Cheap 4X4
Posted by: garyi on 15 December 2004
Hello all.
well a successful move back 'Saaaf' came with the added bonus of a new job.
The downside is from every direction my new job requires traversing single track roads, steep twisty slippery roads and avoiding pheasants and peasants.
Frankly the old Ford KA is starting to scare me a bit anything over 20mph and I am all over the place, the brakes are no good in these circumstances and even though all the tires are brand new, I do not feel in control of the vehicle. lets be honest they arn't great cars and on the back roads of Hampshire and Wiltshire are not good at all.
So I am going to sell it, its an R reg and hopefully because its in excellent nick might raise me about 1500-1800 quid.
I wish to use this money for a cheap 4x4 vehicle. Thats all the money I have to spend, so I am not worried by age etc but I don't really want to pull into work in an X reg green landy if you know what I mean.
Can any one recommend a decent vehicle with 4x4 or at least better off road handling thats going to be cheap, I don't know much about japanese vehicles and what have you, but preferably something smallish.
Cheers
Posted on: 15 December 2004 by garyi
Oh and I don't care if its not winning any beauty awards either!
Posted on: 15 December 2004 by BLT
If you don't need serious off-road ability (or towing capacity) then I would avoid a full-blown 4 X 4 (I say this as a Jeep Grand Cherokee Owner). The Subaru legacy estate would suit your needs admirably I reckon.
Posted on: 15 December 2004 by JonR
Hi garyi,
Congrats on your successful move back to Salisbury, and also for finding a new job!
Oh, so that was your Ka I parked next to when I came to see you a few months ago? I didn't realise you had the same car as me!
4x4's? Not my thing at all I'm afraid, the only thing that comes to mind is a Landrover Freelander but what these fetch second-hand I have no idea.
Good luck in your search.
Cheers,
JR
Posted on: 15 December 2004 by BigH47
Garyi don't come down here with your I want a 4x4 to go "off road" nonsense. They are only to be used for school runs and parking on the pavement.
Seriously though I think I'm with BLT with some thing from the Subaru family. Slightly limiting ground clearance over a "real 4x4" but a lot better than poor little KA. Don't know how well they do after a few years though.
Howard
Posted on: 15 December 2004 by Hammerhead
quote:
Originally posted by garyi:
..but I don't really want to pull into work in an X reg green landy if you know what I mean.
Too right, it's got to be hearing aid beige, a bit tatty (bonus points for exposed aluminium) and have a V8 lump under the bonnet. No messing!
Or a Suzuki Jimny thingy if you don't want a full-on Chelsea Tractor (Vitara is far too Essex).
Steve
Posted on: 15 December 2004 by garyi
Subaru, yea I got a go in a big one of them many years ago, seemed well built.
By 4X4 I really am meaning something that can take punishment, I have already chewed the offside passenger tyre, doh!
hi Jon, no I don't want a big thing like that though would be tempted if my Wifes Mum was to give me her Rangerover 'Swanky one' its got electric everything on earth, and all for the arduous trip into andover lol.
Will check the subs now.
Posted on: 15 December 2004 by garyi
Um not sure about the legacy, it looks rather large, I was hopeful of something a bit smaller, length wise.
Still I'll keep an eye out for them
Posted on: 15 December 2004 by Brian OReilly
A Toyota Rav 4 springs to mind, Garyi. Shortish, lower cost, semi-car, 4WD, ground clearance OK.
No personal experience of them. Do a search for more info.
BOR
Posted on: 15 December 2004 by Mick P
Gary
If you are seriously going to use the 4 x 4 in muddy fields etc then follow the lead of the serious muddy type driving community.
They all go for Landrovers.....so theres your cue.
Every pheasant shoot that I have attended has had Landrovers and nothing else parked in the field.
Regards
Mick
Posted on: 15 December 2004 by garyi
Mick the off road aspect really is down to roadside from single track, I don't intend to hit the fields!
I am up your way Next Monday how do I get to Westlea from Andover without hitting that dreaded magic roundabout lol
Posted on: 15 December 2004 by manicatel
Hi gary,if you need serious off road capabilities,I guess it's a landy,but they are a bit basic. For occasional off road/green-lane stuff,anything japanese,honda crv,toyota rav,etc will be double reliable,cheap to own,easy to sell on, but without serious mud-plugging capabilities.Subaru stuff is all pretty good, but expensive to run,mid 20's to the gallon,(no diesel option)& servicing/insurance could be cheaper to.Dont get an old vauxhall frontera or disco, far too unreliable imho. check out web-site/magazine reviews & owners reports to help further. Cheers, matt.
Posted on: 15 December 2004 by Mick P
Gary
Get on M4 and westlea is about 2 miles off Junction 16.......you do not go through the town centre unless you want to study Swindons Architecture.
