Cheapest 4x4 to use for daily use and occasional shows!

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cheekywelshie

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I know there's tons of stuff on forums about this but in not sure about the tax and insurance. I've head good things about the KIA sorrento but it seems to be in a higher insurance group than the others! Discovery's seem a good choice too.

I'd be looking to sell my little 3yo Peugeot 107 only done 27000 miles so hoping to get decent price for it - and get a 4x4 and do trailer test. It cost about 300 quid to insure that tho! I'm 34, had my licence about 14 years but the peugeot was the first car I actually owned so only have 3 years no claims ( would it be cheaper if iput my dad and partner on the insurance?)

I'd need it to get to work and bk (25 mile round trip) and probably 2 shows a month- so needs to be economical. My horse is a chunky sec d- would prob just be him in trailer but don't want to necc be constrained to a 1 horse trailer.

Any advice would be most appreciated!
 
No idea on cheapest etc, but, our Disco (an automatic diesel "R" reg) costs over £100 to fill up, probably closer to £120 nowadays (£1.35-£1.40 per litre around here) and does about 500miles on a full tank as long as you don't "rag" it on duel carriageways/motorways.

It tows well and my husband is a lifelong Land Rover lover so well versed in repairs to it so that side of the maintenance/servicing is relatively low cost.
 
As the vast majority of your mileage will be non towing, do look at the figures on running a small lorry - with such high fuel prices lorries are looking increasingly attractive.

Do check on towing weights - the new Sorrento is not as beefy as the old one. I'd recommend considering a Pajero but it's not good on fuel, mine was cheap to run in every other way though.
 
Well I went for a discovery. I had a KIA picanto and not really impressed by it, so stayed away from them.

The plus with my disco is the parts, really cheap to come by and every one knows how to fix them.

I had a new alternator put in for £45 last month, and it still started for a week with the broken one in it.

I don't find it huge on fuel I've got a 2.5, R reg.

I love it, so glad I went for a disco over anything else.
 
Shop around for your insurance, you might be surprised! Weve had our Shogun Sport for nearly 4 years, my other half was 23 when we bought it & only had 1 years no claims, the insurance was about £600 fully comp then, but we are now down to £300, your that bit older, a woman & you already have no claims as well.
Our shogun sport isnt too expensive to run, but not really a small 4x4 though. Nearly died when we had the bill for its last service though, as it was due all the belts changing it came to £420 :(
 
I did think about the lorry but didn't want to pay tax insurance mot maintenance etc on two vehicles plus we have to pay about 25 a month to park a lorry at our yard. I do have access to an old banger for small run around journeys but don't want to rely on this as sole car as it isn't mine.
 
Mucky Shavings said:
Well I went for a discovery. I had a KIA picanto and not really impressed by it, so stayed away from them.

The plus with my disco is the parts, really cheap to come by and every one knows how to fix them.

I had a new alternator put in for £45 last month, and it still started for a week with the broken one in it.

I don't find it huge on fuel I've got a 2.5, R reg.

I love it, so glad I went for a disco over anything else.
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Ditto this

Absolutely figging love my new disco - we've only had it 4 weeks but it is fab !! we paid £1200 for it - full leather electric gubbins poshest car I have ever owned and pulls our 510 brilliantly , it is pre 2001 so tax is the same as my old golf about £120 for 6 months and the insurance is £52 a month for both of us I am 28 OH is 30. We put a full set of new tyres on for £360 which I didn't think was that bad really and they were not the cheapest ones .

ETA I do quite a few miles in it some motor way some running about - its hard to say what MPG we are getting but I think we did about 300miles on £55 the first week we got it - yu use more when you are towing

I can't wait to do my trailer test
 
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Winklepoker said:
I put £70 a week in mine just getting to work/yard :( it makes me want to cry!! Diesel 2.5 Auto Disco TD4 :(
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I know what you mean - I put £90 in mine on Friday before I couldn't bear to let it take anymore !!! but we've been to a show and over to Manchester one night and Macclesfield on Sat and I still have 1/2 a tank for the week - yours might be worse with it being an auto !! My petrol auto golf used to take about £45 a week off me for general work/yard running about

PS did you post my saddle yet ??? Super excited x
 
300tdi Discovery........I've got two. Cheap!, make sure the cam belt is done. Look for rot underneath. If you find one with good bodywork get it. All the spares and consumables can be bought online super cheap. You or someone in your family needs to know how to pick up a spanner to keep on top. Mine have NEVER been in a garage; except for tyres. They're fairly easy to work on as they are pre-electronic age. Shogun is also good, the Japanese tend to get things right first time.
 
thanks for all your replies

has anyone done the towing test?

Is it true if you take it in an automatic you can only tow with an automatic?


- or are you always better off with a manual anyway?

NB - the tax thing - how old does it need to be in order to avoid the high tax??

I emailed the towing company near me - he said i need to give him 3 months notice to book lessons at the weekend - obv very popular!! He said the amount i'd need would depend on my experience and ability reversing' - oh dear it might take me a good while then!! :) :) :)
 
cheekywelshie said:
thanks for all your replies

has anyone done the towing test?

Is it true if you take it in an automatic you can only tow with an automatic?


- or are you always better off with a manual anyway?

NB - the tax thing - how old does it need to be in order to avoid the high tax??

I emailed the towing company near me - he said i need to give him 3 months notice to book lessons at the weekend - obv very popular!! He said the amount i'd need would depend on my experience and ability reversing' - oh dear it might take me a good while then!! :) :) :)
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The automatic rule is true yes !

I just rang a local ish company and it is £365 + test of £115 can fit me in over a whole weekend test on Monday in 3 weeks time !

One of my mates failed her test twice !!! Lucky 3rd time
 
I do a 30 mile round trip to work daily, and tow once a week, so a similar situation to you. I have a ford Kuga. Insurance is £400 and, yes, about £80 cheaper when I put my husband on it (he is 40, I am 33) Tax is £160 a year I think and it does 39mpg when not towing- about £80 to fill up. I tow a welsh cob in a single trailer- think the towing capacity is around 2200kg, and the max weight of laden trailer is 1900.

It doesn't seem to cost that much more to run than my old focus tbh.
 
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