best cheap 4x4

[jam1e]

Nissan X Trail. 2 wheel drive,auto or full lock.Loads of room.

+1. Bought a 2005 dci model last year. Has been spot on! Around 40 mpg and surprisingly quick for what it is.

J.

[pg123]

I notice the title says "cheap 4x4". From that I assume you only plan to spend a couple of grand so whatever you buy will be a good few years old. You cant buy a car that is more than 10 years old and not expect to have the odd part fail. To me that is a major factor in your choice of vehicle in this case.

 

I ran a 12 year old Maverick which was fantastic for shooting but sold it on due to the lack of available and cheap parts.

 

To me a Nissan X-Trail would be a great choice as it fits your needs while there is enough of them around to ensure cheap part prices. Also if you need anything from the scrap yard such as a bumper or mirror there will be a good choice.

 

If not the X-Trail then a Rav-4. Jap reliability with plenty of parts around to help keep the older vehicle on the road.

[cromwell7]

Yep! That's why I rate them so highly, it never fails to amaze me how these tackle the rough stuff!

Another vote here for the forester I have a second generation turbo model, poor mpg, great reliability

Quick on the road, and I've never been stuck.

Parts direct from Subaru are extortionate but alot are interchangeable with Imprezas etc.

For example I got a lower control arm complete with bushes for £30 last year in excellent condition.

[R1nut]

My first experience with a Impreza sport wagon was knebworth house.

We had gone to watch the chilli peppers and expected quite a large crowd. I arrived as early as poss, they waved me down through to the parking. It was quite a slope right to the bottom poss 3 fields maybe a bit more.

As we stood waiting for it to start the heavens opened and it consistently rained all night.

Got back to the car and it was running off the fields, there was that top 3 inch layer of slop where 80000 plus were trampling.

It was mayhem cars stuck people were struggling, I fired the scoobie up and had a right giggle!!

There were big 4x4's struggling and a lot of stuck cars, not the Impreza, didn't bat an eye lid and it sounded pretty good doing it too!!!

I seem to remember top gear using a sport wagon, Hammond couldn't stop grinning

I have been in similar situations in my old disco before and it didn't cope anywhere near as well, just sinks in the slop!

[cromwell7]

I think anything that required decent clearance I'd definitely struggle but looking at other 4x4's they don't have much more if not the same they look bigger because of the body shape.

How much you looking to spend ips ?

[motty]

I notice the title says "cheap 4x4". From that I assume you only plan to spend a couple of grand so whatever you buy will be a good few years old. You cant buy a car that is more than 10 years old and not expect to have the odd part fail. To me that is a major factor in your choice of vehicle in this case.

 

I ran a 12 year old Maverick which was fantastic for shooting but sold it on due to the lack of available and cheap parts.

 

To me a Nissan X-Trail would be a great choice as it fits your needs while there is enough of them around to ensure cheap part prices. Also if you need anything from the scrap yard such as a bumper or mirror there will be a good choice.

 

If not the X-Trail then a Rav-4. Jap reliability with plenty of parts around to help keep the older vehicle on the road.

This need not be the case. When I bought my Hilux Surf it was 14 years old. It has never been unavailable due to parts failing. It has been a very reliable truck, with very close to 7 years service for me.

[JDog]

Until very recently I have always purchased what is described in this thread as a 'cheap 4x4'. My vehicle make of choice was Subaru and I had an 'L' series that did 230,000 miles followed by two Legacys both of which did over 120,000 miles followed by a Forester which did 113,000 miles.

 

None of these vehicles cost more than £3,000 and none had any major mechanical issues. Two of the cars even did 50,000 miles requiring nothing other than servicing and tyres, not even exhausts.

 

A friend has just paid £500 for a Toyota Rav 4, the very old type with over 100,000 miles on the clock. It went in for an MOT last week and passed with flying colours with no advisories. This will be exclusively his pigeon shooting truck and although it is small inside now that he has taken the rear seats out there is just enough room for his kit and his two dogs.

[spandit]

We have a Freelander going for sale. Just driven it today and it is superb, I'd keep it myself if I didn't have the Hilux. Doubt it's worth much but it has the BMW diesel engine and a sunroof. Details if you want them, sorry to be vague but it's actually the mother-in-law's and she's recently widowed so doesn't need a second car

[Red-dot]

Call CoCo the clown he uses dozens in his act?

[ips]

I think anything that required decent clearance I'd definitely struggle but looking at other 4x4's they don't have much more if not the same they look bigger because of the body shape.

How much you looking to spend ips ?

Couple of K. Its only for short trips to the estate 4 mile round trip. Maybe up to syndicate shoot every other sat 35 mile each way.

I saw a jimny up close yesterday, they are small but quite cool looking 😁

We have a Freelander going for sale. Just driven it today and it is superb, I'd keep it myself if I didn't have the Hilux. Doubt it's worth much but it has the BMW diesel engine and a sunroof. Details if you want them, sorry to be vague but it's actually the mother-in-law's and she's recently widowed so doesn't need a second car

Will keep it in mind when decision made, Freelander is on short list 👍

[dead eye alan]

Nissan Terrano, proper 4x4 for little money just check for rust under the front wings.

 

Spot on mate take mine everywhere never been stuck!

[Dazza9t9]

I do 50 mile round trip commute daily. I already have a project car in the garage so when I decided I wanted a 4x4 for shooting it also needed to be my daily driver

 

I would have loved a out and out off roader however it just was not possible.

 

As this was my first "daily shooting bus" I wanted to keep costs low as possible. I decided to go with a 2004 Nissan X trail 2.2 136. I got it off a family member so I knew some of it's history.

 

But I am well pleased with it. It's great on the roads (for the type of vehicle) it handles everything off road I will do in it.

