spandit Posted June 4, 2014 Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 I live on a smallholding and would like a pickup double cab as a practical vehicle for moving stuff about the place (it's only 10 acres but fence posts are heavy!). Are there any issues with buying/running a pickup as a family car. Like the look of the Isuzu D-Max. Need something with plenty of legroom in the back. Also, how good off road are they, compared to a Freelander? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgguinness Posted June 4, 2014 Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 A good mate has a HiLux Invincible as his daily driver, private vehicle. No worries at all. I fancy one instead of my Disco. It goes everywhere my Disco goes without too much fuss, and I would say a Disco is far better off road than a Freelander. Fuel economy wise, there's little in between them, and I've driven Land Rovers for years, so fuel costs don't worry me that much now. the wife's Golf TDI takes fairy sips of fuel, so we use that for journeys and running about. Jonathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spandit Posted June 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 4, 2014 I do about 300 miles a month now so economy not such an issue. Wife's car is a Forester so pretty thirsty... I'd better test drive a few. Was tempted by a Navara but the reviews aren't great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fisheruk Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 I have a D - max. Great vehicle. I do 24000+ a year. Just had 48000 service and it is not 2 years old until July. If you can stretch to a Utar the finish and trim are as good as many cars. Off road the 4 wheel drive is excellent, far better than a freelander. The low ratio box is an advantage if you get into serious heavy stuff. Plenty of leg room in the back. 36 mpg from my auto. The manuals are meant to be better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kes Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 (edited) I have a normal road car and spent a couple of grand on a 1950's tractor (which is appreciating) and an old trailer - tipping type - a good one costs a £1000 - these will go anywhere and you can attach mowers, posthole borers, hedge cutters etc for little additional cash. That way you get the best of both worlds. My Fergie, bought for £1500 is now worth about double. I'm sure an accountant could get you some tax relief from the use of a 'normal' on the farm, if you choose to go that route, might even have the ability to offset other income tax if you set up the smallholding as a 'business' like 'freedom meat and eggs". Other will know whether this is a possibility. Edited June 5, 2014 by Kes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spandit Posted June 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 A tractor would be useful but not for collecting things from elsewhere, like logs, fencing stuff, bricks etc. Must test drive a D-Max, although buying new is a bit daunting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
countryman Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 I have a mk5 Hilux double cab, its by far the best truck i have ever owned, i use it around the Nursery and as a general everyday ride, the mpg is just over 30 with the 2.5 D4D engine and manual box, i would recommend you at least go and have a look at one before you buy any thing else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superspark Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 I have a 2007 ford ranger double cab 2.5ltr. Great truck, not to bad on fuel, mainly use it to carry all my shooting stuff but have carried many heavy things in the back from house moves, rubbish through to engine hoists. Never had any problems with this truck unlike the two landrovers I had. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zapp Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 I've got a L200. Fantastic truck, I get about 28-30mpg on the run to work each day, and it has plenty of carrying capacity for loads of wood etc. Very pleasant to drive too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malkiserow Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 (edited) A friend of mine is selling a superb condition Ford Ranger pick-up, single cab, 2WD.... I would recommend it BUT it is staggeringly useless on anything other than tarmac and light rain. 4wd and the right tyres is the way to go. Edit to say be careful about chewing your ground up in wet weather. The more weight you have the worse it might be....... Edited June 5, 2014 by malkiserow Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiep Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 (edited) Consdiered a quad and trailer ? That's what we did for our smallholding (but our land is quite steep, so more suited to a quad than anything else) We got a 2009 Kawasaki KVF650cc quad (only 500 hrs on it) with a brand new trailer for less than £4k, set of chain harrows for it were under £150, it's a great piece of kit. Edit : quads also a lot better for soft ground that a full 4x4 would sink into. Our quad weighs about 350kg, I think. Edited June 5, 2014 by robbiep Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spandit Posted June 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 I need