What 4x4 for about £7.5k
Discussion
I need a fairly capable 4x4 for around this budget and ideally one that is reliable and diesel.
I know I won’t see much more than 25 MPG out of one, 4x4 drivetrains cost more to run and they’re heavier on brakes and tyres, things like that I can live with, what I can’t live with though (speaking from previous Land Rover experience) is big ticket items like gearboxes and turbo chargers going pop when it gets to 100k and costing half the value of the car to replace.
With that in mind I still really like the Disco 3 so with the autobox problem in mind would a manual one be a fairly safe bet?.
Only other car that ticks all the boxes too is a 3 litre smaller Land cruiser my heart is saying get the Disco but my head isn’t.
Could really use some impartial advice on both really.
I know I won’t see much more than 25 MPG out of one, 4x4 drivetrains cost more to run and they’re heavier on brakes and tyres, things like that I can live with, what I can’t live with though (speaking from previous Land Rover experience) is big ticket items like gearboxes and turbo chargers going pop when it gets to 100k and costing half the value of the car to replace.
With that in mind I still really like the Disco 3 so with the autobox problem in mind would a manual one be a fairly safe bet?.
Only other car that ticks all the boxes too is a 3 litre smaller Land cruiser my heart is saying get the Disco but my head isn’t.
Could really use some impartial advice on both really.
TM2000 said:
I need a fairly capable 4x4 for around this budget and ideally one that is reliable and diesel.
I know I won’t see much more than 25 MPG out of one, 4x4 drivetrains cost more to run and they’re heavier on brakes and tyres, things like that I can live with, what I can’t live with though (speaking from previous Land Rover experience) is big ticket items like gearboxes and turbo chargers going pop when it gets to 100k and costing half the value of the car to replace.
With that in mind I still really like the Disco 3 so with the autobox problem in mind would a manual one be a fairly safe bet?.
Only other car that ticks all the boxes too is a 3 litre smaller Land cruiser my heart is saying get the Disco but my head isn’t.
Could really use some impartial advice on both really.
I think you have answered your own question !! I would be going toyota but you could look at the Mitsubishi or even the Korean offerings ... I know I won’t see much more than 25 MPG out of one, 4x4 drivetrains cost more to run and they’re heavier on brakes and tyres, things like that I can live with, what I can’t live with though (speaking from previous Land Rover experience) is big ticket items like gearboxes and turbo chargers going pop when it gets to 100k and costing half the value of the car to replace.
With that in mind I still really like the Disco 3 so with the autobox problem in mind would a manual one be a fairly safe bet?.
Only other car that ticks all the boxes too is a 3 litre smaller Land cruiser my heart is saying get the Disco but my head isn’t.
Could really use some impartial advice on both really.
I’d be going something German and upmarket for bang for your buck, but for pure reliabilty maybe something Japanese/Korean but you can only seemingly get a rusty, diesel, f
ked and battered and raped by some farmer/traveller with over 200,000 miles 2012 Toyota Land Cruiser for £15000 so that isnt really an option unless youre going for an ancient one.
Cayenne *TURBO* is a solid choice if you can see one for £7.5k. Or the Cayenne V6. For your sanity avoid the 4.5 S model.
Range Rover diesel is all right
Q7 diesel
Q5 diesel is better than the Q7
Discovery
X5 diesel.
ked and battered and raped by some farmer/traveller with over 200,000 miles 2012 Toyota Land Cruiser for £15000 so that isnt really an option unless youre going for an ancient one.Cayenne *TURBO* is a solid choice if you can see one for £7.5k. Or the Cayenne V6. For your sanity avoid the 4.5 S model.
Range Rover diesel is all right
Q7 diesel
Q5 diesel is better than the Q7
Discovery
X5 diesel.
I should have said, it needs to be decent at towing and will get used off road fairly often and be a bit of a workhorse, as much as I’d love a Cayenne Turbo it would be too thirsty and get ruined although it would be much more fun on the road!.
Stuff like the X5 and Q7 unfortunately out for the same reason, Range Rovers are lovely but had a bad experience before and am scared of getting burned with another auto box Land Rover.
It doesn’t have to be that new, post 05/06 would do.
Stuff like the X5 and Q7 unfortunately out for the same reason, Range Rovers are lovely but had a bad experience before and am scared of getting burned with another auto box Land Rover.
It doesn’t have to be that new, post 05/06 would do.
Edited by TM2000 on Sunday 14th January 21:09
£7500 is not a big budget for a late model large 4x4, so how big does it need to be? How tough does it need to be?
If a soft roader will do, I'd buy a Toyota RAV 4. If that's not big enough, I'd probably buy the best Toyota Hilux I could find.