I have some AT tyres for the winter months and I have also just fitted the pedders lift Kit.

I'm happy with the power and mpg, it is currently sitting on 160k I will run it into the ground. Once it dies. How I feel at the moment I will be buying another x trail.

 

 

So my vote... x trail

[flyeruk]

 

So my vote... x trail

 

+ 1

[Cosd]

Nissan XTrail, Vitara, Frontera, Rav4

 

All very capable with decent tyres and the right man behind the wheel.

[Dazza9t9]

Nissan XTrail, Vitara, Frontera, Rav4

 

All very capable with decent tyres and the right man behind the wheel.

 

 

how does the Vitara, frontera and rav4 compare on mpg to the x trail? do you have any working knowledge?

[al4x]

Our rav used to do 45plus on a reasonable run, with anything Nissan I'd be wondering if they used the same steel as the navaras that are turning to piles of rust at the moment

Edited August 22, 2017 by al4x

[flyeruk]

Only had my X Trail a short time.Its a 2006 2.2 dci Columbia. I have got Yokohama Geolanders on it which so far seem to suit it very well. I have been round my perm quite a lot,and its performs very well indeed. Most of the time i just leave it in two wheel drive,only switching to auto a couple of times.Its great to have the option to go between the 3 modes at the turn of a switch.

It also has a really big sunroof which is a bonus,and i also find it really easy to shoot from the drivers seat,plenty of room.

Fuel wise,so far,seems to be doing 35/38 mpg. I do live in a village,which is in a valley so lots of short trips mainly.

She has got 106000 on the clock and i paid £1800 with two previous owners,last one for 8 years,full service history as well

As to rust,i have had it up on the ramps in the garage,not a spot of rust to be seen anywhere. .

Im really happy with the X Trail and hope to have it for some time.

Edited August 22, 2017 by flyeruk

[del.gue]

Just bought a 2005 shogun sport 2.5td for 2k.

93000 on the clock. Needs decent tyres but it will be my comfortable shootin fishin truck for the next few years.

Got a bit of a diesel leak on the filler pipe...over my foot at sainsburys filling station.

Fitting a new one tomorrow myself. £70 from milners 4x4

Edited August 23, 2017 by del.gue

[Uilleachan]

Our rav used to do 45plus on a reasonable run, with anything Nissan I'd be wondering if they used the same steel as the navaras that are turning to piles of rust at the moment

 

 

No, the navara issue is due to the chassis being made too light for the length causing it to crack. My pal just had nissan buy his navara back due to the same, he then went straight out and bought another.

[Uilleachan]

Only had my X Trail a short time.Its a 2006 2.2 dci Columbia. I have got Yokohama Geolanders on it which so far seem to suit it very well. I have been round my perm quite a lot,and its performs very well indeed. Most of the time i just leave it in two wheel drive,only switching to auto a couple of times.Its great to have the option to go between the 3 modes at the turn of a switch.

It also has a really big sunroof which is a bonus,and i also find it really easy to shoot from the drivers seat,plenty of room.

Fuel wise,so far,seems to be doing 35/38 mpg. I do live in a village,which is in a valley so lots of short trips mainly.

She has got 106000 on the clock and i paid £1800 with two previous owners,last one for 8 years,full service history as well

As to rust,i have had it up on the ramps in the garage,not a spot of rust to be seen anywhere. .

Im really happy with the X Trail and hope to have it for some time.

 

The General Grabber series of tyres fit the R17 x-trail and are worth looking at, comparable to yokohama on price but better IMO. Their snow grabber winter tyres are the fantastic, but living in devon you'd likely not need them. I'll be ordering a set come the end of November, got 34k out of the last set, good off road too.

[al4x]

 

 

No, the navara issue is due to the chassis being made too light for the length causing it to crack. My pal just had nissan buy his navara back due to the same, he then went straight out and bought another.

Oh no it's not, get onto the Nissan navara snapped chassis group on Facebook. They are rusting from the inside out hence Nissan are now inspecting and treating chassis where possible and that's pretty much to new ones. Then the bodywork in a fair few is going the same way.

[Uilleachan]

Oh no it's not, get onto the Nissan navara snapped chassis group on Facebook. They are rusting from the inside out hence Nissan are now inspecting and treating chassis where possible and that's pretty much to new ones. Then the bodywork in a fair few is going the same way.

 

 

 

I'm only aware of the cracking issue.

 

My pals navara passed the nissan inspection, but was told by them to keep an eye on it. Few weeks later it failed the MOT due to a crack appearing where they reckoned it would. A surprisingly clean crack too.

 

I had a good looked under it myself before it went through to Inverness for the first inspection and the issue wan't corrosion, as there was no rust visible on that vehicle.

[Cosd]

 

 

how does the Vitara, frontera and rav4 compare on mpg to the x trail? do you have any working knowledge?

I don't have working knowledge as such, but know people who have/had them all and very good reliable and capable cars.

 

Fuel efficiency details are easily found on the likes of autotrader, but make sure you look at year model that is in your budget because the efficiencies do vary with newer technology.

 

 

Cos

Edited August 26, 2017 by Cosd

[39TDS]

Xtrail is a nice car but the Terrano is much better off road.

I have both and the Terrano wins by a long way, Xtrail wins if you want to drive a long way.

[four-wheel-drive]

Just bought a 2005 shogun sport 2.5td for 2k.

93000 on the clock. Needs decent tyres but it will be my comfortable shootin fishin truck for the next few years.

Got a bit of a diesel leak on the filler pipe...over my foot at sainsburys filling station.

Fitting a new one tomorrow myself. £70 from milners 4x4

 

I do like the look of the 2005 shogun sport and they are nice big strong trucks but do tend to rust as long as it is rust free you should be ok I was very tempted to get one myself but could not find a good one in my area I should add I do prefer automatics.