What Car - Estate or a Skip?

[RZ1]

Having a lot of work done on the house and instead of getting a skip a dozen times and trying to get it delivered down a narrow muddy track i have decided it would be better to get an Estate and just go to my local dump a few times a week. Also can make use of this when i need to go and get materials etc.

What is the best car to get, was thinking of either a volvo estate or impreza estate. The advantage of the impreza is it has 4 wheel drive so would be able to drive it down the muddy track and make the loading a lot easier. However the Volvo is a lot bigger, Do any of the volvo estate have 4 wheel drive?

Any alternatives?

Budget around £1500-2k

[alfa pint]

There did the V70 with all wheel drive iirc. I'd be maybe looking at a pickup if you're trying to sell it on after you've finished with your house.

Impreza is absolutely tiny in the back. Great car for some things, but it's no load lugger.

[RZ1]

alfa pint said:

There did the V70 with all wheel drive iirc. I'd be maybe looking at a pickup if you're trying to sell it on after you've finished with your house.

Impreza is absolutely tiny in the back. Great car for some things, but it's no load lugger.

Did think about a pickup but the thing that put me off is the fact that it is open, there may be scenarios when i buy materials but need to leave them in the back for a day or 2 due to storage space

[illmonkey]

If you turn up at a dump 3 or 4 times a week, wouldn't they catch on that you might be a builder, trying to get around the rules?

[JAHetfield]

I would be more inclined to consider the Legacy estate than the Impreza. Similar set up bit with loads more room in the back.

[RZ1]

illmonkey said:

If you turn up at a dump 3 or 4 times a week, wouldn't they catch on that you might be a builder, trying to get around the rules?

I looked into this and spoke to my local dump, as long as its personal use and i am not using a van its ok. Besides more then happy for them to pop over and see that i am doing some work on the house

[SuperVM]

I have a 2001 Impreza estate; it's a great car, but my 1999 Focus estate is actually far bigger in the back. I think a Volvo V70 in 4WD or a Legacy (as someone has mentioned) would be better for lugging stuff to the tip. A shame that Audi S2 Avant prices have rebounded. ;-)

[RZ1]

SuperVM said:

I have a 2001 Impreza estate; it's a great car, but my 1999 Focus estate is actually far bigger in the back. I think a Volvo V70 in 4WD or a Legacy (as someone has mentioned) would be better for lugging stuff to the tip. A shame that Audi S2 Avant prices have rebounded. ;-)

The S2 would be perfect but i would never use one as a load lugger, they are far too special!!!

Just looking at the legacy's now, there is one up for sale 40 miles away for £2100, p reg with 130k. These things are more expensive then i thought.
How do i know if a V70 is AWD, a lot for sale within 50 miles and within my budget but nothing in the description about them being AWD?

[Wigeon Incognito]

You could have a look at the Audi A6 Avant with Quattro too, or the earlier 100.

[durbster]

Sensible answer:
A Subaru Forester would be perfect for this wouldn't it? I nearly bought one as a workhorse recently and you can get a lot of car for the money. There aren't many around though.

Pistonheads answer:
Nissan Stagea

[RZ1]

durbster said:

Sensible answer:
A Subaru Forester would be perfect for this wouldn't it? I nearly bought one as a workhorse recently and you can get a lot of car for the money. There aren't many around though.

Pistonheads answer:
Nissan Stagea

Stagea is well out of my price range.
The forester is a good call but not many around within my budget.
How much space is in a freelander? Lot of them for sale within budget.

[SuperVM]

I thought the Stagea was RWD.

[SuperHangOn]

An old disco 200tdi- damn near a van inside and muddy tracks obviously won't be a problem.

[alfa pint]

Quick scan on pistonheads classifieds shows about a dozen V70s with AWD, all of which say so in the opening banner. None of them are particularly cheap though, but that's as much to do with the popularity of 4 wd normal ish cars at this time of year.

Legacy was a good shout. Surprised you can't find one in budget - they're very very popular with farmers and a mate of mine bought a tatty but reliable one for about £700 a few years ago that would have been perfect for your needs. Just expand out the radius a bit and see what you can find out in more rural areas.

[soda]

Old volvo XC70 can be had for that sort of money, 4x4 and spacious.

[Mr2Mike]

If space is the primary convern you be hard pressed to do better than one of the big old Volvos, otherwise a Passat, Mondeo, 406 etc. will all do the job.

However, if carrying building materials is going to be it's primary use then maybe consider a van or van derived car like the Berlingo or Peugeot Partner.

[JM]

If 4wd is a decider then I'd go for a Legacy as others have said, you'll get one to use as a 'skip' for easily less than £1000.

[Six Fiend]

Citroen C5 estate, front wheel drive and chuffing huge load space. Ideal as a load lugger/beater.

[RZ1]

Legacy looks like it could be ideal, ticks all the boxes.
The C5 estate, modeo estate etc are good cars but i dont want one of them getting stuck down the muddy track.
Re the Discovery - not sure this would work as the dump has a height limit and not sure a disco would fit underneath it

[mgmrw]

SuperHangOn said:

An old disco 200tdi- damn near a van inside and muddy tracks obviously won't be a problem.

+1 or a battered old Shogun.


Old discos are pennies, so even if 9months time it MOT nosedives, you're only £500 out