Toyota Landcruisers will be very leggy for £7500... so I run an old 3l td Toyota Hilux 4Runner. It's just like the last one I had for 9 years, but not so rusty! It tows a massive horsebox twice a week and it tows my car trailer. It carts muddy dogs and it's totally dependable, but it's not my daily driver.
If it needs to be a car, rather than a truck, I'd buy a Shogun - they are much cheaper new than Landcruisers and the design is a bit elderly, consequently there are some bargains to be had. The imports rust really badly, so I'd buy a British one.
Volvo XC 90s are worth a look - nice place to be and will clock up big mileages. Gearboxes go before the engines.
Disco 3s should be avoided you are worried about expensive repairs - eg the body has to be separated from the chassis to change the turbos! There are quite a few Disco 2s coming back from Japan - they are expensive, but a 2 is probably a stronger proposition than a 3. Good Disco 4s are more money.
Every Merc ML my friends' have owned has been hideously expensive to keep going, gearboxes and electrical gremlins.
Good luck.
If a soft roader will do, I'd buy a Toyota RAV 4. If that's not big enough, I'd probably buy the best Toyota Hilux I could find.
Toyota Landcruisers will be very leggy for £7500... so I run an old 3l td Toyota Hilux 4Runner. It's just like the last one I had for 9 years, but not so rusty! It tows a massive horsebox twice a week and it tows my car trailer. It carts muddy dogs and it's totally dependable, but it's not my daily driver.
If it needs to be a car, rather than a truck, I'd buy a Shogun - they are much cheaper new than Landcruisers and the design is a bit elderly, consequently there are some bargains to be had. The imports rust really badly, so I'd buy a British one.
Volvo XC 90s are worth a look - nice place to be and will clock up big mileages. Gearboxes go before the engines.
Disco 3s should be avoided you are worried about expensive repairs - eg the body has to be separated from the chassis to change the turbos! There are quite a few Disco 2s coming back from Japan - they are expensive, but a 2 is probably a stronger proposition than a 3. Good Disco 4s are more money.
Every Merc ML my friends' have owned has been hideously expensive to keep going, gearboxes and electrical gremlins.
Good luck.
sleepera6 said:
I’d be going something German and upmarket for bang for your buck, but for pure reliabilty maybe something Japanese/Korean but you can only seemingly get a rusty, diesel, fked and battered and raped by some farmer/traveller with over 200,000 miles 2012 Toyota Land Cruiser for £15000 so that isnt really an option unless youre going for an ancient one.
Cayenne *TURBO* is a solid choice if you can see one for £7.5k. Or the Cayenne V6. For your sanity avoid the 4.5 S model.
Range Rover diesel is all right
Q7 diesel
Q5 diesel is better than the Q7
Discovery
X5 diesel.
The OP said he did not want "big ticket" surprises. Out of the list above, the cars the OP already said he does not really want for this reason (LR products) have the cheapest "big ticket" items and even the less exotic bits you'd expect to replace due to age cost £££. Cayenne can very easily cost 7.5k in a couple of years of non-extraordinary repairs and servicing. They'd all be on my definitely don't touch with a bargepole list, for the OP's requirements.ked and battered and raped by some farmer/traveller with over 200,000 miles 2012 Toyota Land Cruiser for £15000 so that isnt really an option unless youre going for an ancient one.Cayenne *TURBO* is a solid choice if you can see one for £7.5k. Or the Cayenne V6. For your sanity avoid the 4.5 S model.
Range Rover diesel is all right
Q7 diesel
Q5 diesel is better than the Q7
Discovery
X5 diesel.
Any older Landcruiser will run forever if you keep rust at bay (not because they are very rusty but because of the age) and a Shogun is not bad either.
With your budget it's hard to look past the Grand Cherokee with there Mercedes running gear they're hard to beat they tick all of your boxes:
Limited
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Overland
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
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Limited
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Overland
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
md4776 said:
I test drove a 2004 land cruiser and a 2005 shogun about 4 months ago, I had about 8k to spend. Both drive more like buses than "SUVs" but that's irrelevant.
The Landcruiser is essentially a truck, the body bolted on to a ladder frame chassis. That makes it stronger and better for tasks like towing. There is a reason they are by far one of the most popular off-road and touring vehicles in Australia.
You do seem to get more for your money with a Jeep, not sure what they’re like to live with though?.
Out of all of them I still really like the Disco 3 the best but just know it’s likley to be problematic, I suppose a manual would be less so but still.
I’m going to look at a Land Cruiser at the weekend and try and cue up a Disco and a Jeep too.
Don’t really know much about Pathfinders so will read up on them tonight, thanks for the recommendation!.
Out of all of them I still really like the Disco 3 the best but just know it’s likley to be problematic, I suppose a manual would be less so but still.
I’m going to look at a Land Cruiser at the weekend and try and cue up a Disco and a Jeep too.
Don’t really know much about Pathfinders so will read up on them tonight, thanks for the recommendation!.
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