Help me choose a BIG 4x4...

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Princess P

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Hello can people help and tell me what you think is the best big 4x4? Big as in big enough for 2 dog cages plus 2 saddles in the boot plus has to be able to tow 3 tonnes as have an equitrek.
Budget is 9-10k and would like leather seats, what can I get for my money and what would people avoid?
Currently have Mitsubishi shogun sport which is great but can only tow 2.8 and would ideally like a bigger boot. Needs to be not too thirsty as will be my every day car too, and ideally not too many miles or too old.
Not keen on sorentos, like Nissan pathfinder but not sure if we can afford the spec with leather.

What do people recommend? Help?!

Greek meze followed by stuffed chicken breasts in bacon and then cheesecake for any help, am having a dinner party tonight ;-)
 
I would stay away from anthing that carries the Nissan badge apart from the old Patrols & Terranos were tough as old boots and reliable apart from heater matrix problems in the Terranos, modern nissans are very poor by comparison I think it may be the Tie up with Renault, I had a diabolical Navara:mad:

Discovery 3.5 tons towing capacity you may get a good one or a friday afternoon motor. Land Rovers are usualy a Love Hate thing I Love my Defender 90 with all the toys;)

Proper Shoguns not "Shogun sports" are good trucks and I think my SWB Commercial was good for 3 ton towing capacity.

Toyota Land Cruiser King of the Heap and with proper servicing good for 300K easily. And Bullet Proof;)
 
Jeep grand Cherokee can get a nice 54 plate for under 6k, the model after that isn't as nice looking IMO but prob be about 10k used and then there is the new model just out. Can tow 3500 and massive boot.
 
We have a Landcruiser, petrol 3.4 litre V6 automatic. It is *huge*...we've had a big 2 seater sofa in the back & a fridge freezer. Plenty of room for 2 Rottweilers, lots of horse food etc. Ours is old (2000) but everything works & it's reliable (touch wood).

It's horrendously thirsty, tho lovely to drive!

T x
 
Isuzu Rodeo double cab. Obv it doesnt have a boot, it all goes in the truck bit at the back but ours has a lockable hard top and I love it. Pulls anything, loads of room in the cab and in the truck,not too bad on diesel, we get 30ish mpg around town.
 
Another vote for a Landcruiser! I've recently bought an old one. It's huge & I love it! Toyotas very rarely break down either ;)
 
We always had patrols - the earlier models though. They're my family's car of choice, we just drive them into the ground and they're super reliable - my dad used to own one that was already about 15 years old when we bought it and it worked perfectly for another 15 before the engine gave out.
Not sure what the newer models are like though! I have also been told not to tough the navaras with a barge pole!
 
LOVE my landrover and wouldn't have anything else to tow with now (after foolishly flirting briefly with a Toyota!!!)
We've had discovers and defenders. Defenders are great if u don't mind a bit "rough n ready" (although ours does have part leather, heated seats!). We also have a discovery which is more luxurious and a lovely vehicle for longer trips (much quieter and more comfortable for passengers), plus more boot room etc - it also makes towing so effortless that you forget that you're towing!
 
Anything Japanese! I second the Isuzu pick up suggestion, miss my truck and mine was very economical as it had 2WD and 4WD option so for everyday driving I put it into 2WD.
 
Definitely avoid Navaras!
I love my defender and it tows my 5 star beautifully! I also have 2 dogs, I have SWB hardtop tho so only front seats but massive load space.
 
Nissan Patrol they are HUGE ...my Dad got rid of his after many years of good service for a lovely Range Rover and still misses his Patrol!
 
A Disco any day. I have had three and they have all served me well. I had a brand new Shogun while my disco was in for repairs (Some fool ran into the side of it) and it was no where near as good as mine. A towed with it twice and my horses hated it.

My Disco has just taken two horses and all the gear for 5 days away competing on Exmoor. Towed up the big hills without a problem, including Porlock hill.
 
Would you not be better with a pick up.?

