The cost of running a 4x4 - alternative options

[Jingleballs]

I've been musing about this in recent weeks.

I've driven 4x4's since I bought my trailer about 5 years ago now. I've had 3 4x4's over the years and for whatever reason, have always ended up with a problem car that has cost me a fortune to fix!

My current car falls into this category - I've spent over £1k this year in repairs and there is still an outstanding issue with the shock absorbers that hopefully I can get fixed as it's driving me mad and makes for the must uncomfortable ride over anything other than a perfect rode surface.

It also costs a fortune to run - about £200 a month in fuel for just basic driving (I do about 150 miles per week) and then the fuel for towing/additional journeys is on top of that. Road tax isn't far off £400 per year although my insurance is only about £200 per year.

In previous years, I would have the trailer out at least once a week up to 3 times on a busy week in the summer.

This year, I think in total I've been out about maybe 6 times if that - I just don't have the same desire to compete regularly and my current yard which I moved to in March has fab hacking, runs on site SJ shows and has a good on site instructor so I've not really felt the need to go anywhere - there are a couple of shows coming up that I'm considering but it's not set in stone. Plus, OH and I have decided we want to move home in the next 12 to 18 months so are on a major savings drive to ensure we get the type of home we want.

I'm wondering if it's stupid to pay all of this money to run a car that I only have because I need it for towing - esp as I don't currently have any real desire to get out competing (although I'm aware that this may just be a phase and I wont be rushing into any decision).

So looking at options -

1. Sell car and trailer, make myself a nice £5k to £6k and buy a wee cheap run around. I'd love to do this but I worry that I'd regret suddenly having no transport available. I know there are some self drive 3.5 tonne lorry hires available but the nearest is about 45 miles from me so not a realistic option.

2. As above but look to buy a 3.5 tonne lorry and a run around - but is it really worth having a lorry sitting doing nothing most of the time? Plus, I'd need to supplement the cost of the lorry which means spending more £££.

3. Sell car, keep trailer and then hire a 4x4 on a day rate of about £70 to £90 (would hopefully be giving someone a lift so could cost half of that). Means I still have transport, can get out a couple of times a month I feel like it but don't have to pay the regular running costs of a 4x4.

4. Sell car, buy old 4x4 for less than £1k to be used solely for towing and then get a wee run around for daily driving. The main concern about this is the cost of having to keep 2 vehicles on the road - plus I'd still have the tax cost of the 4x4 and potentially expensive repair bills.

Option 3 and 4 are the most realistic ones at the moment. Does anyone else currently do anything similar to these and do you feel it works?

Any ideas/suggestions are welcome - I'm just trying to sort it all out in my head at the moment!

 

[Pendlehog]

Just another thing to throw into the mix.. do you really need a 4x4 to tow? It might be worth checking the weights and seeing if a nice, reliable diesel estate would do the job for you. Lots of people on here tow with Mondeos and the like, they are much more economical to run and repair bills tend to be more reasonable.

 

[ROG]

Just another thing to throw into the mix.. do you really need a 4x4 to tow? It might be worth checking the weights and seeing if a nice, reliable diesel estate would do the job for you. Lots of people on here tow with Mondeos and the like, they are much more economical to run and repair bills tend to be more reasonable.

+1

If towing only on hard ground then no great need for a 4x4

 

[lizziegoos]

i own a shogun lwb had it 4 years and its never cost me anything but 4 new tyres. i tow a 510 with 2 heavy horses and its fab. just keeps going i cant kill it off. other shogun owners ive met also swear by them. i also own a mondy est diesel and wouldnt tow with that even though its a 2.2 it doesnt have as much torque as my shogun. i also off road the shogun as own working dogs its perfect cannot fault it.

 

[zangels]

We tow with a skoda octavia 2 litre diesel. It has a towing capacity of 1600kg and tax is 120 per year and for normal run around it is super economic on fuel. It depends on your trailer and horse weights if it would be good for you. Depending on your budget skoda also do a 4x4 estate version I think it's called a superb and it has a higher towing capacity, think its 1800kg. Our skoda gets us off the show ground that is often a wet field, never tried it in proper mud though.

 

[Jingleballs]

Ooh hadn't though of that - had considered maybe another "soft" 4X4 like an xtrail or freelander but not an estate. Most of the parking I do is on surface with only a very rare venture onto grass (and if it was wet I wouldn't be competing anyway!)

I'll definitely have a look at this option! I have a 505 so that's 905kg + about 480 - 550kg for the horse (depending on how fat he is). The 1600kg would be a bit too close to the wire but the 1800kg would be fine and like you say, even an estate car is generally cheaper for parts than a 4x4.

lizziegoos - had a SWB shogun, worst tow car I ever had, everything that could go wrong, did go wrong - had it less than a year and it cost me over £2k in repairs and even then was still broken - my mechanic told me to get shot of it and never get another one as in his opinion they are useless!

 

[ladyt25]

I would look at different towing vehicles - as suggested, maybe a better, more economical estate as opposed to thinking a 4x4.

