makes room for bigger tyres. But it also raises the centre of gravity and changes the geometry. We lift only as much as the real use calls for: from 0 mm on daily use to +50 mm on expedition, and whatever the regulations say in competition.
Steel or aluminium plates fitted under the sump, gearbox, transfer box and fuel tank. They're the difference between a rock that makes a noise and a rock that leaves you stranded. They add weight, so we fit them according to the ground you're really going to cover.
It raises the engine air intake to roof height. It does two jobs: <strong>wading without swallowing water</strong> and drawing cleaner air on dusty tracks. For the wading depth to be real, the axles, gearbox and differentials need breathers too.
Almost everything fitted to a 4x4 counts as a major modification and has to be made legal. We work with approvable components and prepare your paperwork for the ITV test. If the car is a competition build, the event regulations apply, not the ITV.
After a hard trail it's time to check torques, bushes, ball joints, fluid levels and the state of the dampers. It isn't that things break more: they simply work harder. A check before and after every trip heads off most serious failures.
We're a multi-brand workshop in Águilas (Murcia) and we also do full mechanical work and bodywork. We have our own machinery to repair and improve parts, so we make plenty of solutions here instead of waiting on a spare. Come by the workshop and we'll look at it on the car.
Call or email us. Tell us what you drive and what you want to do with it, and we'll tell you where to start.
We speak Spanish and English