If you fancy calling in....let me know.
Regards
Mick
Posted on: 15 December 2004 by BLT
Mick, the toffs all drive Landies because "it's the done thing". The build quality is diabolical and any Landrover under £2K will have a rotten chassis.
If the Legacy is too long you should look at an Impreza (non-turbo). Although the fuel consumption is poor (25 - 30mpg) they are well made and very reliable. Otherwise, the Rav4 is a pretty good option.
Posted on: 15 December 2004 by garyi
Cheers Mick, unfortunately two days of being told stuff I already know then back to work, maybe another time as I am a lot closer now.
I like the idea of Rav4s, but under 2k? Whats the likelihood?
Posted on: 15 December 2004 by garyi
BTW I don't care much about fuel consumptiono Back in Watford I generally did 80-90 in the KA all the time which kinda drunk the petrol, round here its more like 40mph tops normally. Lets put it this way to get to work for the last five days has cost me about 15 quid, plus a visit to the parents. I can stand to spend twice that in a week.
Looking at the Impreza now.
Posted on: 15 December 2004 by garyi
OK lets face it the Impreza is not going to be available at 1800 quid is it lol!
Posted on: 15 December 2004 by HTK
quote:
Originally posted by BLT:
If you don't need serious off-road ability (or towing capacity) then I would avoid a full-blown 4 X 4 (I say this as a Jeep Grand Cherokee Owner). The Subaru legacy estate would suit your needs admirably I reckon.
Spot on. A lot of well built metal for a reasonable sum of money.
Cheers
Harry
Posted on: 15 December 2004 by JonR
quote:
Originally posted by garyi:
Back in Watford I generally did 80-90 in the KA all the time which kinda drunk the petrol, round here its more like 40mph tops normally.
80 - 90 in the KA in Carpark City? How on earth did you manage that??
Cheers,
JR
Posted on: 16 December 2004 by justiceklopper
lada niva
a future classic
Posted on: 16 December 2004 by Hammerhead
quote:
Originally posted by BLT:
Mick, the toffs all drive Landies because "it's the done thing".
Complete knackers. The Landy is one of the most unpretentious pieces of kit on the planet. That you can fix them with a couple of screwdrivers and/or a hammer adds to their popularity - try doing that with your computer controlled non-Landy equivalent. I see plenty of them being used as intended by both the wealthy and the not so wealthy here in Somerset. Maybe it has something to do with the lack of coffee shops in the area
Cheers,
Steve
Posted on: 16 December 2004 by BLT
Steve, while you can repair a Series 3 landrover with string and a screwdriver the newer models are every bit as complicated as their rivals, Common rail engines, ABS etc, etc. I have several friends who run Landrovers, they are, without exception, noisy, uncomfortable, and unreliable. Having said all that, I actually like Landies - for Serious off-roading there is little to touch them and the spares are dirt cheap for the older models. I just wouldn't recommend them for most people.
Posted on: 16 December 2004 by Steve Toy
Gary,
I'm not even sure you actually need a 4 x 4 as you aren't actually going off-road.
Good steering, brakes, tyres and a diesel engine with plenty of torque should do it.
What about a P reg Ford Mondeo or Escort 1.8 TD?
They handle well in the mud and on ice (trust me I know) they are as cheap as chips to fix at your local s/h Ford parts dealer, and they will run forever provided the body doesn't begin to rot.
Regards,
Steve.
Posted on: 16 December 2004 by Steve Toy
quote:
Back in Watford I generally did 80-90 in the KA all the time which kinda drunk the petrol, round here its more like 40mph tops normally.
I guess you meant up and down the M1 or along the M25.
I wouldn't admit to that here btw, as one or two old-before-their-time po-faced sad gits may threaten to report you to the Old Bill.
Regards,
Steve.
Posted on: 17 December 2004 by Denis O
Who said Lada Niva? That might not be as outlandish as you think. During my days of competing in motorbike trials we used to park up in some pretty muddy places. At one particular trial I did near Tun Wells every vehicle got stuck except........(roll of drums) a bleedin Lada. It was quiet funny watching it pull a Merc G Wagen out of a muddy hole.
If you're not worried about fuel consumption could I suggest a Mk 1 Range Rover V8. Quite luxurious in comparison to a Series or 90 with electric bits and air con, exceptional off road if needed, cruise all day at 80-90 and cheap as chips to buy and maintain. Any of the later Mk 1's (89-93) should be within your price range. Talk to your local Land Rover Specialist (they're everywhere) and see what he can come up with.
Posted on: 17 December 2004 by garyi
Steven no doubt the speed monitors will have something to say but the M1 or A1M ran generally at the speed, so I went with the flow, simple really.
I usually left at 6.20 in the morning which helped, KAs have no speed or torque if I had to drop speed that was usually me done for a couple of miles lol!
