4x4 with low range, £2.5k to £3.5k

[sfwebs]

Hi Piston Heads,

We've got an L200 coming off lease, and want to replace it with an older 4x4. Usage is relatively light now (hence no way can justify expense of a new lease car again).

The only reason we really need a 4x4 is the odd bit of field maintenance - such as dragging a chain harrow or flail around. For both of these things, the low ratio gear on the L200 really came in handy for crawling along our sometimes quite steep and rutted fields.

Other than that, it'll probably do around 3,000 to 4,000 miles a year on the roads as our second car, but wouldn't be our first choice except in bad weather. We'd like a car rather than a pick up this time, as a weather proof boot would be more useful than a load bed.

I've been reading several posts on this forum, and have narrowed my choices for lower cost 4x4 vehicles with low ratio to the following:

- Discovery
- Grand Cherokee
- Shogun
- Grand Vitara

I think the order of preference is probably as above. Are there any other vehicles I should consider? Any alarm bells ringing on any of the above?

My budget is putting me around the 15 year old mark on all but the Vitara. Going up a little pulls in cars that are closer to the 10 year mark - but the cost of road tax seems to jump nearly £250 on the newer models. I've assumed that such a saving over the years will help out with costs of maintaining an older vehicle - or are the newer models cheaper to maintain anyway?

I'm looking for something we can look after well and keep for at least 6 or 7 years.

Also - as you may have guessed if there are any dim questions above - I'm not much of a piston head and am fairly clueless about cars! Knowing that something this old may have taken a pounding, I will get a mechanic to look over whatever we choose.

Thanks for any input,
Dan

[MorganP104]

For a car that will spend most of its time on the road, with a bit of honest farm work thrown in, it's got to be an old Discovery.

The Disco 3 is within reach for your budget, but any examples will have done lots and lots of miles, so probably best avoided, as you're looking to keep the car for 6-7 years.

With that in mind, a Disco 2 will be the car to go for. Plenty in budget, many with sensible mileages. Look for cars with documented history (stamped up service book, lots of bills, etc.) and check the MoT history. The DVLA offer a free online service for this, link below:

https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history

There will be someone along in a minute who knows a lot more about Land Rovers than I do, with advice on what to look out for when browsing used cars.

[Some Guy]

Mk1 Kia Sorento has low range box and ladder chassis.

[sfwebs]

Thanks MorganP104 - that confirms what my research was saying about Discos, but I worried I might be missing something! Site looks useful - I'll give that go when I have some cars to view!

Some Guy - just had a look on Autotrader - you get a much smarter looker cabin there, lower price and looks like it'd handle nicer on the roads too - definitely added to the list! Thanks!

[BugLebowski]

If you don't need to do much heavy on road towing I'd suggest a Suzuki Jimny. Your budget should get you a nice clean one, stick on a set of slightly oversized all terrain tyres, a towbar and you're set! They have the advantage of being lightweight so you don't chew up the grass and the small petrol engines are simple and unburstable. If you don't need the rear seats they can be removed and ply lining the rear gives you a decent sized boot and speaking from experience in 4low they'll pull anything you want.

Think of it as a quad with a doors, a roof, heater and a radio!

[Tomo1971]

Nissan Terrano2?

[devondaniel]

I'd love the cosy quad idea, except low priced Jimny's down here seem to be in short supply - coming in at far more than any of the others listed, which seems odd to me - maybe people just don't want to let them go. I'll keep an eye for both those cars though, thanks!

[Toed64]

Toyota Landcruiser 3 litre?

[LP670]

From those options id go with the Disco 2 but id personally be looking at a similarly aged and priced Nissan Patrol GR.

[kurt535]

Honda CRV Mk2 2.2 Diesel.

Add decent boots and nothing stopped mine in the snow/floods week before last.