If so Toyota Hilux is the best followed by L200

I'd agree stay away from Nissan
 
We bought a W reg Nissan Patrol a couple of years ago for about £6k. It's bloody brilliant, i could have sold it 10 times over to random people stopping me in the petrol station since then. I would avoid newer Disco's and defenders, have a couple of friends with these and they seem to be constantly at the garage, coming out with big bills. When we were looking we wanted a Toyota hilux, but these proved to be like hens teeth secondhand...mostly because people just don't want to get rid. So, for me, you'll be looking at something a few years old with a budget of £9-10k, Nissan Patrol, Toyota Hilux, never met anyone who has had problems with a Nissan Navarra. My best friend has one which gets well and truly abused but always starts, and just keeps on going.
 
I used to tow a 3 horse angle load (would have been up around 3 tonne fully loaded) with a Discovery series 2 :) I loved it, very powerful albeit a little slow being diesel. It was marvellous when going through wet paddocks!
 
Dad has an older Nissan Patrol. Its an absolute tank (I refuse to drive it) but it will tow anything and imagine it would get you out of trouble pretty quickly
 
Fabscd - cant quote properly as I'm on my phone... But this "When we were looking we wanted a Toyota hilux, but these proved to be like hens teeth secondhand...mostly because people just don't want to get rid"
Just had my spit out my brew!!! It's a Toyota hilux we briefly had for towing but HATED it with a passion! Had worst steering lock ever, kerb weight was rubbish so always had to be mindful what we took with us. Also found it a hard, bouncy ride and it was a ****** to ride
My husband still owns it but hates it so much he lets a guy who works got him a bit drive it and he went out and bought another yo drive himself. Only reason we haven't sold it is because we're tied into a contract so it's too expensive to get rid.... But I know my OH would gladly push it over a cliff lol
 
Toyota hilux is the go-to car in Africa..literally every third car is one of them probably :D

Sorry OP, nothing useful to add except that I know if my parents could have had anything they would have got a disco - apparently they tow like a dream :)

Also the nissan navaras seem to break near constantly
 
We have a Isuzu pick up with a hard top back. It's a smother drive and comfier ride than my golf. Very good mpg for a 4x4. The Beauty about a pick up is it keeps all of the dog and horse smells in the back!
 
Discos do tow like a dream (as long as you avoid the 2000/2001 models which although do tow nice, only actually run for about 3 months at a time before needed countless repairs!! ;) ) I won't touch another again after spending over £8k on repairs over the last 7yrs :(
 
We have a 07 disco... not had a problem with it in the last 2 and a half years, tows like a dream! I really can't recommend them enough for capability. I dragged a poor farmer and his pathfinder out of a field this winter. We've towed 3.5t on it and you barely know it's there.
Defenders are more expensive, but they are a formidable 4x4 and can tow up to 4t, as said if you don't mind a bit more "agricultural" they are fantastic. A disco if you like comfort and a bit of plushness.

If you can go and drive some different ones... there aren't too many that can tow 3t and over. I know people who hate discos and defenders, but we love ours.
 
As poster above says, you will really struggle to find a pickup to tow min 3Tonnes, Hilux/Navara etc would be well short im afraid, Disco/Defender/Shogun/Kia would be the best bet OP, Ive heard good things about the Kia, quite high spec for the money!
 
I love my izuzu rodeo. goes anywhere and does everything. Plenty of room for the kids. Drives like a car. Just brilliant and better than my old l200.
 
I really do recommend the old Nissan Patrols too. A mate of mine has just sold a mint one for £2k.

Because they have a chassis they'll go on forever. They are very capable off road, good on fuel, a pleasure to tow, very comfortable and absolutely enormous without being a pig to maneuver. You can fit a single bed in the back of one comfortably!
 
I've got a 1998 Trooper, it's been pretty good at towing, is fairly economical for the type of car it is, and providing you service and change filters etc regularly is usually reliable. I did go through a bad patch with mine when I first bought it, kept having to replace batteries and alternators, turned out it had a wire shorting out, since getting this fixed (knock wood) it has been fine. Not sure what I will replace it with when it dies. Probably another Isuzu
 
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