Recommend a 4x4

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claire_p2001

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I have a Mazda MX5 and haven't been able to drive since before Christmas rubbish! So i've decided I need to get a 4x4 and need advice please. Modest budget up to £10,000 not more than 5yrs old I don't want a massive engine pref 2L or under. I was thinking of a Land Rover Freelander? Any experiences?

Thanks
 
Do you want or need to tow? If so, then maybe a misubishi shogun or daihatsu 4 track. If you don't want to tow then get a Suzuki Vitara DDIS like me! It has been absolutely fantastic in the snow and ice - certainly this morning when i whizzed up a hill to traffic lights that no cars were able to get up!

Mine's a 57 reg and with the DDIS (1.9L) you get a diff lock gearbox so, although it's permanent 4x4 you also have the option of locking it in low or high ratio 4 wheel drive as and when is needed. I have to say I love mine, it's not too heavy on fuel as I do use it as my normal day to day car and it's pretty robust as I use it in the field (very hilly) through the summer months too.

Ok, so it's not the plushest inside but they are vastly improved to how they were. You can pick up a 3dr (that's what I have) 57 reg or so for less than £10,000 I am sure and maybe not much more for a 5 dr. I have seen someone towing with the 5 dr - one horse only - but I am not convinced it is designd for towing any real weight to be honest

Ooh, other than that you may want to look at Kia sorrento as apparently good for towing as well. Also with Kias you get a 5 year warranty. Same with Hyundai but if you want the 4x4 (Tucson or Santa Fe) I would say get a diesel NOT the petrol as the petrol lacks any power!
 
Depends if you want to tow or not but when I explained the situatuon the guy who sells freelanders said not to get one, a) it want be able to pull but b) they don't have a great recored of staying sound.. lol.

If you arn't interested in towing then possibly but if you are then no. I have got a Kia Sorrento. I love it.
 
We have a Kia Sportage, and it is fab! It could tow, but OH won't let me put tow bar on.
Whatever you do get, try and get traction control, as that has helped me stick to the ice like glue!
Kia's are also relatively cheap to buy second hand so you may not need to spend all your budget on a 2 or 3 year old one.
 
Thanks for your help I don't need to tow as i have a lorry, but i do need to get to my stables at the top of a steep hill! I just looked at Suzuki Grand Vitara looks nice I like the 3 door not too big is that the same? What is your road tax like?
 
Yep, i have the 3dr - I have to put the back seats down though for my normal use to and from stables with tack and dogs etc so if you needed to take more than 1 other person then the 5 dr would give you more room. I don't though and find it fine like this - although they could have thought out the design a little bit better keeping the back seats up (you'll see what i mean if you do look at one!). They are very simple to put up and down though.

The road tax is sadly expensive although not as bad as it could be. It is the £215 bracket at the moment but not sure what will happen when or if the government change it.

Most 4x4s will be in this bracket though i think. I don't know about Kias - the sportage looks nice and may also be worth looking at. Bonus being the longer warranties with Kias which are always handy so you could feasibly get one with 2 or 3 years left on it if not more.

If you do look at Vitara I would def go for the diesel DDIS although it is a liottle more expensive it is great in this bad weather and I have felt very safe and secure and so far it's not struggled on any hills/untreated roads round us.
 
don't get the feelander.....they are terrible cars and have all sorts of steering problems.

I have a honda crv...it gets me everywhere in the snow pefect...it's a permenant 4 wheele drive but some of the other suggestions sound a bit better....mine is an 03 plate but it has never let me down ever!!!
 
Im thinking of getting a Kia Sorrento. My car (Citroen C2) has done really well in the snow until today, got stuck on my street and had to be pushed up the hill
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If your main concern is getting to your stables whatever the weather than imo a Landrover Defender cannot be beaten. Ours has been delivering coal across common land [6inches under snow] over which no other vehicles have dared venture and has never failed.
 
i have a mitsi shogun love it! has done brilliant in the snow, ive had it up the hill at the yard in the snow! would also recommend defender but do not touch a freelander, they are just not suitable.
 
Freelander 1 had a very poor reliability record, but the Freelander 2 is dramatically better but likely to be out of your budget.

If all you want a 4x4 is to get up the hill to your stables I suggest seriously looking at the Fiat Panda 4x4. They are staggeringly effective on snow & ice (there is a reason the Italian Police use them in the Alps) and much more economical than any softroader. For £10,000 you should be able to get one new.

Of course if you want to carry hay bales in the back they are useless!
 
I disagree about the Freelanders. I've had one ever since the early ones (my first was in 1998) and this one had a few things go wrong but I still had it 6 years and I don't think it was worse than many. THe diesels are brilliant - newer ones (post 2001) have a BMW engine which is fantastic and utterly different to the old Freelanders. They are the best off-road cars by a long way, apart from a new Discovery, and you'd get a really good used one for £10k. I've just bought a 'new' one for £5k and I love it. As long as you don't want to tow more than one horse it would be absolutely fine. Just don't get one with a petrol engine.
 
My mum has got a newer freelander (not a freelander 2 but one with a BMW engine) and it is yet to fail her in this cr*ppy weather!
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I know they wear and tear, but all cars do I think. But the track record just shows some are great and some are naff I think...........

Id think with a budget of £10K you will be able to find a fab 4x4!
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My friends defender has been unstoppable in this, as has anothers discovery..........

I think there is a short list of defo good ones, and the rest is just down to personal preference!
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