4x4's

[BanditPat]

After getting my car stuck on a dirt path a few days ago I'm considering looking for a cheap old 4x4 which to be fair I did think about before getting the rover. Any one got any recommendations of what a cheap old 4x4? I wanted one of the old Hilux's with the flat bed but they seem to be few and far between up here :(

[Milky Bar Kid]

OOHHH! Where is Stretchie when you need him!! LOL!

[kwak zzr]

After getting my car stuck on a dirt path a few days ago I'm considering looking for a cheap old 4x4 which to be fair I did think about before getting the rover. Any one got any recommendations of what a cheap old 4x4? I wanted one of the old Hilux's with the flat bed but they seem to be few and far between up here :(


the Toyota Hilux is the cheap used indestructible model lol, see that one they torched on top gear lol

[Lozzo]

Fizzwheel has a nice 4x4 that I sold him. You can pick up some proper bargains at the moment.

[barwel1992]

you should be able to get a old rav4 not a proper 4x4 but will do the job if your just going on fields and alike

[Swin]

depends how much is "cheap" to you I guess, but I'd be sorely tempted by a swb Landrover myself, a quick check on autotrader shows some at around the 2k mark, but I can't help thinking it may be a minefield of knackered vehicles!

[7755matt]

When I last changed my car I bought a Frontera B, for general use, and towing the horse trailer / caravan. Its a cracking motor, works as a an everday car, gets 35-40mpg, tows pretty much anything Ive asked it to and has coped with some reasonable off road work. We took it to Scotland and drove it round the Blair Atholl estate when it was deep in mud, never got stuck, it went all the same places as the in-laws Discovery.

It might not cope with the proper off road stuff (but tbh Ive never tried it) but everything its tried its managed well. Ive also done 35k of normal driving in it too.

Its MUCH better than the Frontera A before everyone starts saying they're rubbish and have loads of faults. The petrol is under powered (except the V6 but then rubbish mpg, the 2.2 TD is a cracking engine - isuzu i believe)

Cracking car, love it.

[speedplay]

When I last changed my car I bought a Frontera B, for general use, and towing the horse trailer / caravan. Its a cracking motor, works as a an everday car, gets 35-40mpg, tows pretty much anything Ive asked it to and has coped with some reasonable off road work. We took it to Scotland and drove it round the Blair Atholl estate when it was deep in mud, never got stuck, it went all the same places as the in-laws Discovery.

It might not cope with the proper off road stuff (but tbh Ive never tried it) but everything its tried its managed well. Ive also done 35k of normal driving in it too.

Its MUCH better than the Frontera A before everyone starts saying they're rubbish and have loads of faults. The petrol is under powered (except the V6 but then rubbish mpg, the 2.2 TD is a cracking engine - isuzu i believe)

Cracking car, love it.

I had one too, great cars and I used mine for work across various sites in mud well up the doors:D

I down sized to my freelander as I found I was filling up the frontera with too much kit!

[Dave20046]

nother vote for the frontera , my mate has a brilliant one....infact its forsale :scratch:

[Icanopit]

Freelander, as proven recently you CAN get an SV in the back but of course with the forks out? TD4 get 40+ mpg and tows the tin tent @ 36 mpg.
Downside, this years tax £215.
JOHN

[speedplay]

Freelander, as proven recently you CAN get an SV in the back but of course with the forks out? TD4 get 40+ mpg and tows the tin tent @ 36 mpg.
Downside, this years tax £215.
JOHN


Has also proven this year that you can strap a dirt bike to the back of it (not on a trailer) and still hit triple figures :)

[fizzwheel]

Fizzwheel has a nice 4x4 that I sold him.

Indeed we do and its still going strong.

Its a 1996 on a P Ford Maverick, makes an excellent workhorse.Its really a Nissan Terrano II underneath which means japanese build quality and reliability and they seem well priced compared with an equivalent Discovery...

I would have thought a beat up old Patrol would be good value for money, stay away from Landies as they hold their value well. A Discovery might be an option and it'll have better road manners than a Landrover.

Depends what your budget is really...

[tigersaw]

any opinions on Nissan D21, Mitsu L200 ?
Been looking for something for ages myself just to bum around in.

