# Good 4 wheel drive vehicle



## coppo (May 27, 2009)

Maybe on the lookout for a used 4 wheel drive to replace the car as we live 1100ft up on the moors and it gets a bit rough in the winter.

Thinking summers the best time to buy as they are cheaper.

Anyone recommend a good, reliable one with not too high road tax, seen some almost £500 a year  to tax.

One that does more than 3MPG would be nice. Diesel not petrol.

Budget max £4000, but can go cheaper :wink:

Can you get good, reliable 4 wheel drive cars.

Paul.


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Fiat Panda 4x4 :?: 

Pete


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

peejay said:


> Fiat Panda 4x4 :?:
> 
> Pete


Have you got one/had one Pete, that reply is not much to go on.

Paul.


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

No mate, haven't got one but they must be cheaper to run/tax than all those big gas guzzlers.

Pete

Late edit, perhaps you could use it as a toad as well. :lol:


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## aircool (Jul 13, 2009)

coppo said:


> peejay said:
> 
> 
> > Fiat Panda 4x4 :?:
> ...


Apparently they aren't bad just read a few reviews.

Or a Lada Niva.


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## tonyt (May 25, 2005)

Toyota Rav4. The best car I've owned. The least called out to the AA (their statement, not mine).


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## grizzlyj (Oct 14, 2008)

Tax will be high unless you go quite old, or new and smallish.

An old leaf sprung Landy could even be tax free!

Or a small Suzuki?

A "proper" 4x4 (low range etc) will perhaps never be cheap in the UK, considering higher maintainance costs than a car, fuel and tax. You will struggle to get 30mpg from any of them in my opinion.

Putting winter tyres on whatever you have is supposed to make a huge difference?

I do like the new Pandas though  One on Autotrader is just under £4K, no connection to me at all.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...radius/1500/page/1/postcode/ip142nd?logcode=p


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## motormouth (Jul 3, 2010)

Would agree with Rav4, but expensive to buy.
My wife has had Suzuki Vitaras for 15 years or so (7 in total) and never had a problem with any.


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

grizzlyj said:


> Tax will be high unless you go quite old, or new and smallish.
> 
> An old leaf sprung Landy could even be tax free!
> 
> ...


Thanks, I have considered just putting winter tyres on what we have, am a big fan of them, use on the MH all year round, the problem is what we have is crap, vectra 1.8 petrol 2004, there's more bleeding lights come on than Blackpool illuminations, take bets which one will come on every time you stick the key in.

Paul


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## Mark993 (Jul 1, 2007)

Another vote for Rav4. Road tax 280 GBP from memory. Have owned 2 over last 16 years and only sold the first because I'd bought the second and found I was not using the older one, but I wish I'd kept it. 

If you are looking at a budget that puts you on board line between the Mk 1 and the Mk2, I'd buy the Mk1.

Depending on the original purchase options their 4x4 capability differs. The Mk1 versions are all the same (central dif lock you switch on with a button when you want all wheels locked together), so again reason to choose the Mk1. With the Mk2 they are still all full time 4x4 but some don't have a way lock the diff: look for traction control which effectively locks the wheels together - but as I say not all Mk2s had that. 

No experience of the Mk3 (yet!)

They are bullet proof.


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

Get a Discovery, the Series 2 vehicles are starting to look quite cheap now and spares are cheap for them.

We have run a Discovery 2 V8 for three years now, it is on LPG and we fitted a new short engine when we bought it. 50k miles later we are still pretty happy with it.

You can pick up a decent TD5 if you prefer diesel engines, but it will be more expensive than the V8's for obvious reasons.

Road tax is £220 as ours is pre- March 2001.

Remember that they are big and heavy lumps, but will almost always get you where you want to go, even on road tyres.

Peter


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

Mark993 said:


> Another vote for Rav4. Road tax 280 GBP from memory. Have owned 2 over last 16 years and only sold the first because I'd bought the second and found I was not using the older one, but I wish I'd kept it.
> 
> If you are looking at a budget that puts you on board line between the Mk 1 and the Mk2, I'd buy the Mk1.
> 
> ...


Thanks Mark for that.

What year did the Mark 1 finish and Mark 2 start?

I have looked at a few reviews with a couple saying the turbo going is a common problem and if anything does go wrong they are expensive to put right.

I remember a member recently, think it was Raynipper, asking for advice on a good used 4x4 a while ago, he came back on saying he had bought a Jeep 2.7(merc engine) and it was the biggest pile of trash ever, cost him a fortune to try and put right and last time I heard it was still not running.

Need to be careful.

Paul.


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## joedenise (Jul 20, 2007)

toyota land crusier was the most reliable 4x4 i have ever owned
joe


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

not knowing what you really need a 4x4 for, but we had the mk1 Rav 4 for 3 years, very reliable. I would also consider a forester a very useful motor.

cabby


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

cabby said:


> not knowing what you really need a 4x4 for,cabby


I thought I said in my first post.

