Another 4x4 thread

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Fallenrose

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I am currently thinking about changing my car for a 4x4 in the near future (not got the horse yet but I like to plan ahead and budget etc). I was wondering what people's car of choice would be in the following situations...

1) 4x4 needed to handle farm tracks, pot holes, rough ground and handle well in the snow on roads - where I have moved to is a bit more cut off from where I lived previously - but not to tow

2) 4x4 needed to do the above plus tow a trailer ( I can't tow on my licence but might do the test in the future)

The car would need to take me to work everyday so be as economical as possible (not really possible with 4x4 I know) and cost under 10 grand. The round trip to work and back is 12 miles so not too far.

Any thoughts?

Thank you!
 
I have an N reg Isuzu Trooper but seeing as your budget is higher, then I would go for the newer Isuzu Denver I think its called. Have loved my Suzi Trooper and am loathe to get rid until she no longer runs. I find mine pretty good on diesel and economy and it was great in the snows of the last 2 winters. Tows an Ifor 510 with ease and have no complaints atall, have owned her now for 8yrs so she must fit the bill !
 
My 5 door 2.7 Diesel Terrano does well on fuel for it's size, tows brill as well :D
be careful of the later ones for electrical faults and dodgy speedo's, think the electrics were done in mexico or some such place.
 
Thanks for replies! All of those sound good - I'll get reading some reviews. Has anyone any experience of the Kia ones?

How do any of them do for reliability if properly maintained? And what mileage would you look for when buying olders one (what would be your cut off point?)

Thanks again.
 
My Trooper has been great on the reliability front. Then again my hubby is an RAC man so its well looked after. Had nothing major go wrong with it and if a car has been well maintained then I wouldnt worry too much about age. Mines just turned 170,000 miles and not complaining!
 
We have a kia sorento, beast for towing, driven carefully you'll get 37mpg. We bought our 06 plate for less than 10k 18 months ago. My hubs HATES 4x4s and even he's quite taken with it :)
 
The sorento is literally inches bigger than a short wheel based shogun, it really doesn't drive that big. Don't bother with the sportage for towing.
 
Just bought a 5yr old sorento, three weeks in have been told it is a death trap so it is going back. Don't know what we'll get now.......

In my opinion unless you will be going properly off road or towing stick with a normal car. We have never needed to go anywhere our old polo couldn't go! That includes mountain passes in the peak during the snow this year! And it was cheap as chips to maintain, really regret selling!

Cheaper to buy winter tyres or snow chains than run a 4x4 if you aren't towing.
 
I would say discovery every time, it will do everything you want and the older ones are still quite cheap to repair not to expensive to buy either. Good luck!!!!
 
KristmasKatt said:
Just bought a 5yr old sorento, three weeks in have been told it is a death trap so it is going back. Don't know what we'll get now.......

In my opinion unless you will be going properly off road or towing stick with a normal car. We have never needed to go anywhere our old polo couldn't go! That includes mountain passes in the peak during the snow this year! And it was cheap as chips to maintain, really regret selling!

Cheaper to buy winter tyres or snow chains than run a 4x4 if you aren't towing.
Click to expand...

Oh no! At least you can take it back!

I have a polo at the moment! I damaged the suspension in it not so long back which was making me think maybe it wasn't the best thing for going up and down farm tracks (with BIG pot holes) -that was going up to see my loan horse. It is difficult to know what to do as even if I get a car to tow, once I go to have some towing lessons I might not have the bottle for it!
 
Kristmaskat can I ask what was wrong with your kia that made it a death trap?
If it was a "cut and shut" 2 accident damaged cars that have been welded back together then I see the problem, but an accident damaged and repaired by insurer can still be perfectly legal and roadworthy. A 5year old car with history and an MOT from a dealer really shouldn't have that much wrong with it. F they find issues they wont take the financial risk and punt it off to auction for an easy life.
Have dealt with many car dealers and they are just like horse dealers, you need to check everything is as described and take what is said with a pinch of salt.
 
