To buy or not to Buy a 4 X 4

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tricksibell85

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Hello All,

I am needing some advise on a buying a 4 x 4.

I am soon going to get the horse i ride on loan so it will be my responsibilty to take him to shows etc etc.

I currently have a Feista, no chance it can pull a trailer
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Just wondered how i could go about looking for a 4 x 4 which isnt ridiculously expensive and is cheapish to run?

Sarah xx
 
You may get away with a bigger car (2l+ engine) if just towing 1 horse (check the owners manual for towing weights or What Car online have them), or just a SWB 4x4, just seen a Pajero advertised for £1750 so that might be an option, make sure you get a diesel though, much more economical!
 
If you just want to pull one horse you may want to think about a short wheel base 2.0 0r 2.2 Vauxhall Frontiera. My Mum has pulled my 16hh around with it for years. Its good on Petrol and is brilliant for day to day driving as well as its not too big. You can pick them up quite cheaply as well. I also borrowed it when my 1.8 car was broken to do my long trek to work and it saved me a fortune on petrol.

There not the nicest looking 4x4's but I think they have there uses!

Ex
 
You could look for a 4x4 that has been converted to run on LPG - liquid petroleum gas which is currently 45p a litre. I have a Jeep Cherokee converted and it's very cost efficient.
 
Just so confused about what to buy
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Was going to ask at one of my local garages but dont want totally ripped off you know?!! Women drivers and all that
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For reliability get Japanese. For comfort and economy get a Discovery. Best thing to do is look on Autotrader and see what falls in your price range and what you like the look of, then go to garages and test drive several. Both my daughter and her friend went from small hatchbacks to Discoveries (one 1995, one 1998) and they love them. They are not the most reliable car on the road, but will do 200k easily and there are loads of spare parts around and people to fit them.
 
I had an M reg SWB Pajero, and despite being cheap ish to purchase, it was bl**dy expensive to run, both in terms of fuel (I had a 2.8tdi and I don't think I ever got more than about 28 mpg, after a major engine problem with a cracked cylinder head it dropped to about 22mpg!!) and also on repairs!!
I did love it, was really nice to drive and towed all over the country with it, both 1 horse and 2, but reckon in 3 years, just on repairs, we must have spent over £5000, let alone the fuel that went in by the bucketload... repairs probably ended up more than the car cost in the first place! Looking back I should have got rid after the first problem resulted in the whole diesel pump having to be reconditioned....after the cold start valve being replaced, etc etc....the list just goes on.
However a friend of mine has a V reg shogun SWB and apart from slightly erratic electric windows, its been a great car for her for about 4 years now!! Luck of the draw I guess.
I am also going for pickup next time like CSYMolly above, for same reasons.
 
Aren't a Pajero and a Shogun the same car, the Pajero being the 'import' version?
Thanks for the info though I was thinking of getting one as a cheap 2nd car just for towing/ abusing with horsey gear to save my lease car!
 
Yep, Pajero is the imported one. Slightly higher spec eg mine had airconditionning, trip computer tc and hers doesn't. However hers works and mine often didn't!! I went back to a decent lease car and bought a lorry in the end, but now only have 1 horse to compete may go back to a trailer next year.
 
yep vauxhall frontera sport 2.5 diesel isusu engine cheap as chips to buy,insure and 29 to 30 mpg when solo. I have one I use for teaching B+E training pulling a horsebox, does the job. Pulls up over halden hill on the A38 in 5th gear. MAM is 5.5 tons fine for 2 horses.
 
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