Jump to content

Most reliable 4X4 please?


Colc08
 Share

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 87
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

 

I am aware of diesels being able to run on veg oil but not too clued up on it. Hoe does it work? Do you literally just tip the veg oil in and run it as you normally would or is there any specific maintainence you need to keep up with? Also is there any difference in milage between diesel and veg oil? - cheers

Basically it depends what type of injection pump the engine has. Bosch inline being perfect, CAV rotary useless. There are veg websites that'll tell you this. Common rail diesels are not usually capable of running on straight veg.

 

If you are lucky enough to have an engine/injection system like the Mercedes OM600 series as fitted to earlier Sprinter vans, then all you need to do is tip the 20l containers straight into the tank & drive away. It makes sense to fit a cheap inline filter in the feed to the main filter since veg usually cleans out all the diesel **** in the tank & lines. You may need to change the prefilter 2 or 3 times until it stays clean. I was lucky - no **** in my system at all.

I run straight veg all year in my Korando, using 5% added petrol from November to February. I don't use any sort of fuel line /filter heater. If it stays below freezing for a few days, I add a gallon or two of diesel as well. I use about 1500 -2000l per year. The 5 cyl Merc engine actually runs smoother on veg than diesel! MPG is the same power down a little bit, but if you advance the injection timing you can get all the power back & more too.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you go down the veg route, be aware that you can only use 2500 litres per annum before you have to start paying Road Fuel Duty, which wipes out the cost saving if you are buying new oil.

I use cheapo supermarket veg oil when I can get it for more than 20p a litre cheaper than derv, and chip shop surplus when I can get that. New oil goes straight in, used gets filtered and washed first. A tankful of derv every so often helps clear any **** through.

Oh yeah, it's a Toyota Surf with the 3l td engine, so a Denso inline fuel pump.

I've done upwards of 60k like that, no problems so far...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

I'm toying with the idea of selling my car, which I only use to go to town a couple of miles away from my village and for shooting.

Seems like more money wrapped up in the car than needs be, and with depreciation, it's getting lower and lower in value.

I'l like to spend just a couple of grand at most on a 4x4, so I don't have to worry about the odd scratch and dent.

Does the Daihatsu Terious, Toyota Rav 4, Suzuki Jimny and Suzuki Grand Vitara all have low and high 4wd?

And are they all gear stick type selectors?

Prefer gear sticks to electronics!!......

atb

Jamie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I own an isuzu trooper, I have had it for 3 years now. I truly abuse it and don't look after it. Admittedly I own the lwb but they do a short wheel base with the same engine. Mine has the 3.1 TD. It's gone through its MOT 3 times in a row with all but a set of pads.

 

I must say over the years this thing has been the most reliable motor I have ever owned.

 

Steer away from the 3.0l although good cars and a lot of the recalls were done I believe they are not as good as the 3.1TD.

 

I can get a dog box in the back of mine with all the back seats up but they fold down to give similar space as a van. You could just pop the seats out of the swb although they do do a commercial version.

 

Running costs wise mine does around 24-26 MPG on a motorway run, not the cheapest but if deisel ever rose above the point it was truly to expensive these things will run on veg oil with nothing more than a filter change.

 

Off road wise no complaints at all, never been stuck !

Edited by mpk
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think in honesty that the 2.8 older shoguns are more reliable than the 3.2's. Easier to sort out as well.

3.2 Shoguns can be really good, but there is a whole list of known problems.

- Head Gasket Failure - if and when this occurs you'll very definitely cook the ally head which more often than not crack... (£800 for new one)

- Fuel Pump - These are a common issue, and not a cheap one at all (£2000)

- Dual Mass Flyhweel in the manual version - avoid

- Auto box's are ok but the inhibitor switch is in a stupid place IMHO and gets gunged up a lot.

- Wheels are made of cheese and flake to bits if you look at them

 

However:
They are good offroad and the 4 wheel drive options are good

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

The Rav4 isnt a 4x4, its an SUV.

