SUGGEST A DECENT 4 X4 FOR ME!

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hackedoff

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my saab hasnt moved for 2 weeks. It simply is so low that it forms a huge wall of snow in front if I try to drive it, sort of reverse snow plough!!! So given that I need something higher and better in snow and a 4 x 4 would mean that I dont need to buy an ultra light weight trailer and can instead hire locally I need the following:

a 4x4 with decent kerb weight to stop down hill
b. not expensive second hand and ideally reliable,
c. economical with fuel I do 30 to 40 miles per day to to work and yard but sometimes need to do 200 to 300 mile round trips to clients.
d. good boot space.
e. not a huge bus so it will fit on our narrow drive and the car park at work!

Suggestions please!
 
No 4x4 will be cheap to run but I really rate the shogun. Good curb weight, relible (I have a J reg that is still going strong), they have good boot space and aren't that huge.
 
I recommend a landy defender 110 double cab pick up (can pick them up 2nd hand)- fantastic, enough room for 5 people plus a huge pick up area for dogs, rubbish, etc It fits on our narrow drive and in most normal car parks BUT ours doesnt fit in multi storey car parks or underground ones as its too tall.
its not bad on MPG - when towing it does about 25mpg but without does at least 32 so not bad and is even better on longer motorway journeys (it has 6th gear)
good weight to it for towing.
 
No suggestins but let me know if you find one! I have been researching this for about 3 months now ... Think I have narrowed it down to a Kia Sorrento or of I get enough together maybe an M class (she dreams) ;-)
 
i was going to get a 4x4 to tow with, i was looking into an x trial or a hyundi santa fe as they are rated for towing. my work is a 20 mile round trip and im hopefully doing uni this year which is 50 miles away. would cost an absolute fortune in fuel, i decided to stick to my 306 and save for a 3.5 tonne lorry.
 
SUBARU SUBARU SUBARU
It has been a wee star all the way through this. It has never been stuck at all and just ploughed through it all. i have had a few big jeep styles and this wee car has out performed them all. it is the impreza one, it looks like a car.
it is the hatch/estate sort. big enough for my dobermann to travel comfortably
check out auto trader and go and look at one. everyone has comented on how brilliant mine has been.
 
Ssangyong rexton has been a star in this weather absolutely no slipping tows like a dream and i get 30mpg towing loads of boot space ,also reasonable second hand .I am loving the heated seats at the mo !
 
For cost effectiveness - Nissan terrano - very relaible have had two in previous years and they go on and on
For towing I like my discovery its a bit ancient and lordy have I spent some money on it mechanically but it has been a godsend in this darn snow! (much better than the terrano in low four wheel drive)
 
I guess it depends how much you want to spend? The Disco 4 are the mutts but they are also £££s and cost a small fortune to tax.

Defenders are fab, mine tows beautifully although I have had the engine chipped and upgraded. If you're looking for a slightly older model there are plenty about and the tax is a bit cheaper. Plus loads of garages to work on them should you need it.

But although I'm a Landrover fan my mates Audi Q7 is just a dream car to drive and has lots of electronic wizardy should you get it wrong towing.

JDx
 
Kepends whether you need it to tow with or not. The Kia (as mentioned) is supposed to be good. The Hyundai Santa Fe is also (according to my friend) great at towing and my mum has the Tucson which has been fine in the snow but she has a petrol which is heavy on fuel and doesn't have the power of the diesel.

I have a 3dr Suzuki Vitara (I don't need to tow) and I have to say it's bloody brilliant in all this snow and ice and I feel very safe. You have large boot space with the back seats down as I don't need to use the back seats I have mine like this all the same. Plus, with the DDIS version you have a differential gearbox so, although it is permanent 4 wheel drive you have the option of locking it in high or low ratio gears if you feel you need it. You def can tell the difference, it really powers on through the snow.

If you want to tow however I don't think the Vitara's up to the job although i have seen someone towing an Ifor with one horse but not sure i'd like to. To tow you'd really need to look at the meatier 4x4s. Daihatsus are great but pretty heavy on fuel and people do tend to hang on to them so they can be hard to find.

The Kia will probably be the best bet budget and powerwise though but no idea about it's 4x4 capabilities.
 
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Kia Sorrento without a doubt!

