Buying a 4x4 for £12k
Buying a 4x4 for £12k
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Discussion

Auto Artisan

Original Poster:

4 posts

I’m looking to buy a 4x4. I’ve always fancied a Land Rover, preferably a Defender. It maybe a struggle finding one. I also like the Toyota Amazon. Are there any good 4x4 that hold their value, will actually work and won’t leave me crying on the M6?

normalbloke

8,775 posts

247 months

Can you weld?

biggbn

32,209 posts

248 months

Think I'd be looking at something Korean with that budget, or the best Lexus RX you can afford..

66HFM

866 posts

53 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
If you are really after a Land Rover you could go Discovery 4 or Discovery Sport, although the 2.2 diesel rather than the Ingenium engine.
The 3.0 Disco 4 has its issues, we owned one for 4 years and loved it, we lived in the Cotswolds and it was the default car there, its also like a van with all the seats lowered.

Good luck, just have a contingency fund....

valiant

13,996 posts

188 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
Try Subaru.

No real large SUV but the Outback has permanent 4wd and is pretty rock solid. Won’t be as nice to drive as a LR but won’t leave you at the side if a motorway either.

Decky_Q

2,064 posts

205 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
£12k should get you a decent 4x4.

Defenders are cheap when they've been modified, and that's when they are usually headaches too. A decent 300tdi or td5 in stock condition would be within budget and has a reasonably nice interior. Chassis would need to be checked by someone knowledgeable, but plenty of good ones out there.
It is very agricultural to drive, they aren't for me.

Discovery sport and Evoque are essentially the same, early cars are best with the 2.2 diesel as the 2.0 diesel engine was a disaster. The petrol engines seem fine but thirsty. I have a 2.2 on 180k and it goes great and looks very tidy for a £4k car.

FFRR and Sport 4.2sc is problem free, 5.0sc has timing guide issues, 3.6tdi is great engine with loads of torque has a bad rep regarding turbos but its not an issue i have encountered, 4.4 tdi more refined and more power but lacking the initial surge of the 3.6.


I deliberately didn't mention 3.0sd or 3.0td, they're unreliability is legendary.

Edited by Decky_Q on Tuesday 11th August 10:46


Edited by Decky_Q on Tuesday 11th August 10:48

Huzzah

28,880 posts

211 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
How about a Freelander, and some change.
Buy the best one you can.

eth2190

238 posts

29 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
Not in budget unfortunately but a Japanese import Toyota FJ Cruiser would be ideal for something to hold value, be reliable and on the more rugged end of the spectrum.

Quickmoose

5,287 posts

151 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
Top of the range Yeti.
It's genuinely the swiss army knife of cars.

macron

13,200 posts

194 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
Auto Artisan said:
I m looking to buy a 4x4. I ve always fancied a Land Rover, preferably a Defender. It maybe a struggle finding one. I also like the Toyota Amazon. Are there any good 4x4 that hold their value, will actually work and won t leave me crying on the M6?
So your use case for a 4x4 is the M6?

normalbloke

8,775 posts

247 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
Quickmoose said:
Top of the range Yeti.
It's genuinely the swiss army knife of cars.
Just not with a sunroof…

Quickmoose

5,287 posts

151 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
normalbloke said:
Quickmoose said:
Top of the range Yeti.
It's genuinely the swiss army knife of cars.
Just not with a sunroof
I got one...and yes..problematic...which is sad cos they're a lovely massive opening thing, adding so much light.
The creaks and potential for leaks, I learnt AFTER purchase.
And I've solved them.... but yeah, if you don't care about interior light, best avoid.

Diderot

9,538 posts

220 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
Huzzah said:
How about a Freelander, and some change.
Buy the best one you can.
Seconded. The Freelander 2s are great - I had 3 of them over the years. No issues with them at all.

Auto Artisan

Original Poster:

4 posts

Tuesday
quotequote all
macron said:
So your use case for a 4x4 is the M6?
No, but I do travel up and down it quite a lot when I’m either hiking, or visiting Cumbria and the Lake District.

Matt_T

1,262 posts

102 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
This looks like a cracking buy if you can up your budget a little... (otherwise lots of older ones within budget)
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/20365130

sinbaddio

2,829 posts

204 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
L322. Harry and Jeremy can’t both be wrong?

I ran my 2005 model well past 100k with no issues.

paul_c123

2,289 posts

21 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
Having owned several 4x4s in the past, and actively used them off road, a "proper" 4x4 is a big compromise and a PITA on road, just so it can go off road reasonably well. I would advise that you don't need a 4x4, don't bother. Do you have land? Do you work on a farm? etc The "hobby" of green laning, I believe, is still clinging on but its so difficult to find and use routes that don't seem to upset other user groups or act irresponsibly, it really isn't worth the bother. The fact that off-roading is pretty much extinguished as a hobby probably explains why there's almost no decent 4x4s available for sale new any more, and that the capable off roaders you can buy secondhand are getting older and older (and more rusty, less reliable, etc).

Doesitdrive

1,786 posts

9 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
Matt_T said:
This looks like a cracking buy if you can up your budget a little... (otherwise lots of older ones within budget)
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/20365130
15k for a 15 year old truck, the world's gone bonkers if that is a cracking buy lol.

Lefty

20,857 posts

230 months

Tuesday
quotequote all
For a working 4x4 have you thought about a pickup?

Most farmers I know use them (though this will no doubt change given the tax rules). Despite the internet expertise I know quite a few who use ford rangers with no problems, hard to ignore the Hilux though. We have a 2010 one in the farm that is a fantastic old thing. Had two L200’s and got on fine with them, I’d avoid the Amarok or Navara personally but I know plenty of people like them.

Here’s our ‘yota



For £12k you might even get one with a new galv chassis and that wouldn’t lose a pound in depreciation