[husky03]

get a landy-after the jap krap has stopped running in twenty years it'll still be going-slow as hell and the aerodynamics of a brick but i'll never change back to a "normal " car

[robh539]

I have been think about a disco for some time now, I am very tempted. The only thing is the mpg on a td3, any ideas? Great to drive mind i have tested 2 tho wasn't in great condtion.

Ta

[jimmy__riddle]

cant go wrong with a hilux.

[barwel1992]

i have to say you lot have it all wrong

you want one of these and yes it is 4x4
http://www.carpages.co.uk/fiat/fiat_images/fiat_panda_4x4_29_01_05.jpghttp://www.carpages.co.uk/fiat/fiat_images/fiat_panda_05_02_05.jpg

[BanditPat]

I'd forgotten about a few of them especially the frontera. Looking about theres a few cheap discoveries and shoguns and petrol fronteras but I would rather have a diesel...

[454697819]

i have to say you lot have it all wrong

you want one of these and yes it is 4x4
http://www.carpages.co.uk/fiat/fiat_images/fiat_panda_4x4_29_01_05.jpghttp://www.carpages.co.uk/fiat/fiat_images/fiat_panda_05_02_05.jpg

but thats just a weee little puddle...

[dirtydog]

It depends whether you want a 4x4 to do some proper off roading or just incased you get stuck on a muddy path again and of course what your budget is?

If it's the just the occasional muddy path then i'd be tempted to go for a Volvo xc70 cross country as it has awd and more ground clearance than a standard car

[BanditPat]

It depends whether you want a 4x4 to do some proper off roading or just incased you get stuck on a muddy path again and of course what your budget is?

If it's the just the occasional muddy path then i'd be tempted to go for a Volvo xc70 cross country as it has awd and more ground clearance than a standard car


I quite fancy doing some proper off roading, budget wise it would depend on the car I don't fancy anything newish though, insurance is something with me as well though as being 18 its not exactly cheap

[CheGuevara]

I'm very happy with my Hilux Surf 3.0 TD. Paid £1800 for it last January with 125,000Kms (Japanese import). Clean, quiet and comfortable (road-oriented tires) on the motorway, plenty capable in the snow and mud. Bullet-proof reliable, as would be expected from a Toyota.

[CheGuevara]

I quite fancy doing some proper off roading, budget wise it would depend on the car I don't fancy anything newish though, insurance is something with me as well though as being 18 its not exactly cheap


My wife is 24 with a clean driving record, and we couldn't find anyone that would insure her on the Surf until she was 25.

[BanditPat]

My wife is 24 with a clean driving record, and we couldn't find anyone that would insure her on the Surf until she was 25.

I think that I would probably go for the 2.4L rather than the bigger one, insurance should be a bit kinder. There wasnt many companys that would insure me on the car I have now and there was only one that would do it for less than three grand.

[CheGuevara]

I think that I would probably go for the 2.4L rather than the bigger one, insurance should be a bit kinder. There wasnt many companys that would insure me on the car I have now and there was only one that would do it for less than three grand.

Mind the 2.4s - I think they have a rep for heads warping or cracking due to poor cooling. I think you can get an upgraded head as a permanent fix. There will be plenty on the subject at hiluxsurf.co.uk.

[Gazza77]

I quite fancy doing some proper off roading, budget wise it would depend on the car I don't fancy anything newish though, insurance is something with me as well though as being 18 its not exactly cheap

Suzuki Jimny or Vitara? Might seem a bit girlie, but cheap to buy & run, fairly capable off road plenty of bits available to mod them should so you desire.

[Skip]

I'm very happy with my Hilux Surf 3.0 TD. Paid £1800 for it last January with 125,000Kms (Japanese import). Clean, quiet and comfortable (road-oriented tires) on the motorway, plenty capable in the snow and mud. Bullet-proof reliable, as would be expected from a Toyota.

My Dad has had a Jap import 1994 3.0 TD manual for the last 6 years - its now done 220,000 kms and everywhere it goes it tows his huge box trailer - its been faultlessly reliable too - and its an SSR-V which means it has all round electrics and A/C too :) I cant wait for him to finish with it so I can buy it off him!

