What 4x4 For Country Lanes £8k - 16k
Discussion
Hi,
A female friend of mine lives about 5 miles from civilisation down single track lanes and keeps wittering on about needing a 4x4.
I thought she was overreacting but I've been working on her house and after being forced into deep potholes, driving on muddy verges, 6" deep puddles etc I think she has a point and it's not even winter yet.
She is 40 and takes her dog everywhere and currently has a 320D Touring.
She wants:
Soft suspension / big tyres for the potholes
4x4 for the constantly wet / muddy lanes plus the snow
Higher driving position
She'd like a Freelander but I suspect their reliability will be poor.
Sensible size / mpg / running costs - so no Range Rovers
Suggestions ?
Thanks
A female friend of mine lives about 5 miles from civilisation down single track lanes and keeps wittering on about needing a 4x4.
I thought she was overreacting but I've been working on her house and after being forced into deep potholes, driving on muddy verges, 6" deep puddles etc I think she has a point and it's not even winter yet.
She is 40 and takes her dog everywhere and currently has a 320D Touring.
She wants:
Soft suspension / big tyres for the potholes
4x4 for the constantly wet / muddy lanes plus the snow
Higher driving position
She'd like a Freelander but I suspect their reliability will be poor.
Sensible size / mpg / running costs - so no Range Rovers
Suggestions ?
Thanks
I agree a Freelander 2 should be ideal and she likes the image but the first review on Google shows :
Not as sharp on the road as other 4x4s.
Diesel automatic thirsty.
High number of automatic transmission and steering rack failures.
Epidemic of camshaft failures on 2.2 diesel.
In theory a great vehicle but cannot recommend, particularly used, due to number of faults.
Disco / Toureg - too big really, I've used similar in the snow and they really don't want to stop due to their weight and their size doesn't help on narrow lanes either
Not as sharp on the road as other 4x4s.
Diesel automatic thirsty.
High number of automatic transmission and steering rack failures.
Epidemic of camshaft failures on 2.2 diesel.
In theory a great vehicle but cannot recommend, particularly used, due to number of faults.
Disco / Toureg - too big really, I've used similar in the snow and they really don't want to stop due to their weight and their size doesn't help on narrow lanes either
Subaru Forester. I usually pick up the keys ahead of the Range Rover!. They are supremely capable vehicles. The Turbo models are very cheeky too, if a little thirsty. Non Turbo is probably the best all rounder. My 80k miler 2004 2.0 Turbo cost me £4000 from a Subaru Main Dealer last year and has been as reliable as a wood burning stove. It is very well equipped too. I have the Automatic, but I think the manual would be better for the car. I like the fact that it feels like a cross between a traditional 4WD and an Estate car. It has excellent robustness and a very well regarded AWD system, but doesnt attract the negative image of most traditional 4WD look.
The main things to look for on them are the rear self levelling shocks can 'sag' at higher miles and are pretty expensive to replace like for like at the Dealer. Also, they are quite sensitive to tyres. They like a matching set all round. I have Winter tyres on mine and it was brilliant in the deep snow around my village last year.
The main things to look for on them are the rear self levelling shocks can 'sag' at higher miles and are pretty expensive to replace like for like at the Dealer. Also, they are quite sensitive to tyres. They like a matching set all round. I have Winter tyres on mine and it was brilliant in the deep snow around my village last year.
Edited by billzeebub on Sunday 10th November 14:58
The Moose said:
The Moose said:
Honda CR-V or Toyota Rav-4 would be my 2 suggestions.
Sounds like a great place to live!
Sounds like a great place to live!
I wonder whether the Forester would do it, shame most are petrol - I'm a huge fan of LPG but I know she'll not bother to find an LPG station.
V8RX7 said:
The Moose said:
The Moose said:
Honda CR-V or Toyota Rav-4 would be my 2 suggestions.
Sounds like a great place to live!
Sounds like a great place to live!
I wonder whether the Forester would do it, shame most are petrol - I'm a huge fan of LPG but I know she'll not bother to find an LPG station.
There's a CR-V/Rav-4 out there for almost any budget. I actually quite like the new Rav-4. Good car.
V8RX7 said:
The Moose said:
The Moose said:
Honda CR-V or Toyota Rav-4 would be my 2 suggestions.
Sounds like a great place to live!
Sounds like a great place to live!
I wonder whether the Forester would do it, shame most are petrol - I'm a huge fan of LPG but I know she'll not bother to find an LPG station.
The Moose said:
She can't have it all ways. I'm surprised she's not just going out and getting herself strapped up to the titties for a new Freelander/Evoque if that's the case.
There's a CR-V/Rav-4 out there for almost any budget. I actually quite like the new Rav-4. Good car.
Ha - she stated wanting a new RR Sport then an Evoque - but I talked her out of them.There's a CR-V/Rav-4 out there for almost any budget. I actually quite like the new Rav-4. Good car.
I like the older (Mk2) Rav4 - I think the later ones look far worse.
We've owned ours for 3 years and it's been outstanding to be honest. We've used it on road, off road, for commuting, long journeys etc, etc and it's never put a foot wrong. Cleaned up, it'll happily not look out of place parked up alongside Range Rovers, yet it has none of the shoutyness of the RRS.
We diff locks and a proper low range box, it's been excellent off road. Prior to the Twig, we owned an L322 FFRR and, to be honest, the Twig is pretty damn close as an overall package.
We're only moving it on as my wife has decided to go for a 320d xdrive through work rather than take the cash
We diff locks and a proper low range box, it's been excellent off road. Prior to the Twig, we owned an L322 FFRR and, to be honest, the Twig is pretty damn close as an overall package.
We're only moving it on as my wife has decided to go for a 320d xdrive through work rather than take the cash
Ask her to consider a Lexus RX300.
Not that big, very comfy and on M&S tyres I found ours unstoppable anything this side of green-laning.
My wife loved her one. Petrol non-hybrid models are cheap to buy, guess it just depends if your friend can live with less than stellar MPG. Maybe offset on the basis that a good one will come in at the very bottom of her purchase budget.
Not that big, very comfy and on M&S tyres I found ours unstoppable anything this side of green-laning.
My wife loved her one. Petrol non-hybrid models are cheap to buy, guess it just depends if your friend can live with less than stellar MPG. Maybe offset on the basis that a good one will come in at the very bottom of her purchase budget.
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