A Vet's what car

[Krikkit]

Seasons greetings PH,

I have (another) what car conundrum for you. My other half is an equine Vet, which involves travelling between farms and stables to visit poorly sausage meat. She's currently driving a Subaru Legacy Outback that we bought cheap as a stop-gap once she qualified, and it's perfect for the job, other than its economy (26mpg) and its scruffy looks.

So, what she needs is:

• Estate or bigger for all her kit
• Automatic
• Diesel (she's doing 30k pa, so economy would be a benefit, 35+mpg on the combined cycle)
• AWD and increased ground clearance over a standard estate; some of these places are down awful, muddy tracks and down fields etc.

Budget is somewhere south of £5k. It's worth mentioning that because this will be a daily work car, it would be great that the common issues aren't show-stoppers - i.e. Suspension component wear etc is fine, but if it has an appetite for eating injectors, gearboxes etc that's less ideal.

I've considered the A6 Allroad (air suspension apparently ruinous, is there a coil spring conversion?), the Volvo XC70 (too expensive atm, the only samples I can find are high miles or ruined), the Skoda Octavia 4x4 (no auto), and the Forester (no diesel). Am I missing any?

Edited by Krikkit on Tuesday 31st December 10:29

[deltashad]

Freelander

[Codswallop]

Have you considered adding LPG to the Legacy? Would cut fuel bills in the long run if the car will be a keeper. Can't think of any other cars that you haven't already considered for the budget though...

How about a soft roader? You might just about get a diesel auto Rav4 for the money, or an older Jeep Grand Cherokee.

[Dr Interceptor]

The Allroad would be my choice... not sure about suspension issues, but buy one under budget and have it checked over by a specialist...

Something like this.... http://used.ph/1fJ55Um

[POORCARDEALER]

My wifes old 2.5 diesel Allroad was an auto and only did 25 mpg mixed so I got rid sharpish

[sawman]

cant see anything other than a diesel outback fitting the bill, but I dont think you will see one for the budget. ot would fit in well with her clients too

[surveyor]

4wd, better ground clearance than an estate and 35mpg is a tough nut to crack

[Willy Nilly]

Something modest and cheap. Turning up on a farm in a fancy car to treat a cow, the cow dying, then your mrs putting a bill in for £1,000 goes down like a dead rat in a tampon factory;)

As it's to treat 'osses, you'll need metallic paint and a personalized plate...

[ManOpener]

POORCARDEALER said:

My wifes old 2.5 diesel Allroad was an auto and only did 25 mpg mixed so I got rid sharpish

The fuel economy of the 2.7 Biturbo isn't actually that much worse than the diesel. My dad managed to get 23mpg out of his on average, which given that most of the diesels appear to do 27-30 isn't that bad.

Nice cars but not good for high mileage. Octavia 4x4?

-E wait, that's already been dismissed as no auto.

[N Dentressangle]

deltashad said:

Freelander

Something like this is the obvious choice, isn't it:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2005-Land-Rover-Freeland...

although what mpg would be realistic who knows?

Then you're left with oddball Kia, Hyundai and Jeep stuff.

I'd stick with something Subaru Forester-ish, too.

[POORCARDEALER]

Rav 4

Kia Sportage

[ManOpener]

Can you get the diesel Subaru Legacy under £5k? None on PH at the moment but a few newer Legacies under that.

Something like This (seems suspiciously cheap or This?

Not sure about autos though?

Edited by ManOpener on Tuesday 31st December 10:48

[bobbo89]

X-Trail?

[powerstroke]

Our vet runs fiat /Peugeot vans kitted out with all the latest
gear With a bulkhead and no glass safer against theft ,they will do 50ish mpg and in your budget

[POORCARDEALER]

Our equine vet runs a Discovery 3 (suprised she doesnt run a phantom with her charges!!)

[Krikkit]

Thanks for the suggestions folks.

The current Outback (while a decent enough car) has too many issues to consider as a long-term prospect really. The auto box has started with a few issues, the engine needs head gaskets doing (and I suspect has a little knock from the bottom end), and cosmetically the thing is absolutely battered. For £750, it's done a reliable 15k miles in our care, and is still going strong for now, so I'm not grumbling at all, but it's not a long-term keeper really.

So, the choice pretty-much boils down to another Outback + LPG (none of the affordable diesel ones have an auto box, they're only just doing diesel+auto now), or finding an XC70 within budget.

I've read a few bits about the Allroad and converting to coils, but they're not exactly glowing reviews, and an air bag dying is a bit of a pain really. There are pattern parts out there for a couple of hundred quid, but it does make you wonder if they're any good!

ETA: Freelander is a smidge too small, although the seats could be folded I suppose. Commercials are an interesting idea, I seem to remember a freelander commercial which might work.

Edited by Krikkit on Tuesday 31st December 11:04

[DocArbathnot]

POORCARDEALER said:

Our equine vet runs a Discovery 3 (suprised she doesnt run a phantom with her charges!!)

Probably does, just not for work.

[andy-xr]

Each under £4k, should be auto versions around

Small


http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/suzuki/grand...

Medium

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...

Large


http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...

[Stuart70]

My sister is an inspector for the BHS, so similar journey terrain.
She has had

Land Rover Disco - 3x all hassle ridden but a good 5-10 years ago now
Honda CRV - hassle free, but white goods less solid feeling - though in substance did the job.
Subaru Outback - great but for economy and brake problems
X trail - petrol so economy was not great, but otherwise superb
Currently on a diesel Kia Sportage which other than buying cost is ideal.

Personally - push the budget and get a diesel auto x trail. It will save you money and hassle long term over a unreliable land rover (IMHO, obviously)

[Spare tyre]

kia 4x4 or subaru diesel thing