Mind the 2.4s - I think they have a rep for heads warping or cracking due to poor cooling. I think you can get an upgraded head as a permanent fix. There will be plenty on the subject at hiluxsurf.co.uk.

Yup and 99.9% will be automatic too - not heard anyone say a good thing about the 2.4 engine. My friends Estima people carrier went through two heads in the 18 months he owned it!

[fizzwheel]

My friends Estima people carrier went through two heads in the 18 months he owned it!

They are very well known for doing that.

[barwel1992]

ohh your 18 well you wont get insured on a 4x4 under 25 when you actuly phone them up they will tell you ,you are to young :/ my cusin tried to get in sured on a 2litre rav4 (why i sugested it) and he is 19 nearly 20 you can try but i dont think your going to get any one that will :(

[MiniMatt]

Absolutely cheapest and suprisingly good "proper off road" - a Lada Niva - don't laugh, far more capable off road than most school run chelsea tractors and costs no more than a few tanks of fuel. But don't try to use it as day to day road transport - any attempt at speeds higher than 40 will result in loosing all your fillings, much of the body work, and the appearance of a tubby scotsman appearing in the back yelling "she cannae take any more cap'n".

If you're looking for a regular car that has 4wd for the occasional muddy lane then an old quattro can be had for less than a grand. Use it till it breaks, but when it does break it'll be monstrously expensive to fix so it's scrap the moment that happens. Insurance may be on the high side at 18 tho.

[fizzwheel]

Just to bump what I said earlier, some of you will have seen it at the AR this year...

http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e344/fizzwheel/DSC_0010-1.jpg

We paid £700 for this... its not the most attractive vechile in the world, but it has selectable two wheel drive / 4wd high range / 4wd low range. None of your electronic nonsense either a nice lever to select what you want.

It doesnt have the ground clearance of a disco or a landie, but for green laning etc its fine. Its a 7 seater as well. Without the back row of seats in it has a huge amount of space inside.

In 2WD mode its quite car like to drive. It will cruise all day at 70mph on the motorway. We've had 90 out of it with no trouble at all, but it drinks diesel if you do that.

[Skip]

Here is my Dads Surf - I love it - had 160kph on the clock once (wouldn't recommend it though!) - it towed the Evo on the car trailer like it wasn't even there up to 70mph. MPG is about the 30 mark - nothing special but then its a big vehicle. Off road is good - as Fizzs Maverick it has a lever for the 4WD rather than the modern electronic way. Its getting tired now so I am hinting he needs to sell it to me so I can stick some grippier tyres and do a little green laning :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v607/skip665/p2200033.jpg

[Luckypants]

ohh your 18 well you wont get insured on a 4x4 under 25 when you actuly phone them up they will tell you ,you are to young :/ my cusin tried to get in sured on a 2litre rav4 (why i sugested it) and he is 19 nearly 20 you can try but i dont think your going to get any one that will :(

Not true. My son has no problem getting insurance on his 3.0 petrol SWB Shogun. He does have 4 years NCB though.

TBH if you are just worried about a muddy path, just get some knobbly (-ish) tyres for the car, it will most likely give enough traction for such situations. No need to go to the expense of a full blown 4x4. For light off-roading (like muddy paths) then the Panda 4x4 is plenty capable and really good in snow too.

If you want a full size 4x4 then be prepared for the running costs. There is a few cheap Shoguns / Landcruisers / Fourtracks about. Go Japanese if you want reliability, Landies require you to be handy with a spanner.

You could consider a 4x4 pickup if you don't mind the open back. Lots of Hi-lux / Navarra / L200s about.

[_Stretchie_]

OOHHH! Where is Stretchie when you need him!! LOL!

Hello :)

they seem well priced compared with an equivalent Discovery...

This is true

A Discovery might be an option and it'll have better road manners than a Landrover.

Oi, it IS a Land Rover

It doesnt have the ground clearance of a disco or a landie, but for green laning etc its fine. Its a 7 seater as well. Without the back row of seats in it has a huge amount of space inside.

Oi again... Disco IS a land rover :( . Fizz's does get better mileage than the Disco which could deffo be a decision maker, especially if you do a lot of mileage. And for larkin about with your mates I really don't think there would be a lot in it between the two as long as one of you has a rope and both of you have recovery points.


