Jump to content

Looking for cheap 4x4 options/opinions


Markio
 Share

Recommended Posts

Toying with the idea of selling up my wife's Punto and getting a cheap 4x4 as a replacement. At the moment she won't put our daughter in the Punto and if we can get something a little more substantial in 4x4 form then the midget can travel in it and i also have an off road option.

 

Budget is less than £1000, £800 is more realistic (i know, i don't want much! :good:)

 

So far i've looked at:

 

Suzuki Jimny (too expensive)

Suzuki SJ/Samuari (good price but too old and flimsy according to my wife).

Suzuki Vitara

Daihatsu Sportrack

 

I was hoping to go the 1.4L or less route for road tax purposes but overall the car tends to be too small, so if it's a bigger engine then MPG needs to be a consideration.

 

Any other suggestions that i can look into?

 

Oh and i have no patience whatsoever so 'something that needs work' is just not an option.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i would say jimny. you will pick up a jimny for that kind of money if you look around. probably an s-reg.

good cars, my girlfriend had one great mpg, cheep to run and fantastic off road, better than my old 90.

suzuki sj's are good but you wont find a good one unless you are a dab hand at welding. great mini trucks have killed a few over the years off roading.

had a fourtrack but never a sport track, so cant comment on them. watch the vitaras as they blow there engines to bits at around 60-80k miles.

atb chris

Link to comment
Share on other sites

sportraks are getting on now and the head gaskets are famous for going, factor in 28mpg or so as they are fairly thirsty. IMHO you'd be better off going more substantial and getting dare I say it a discovery or trooper etc with the TD engine which will give similar economy but generally be more robust. But look at plenty before you buy and if you don't have good mechanical knowledge take someone who does

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Markio,

 

I bought a Frontera recently for mucking around in. It wasnt necessarily my car of choice but a mate was selling it and I got it for £800 !. Mine is the 3 door Sport, (1998) it has electric windows, air con and loads of other stuff. I will only use it as a third spare car and for getting muddy so it doesnt have to be that economical or reliable.

 

Your £1000.00 budget is a tricky one, why not a Shogun Pinin like this one here >HERE<. OK, they dont look macho but it is Jap and reliable.

Edited by LV
Link to comment
Share on other sites

****** it, Turned down a Disco 200tdi auto a week ago, £800. Never saw it, but bodywork apparently "immaculate":yes:?, don't know about structural. Owner has spent a lot of dosh on it, so don't know what to expect. Nearly bought it as a spare parts doner for mine, when I need, but didn't have the space. Will ask if still on market tomorrow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
Hark, the PigeonWatch diplomat has spoken! :lol:

 

Anyway, after all that we decided on a Jimny. Just got to look about for the right one!

Thank for all the input!!

 

And go back to college to retrain as a HAIRDRESSER :P Mind you, you won't look out of place driving it in your wifes wellie boots. :P:yay:

 

Get yourself a landy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

4x4s are great for bouncing round fields and shooting out of - for this cheaply I would go for a serries landrover every time - but if your reason is for keeping your kids 'safe' out on the roadsthen an older 4x4 is not the thing .

Big heavy cars don't protect you in a crash the kinetic energy from the crash tends to be absorbed by the people inside - strangly ones that swash tend to be better for the people inside the car.

Old 4 x4s don't fare well in the ECAP crash tests - if you major concern is protecting your kids look at the encap rating of cars - truth is your probably as safe in a punto as you would be in an old fortrak/ jimny/ landrover - it just don't seem like it as you are lower down.

 

I can allready hear the died in the wool offroad drivers moaning - please do a bit of research about vehicle construction and its affects in even a low speed impacts and you'll find I'm right.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ah Martin, i missed that insult, sorry i wasn't ignoring you, well not intentionally. :good:

 

No i haven't got it yet. Been keeping an eye out but the real bargains are miles away in Scotland and N.Ireland. Too far for a hairdresser to go. :good: Local ones just seem too high mileage for too much money when compared to the rest of the country. I'm in no rush to pay over the odds.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ah Martin, i missed that insult, sorry i wasn't ignoring you, well not intentionally. ;)

 

No i haven't got it yet. Been keeping an eye out but the real bargains are miles away in Scotland and N.Ireland. Too far for a hairdresser to go. :hmm: Local ones just seem too high mileage for too much money when compared to the rest of the country. I'm in no rush to pay over the odds.

 

 

this one - http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/c...icleRegLetter=T is a bargain.

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...