something I can drive on the road reasonable distances - a quad wouldn't work for me, I don't think. Just test driven two Nivaras and a Mitsubishi something (it was red). The Mitsi had an auto box which didn't really suit me. Wife likes the Nissan best. Hilux didn't have enough legroom in the back. Contemplating buying new or leasing one but need to drive the Isuzu first Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbiep Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 Ah - sorry, didn't see that you particularly wanted it as a road vehicle too. Wife used to have a Navara (the D40 type, post 2006) manual box. Really good to drive, but huge (a foot longer than a Range Rover, i seem to recall). She averaged 33-35ish mpg with it (she's a gardener). But they were a bit prone to halfshaft/driveshaft issues - mainly due to the massive torque the engine generates, and people driving them full-on. Friend has a Hilux (2010 one), she works security all over the UK. She's done 40k or so in it, with only 1 problem at all (actuator for the 4WD). Toyota wanted to replace the entire gearbox (cost £2k), local indy stripped the actuator and rebuilt it for less than £200. I'm assuming the Mitsi was an L200 ? - brother-in-law has one of those, reckons its a bit crude, but he's done 80k in it since new (2009), and not missed a beat. They do need cambelts regularly though, and that pushes up servicing costs. Hope that helps a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 What you don't get on most is loads of legroom in the back. That said I like them and have had l200's for about 8 years now, cheap to buy and run and get used for everything from shooting to the work run Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tam Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 I've got a L200. Fantastic truck, I get about 28-30mpg on the run to work each day, and it has plenty of carrying capacity for loads of wood etc. Very pleasant to drive too. Yep, new shape L200's are good & great legroom in the back. We had a few in the back seat at the pre charity shoot meal :whistling: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saffa Posted June 5, 2014 Report Share Posted June 5, 2014 I drive a 2012 hilux invincible and reguraly drive with 3 adult rugby players in the back on the way to away games, and always get comments about the generous ammount of space in the back, no less than the average car. Personally i dont think there is much in it (legroom in the back) between the different trucks. Go and testdrive a few and make up your own mind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
welsh1 Posted June 6, 2014 Report Share Posted June 6, 2014 Have a look at my navara that was for sale in the for sale section,has had a clutch conversion so will pull like a train,front end suspension recently done,and a lot cheaper than forking out for a new navara. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrowningDJC Posted June 7, 2014 Report Share Posted June 7, 2014 If you are a BASC member look at the discount schemes available, ive had a pick up for a few years and for an everyday vehicle I think they are ideal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
apache Posted June 9, 2014 Report Share Posted June 9, 2014 I drove a Navara for 2 years and it was awful (2007 model). Light on the back end so awful to corner. Noisy. Rubbish off road compared to my Freelander/Disco. Uncomfortable. Noisy if going fast. Crazy long if you need to back a trailer. I wouldn't buy another doublecab. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted June 9, 2014 Report Share Posted June 9, 2014 I do about 300 miles a month now so economy not such an issue. Wife's car is a Forester so pretty thirsty... I'd better test drive a few. Was tempted by a Navara but the reviews aren't great We have the forester XT petrol and a new L200. Fuel wise you will find them equal on fuel on twisty turny lanes, up and down hill. The difference in fuel will only really show on good roads, motorways etc. You will be on the breaks and gears more you see Off road ability is only limited by rear overhang, on pick-ups. On certain ground even the forester will beat a Land rover (I know this because I have done it), over ground will big boulders and you will of course ruin a Scooby due to clearance and suspension travel issues etc. Once you get past ground clearance and tyres etc. 4 wheel driver is pretty much four wheel drive and a correctly prepared series 1 Land rover can still go pretty much any place the latest models can (and it wont start randomly gong up and down on the driveway on its own accord). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spandit Posted June 9, 2014 Author Report Share Posted June 9, 2014 Forester doesn't have low ratio so control off road is never going to be as good as it could be. I agree that on the right surface it would be terrific (and we have road tyres on it which doesn't help either) but it was the load carrying capacity of a pickup that interests me and the fact you can drive around with people in the back with guns! It's a pity my Pinzgauer isn't running - with someone stood on the passenger seat, the turret hatch would make for an awesome shooting position Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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