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Ditto this , tows Ifor and caravan like a dream , ours is automatic so even better , was tow car of the year (last year I think)
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Would have to agree with a diahatsu fourtrack - I'm on my third and it's ancient!
You can't kill them!
I also have a fancy shogun and it's actually not much worse on fuel but I'd trade it in for another 5 fourtracks to keep in a shed!
My fourtrack is a real work horse - in the fields everyday - even in the snow and has never even thought about struggling - the Shogun just sits there looking shiny........ And it's only 2 years old and takes ages for the heaters to heat!
Go for a fourtrak if you can get one cos they are very hard to come by!
 
All the rest are fine but go for the best!

Range Rover - we have a P38 (the model after the classis, before the TD6 - the one with gills)

It's unstoppable in snow, tows without noticing and the manual does approx 32-34mpg.

I can tow a trailer 600 miles on one tank of fuel - Gloucestershire to Inverness. Not bad!

And you have heated leather seats
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Not stupid money either (depending on your budget) - look at Brightwells.co.uk for current auction prices - the number of freelanders available show how bad they are (!), the lack of P38s show how desirable they are (ok so I'm slightly biased!)

You'll get an idea of prices anyway
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Took my dads 3dr shogun (he calls it 'The Beast!') to the yard tonight and other than a tractor nothing else could get near,i even drove down to the field which involves going through 2 massive deep fields first! It isn't bad on fuel and tows a fair bit. it's vvv comfy to drive,we are going to buy it off my dad for it to stay at the yard. I will use my Audi A4 for everyday use and use the Shogun for yard stuff and towing,oh and for this kind of weather!!! I also rate the Rexton,my OH did the launch on them when they came out,good on fuel for a 4x4.
 
I have a mercedes M class, and its brill in snow

tows a trailer with two horses

Is excellent on fuel

ANd, my god, it looks the part,
Luxury to drive, you can get one second hand more reasonably priced now.
 
Isuzu Trooper ( I've got the SWB Vauxhall monteray which is a badged IT) all the way. I've had mine 8 years and she is the best friend a horse owning girl can ever have. She's a 3.1TD and tows like a dream. We've been through drifts and high waters and she never lets me down. I love my Ruby lol
 
we have a ford ranger pick up!!!! its fab and alot of my friends have them as well... they are the same as the mazda pick up underneath!!!!

i'd also recommend nissan navara d22
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the d40's look really good but hav never driven one!!!!

i like pick ups!!!
 
If you don't want to tow, the Daihatsu Terios is a fabulous compact permanent 4x4 that runs on petrol and is totally reliable. Had mine almost 3 years and didn't even have to change the tyres! It's got a short wheel base and last winter in all the snow, mine was the car happily trundling about everywhere. I normally come over a mountain road and I even still did that in it, which is more than I dare do in my Ssangyong Kyron! I only changed from the Terios because I needed to tow but I rang the dealer up 3 days after buying the Kyron and begged him to let me have the Terios back! The Kyron sounds like a Harrier Jump Jet coming in to land and weighs 2 tons but has a Mercedes engine and is much cheaper than most other 4x4s as it is not such a popular make. The boot is humungus and it tows a dream. So far so good in the snow too but I haven't dared do the mountain road in it as it weighs too much if it started to slide!
 
Hubby has an automatic Cherokee Jeep Pioneer and it fabulous for towing, looks good and is a true off roader, It tows up to 3.4 tons. It cost under 6 grand and is only four years old!
We had one before and it was cheaper to service and a better performer than the Landy Disco we had before that.
I have an ancient Nissan Terrano, 16 years old and still no rust, and with new snow tyres on it has been absolutely superb, both on performance in this weather and fuel consumption. You can pick one of these up for under £1000.
Cant see why anyone needs to spends mega money to have a good 4WD.
I have actually enjoyed the cold and snow with these two vehicles.
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Def can recommend a Subaru. Our Forester has been brill in the snow and I've ventured out in it on my own every morning at 6.30am before the gritters have been out and I've felt so confident driving it. We are on the Penines and have had PLENTY of snow. Yes it's thirsty as are all 4x4s but it drive's more like a car and tows beautifully too, oh and the heated leather seats are fab. In fact I'm trying to talk my hubby into swapping it for my little Suzuki Swift but he's not having any of that.
 
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