 

I agree but we could dissect every so called 4x4 to prove that it's actually something else. The Range Rover is bought as a luxury limo (I'm considerably richer than yoouuuw), the off road ability is purely to rub it in even more, how many get taken off road other than muddy shoot tracks at best ? Mate of mine bought a new 1.6 auto Vitara in 94 and we almost never bothered putting it in 4x4 even when taking it off the beaten track looking for pigeon, SUV yes but man enough for our purpose as well.

 

Many 4x4's are actually crude trucks lacking in what it takes to make them all round family cars for those who can't afford two cars. Everything is a compromise of some sort but our OP asked :

 

In your experiences what is the most reliable small 4x4 on the road? Its just for doing my 20 mile road trip to work and back, taking the dogs out in and going around doing my birds at the shoot.

 

The RAV4 has adequate off road ability in this context but is hugely well respected in reliabiity as are others such as the Honda equivalents.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ive just replaced my old diesel freelander with a diesel 3 door grand vitara. The 'vit' is better on fuel at a genuine 35+ mpg as opposed to the freelander which really struggled to return 30mpg fitted with mud tires. It also doesnt have annoying electric windows allround that are very prone to failure like my freelander had. The vit is excellent offroad and has the advantage over the freelander in having switchable 4 wheel drive 4 wheel high and low (the low has already been very handy on some of the waterlogged permissions ive been on this week). The seats fold flat giving plenty of room for my shooting gear. All in all its a cracking little motor.

ok, just to add, I did the opposite, had a vitara and bought a freelander, but I played it safe and kept the vitara as they really are great little 4x4's, so having owned vitara's for a few years and totally loving them, the freelander was one of those, I've always loved the look moments, I'd heard all the horror stories about them, costly repairs etc, but I had some free money and it was a friend off here that was selling, so I took a chance, from day 1 I LOVED IT, so much more room inside than the vitz, plus a lot more comfort over uneven ground, it soaked up the bumps, have had a few silly things go wrong on it, but never anything to break the bank, did a 500 mile round trip to yorkshire a few weeks ago and started binding on a front brake calliper, so changed that and thought, sod it, lets get the vitz back on the road, and whilst fitting a new calliper, I'll also fit a lift kit on the freelander, once done it'll give me between 40mm and 75mm extra height depending what tyres I put on, thankful that I kept my little mule, it really is a great little car, and the 4wd low certainly helped getting me out of some mud last week

 

so my advice would be buy a vitara, or maybe a freelander, I love them both

 

IMAG0091-1_zps223a0995.jpg

 

if your down essex way, gimme a shout, I'll take you for a spin in the vitz see if you like them

Edited by stubby
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hyundai Santa fe MK 2 onwards, I bought mine at auction with 105 k on the clock for a 09 plate, the engines are like pit ponies they just never die. Best MPG Best TAx Looks good, cheap to buy, 7 seats that all fold down, massive boot and supprisingly quick.

 

All the reviews I read was what made me buy, Just a reliable 4x4.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I average about 38 on the ODO I think I once got it to 41 but was driving at 60 just to see what it would do...sad I know it's defienatly got some Poke. it's great as I have 3 kids, I can get a dog cage 2 buggies and the wife in the Boot. not bad for £7200 atc BCA auctions

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sounds good to me.Looking at an 07 model on line at around the 7k mark with 98k on the clock. Does your have the flashy blue light up consol? does it have AUX input? You tried out the 4x4 yet?


You put the wife in the boot? Bet she's well chuffed about that :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hyundai Santa fe MK 2 onwards, I bought mine at auction with 105 k on the clock for a 09 plate, the engines are like pit ponies they just never die. Best MPG Best TAx Looks good, cheap to buy, 7 seats that all fold down, massive boot and supprisingly quick.

 

All the reviews I read was what made me buy, Just a reliable 4x4.

[/

+1quote]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...