Advice 4x4 off road cars

[hoppy]

Hello everyone, I need a bit of information, if you don’t mind, on used 4x4 off road type vehicles, 2.0litre or more, petrol,(turbo diesel injection considered) manual gearbox preferred

ie: suzuki hard top, vauxhall fronterra, mitsubishi, kia sportage, toyota, and so on, which would you consider to be most advisable and reliable, in running costs, handling, servicing, faults etc.

I’ve been looking at car marts and ads on the web and have seen a considerable few ranging for my price bracket of £1500 to max £4000.

I need to know a bit more about these type and what to look for in these vehicles as I haven’t had one before....Cheers

Thanks a lot...hoppy

[awaaar]

Personally, I'd for a Toyota Landcruiser, don't know how much you can pick them up for, but I know people who have owned these, and have never heard a bad word said about them.....and they run like swiss watches...

[Excalibur]

The landcruiser is indeed the canine's gonads, but may be a touch pricey. My preference is always diesel, turbo if poss, as petrols have a raging thirst!

Do you want a toy/posermobile, or a no frills worker?

 

Don't touch Frontera at all, Isuzu is high on my list, Shogun is fine, older Nissan patrols had a straight six diesel, cart spring at each corner,not refined, but a real worker! Hapy motoring.

[hoppy]

Thanks for the 2 replies up to now lads.

Excalibur, Do you want a toy/posermobile, or a no frills worker?

I'm looking for a bit of both realy, One for when I can get down those rutted wheel tracks to some of those awkward fishing venues (doesn't do my zsara piccaso much good) and other for when I take the wife out, for a bit of comfort and for a meal somewhere...cheers

By the way, is insurance much dearer on these type of vehicles?

[jeepster]

anything jap should run and run and run....

agree about the frontera, dont waste your time.

what you should go for depends on whether you need on road refinement or off road / load carrying ability or a combination.

i've got a jeep cherokee which is great, you could get an older 2.5 petrol or turbo diesel for £2500 - £3000 but they can be pricey if things go wrong. having said that mine has been pretty reliable (1998 4.0 petrol, thirsty but fun!)

i've also got an ex military 109 land rover, its a pig to drive but will go anywhere, carrying anything (its for sale incidentally, doesnt sound like what you're after hoppy but if anyone else is interested....)

 

i'd steer well clear of a kia (sorry about the awful rhyme!) they are built to a budget, whereas jeep, nissan patrol, landcruiser, discovery etc are built to a much higher spec. i'm sure if a kia went wrong parts would be pretty cheap but it wouldnt be long before you were back at the garage spending more cash. i've only had one major outgoing on the jeep in the 18 months i've had it and i've done loads of miles.

people speak very highly of the suzukis in the 4x4 mags, never driven one but they seem reliable and pretty well built as are isuzu troopers

 

send me a message hoppy if you want to know anything, i'm by no means an expert on 4x4s but i own 2 and i've driven quite a few different ones so i'll give whatever advice i can

 

jon

[Excalibur]

quote:

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Excalibur, Do you want a toy/posermobile, or a no frills worker?

I'm looking for a bit of both realy

---

Don't want much, do you?

 

For my money, Isuzu trooper first, Mitsubishi Shogun second, and if you're patriotic, one of the many models of Land Rover or perhaps Discovery, they're becoming affordable. Range Rovers of many types also, you'd be amazed at what engines people fit in there! (Perkins is fave, economical, pulls like a train, just don't expect to pass anything except Chesters on his moped!). Hope this helps.

[corydoras]

If you want to take it off road get a Defender. All the rest will end up with bits hanging off them if you take them 'out to play' in the muck. The only serious competition to a Landy off the road is the Land Cruiser.

 

AVOID THE FRONTERA LIKE THE PLAGUE!

[jeepster]

good to see we all agree about the frontera!

if you are off roading, a series III is as good as a defender, for a lot less money.

the jeep cherokee is pretty good off road too, its got a low ratio box and plenty of power and torque, but as with any 4x4 the key to its off road performance (excepting your driving ability)is the tyres.

if you're keeping the xsara, maybe look at an older land rover, then you can get classic insurance.

[corydoras]

jeepster:

good to see we all agree about the frontera!

if you are off roading, a series III is as good as a defender, for a lot less money.

the jeep cherokee is pretty good off road too, its got a low ratio box and plenty of power and torque, but as with any 4x4 the key to its off road performance (excepting your driving ability)is the tyres.

if you're keeping the xsara, maybe look at an older land rover, then you can get classic insurance.

If you want to get real cheap 4x4 insurance then give the NFU a ring. I used to have a Defender County and I was quoted around £550 by Directline. I got a quote of about £260 from the NFU. This was for Full Comp and it was for business use not just private motoring.

[jeepster]

i'm paying 1200 quid for full business use on the jeep, but they claim thats cos i work in the tv industry. i think the jeep would be expensive for anyone to insure, cos its 4 litre, not sure what group it is. the land rover only costs 98 quid, fully comp on a limited mileage classic policy.