And to fallenrose
Buy the youngest 4x4 with the lowest mileage, and biggest diesel engine with full history that you can afford. Get it fully HPI and history checked, even from a dealer.
Buy the base model if your not fussed about extras, just buying a nice metallic one with fancy alloys will probably be a high spec one with higher insurance and tax rates as a result.
Drive it: they all feel very different. Learn how to work the 4X4 settings- they operate differently across different makes. (can be expensive if you break it from ignorance!!)
Buying older cheaper 4x4's are not really economically viable, they will drink more daily, be less efficient and when they break its big bucks!!!!Unless you have a mechanic to do it for nothing.
 
Make sure you buy a long wheel base version of whatever you choose.They are so much safer towing . I have a ford Maverick/nissan terrano. it is a swb version and is "interesting" towing!Apart from that it is a great car ,though not capable of towing a lot of weight.
 
I have a Nissan navara, great to tow, off road (I Harrow and roll my fields with mine!), loads of room in back for hay etc (can sweep it out and hose down)! Mines a 2007 model and got the aventura model so got a few extras such as sat nav, heated leather seats! Only prob with it is the snow! They're designed to carry weight so when empty, the back end swings out (rwd!) iv done this in style many times out on roads!!
 
IMO Troopers and Fourtraks are the most reliable and capable of the 4x4s (and I found the SWBs fab for towing). That said, I own a Disco TD5 and it's been no trouble at all (suprising for a Landrover!) and was excellent in the snow last winter - I was not prevented for going anywhere (have got AT tyres, though)!
 
angel7 said:
Kristmaskat can I ask what was wrong with your kia that made it a death trap?
If it was a "cut and shut" 2 accident damaged cars that have been welded back together then I see the problem, but an accident damaged and repaired by insurer can still be perfectly legal and roadworthy. A 5year old car with history and an MOT from a dealer really shouldn't have that much wrong with it. F they find issues they wont take the financial risk and punt it off to auction for an easy life.
Have dealt with many car dealers and they are just like horse dealers, you need to check everything is as described and take what is said with a pinch of salt.
Click to expand...

That was just what we thought when we bought it, and hence were prepared to stretch our budget to get a slightly newer car through a main dealer rather than risk a private sale with no consumer protection.

It wasn't, as far as we know, accident damaged. The biggest problem was a damaged and loose drive shaft, just waiting to come away as any moment and either destroy the engine or go through the floor. It has a variety of other problems too including with the breaks, the garage which found these problems couldn't believe that it was capable of passing the MoT particularly with out ANY advisories AT ALL. I understand that drive shaft problems in a 4x4 are normally caused by using the lock diff on road.

The garage which discovered these problems just 3 weeks after we bought it said that we shouldn't drive it as it was dangerous.

The garage are now planning to buy it back and punt it off to auction, so someone else gets a nasty surprise! Unless we decide to have it fixed under warranty and keep it instead.
 
Fallenrose said:
Oh no! At least you can take it back!

I have a polo at the moment! I damaged the suspension in it not so long back which was making me think maybe it wasn't the best thing for going up and down farm tracks (with BIG pot holes) -that was going up to see my loan horse. It is difficult to know what to do as even if I get a car to tow, once I go to have some towing lessons I might not have the bottle for it!
Click to expand...

Wow must be an awful track to break a polo! Our survived everything, including mud up to its axels, going in the sea, deep snow, visiting the horse, and carrying crazy amounts of stuff! 5 bales of shavings, or a whole tradestand....
 
Thanks for explaining more Krist
The driveshaft issue does seem to be a problem for KIA (google it for lots of threads on them).
A bigger concern is the issuing of an MOT to unroadworthy vehicle. Report the garage noted on the MOT certificate to VOSA with your problems highlighted. They will investigate by checking your car over (although you must move quickly as I think its a 28 days limit) and take action against the testing station. They cannot get help or compensation for you but just the threat of them to the garage might enable you to get a better deal on it.
You're in a tricky spot because you don't trust the dealer, if their garage is dodgy you won't want another car from them in exchange (it might be worse!). They will probably want to fix it as they can do this cheaper than you can. It can be niegh impossible to get your money back from them in any case.
I have been through this nightmare myself and you have as little protection from the law as you do when buying private (despite what consumer groups tell you!).
I bought punto from fancy dealership with full MOT ect. Engine overheated driving it home from garage, due to broken thermostat and cooling fan. Engine fried. Called garage to collect and demanded money back. No go. Discussed with Trading Standards (useless), CAB, Watchdog you name it, I tried. Garage finally replaced engine and cooling system, breaks, tyres and exhaust all needed. I reported to VOSA. Delaer is now out of business and car actually ran fine for 6 years afterwards.
Really opened my eyes to motor trade.
 
