Small 4wd or tough 2wd advice please
Discussion
I help run a club which employs somebody to look after our little estate(nothing grand - we lease some river ). We provide a vehicle - last one was a Suzuki Vitara. It has been ok but not perfect - bit thirsty and because we can't afford new it already had a reasonable mileage when we got it . Use is road and farm tracks .
Looking around at market and with budget less than 10k I am quite drawn to Jimny - small but tough as old boots (I've read) and go anywhere. Or is there a 2wd with decent ride height that would be tough enough for a few years? Nothing springs to my mind . Or should we look at a softer SUV like Honda CRV- would be older but they don't tend to break.
Not a passion for driving question but just advice on fit for purpose, reliable transport . Any practical experiences that can be shared would be very helpful .
Looking around at market and with budget less than 10k I am quite drawn to Jimny - small but tough as old boots (I've read) and go anywhere. Or is there a 2wd with decent ride height that would be tough enough for a few years? Nothing springs to my mind . Or should we look at a softer SUV like Honda CRV- would be older but they don't tend to break.
Not a passion for driving question but just advice on fit for purpose, reliable transport . Any practical experiences that can be shared would be very helpful .
TurboHatchback said:
I would avoid Defenders myself, they are peculiarly expensive for what they are and by no means reliable. If you need to carry stuff around I'd get a Hilux pickup and if space is unimportant I would get a Jimny for the purposes you describe.
What a load of tosh. Defenders are fine reliability wise and certainly mine was a lot better than my Land Cruiser I had.My suggestion would be Daihatsu Terios, Jimny, or Nissan Terrano. A Freelander 2 would also be a good bet - economical and reliable.
Jimny does fit your description well, or just keep using second hand Vitaras if a bit more space is preferred.
Plenty of farmers in my part of the world (NZ) buy old flat-deck converted Vitaras for less than a quad bike, easy to do basic maintenance themselves and cheap enough to replace it when something major wears out. Plenty of Jimnys too mind you. The Mahindra 4wds are becoming more popular as cheap farm hacks as well.
Plenty of farmers in my part of the world (NZ) buy old flat-deck converted Vitaras for less than a quad bike, easy to do basic maintenance themselves and cheap enough to replace it when something major wears out. Plenty of Jimnys too mind you. The Mahindra 4wds are becoming more popular as cheap farm hacks as well.
Regarding 2wds, I've had good experiences offroad in a Ford Fusion and Chevrolet Lacetti.
Fusion was a 1.4 TDCI, slow but economical and good ground clearance. Sump and manifold (I think) are the only worrying thing that takes hits, but I bashed the s
t out of them with immovable rocks a few times and they were fine, if a little dented. Steering feel and narrow track makes for good maneuverability around obstacles.
Lacetti was a 1.6 petrol estate. Ground clearance increased by fitting 195/65/15's instead of 195/55/15's. Sump is high in the engine bay so no chance of hitting it, and not much else to hit that would cause worry. Gearing and power band is good for pulling up stuff without breaking traction or running out of steam. Not as economical as the fusion, i've seen 25mpg and 40 mpg brim to brim depending on driving style and roads.
Both can be picked up for £1500 or less because, who would want them really? But they are good work hacks. Took both of them to places you would think you would need a 4x4 and never broke anything or got stuck. M&S tyres help.
Fusion was a 1.4 TDCI, slow but economical and good ground clearance. Sump and manifold (I think) are the only worrying thing that takes hits, but I bashed the s
t out of them with immovable rocks a few times and they were fine, if a little dented. Steering feel and narrow track makes for good maneuverability around obstacles.Lacetti was a 1.6 petrol estate. Ground clearance increased by fitting 195/65/15's instead of 195/55/15's. Sump is high in the engine bay so no chance of hitting it, and not much else to hit that would cause worry. Gearing and power band is good for pulling up stuff without breaking traction or running out of steam. Not as economical as the fusion, i've seen 25mpg and 40 mpg brim to brim depending on driving style and roads.
Both can be picked up for £1500 or less because, who would want them really? But they are good work hacks. Took both of them to places you would think you would need a 4x4 and never broke anything or got stuck. M&S tyres help.
The Defender will cost you say £10,000 and you will get maybe £8,500 of that back in 5 years' time. They are tough as hell and much better at off road tracks than these soft-roaders which are designed to be good on a motorway and the high street.
Mine had 180,000 on the clock when I sold it and had done everything from farms to unclassified roads to muddy fields to two feet of water. Something like a CRV is a nightmare off road. Lovely car in many ways but crap off road.
Mine had 180,000 on the clock when I sold it and had done everything from farms to unclassified roads to muddy fields to two feet of water. Something like a CRV is a nightmare off road. Lovely car in many ways but crap off road.
Orangecurry said:
Older Subaru Forester.
This +1.coppice, buy an SG series Forester...either in normally aspirated or FXT version for more grunt which is extremely handy when out of the muddy stuff; the normally aspirated has hi/lo ratio box. Look carefully and you'll find a well cared for 50k mileage car that will be in first class condition for £5K. Foresters are super tough vehicles at home on all terrains and in all weathers with a first rate parts supply + if handy with a spanner they're terribly easy to work on. Many a northern/Scottish farmer drives a Forester...and many a person keeps a Forester in the Alpes for their winter hack, all with good reason.
Just to add to the 'soft roader' argument - of the lot, CR-Vs seem to be noted for being particularly bad off-road. Ground clearance is about the only benefit over a regular car.
I'd say Jimny is the best shout by the sounds of the requirements, and you could buy several with that budget.
I'd say Jimny is the best shout by the sounds of the requirements, and you could buy several with that budget.
cptsideways said:
Jimny's are popular with the landed types in Scotland, I think that answers your question. Tough little buggers.
Yep, good little motors, a distant relative is a groundskeeper type for a chap wi' land out past the Black Isle and he uses one for trudging about the estate, he says it's a great little motor for that sort of work.
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