Which 4WD 4x4?

[Alpha Mule]

My current transport looks to be dieing, so I'm thinking about possible replacements.

It'll have to be a beast of many coats:

I do the school run, so a 5 mile round trip 3 times a day.

We live on a hill farm and have just seen some nasty weather and we are supposedly heading for more, so something that will get me and my precious kids up a 1 in 6 snow covered road/track.

Possibly get me and a mate around some farmland to scare the bunnies.

If I get really lucky: something I can commute to work in without looking like a survivalist (no offence to survivalists intended)

 

We are on a very tight budget, so buying price will be important (say up to £1k), with good economy / running costs, with serious reliability.

 

My wife has a decent car for the longer trips to Jockland to see my folks once a year, but a level of comfort would be nice ((I have a seriously knackered back) not a minimalist survival buggy type thing).

 

I understand that your car is the best thing on the planet and that everyone else is talking ****, so no slagging each other's toys off please. I'm just looking for some advice on what is possible (I also know that £1k is a pitiful amount, but it's about all I'll get for my kidneys).

 

I'm looking for info such as Vitaras are sadly under powered / Rav 4s roll over / Landies are rust buckets / XYZs are reliable, but the heaters are made from chocolate and the suspension is made from glass type of thing.

 

So: what do you sugest?

[Kilvy]

I would say a Discovery tbh ... just make sure you check them properly ... especially the boot floor, and rear outriggers etc! ... Also don't forget the Fronteras ... cracking little motors!

Edited January 15, 2010 by Kilvy

[RC45]

DEFENDER!

 

[utectok]

probably an old disco or range rover would do?

[pete k]

i would say a defender 110 for the off road driving bit but a disco for the school run but i think your biggest problem will be the budget, dont get me wrong

you will find a motor for that price but as the old saying goes you get what you pay for so be sure to examine it very closely what ever you go for.

 

pete

[Alycidon]

Disco, comfortable old wagons that do 300K OK with a diesel under the bonnet. My last one I sold at 274k, currrent one has just done 200k. Just shoe with with Grabber ATs or similar, should get 80k easily out of a tyre. My Ats have done about 70K and are maybe 65% worn. Easy to shoot out of art night.

 

Defender is dearer than Disco but a worse buy, back end can catch the you out as well. Not as well behaved on road as Disco. Pig to shoot out of drivers window with a rifle.

 

I have both Disco and Defender, both 03 regs, know which I prefer. TD5s will need an injector change at about 180k, good used injectors can be had for about £60 each.

 

A

Edited January 15, 2010 by Alycidon

[Windy]

for your budget, I would think you'll be looking at Fronteras, Fourtraks, Vitaras, old Discos, Pajeros, Mavericks, Teranos and first edition Cherokees. Think they would all satisfy your brief, just check each for the relevant problems. Google might help in this area.

 

Not sure about all of the above, but for Fourtraks check for rust in the rear deck and wheel arches, as well as sills. Engines fairly bomb proof as long as basics taken care of. Most will have seen proper service in the agricultural arena, so might not be so tidy inside. Mine was used by a garage, so was lucky in this respect, very tidy inside and out. But has the rust inside top of offside wheel arch. Also some leccy gremlins have manifested in the cold wet weather, mainly due to the interesting DIY the previous owner undertook with the wiring for what I presume were spot lamps, the belmer!

Edited January 16, 2010 by Windy

[chris64]

Defender 110 tdi or discovery tdi great motor's had a 200tdi discovery for 5 year's till anice 18 year old drunk drove her car into it'cost me about £700-£800 in parts & tyre's in that time not bad, never faild to star & never got stuck off road and there easy to fix.

Edited January 16, 2010 by chris64

[felly100]

For a grand and what you want it for get a discovery.

[CZ550Kevlar]

Frontera go for the LWB with the 2.2 litre engine in petrol with a set of all terrain tyres, 25 - 30 mpg keeps on going and has a strong eco tech engine. Loads of boot space and passenger space.

[Paul223]

I've got to go with disco too, just keep an eye out for rotten boot floors, sills and inner wings, engine wise 200 series blowing head gaskets (making a chuffing noise) and 300 series with just blown heads they come up so much cheaper than the 90's or 110's and most of the mechanicals will last forever

[steveb]

Isuzu trooper 3.1d bomb proof engine and if you get the bighorn import rust shouldn't be a problem, should be able to get a decent one for a grand, as with all 4x4 get underneath to make sure it's not been abused of road.