Pedantic said:
My 5 door 2.7 Diesel Terrano does well on fuel for it's size, tows brill as well :D
be careful of the later ones for electrical faults and dodgy speedo's, think the electrics were done in mexico or some such place.
Click to expand...

I've recently bought a 2.7 diesel Terrano and although I love driving it and as you say it does tow really well it is bankrupting me constantly putting fuel in her! I've no idea what it is MPG but for £10 diesel I get 50 miles, or am I just expecting too much from an older, big engine? I've even contemplated using veg oil/bio diesel but not sure if I know enough to do it properly.

I wanted a car I could tow with and be able to get about safely in the winter but am beginning to think I would be better with more of a 'toy' 4x4 for the winter and go back to a lorry for the horse.

My little Megane got me about through the snow last year aprt from one day when nothing could get off the farm track but can't say I always felt that safe in her.
 
Mine was the same jodie. My terrano 2.7 SWB only managed 45 miles to a £10, 25 when towing!! Fourtrak was the same and a rustbucket aswell.
Ran it for a year but have sold it and now run a yaris - 95 miles for a tenner!
 
In the past we've had 2 x Ford Explorer's - lovely car but very expensive to run. We then had a Pajero - imported version of a Shogun, it was a good work horse and we ran it into the ground. We now have a Discovery 3 and I do like it, out of th3 three the Discovery tows the best, never struggles.
 
jodie3 said:
I've recently bought a 2.7 diesel Terrano and although I love driving it and as you say it does tow really well it is bankrupting me constantly putting fuel in her! I've no idea what it is MPG but for £10 diesel I get 50 miles, or am I just expecting too much from an older, big engine? I've even contemplated using veg oil/bio diesel but not sure if I know enough to do it properly.
Click to expand...

Sounds about right to me sadly, thats roughly what we get out of out 55 plate Shogun Sport. Used to have a Terrano as well & loved it :)
 
angel7 said:
Thanks for explaining more Krist
The driveshaft issue does seem to be a problem for KIA (google it for lots of threads on them).
A bigger concern is the issuing of an MOT to unroadworthy vehicle. Report the garage noted on the MOT certificate to VOSA with your problems highlighted. They will investigate by checking your car over (although you must move quickly as I think its a 28 days limit) and take action against the testing station. They cannot get help or compensation for you but just the threat of them to the garage might enable you to get a better deal on it.
You're in a tricky spot because you don't trust the dealer, if their garage is dodgy you won't want another car from them in exchange (it might be worse!). They will probably want to fix it as they can do this cheaper than you can. It can be niegh impossible to get your money back from them in any case.
I have been through this nightmare myself and you have as little protection from the law as you do when buying private (despite what consumer groups tell you!).
I bought punto from fancy dealership with full MOT ect. Engine overheated driving it home from garage, due to broken thermostat and cooling fan. Engine fried. Called garage to collect and demanded money back. No go. Discussed with Trading Standards (useless), CAB, Watchdog you name it, I tried. Garage finally replaced engine and cooling system, breaks, tyres and exhaust all needed. I reported to VOSA. Delaer is now out of business and car actually ran fine for 6 years afterwards.
Really opened my eyes to motor trade.
Click to expand...

Interestingly they have offered me my money back, which surprised me I was expecting that they would offer to fix the drive shaft and they argue that the rest was normal for a car of its age etc.

I was rather taken aback by the fact that they just offered to buy it back straight away which makes me think either they suspect that there will be more issues once it is looked at more closely or that they think they can still make a profit on it if they refund us and whack it into an auction.

I'm a bit torn about whether to just take the money and go get something completely different and suck up the hassle and inconvenience or whether to push to get it fixed on the basis that it should then be in absolutely spot on condition and better than another second hand car because it has had a load of new parts but risk the fact that there could be other underlying issues.
 
If they've offered you the full price paid back with no quibble I would take the money and run!!!
Theres plenty more vehicles about to choose from.
 
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