Advice on 4x4s please!

[Kat]

Hi folks,

DH's beloved but ancient old car is looking as though it may not manage to stagger through its next MOT. He needs to upgrade anyway so it seems sensible to go for it now rather than try to nurse the car through the MOT.

So the plan is to look for a 4x4 or possibly a big estate car or a van. It isn't primarily for towing but my secret plan is to persuade him that the ideal next vehicle is also one that is fit for towing so that we can get a trailer soon.

What he really needs is something with massive interior load space first and foremost. Secondly he wants something that isn't going to cost a fortune to run as he's been used to a little hatchback! A towbar is important as he may need to get a trailer for business purposes in future and obviously I'd like to get a horse trailer in the long term.


Off road capability is relevent as he does have to drive over show grounds in the mud to set up his trade stand, but it is perhaps 12 weekends a year the rest of the time the four wheel drive will be redundant.

Looks, comfort, name etc aren't important, his current car is pretty basic so expectations are low.

We will have my small diesel hatchback for long journeys,

The budget is low, likely to be less than £5000.

What would you lovely folk suggest we look at? Anything we should avoid?

Large glass of wine to all those who help!

Ta!

 

[perfect11s]

Hi folks,

DH's beloved but ancient old car is looking as though it may not manage to stagger through its next MOT. He needs to upgrade anyway so it seems sensible to go for it now rather than try to nurse the car through the MOT.

So the plan is to look for a 4x4 or possibly a big estate car or a van. It isn't primarily for towing but my secret plan is to persuade him that the ideal next vehicle is also one that is fit for towing so that we can get a trailer soon.

What he really needs is something with massive interior load space first and foremost. Secondly he wants something that isn't going to cost a fortune to run as he's been used to a little hatchback! A towbar is important as he may need to get a trailer for business purposes in future and obviously I'd like to get a horse trailer in the long term.


Off road capability is relevent as he does have to drive over show grounds in the mud to set up his trade stand, but it is perhaps 12 weekends a year the rest of the time the four wheel drive will be redundant.

Looks, comfort, name etc aren't important, his current car is pretty basic so expectations are low.

We will have my small diesel hatchback for long journeys,

The budget is low, likely to be less than £5000.

What would you lovely folk suggest we look at? Anything we should avoid?

Large glass of wine to all those who help!

Ta!

A shogun or discovery ?? you should get a fair one for that...

 

[Kinkyangel]

Not sure how well they tow but can recommend a freelander! Love mine to bits!
Xx

 

[Indigo Moose]

I've got a Jeep Cherokee 2.8. It's not brilliant with the diesel (60 litres gets me about 300 miles...) but it's an 03, so they may have rectified this in the newer models. It has a 4 wheel drive lever, so you can take it on and off, and it was absolutely brilliant in the snow this winter. I tow two horses (approx. 15hh and 16hh - neither skinny minnies) in an Ifor Williams 510 and it does a pretty good job. It's comfy and has plenty of room inside, and has a roof rack too.

 

[Tilda]

My OH who eats, sleeps and breathes 4x4's (chairman of local 4x4 club and response team) has recommended a diesel isuzu trooper and this from a man who usually swears by his Land rovers so it must be good for the job! He says you should be able to get something about 2003 for that kind of money.

Good luck I am a widow to his defender but it suddenly becomes the best car in the world when I want to use it to pull my trailer lol!

 

[Kat]

I'd best get pouring the wine, thanks for the suggestions!

Any more for anymore???

 

[Sanolly]

My OH who eats, sleeps and breathes 4x4's (chairman of local 4x4 club and response team) has recommended a diesel isuzu trooper and this from a man who usually swears by his Land rovers so it must be good for the job! He says you should be able to get something about 2003 for that kind of money.

Good luck I am a widow to his defender but it suddenly becomes the best car in the world when I want to use it to pull my trailer lol!

^^ this, Jap is definitely the way forward! Not sure about the trooper as I have a TF but my truck is great on diesel with a 45 min commute from yard to work.

 

[j_mock]

i'm also looking for practically the same so will be very interested to see what pops up!

 

[Kat]

^^ this, Jap is definitely the way forward! Not sure about the trooper as I have a TF but my truck is great on diesel with a 45 min commute from yard to work.

TF???????

Japanese is fine with me, have had a couple of very reliable and economical japanese cars in the past.

 

[Pedantic]

Jap stuff is best except the newer Nissan stuff as it's crap Renault with a Nissan badge on it, keep clear of anything with the word rover in it.