[ProteuS]

Forget about a defender, they fetch way too much money for what they are (even though i'm looking for a 300 tdi 90 myself, you won't get anything reasonable for a thousand). Discos are a good suggestion, and there will be plenty around in your price range, however be prepared to be handy with the spanners / welder to keep them going. Notoriously land rovers take a fair bit of money / maintainance to keep chugging along. Parts are readily available though which is a bonus.

 

As has been mentioned before, fourtraks can be a hidden gem. Particularly the newer independents which tend to not make as much money. They don't have a huge amount of ground clearance, but are comfortable for long journies (I drove to holland, and towed a boat back with ours). Very capeable in the bad weather. and reliability is generally very good. Rust is an issue though and some can have seen a very hard life. A fourtrak should also see the right side of 30mpg if driven fairly gingerly.

 

 

I'm a massive fan of landcruisers, however you just won't get one worth having for that region of money.

 

Take a consideration to the jeep cherokee. Parts can be kind of pricey, however they are dirt cheap. The 4.0 straight six is a very reliable engine, if a little thirsty. However there are plenty of lpg converted ones around, which would give reasonable running costs. They feel quite like a car inside, and a buddies which had the leather seats and goodies was extremley comfortable to sit in. They do have a leaf sprung rear axles though which is a little archaic but simple to work on, and good at carrying loads.

 

 

make a shortlist, and have a drive of a few different ones before deciding which model to go for, they all are a little different and you should make your mind up yourself as to what most suits your needs / desires.

 

hope this helps

[Alpha Mule]

Most impressed with the responces and very gratefull!

 

Can I add that my back is a bit on the absolutely useless side, so I need to have easy access to the rear seats, thus a 4 or 5 dorr is essential?

I also have a wife who like to take the kitchen sink with us whenever we go anywhere, so a fair cargo capacity is also a must.

[steveb]

in that case a lwb trooper is ideal, massive amount of space in the back

[Kilvy]

Or the old shape lwb 2.8 Frontera loads of room in them and a cracking engine!

[Lez325]

I have an Isuzu Trooper 3.0 litre TDi Commercial- had the recall done on the oil pump pick up-( as there was a problem when it was built Isuzu did a free upgrade) never let me down though & being a swb Commercial has lots of room for hides deeks magnets etc etc- fitter it with General Grabber AT 2's and it goes anywhere I ask it to

 

I have heard people say dont touch a 3.0 litre as they break if youve had the FREE recall and upgrade they are superb- but to be honest Ive had both engine types and there is little or no difference

 

Les

[kennyboy30]

DEFENDER OF COURSE WHAT ELSE

[slingshot]

well i might as well throw in my two pence worth and go for the Disco 300tdi parts are cheep as chips easy as mecano to work on excellent off road Vgood on road 7 seats(most of them ) the welding is the only real bad point but saying that if you can weld or have a friend who can you are laughing the repair panels are cheep and the places they go are not visible from the roadside so you don't have ugly welding on show

 

Andy

[gixer1]

Discovery - the do all 4x4....if you buy a defender you need to get your right shoulder amputated and you'll need ear defenders if you take it over 60mph....

[rodp]

I've got a nice Toyota Surf XXR limited 3 ltr TD auto, the estate version of the bomb proof Hilux, I'll be selling. Good tyres, all electrics work (so not a land Rover then ). Reason for sale is that I am going back to Land Rover, after 39 yrs of owning them the change is just too much.

The Toyota's a beautiful motor, comfortable, quick, very quiet, solid, no rot, relatively economical but, it's just not Land Rover and they drive different (yes I know I'm old and set in my ways ).

Want a tad more than a grand though, more like £1950 if you're interested.

 

Rod

[Ratman2]

DEFENDER OF COURSE WHAT ELSE

 

But not on a buget of £1000 but I want one I've had a Disco 300Tdi for two years, I paid £1500 for it and it's been totally reliable. But if my budget can take it this year I intend to buy a 90 for my work vehicle but I ain't selling my Disco.

I'm a Landy man.

[vampire]

swb frontera,brilliant for shooting,never been stuck and the whole top of the roof comes off so great for lamping,bad points,fuel economy and hard to get in rear seats but have mine folded up so can get all the shooting gear in the back,more comfortable than mates 90 and CHEAP.

[Robbly]

Rav 4......they just keep on going..and going..

[Delbert]

I'm planning on selling one of the Outbacks at the end of the month

automatic,dual sunroof, climate control (sort of aircon dial in the temp and let the computer work it out)

2.5 litre injection in dash TV/DVD player

80k mls on an N reg (import) dog guard and boot tray. It cruises

at the legal <cough> limit and you dont need to raise your voice does

32mpg on the run from Manchester to Stranraer in town traffic, which is

horrendous atm low twenties I reckon to get about £900 for it.

(sshhhh don't tell herself tho)