Paul.


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## Jezport (Jun 19, 2008)

My wife has had a swb Suzuki Grand Vitara for years. Cheap to run and reliable.


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

Jezport said:


> My wife has had a swb Suzuki Grand Vitara for years. Cheap to run and reliable.


Was it diesel Jezport?


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

sorry coppo, mind is on other things, only the later model Rav4's are diesel. the forester is petrol. As you say if out on the moors then I would want a diesel County model Landy.No other choice for me.

cabby


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

The wife has a Ford Fiesta ST, mine however is a Ford Ranger 4x4 five seater pick-up leather interior, 30 mpg 8 years old, 29500 on the clock, ideal for rubbish runs and to get up our hill when it snows, so don't discount a pick-up thats been used privately, road tax £215.  

tony


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## GROUNDHOG (Mar 7, 2006)

Our son is currently selling on ebay his lovely old Land Rover series 3, tax exempt, classic car insurance ( £60 per year) and fitted with an economical and more powerful Ford Transit engine ( professional conversion) - 12 seats, goes anywhere starts every time and will still be worth £4000 in ten years time - result free motoring!!

In the unlikely event it does go wrong just hit it with a big hammer and its fixed - unlike modern rubbish that needs a computer programmer to put it right!


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

I had a Discovery from new. Would not recommended it to anyone unless someone else was picking up the repair and maintenance bills. Its nice to drive but......

So we bought a
Toyota Landcruiser 3 litre 4 cylinder. LC3 5 door. or LC4 would have done. 

All I have changed in 7 years is two gas struts which hold up the opened bonnet (warranty) and front brake calipers this year as both were half seized up with lack of use. Or a Toyota HiLux with the same running gear.

Jap but if its your money ......

C.


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

How many do those great big lumps do per gallon though?

Paul.


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

Depends how you drive them.
26 if you thrash it
35 if you don,t

The LC3 and LC4 are not the monster Landcruiser Amazon with its thirsty V8, its the same size if not slightly smaller than a Disco.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

coppo said:


> How many do those great big lumps do per gallon though?
> 
> Paul.


I bought a cheap Jeep last Christmas in UK for £3750. As my wife wanted a higher vehicle to just potter and go shopping.
Lots of things have gone wrong and it's cost me about €4000 in repairs but is running well now. But I have lost faith and it's got to go.

It is registered in France so if you bought it and kept it registered here there would be no RFL to pay...... :twisted:

Ray.


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## listerdiesel (Aug 3, 2012)

We get 12-18 mpg on LPG, so roughly equivalent in costs to 22-28mpg on petrol, but we need the V8 to pull our Trailer/RV which is 3.5 tonnes loaded.

Peter


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## muggers (Jul 14, 2007)

4x4s can slide into ditches the same as any vehicle, the 4 wheel drive might help to get out again though. We also live up a hill (though not quite so high) that gets all the weather - 2 mile single track farm road, no passing places only field gates and the like before you reach gritted roads.

If it's snow and ice you're worried about then use winter tyres, right inflation and good nick and also have a set of snow gloves handy - that should see you OK before throwing money down the drain on a gutsy tractor that's expensive to insure and tax. Our Volvo V50 is £20 to tax, gets great mpg and we've never been stuck. (Fingers crossed for the coming winter - famous last words etc :roll: )

Our neighbour had a 4x4 Grand Cherokee.... plus empty pockets and still got stuck :lol:


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

I agree with Clive about those, virtually bomb proof, will say the county runs them a close second except for spares, maybe.

cabby


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

One important thing to remember with a 4 X 4

If you go icy hill climbing with a normal car you will come to a point where you run out of drive on the 2 wheels, but the foot brake on 4 wheels still works.

With a 4 X 4 when drive gives up so will the brakes!

Been there
Done that

Survived!

C.


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## paulmold (Apr 2, 2009)

Check out any car for reliability on this website, compiled by warranty company warrantydirect....

http://www.reliabilityindex.com/


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## Hezbez (Feb 7, 2009)

I had a Suzuki Jimny a few years back, great wee tough but fun 4x4. 

Other option, as has already been said, is winter tyres. Wouldn't be without them now.


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*4x4*

We used to have a Daihatsu Terios magic little 4x4

But they never did a diesel and they have withdrawn from the UK now.

Dacia Dusters look good new, so beyond your budget.

We ran 3 Toyota's (still have one). Two Mitsubishi's and a Daihatsu. Only Breakdown we ever had was a Distributer cap on the second Mitsubishi, replaced under warranty.

So might be an idea to do a search on Autotrader

Like This

TM


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## aikidoamigo (Aug 11, 2011)

I would get an old Jeep wrangler... loads of kudos, very stylish soft tops... can be bought as an old run about for less than a thousand pounds, so you could buy several back to back .... spend the rest of the money on the fuel and you will be hard pressed to get a more significant 4x4 in my opinion.

