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The best "all round" 4X4


mark12345
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depends on your budget, if you buy a nearly new freelander its a good car, however looking at the cheaper end you will end up with agro.

 

I've an L200 and it does what I need shooting wise and as an every day vehicle, coming from a fourtrak its a definite step up as a day to day vehicle and off road its been fine but it has got a set of decent tyres on. Economy is also not bad and for a sub 4K motor I got a 90k 51 plate which is just £180 a year to tax as its commercial.

If I was looking now the bargains are definitely out there, first you need to decide what sort of size vehicle you need and go from there

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@Baldrick: So a Land rover is not out of contention then? People here seem to paint them with dark colours and argue that owning one is a decision one makes with their heart and not with their mind. Is this so?

 

I'm a land agent/farm manager, and almost all of my spare time is spent shooting. The land here is heavy clay, and is greasy enough to humiliate any 4x4 that isn't up to the job. I needed a 4x4 that could go anywhere (within reason), that could be repaired with ease, that didn't have any sophisticated electronics, and that conformed to the rural ideal of a 4x4. I would say that buying my Disco was a 70:30 split of rational thinking and desire. The farm Defenders were all bought based solely on the need for practicality and dependability. Now if Mercedes was to make the G-Wagen again, that would change everything - they go anywhere a Landy goes, and are absolutely bomb-proof.

 

You need to weigh up the split of road/off-road miles you anticipate doing, how much cargo capacity you use, and how much comfort you require. Freelander 2/3s are very civilised cars on-road: easy to park, quiet, quite nippy.

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Defender!

 

 

its not the best all round 4x4, is it? noisy, uncomfortable (unless you buy a new-ish CSW for c.£15K) the 90 doesnt really have that much space, especially when it has a second row of seats and the ones I have driven were **** on the road.

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"Now if Mercedes was to make the G-Wagen again, that would change everything - they go anywhere a Landy goes, and are absolutely bomb-proof"

 

Couldnt agree more. The G wagon is the best 4x4 ive ever driven and knowing a farmer with an old A reg since new and also a more modern one both in daily use i can confirm the reliabiliy.

 

The new defender is very nice if you get it reemapped and the electronic speed restrictor removed it will certainly be my choice when I get rid of my useless Navara.

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budget would help - what about the navara/ pathfinder range? do you want something to shoot from the back of, or just something to get you out in to the fields/ lug your gear around?

 

Anything between 4K and 10K if I go for second hand. These Nissans you mention are definitely a contender. Mitsubishi shogun/Pajeros also sound quite appealing. I really do not know. Discoveries are also nice...

 

I know, I am very indecisive...

 

 

 

I do not want a 4x4 to shoot from the back off, I just need it to take me to the farm where my coupe cannot. That is all. I will mostly be using the 4x4 off road, as I plan to have it as a 3rd car.

 

If I buy a new one or if I pay 10K for it though it will replace my VW golf so that means it will do many road miles too. Decisions, decisions...

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In that case I would take a discovery, TD5 in your budget. It will be good (ish) on the road, with the right tyres it will get you where you need to go off the road and will be pretty comfortable while you do it.

 

if you are handy with the spanners then its cheap to run and repair too!

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Anything between 4K and 10K if I go for second hand. These Nissans you mention are definitely a contender. Mitsubishi shogun/Pajeros also sound quite appealing.

 

Do NOT buy a Nissan Navara. Don't even consider it. They are absolute gash. Even if you buy one with an engine that doesn't seize up or explode, they are still enormous barges to drive, and totally useless off-road. Our local ****** all drive Navaras.

 

Shoguns are pretty bomb-proof: one of the biggest farming companies in East Anglia uses Shoguns almost exclusively (quite a sizeable fleet of vehicles). Nobody's mentioned Isuzu: the Trooper is a cracking truck, and ultra-reliable.

 

The easiest solution is the Td5 Disco.