 

[Sanolly]

TF is a 4 door pick up truck
http://www.carpages.co.uk/isuzu/isuzu_tf_pickup_4sport_12_04_02.asp

Mine is a 2.8td

 

[lcscotson]

We have a Ford Ranger and it tows a shire x highland up a steep hill with junction to pull out of at the top with no problems. They are expensive new (about £20,000 now i think) but not sure what they are like second had. They are flat back so plenty of space and can get a cab to put on to keep everything dry.

We only found out after getting one and when at a local ride that the road tax is cheaper than most 4x4 as due to the flat back they are classed as work vechichles or something like. Not sure about fuel economy as it is my dads but think it is ok.

Hope this helps

 

[councillor]

I have just got rid of my Shogun SWB. With a 3.2 turbo diesel it was costing me a fortune to run.
I loved it dearly, but with diesel at £1.40.9 here it was costing me a fortune, lucky to get 30mpg on the twisty roads to the yard. Also road tax is high, and as for repairs!!!!!! Got myself a little clio that has used less than quarter of a tank over the same distance I would have needed a full tank in the shogun.....In today's climate I would think hard about a guzzly 4x4, unless you are loaded!

 

[Sanolly]

We have a Ford Ranger and it tows a shire x highland up a steep hill with junction to pull out of at the top with no problems. They are expensive new (about £20,000 now i think) but not sure what they are like second had. They are flat back so plenty of space and can get a cab to put on to keep everything dry.

We only found out after getting one and when at a local ride that the road tax is cheaper than most 4x4 as due to the flat back they are classed as work vechichles or something like. Not sure about fuel economy as it is my dads but think it is ok.

Hope this helps

That's interesting, do you have to take anything with you when you tax a pick up or is automatically lower? Also if you don't mind me asking what do you pay?

 

[JenHunt]

go for a diahatsu fourtrak - I've given up on landrovers of any description, the parts are too expensive, they have a habit of rusting to death, are permanent 4wd and actually they are pretty poor mpg.

The fourtrak is better for towing, and not permanent 4wd, I get 30-35mpg normally and 20-25 when towing. It's better offroad, its cheap to repair (had a new radiator fitted and it cost £300 inc all the labour and vat etc, compared to £400 for new disco radiator without any fitting etc!)

Look for ones that haven't been a farm vehicle, and ones that haven't towed much. They aren't in rpduction anymore so are pretty cheap now, but parts are still readily available.

 

[Kat]

Just bumping this one up to see what the daytime crowd think!

No wine until the sun is well and truely over the yard arm though, tea and biscuits instead for now! ;-)

 

[Ranyhyn]

A friend (EF) had a Shogun - another friend has a Pajero... both seem to have quite good feedback.

However I wouldn't tow my horse with a Freelander. Ever.

 

[skint1]

I'd go for a Trooper or a Fourtrak myself, or a Shogun or that Vauxhall that has the same bits as Trooper-Frontera is it?. Mind it doesn't have to be 4x4 but unfortunately if you're going to use it as a towing vehicle it's going to need to be quite meaty.

I do believe that if you get a 4x4 that was made before 2001 you can still get the cheaper tax on them, my Trooper is £240(ish-can't recall exactly) per year to tax

 

[lcscotson]

That's interesting, do you have to take anything with you when you tax a pick up or is automatically lower? Also if you don't mind me asking what do you pay?

It is automatically lower it just hapened that dad looked at the land rover next to us and it was more so then looked at the rest and they were all dearer then speaking with someone found this out - not sure how much it is as its my dad's who is in north of Scotland and I am now in Northamptonshire sorry but looked it up on the web and got this from one website

'As for performance, the Thunder has a top speed of 105mph and it gets from zero to 60mph in 13.3 seconds. On average it returns 31.7 mpg. Even though the CO2 levels are, relatively high (224g/km) and which would — if it were classed as a car or SUV — put it in the top £300 road tax bracket, because it is technically a commercial vehicle the VED rate is lower: £115.'

 

[Quadro]

Jap stuff is best except the newer Nissan stuff as it's crap Renault with a Nissan badge on it, keep clear of anything with the word rover in it.

Ignore this!! The new nissans are FAB , i have a new Qashqai and i love it 2 bits, dont think you would get one for under 10k though.
I would never ever get another renault and the new nissans couldnt be further from them
Q

 

[ladyt25]

Surely you can't tow with a Qasqhai though?? If you go for what is listed as a commercial vehicle (ie the likes of your Nissan Navaras - pick up type things) then your insurance and I think tax should be lower. It is something you need to research into though.