:roll:


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

Many thanks for all the replies, much appreciated, its given me a bit to think about.

I see Skoda Octavia do a 1.9 diesel 4x4 estate car, anyone had one?

Paul.


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## aikidoamigo (Aug 11, 2011)

should be bomb proof as i had a skoda years ago and it was great, now VW make em Im sure its a golf in disguise :lol:


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

"Check out any car for reliability on this website, compiled by warranty company warrantydirect....
"

Just did and the results are misleading and do not reflect my own experience. But I do keep vehicles 10 years or so.

C.


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

CliveMott said:


> "Check out any car for reliability on this website, compiled by warranty company warrantydirect....
> "
> 
> Just did and the results are misleading and do not reflect my own experience. But I do keep vehicles 10 years or so.
> ...


 I think a Kia came out top on that website.

Paul.


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## ched999uk (Jan 31, 2011)

How about a Landrover Freelander!!! OK they have their faults, don't touch a petrol one but the diesel TD4 is a good BMW diesel. Their 2 main faults are the clutch release bearing (inside gearbox so £500 to fix and fit new clutch) and the rear diff bushes can fail but they are an easy fix.
They do up to 40mpg reasonable ground clearance and are comfortable. They have traction control and hill decent control so not bad at all in snow. Parts are easy to get and reasonable price.


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## TeamRienza (Sep 21, 2010)

I am surprised no one has mentioned the NISSAN X-TRAIL,

I have driven one for 5 years now and it represents great japanese value and reliability.

42 mpg with 2 wheel drive and automatic 4 WD selection and an option to lock it on 4 WD.

Considerably cheaper than land rover or toyota and widely available on the second hand market.

Towed a caravan with it effortlessly and worth its weight in gold over the recent bad winters.

Read the reports on http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/reviews/nissan/x-trail/station-wagon-2001/

Davy


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## 4maddogs (May 4, 2010)

I second the X Trail....but we only get about 35 to the gallon. Loads od rear space....takes a massive K9 dog crate with loads of room for our 4 dogs. 
Competent 4x4 but has all the nice bells and whistles...sat nav, reversing camera etc


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## A37 (Sep 22, 2009)

aikidoamigo said:


> should be bomb proof as i had a skoda years ago and it was great, now VW make em Im sure its a golf in disguise :lol:


I've got a 2.0tdi golf 4motion, very similar to the Octavia.

Great in the snow and wet, haven't attempted to take it off road :lol: Bought from a dealer in mid Wales who said the 4motions were popular with locals...
I did a bit of research as my requirements were similar to yours.
Combined 48mpg, £165 tax, £250 insurance, so very reasonable running costs.
I'm guessing that the Skoda is well above 4k though, my Golf certainly is...

Good luck with it :wink:


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*4x4*

Bear in-mind Paul.

A good small FWD hatchback with decent winter tyres fitted, will out perform most SUV or crossover type 4x4 with standard summer tyres.

But I guess from your and my experience you will have taken this into consideration already?.

Put Winter or all-season M+S tyres on the 4x4 you choose and well, say no more.

Trev.


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## Jezport (Jun 19, 2008)

coppo said:


> Jezport said:
> 
> 
> > My wife has had a swb Suzuki Grand Vitara for years. Cheap to run and reliable.
> ...


No 1600 petrol, not a motorway car but will move on any mud, ice , snow etc. Its quite old now but we have had it in our family from new. Apparently the new model is meant to be pretty good.

Other option is an old 3.0ltr petrol AWD X type Jag, convert it to LPG and you have a cheap to buy and runl uxury 4x4 car.


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

*Re: 4x4*



teemyob said:


> Bear in-mind Paul.
> 
> A good small FWD hatchback with decent winter tyres fitted, will out perform most SUV or crossover type 4x4 with standard summer tyres.
> 
> ...


Yes cheers Trev

I,m still considering the winters on my Vectra, I,ve looked at my tyres and the Falken winters are(was last week) £65 each. (Size 215 /55 R16). Was thinking if I go down that route best to get them now, ready for putting on in October as prices will rise dramatically as we know.

Paul.

Paul.


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## coppo (May 27, 2009)

*Re: 4x4*



teemyob said:


> Bear in-mind Paul.
> 
> A good small FWD hatchback with decent winter tyres fitted, will out perform most SUV or crossover type 4x4 with standard summer tyres.
> 
> ...


Just re-checked My Tyres, Falkens now £78.20 :evil: From £65 last week.


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## grizzlyj (Oct 14, 2008)

Or

 :lol:  8O


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## tompoole (Dec 12, 2011)

Reliability then rav4 or Honda crv, both will cope with snow and
Ice no probs, just put some all terrain tyres on.
Mud plugging then discovery series 1 300tdi but they do suffer with
Rust


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