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In your situation I'd go for the lower end of the budget and have it as a shooting / pootling about truck and keep the golf for the road miles. If you do that you can have a 4x4 and put off road tyres on it and you won't worry quite so much about breaking it or getting it dirty. Most of the 4x4's are barges certainly a LWB shogun or discovery are heavy and big but if you get a SWB shogun you loose interior space. Along with the shogun there is also the shogun sport that is worth a look. Your best option is to go and try a few at dealers and see what size of 4x4 you want and what suits you comfort wise.

I like having a 4x4 I can get into with muddy wellies on and I just can't see me doing so in a smart disco etc

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In your situation I'd go for the lower end of the budget and have it as a shooting / pootling about truck and keep the golf for the road miles. If you do that you can have a 4x4 and put off road tyres on it and you won't worry quite so much about breaking it or getting it dirty. Most of the 4x4's are barges certainly a LWB shogun or discovery are heavy and big but if you get a SWB shogun you loose interior space. Along with the shogun there is also the shogun sport that is worth a look. Your best option is to go and try a few at dealers and see what size of 4x4 you want and what suits you comfort wise.

I like having a 4x4 I can get into with muddy wellies on and I just can't see me doing so in a smart disco etc

 

Completely agree - another big up for the Fourtrak!

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That makes perfect sense guys. I think you hit the nail on the head. I think I will go for the lower end of my budget and get it a s a 3rd vehicle and use it exclusively for off roading. That way it can be in a mess with mud etc and not worry me too much.

 

J@mes: The problem is I do not want to spend time with spanners fixing it, it is a matter of time. I have not got it. this is the reason I want something reliable, a workhorse that would probably compromise comfort in exchange for reliability.

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thats fair enough mate - there are landies around that need little to no repairs though - had mine a year and put a window regulator on (which was essential, but took 20 minutes and cost £23) and a steering box which had a slight weep but was not an MOT fail - took about 4 hours and cost £120.

 

it also passed its MOT this month with no advisories!

 

I looked at the SWB shogun but decided that the lack of room was an issue so didnt buy one.

 

As alex said, get looking around the forecourts over the weekend and see what takes your fancy.

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I have been around in forecourts this bank holiday weekend and I think we will go for a Mitsubishi Shogun. Most likely a LWB (although the SWB is not totally out of contention). We also decided we will P/X the Golf, that means it will have to be comfortable to drive everyday, as well as being competent off road. I trust Mitsubishi Shoguns do provide the all that important peace of mind when it comes to maintenance, so there might be a purchase soon. There are some very good offers on the Mitsubishi website. Prices we found are not too bad, one particular vehicle we like is £12,500 (not including P/X, so the price will be coming even lower) not bad at all.

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I have been around in forecourts this bank holiday weekend and I think we will go for a Mitsubishi Shogun. Most likely a LWB (although the SWB is not totally out of contention). We also decided we will P/X the Golf, that means it will have to be comfortable to drive everyday, as well as being competent off road. I trust Mitsubishi Shoguns do provide the all that important peace of mind when it comes to maintenance, so there might be a purchase soon. There are some very good offers on the Mitsubishi website. Prices we found are not too bad, one particular vehicle we like is £12,500 (not including P/X, so the price will be coming even lower) not bad at all.

i bought a shogun sport 06 trojan and love it. very capable all rounder. plenty of space and a great tower.i think the older type engines are better even if a little less powerful

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i bought a shogun sport 06 trojan and love it. very capable all rounder. plenty of space and a great tower.i think the older type engines are better even if a little less powerful

 

When you say older engines, what year are you referring to? The Troja is the one we are looking to buy too. The warrior seems too large, and the equipe, well, I am not sure what the difference is between the three. Any help please?

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basically most the older engines were 2.5 or 2.8. the newer model shoguns use the 3.2 did engine. either the 2.5 or 2.8 are good tough reliable engines. a lot of the did`s are giving trouble with fly wheels.i bought an 06 trojan with the 2.5 engine.not the quickest jeep by any means but i really like it.if the engine gives me half the service my fathers farm jeep gave him i will be well pleased.

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