Which mild 4x4 for ~£5,000?

Which mild 4x4 for ~£5,000?

Author
Discussion

OM38Core

4 posts

15 months

Saturday 10th December 2022
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I have totally dismissed things like Honda CRV, old Grand Vitaras etc. But not really for any other reason that my Google searches never really turned them up as contenders.

OM38Core

4 posts

15 months

Saturday 10th December 2022
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harrycovert

416 posts

175 months

Saturday 10th December 2022
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Stiggolas said:
OK, don't roast me but I have a 2008 Kia Sorento which works well for mild offroading. It has a ladder chassis, good ground clearance lockable centre diff and low range gearbox. Has been perfect in he reliability stakes in the 3 years I've had it and is a decent size for all your kit. Will also tow 3 tonnes.
Had a 2005 for for the Last 8 years no problems very much under rated.

OM38Core

4 posts

15 months

Saturday 10th December 2022
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Actually the Sorrento does come up in searches...what sort of stuff do you get up to in it?

Keep it clean! 😏

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

189 months

Tuesday 13th December 2022
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LukeDM said:
Everyone says pick ups are crap for off roading but I was always surprised how well my old 56 plate l200 done on green lanes. Sure the tow bar hit the ground reasonably often but it rarely got stuck. Under budget but very leggy and I happily used it as a daily driver for a year. Only mods were steel wheels and Maxxis all terrain tyres.

I don't know anybody who says pickups are crap off road.

However a green lane isn't really off roading, they are part of the Kings Highway and just happen to be unpaved. i.e. you are On roading when you drive them.

Also, 99% of green lanes are not very difficult. Many could be driven in normal cars. The biggest obstacle is normally ground clearance if you have deep ruts and tram lines.

As for pickups. Where they struggle is with poor departure angles. Any sort of technical off roading will likely have you impacting the body work or end up getting beached due to the long wheel base. Or worse, both bumpers stuck in the ground lifting all the wheels off of the dirt.

Front suspension on most pickups also lacks travel and flex. So unless you have a modern traction control system or a mechanical traction aid such as a locker or LSD. They also tend to get cross axled easier than other types of 4x4.

But it all depends on the individual vehicle and the terrain.

Bad no, certainly not. But they do have some real world limitations due to their shape, design and size.

RedAndy

1,207 posts

153 months

Tuesday 13th December 2022
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only thing stopping the L200s on a recent play session at KORC was towbars that dug in. Removed, they were able to get everywhere again. very capable, and even some of the landrover buggy chaps were impressed.

Oh and 4ft deep liquid clay that was too soupy to get through...something that everyone knew but someone tried for a laugh anyway!

whatever you do, make sure you CLEAN underneath once you've finished playing. mud gets everywhere....!

nismo48

3,600 posts

206 months

Wednesday 28th December 2022
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Silvanus said:
Dacia Duster
+1 Got one and they are brilliant wink

apieceof

4 posts

82 months

Sunday 28th May 2023
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No one has mentioned a Land Cruiser. 06 year typically go for that price range. Unbreakable. (I hope as I’m just about to buy one 😂)

LactoseJoe

93 posts

160 months

Saturday 1st July 2023
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LFB531 said:
I've got a SWB Shogun of 2003 vintage. It's a stupid design and can't think why anyone would have bought one new. The rear seat access is terrible and with those up, there's hardly any storage space.

HOWEVER, I love it! Forget the diesel with its mighty expensive fuel pump, find a relatively rot free GDI 3.5 petrol and you'll have loads of fun. Mine does everything I ask of it without complaint and has all the toys including leather, electric everything and air-con which still works! The thirst is prodigious but for limited miles it's not an issue.



They do need a cam belt at 100,000 miles and it's not a cheap job but the rest of the bits are plentiful and not stupid expensive. I found this one lurking on FB at silly money for what it is and seriously inside the budget of the OP.
Don’t the 3.5GDIs have the HPFP issues also? I’ve been in the market for one of these but will opt for a non direct injection model to attain that true bulletproof status. The 3.0 and 3.8 seem to avoid this issue.