Getting my own transport, the options

alsxx

alsxx

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My budget to spend on getting mobile has reduced to approx £4k which has left me thinking there is no way I will be able to pick up a decent 3.5t that isn't going to need ££££ spending on it on a yearly basis...

So now I'm wondering about going the trailer route, and obviously taking my test. However my Rav4 is only capable of towing 1.5t so would obviously need to upgrade the towing vehicle. Now I know NOTHING about cars, so assuming I spend 2.5k on a trailer, and sell my Rav4 for say £1.3, that would give me a car buying budget of say £3k....

What could I get for that price that would tow? What 4x4's are good at towing, apart from Discos? Please no one say I need to spend £10k on a car to get one reliable as I know that it is not true (I paid peanuts for my current car and it the most reliable vehicle on eath, would be a shame to part with it!).

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Daihatsu Fourtrak for your towing vehicle. They're not pretty but they are bombproof (just make sure the sills have already been welded) and they tow 3 tonne! OH has one for work and he tows Bob in a Rice Treble trailer when we go to the countryside for a hack. The only downside is if you're a short @rse like me you need a leg up to get in!!!
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I towed Bob home from Somerford Horsey Hospital in June, we borrowed a Bateson then but I couldn't tell he was there.
 
Sills are the bits under the doors that you will stand on to get in a 4x4. Whereabouts in Kent are you? I will ask OH to look on auto trader for something in your budget (he'll love that and it'll keep him quiet!). I would pay for an RAC/AA inspection unless you have a friendly mechanic that could look at cars with you.
 
Ah I know what you mean!

We are just outside Sevenoaks really...yes will definately get an inspection done, my first car was a proper money pit what with its gearbox needing replacing twice!!
 
Also, whilst I think of it, what is better - petrol or diesel engines? Diesel is quite expensive now so the day to day running costs I assume would be higher than a petrol engine? Ahh so many considerations!
 
Diesel vs Petrol depends on the engine size (turbo etc.) I think. A girl at our farm always has Disco's, her last one was converted to run on LPG and she said it saved her a fortune. My mechanical knowledge is very limited, due mainly to not being interested!
 
I run my Discovery on LPG and petrol (only if I run out of LPG) and it is as cheap to run as a much smaller car, as the LPG is approx half the price of petrol (currently my local garage is selling it at 52.9p per litre.
And as it is cheap to run, I use it all the time, not just for towing. It's a great mobile tack/feed room/dog kennel, taxi etc. (being a 7 seater) but a bit stinky! It is 11 years old, never has anything wrong with it and has approx 150,000 miles on the clock! Oh and meant to say you can pick them up for £1 - 2k now.
 
Can I ask how much is it to tax and insurance on that?

As i'm looking at 4x4's as well.. I want to trade in my golf for a 4x4. Golf is 55 reg, 1.9tdi, 62k miles, immaculate condition (apart from where it was keyed and a slight scratch on the front). Am I wrong in thinking you can almost do a direct swop for a 4x4?
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I'm useless with car things!!
 
Although Diesel is more expensive at the pumps you would normally get much better fuel efficiency from a diesel than a petrol engine.

Servicing is a little more expensive with a diesel but if you are doing more than about 10,000 miles a year a diesel will be cheaper.

For larger vehicles for towing the break even point may be lower still......... I don't know I drive a clio, but I get about 600 miles from a tank of diesel costing me less than £60
 
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