Look at these for example - capable of towing 2000kgs seemingly.

http://www.towinghorsetrailers.co.uk/towing_vehicles.htm

Also, some of the pickup types are classed as commercial vehicles and attract a lower insurance and tax rate I believe

 

[Jingleballs]

I would look at different towing vehicles - as suggested, maybe a better, more economical estate as opposed to thinking a 4x4.

Look at these for example - capable of towing 2000kgs seemingly.

http://www.towinghorsetrailers.co.uk/towing_vehicles.htm

Also, some of the pickup types are classed as commercial vehicles and attract a lower insurance and tax rate I believe

Very useful website -thank you! I like the look of the Audi A3 - my OH is also looking to change his car (currently drives a thirsty sports car - an A3 and a run around between the 2 of us might work well!

 

[equitum]

We had a Mitsubishi L200 animal which towed nicely and was brilliant on fuel. It also had cheap tax and the added benefit of having a open back so you don't get the horsey smell in your car when transporting tack and things. it's nice inside too and easy to drive so it might be worth having a look at those as an option for you.
I personally wouldn't get rid of your transport, it's great to be able to get out and about and you would probably miss it if you weren't able to go out anymore.

 

[Jingleballs]

We had a Mitsubishi L200 animal which towed nicely and was brilliant on fuel. It also had cheap tax and the added benefit of having a open back so you don't get the horsey smell in your car when transporting tack and things. it's nice inside too and easy to drive so it might be worth having a look at those as an option for you.
I personally wouldn't get rid of your transport, it's great to be able to get out and about and you would probably miss it if you weren't able to go out anymore.

Thanks for that! It's not just the fuel costs that bother me - it's the fact that every repair is so much more expensive if you have a 4x4 vs. a car.

Having had a more workman type 4x4 in the past, I really prefer the feel of driving a car - that's why I like my Sorento and liked the xtrail but when they break it costs a fortune!

 

[ROG]

I like the look of the Audi A3 - my OH is also looking to change his car (currently drives a thirsty sports car - an A3 and a run around between the 2 of us might work well!

https://forums-secure.horseandhound.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?632831-Towing-experts-and-an-Audi-A3

 

[PandorasJar]

I would look at different towing vehicles - as suggested, maybe a better, more economical estate as opposed to thinking a 4x4.

Look at these for example - capable of towing 2000kgs seemingly.

http://www.towinghorsetrailers.co.uk/towing_vehicles.htm

Also, some of the pickup types are classed as commercial vehicles and attract a lower insurance and tax rate I believe

Pickup attract a lower rate?! While our navara is more economical than the little golf or vans... It's twice as much to tax and insure due to commercial policy as they expect you to be rough with it (dont even consider Bullbars, they triple costs!) and you have to have commercial even if leisure vehicle. It also made it too expensive to have both of us on as drivers. £5 quid for both of us on the towing vans (used as farrier vans too but isnt expected for particularly rough work), would have been 1400 to get me put on commercial pickup! Ironic as it's free for the tractor which I'm far more dangerous in

Out of all vehicles, horsebox costs the least to tax and insure, golf 1.4 next best (twice as much tax), vans then pickup. The van is what we use on solid ground as cheaper to tow, the pickup for longer distance and grass... And the horse box for moving jumps and poles the tractor is used to haul the trailer over bogs... Horseless!

 

[PandorasJar]

Thanks for that! It's not just the fuel costs that bother me - it's the fact that every repair is so much more expensive if you have a 4x4 vs. a car.

Look at make as well as just 4x4 vs car. And what you can do yourself.

My golf is very cheap. Parts cheap and do everything bar mot ourselves. Very easy to fix parts (this is why the vw pickup appeals as our next purchase!) Even I can do most parts! Every fault is common and lots of advice and it's never ever broken down badly on me and I use it through the fields (it's not cared for at all!) (2001)

Navara. Parts expensive (will only use blueprint or original parts) fella can do 90% of work and they rarely need replacing a second time. So not too expensive. Never broken down. (2006)

My last bmw parts through the roof (if you could get them) and didn't do half the repairs ourselves. Broke down weekly (think was 2009)

My fellas brother has just sold his a3 as cost too much to run, hes back to a van again for half the tax, ins and running costs. (dont know year).

 

[mel_s]

I've never found that the 4x4 costs any more with repairs than a car did?
I am on my 2nd Nissan Terrano. First was a SWB that i had 6 years before writing it off (my fault, not cars!). Hardy as they are, the tree won. But in the time i'd had it i actually didnt spend anything on it until just before i wrote it off (typical) when it needed new brake pipes.
My current LWB terrano i've had 2 years now. I did look to have something different when i was buying another but having read many reviews, i decided to stick to what i knew was ok.

Years ago (before having the original terrano) i had an old swb shogun that was used for towing only. I also had a small car for normal driving. This doesnt work out any cheaper than having the one car TBH as taxing, moting, repairing and insuring 2 vehicles ends up costing more than the fuel you'd use driving 4x4.