For your budget you could look at the Hyundai Santa Fe or Kia Sorrentos as well as you get a fair bit spec wise for your money. Not sure on the tax bands though (pretty high i think - sort of £220 upwards a year)

 

[scribble]

trooper.

 

[Optimist]

I'd go for a Trooper or a Fourtrak myself, or a Shogun or that Vauxhall that has the same bits as Trooper-Frontera is it?. Mind it doesn't have to be 4x4 but unfortunately if you're going to use it as a towing vehicle it's going to need to be quite meaty.

I do believe that if you get a 4x4 that was made before 2001 you can still get the cheaper tax on them, my Trooper is £240(ish-can't recall exactly) per year to tax

The Trooper/vauxhall is a Monterey - fab, used to have one. The Frontera wasn't considered at all reliable, also probably a bit small for towing (similar size to a freelander). With the troopers I do believe the older models with the 3.1 litre diesel engines are the best ones to have - there were problems with the newer 3.0 litre ones

 

[Quadro]

Jap stuff is best except the newer Nissan stuff as it's crap Renault with a Nissan badge on it, keep clear of anything with the word rover in it.

Surely you can't tow with a Qasqhai though?? If you go for what is listed as a commercial vehicle (ie the likes of your Nissan Navaras - pick up type things) then your insurance and I think tax should be lower. It is something you need to research into though.

For your budget you could look at the Hyundai Santa Fe or Kia Sorrentos as well as you get a fair bit spec wise for your money. Not sure on the tax bands though (pretty high i think - sort of £220 upwards a year)

I think you could tow a single trailer and pony and the 2.0L ones, we have a lorry so wasnt an issue with me at all but they are cheap to tax and cheap to insure. Nissans are very good spec wise.
Q

 

[ThePony]

My OH who eats, sleeps and breathes 4x4's (chairman of local 4x4 club and response team) has recommended a diesel isuzu trooper and this from a man who usually swears by his Land rovers so it must be good for the job! He says you should be able to get something about 2003 for that kind of money.

Good luck I am a widow to his defender but it suddenly becomes the best car in the world when I want to use it to pull my trailer lol!

This too - we got a short wheelbase trooper (3.1 is the better engine) and oh loves it more than anything (def more than me!!). It is the best for pulling (3.5t), high and low ratio 4wd so it can pretty much pull your house off a field and it runs just lovely. It is never going to be the fastest or most economical to run, but if you want space (get the long wheel base - massive!), the ability to get on and off any field you like (with off road tyres) and tow a double trailer with 2 horses safely then I think you can't do better. If you get the citation model then it is kitted out with loads of comfy extras - the seats are like arm chairs and going home after freezing winter sj with the seat heaters on is heaven!

 

[Kat]

hmm lots of love for the isuzu trooper then...... there look to be a fair few on autotrader at the moment too....... will check out the vauxhall and the fourtrack too.

 

[a_e_d]

I did just type out a detailed reply, but then got kicked out - abridged version now

It's another vote for the Trooper - I have the rebadged version (Vauxhall Monterey) and can't fault it. Montereys are a little cheaper than the same Trooper - perhaps because people don't realise that they are a Trooper?

I went for the 3.1TD - reliable, plenty of space and coped perfectly in the snow. Also you can choose between 2 and 4 wheel drive so you don't have to drive in 4wd mode all the time.

 

[FleabittenT]

I have a jeep 2.8 CRD (not a cherokee), 05 plate. It's not in the least bit roomy, think I actually had more space in my old peugeot. Cost about your budget and a small fortune to run.

However, I do love the split boot window for the dogs and it tows fantasically. Priorities!

 

[Vetwrap]

Having just done a 5 hour round trip, towing - I love my disco. However, I also love my tame mechanic, who has fixed a couple of problems over the past 18 months at very reasonable rates.

Having been "done" over by a Renault main dealer before, I would not go near a main dealer again. One issue with the Disco needed a LR main dealer software upgrade, so my mechanic took it to make sure they didn't make an error on the invoice...

 

[Luci07]

Jeep but there are big variances. There is the short wheel base and long wheel base (grand cherokee). My 3.7 is petrol which is painful but was brilliant in the snow and tows a hefty trailer and 668kg (newly weighed) horse very easily. If I was looking now I would try to buy a car that is either LPG converted or put the £900 ish in the budget to convert it. The tax is cheaper, fuel obviously so as well (and you can if you feel like it drive into London without incurring the congestion charge!). Stay away from a main Jeep garage though for servicing - the costs are horrendous so mine goes to a great local garage for about 1/3 of the cost.