If you want a full size 4x4 then be prepared for the running costs. There is a few cheap Shoguns / Landcruisers / Fourtracks about. Go Japanese if you want reliability, Landies require you to be a spanner.

Yeah, it's not cheap running a Disco. But the Tax isn't THAT bad on an older one, mines a 98 one, £190 tax a year.

Depending what you want it for, any of the series model Land Rovers are only group two insurance but you wouldn't want to sit it in all day or do motorway miles and you would end up using yer spanners alot

[fizzwheel]

Oi again... Disco IS a land rover :(

I meant a defender, but you knew what I meant anyway :p

Actually whilst we're here. Chap at work is selling his 110 Defender, its either an 1984 on a B ( I think )

He wants £1500 cosmetically its a bit scruffy, but underneath its sound. Has tax and MOT. Its a 2.5 L Diesel. No blower on it so dont expect a huge amount of performance out of it...

[BanditPat]

I meant a defender, but you knew what I meant anyway :p

Actually whilst we're here. Chap at work is selling his 110 Defender, its either an 1984 on a B ( I think )

He wants £1500 cosmetically its a bit scruffy, but underneath its sound. Has tax and MOT. Its a 2.5 L Diesel. No blower on it so dont expect a huge amount of performance out of it...


Got a few insurance quotes and hilux surfs were about 2.5k for the year same with that 110 defender, the cheapest was a 2.5l TDI discovery it wasnt a huge increase on what im paying now Land cruisers seem to be cheap as well..

[speedplay]

Why look at a big 4x4 if your not thinking of taking it off road?
The maverick, freelander, rav 4 etc will more than take you down muddy tracks without carrying the extra weight and are also a smaller car to chuck about too.

[BanditPat]

Why look at a big 4x4 if your not thinking of taking it off road?
The maverick, freelander, rav 4 etc will more than take you down muddy tracks without carrying the extra weight and are also a smaller car to chuck about too.

I didn't say i wasn't going to take it off road? Thats one thing im quite looking forward to. Saying that I don't particularly get along with small cars ;) And the a 2ltr diesel rav 4 is no cheaper on insurance than a discovery etc and (from what i've seen) they seem to be a fair bit more. Mavericks arent to bad though and there not exactly small either.

[speedplay]

I didn't say i wasn't going to take it off road? Thats one thing im quite looking forward to. Saying that I don't particularly get along with small cars ;) And the a 2ltr diesel rav 4 is no cheaper on insurance than a discovery etc and (from what i've seen) they seem to be a fair bit more.


No you didnt say you wernt going to take it off road, you said:-

"After getting my car stuck on a dirt path a few days ago I'm considering looking for a cheap old 4x4"

If you had said:-

"I'm looking for a cheap 4x4 to use on the road and also take greenlaning"

You may have had less unsuitable suggestions and more help with exactly what you were looking for;)

[BanditPat]

No you didnt say you wernt going to take it off road, you said:-

"After getting my car stuck on a dirt path a few days ago I'm considering looking for a cheap old 4x4"

If you had said:-

"I'm looking for a cheap 4x4 to use on the road and also take greenlaning"

You may have had less unsuitable suggestions and more help with exactly what you were looking for;)


Later on in the thread i said that i wanted to take it offroading ;)

[speedplay]

Have you told your insurance company this?

Some companys wont cover off road useage.

[BanditPat]

Have you told your insurance company this?

Some companys wont cover off road useage.

No told them yet, i'll wait till i get one there'll be at least 1 company that will i imagine

[speedplay]

No told them yet, i'll wait till i get one there'll be at least 1 company that will i imagine


There are people, stretchie will probably be able to point you in the right direction.

I know that my KTM is an road registered enduro and insured for offroad use as well as onroad but not many liked doing it.
I can understand why as the risk of damage is higher but byways are still classed as a highway and should be insured the same as tarmac.

[fizzwheel]

Mavericks arent to bad though and there not exactly small either.

If you are looking at a Maverick and want a Diesel, go for the later facelifted one that has the 2.7Tdi engine in it, ( the bonnet has a scoop on it ) as they put out more power than the earlier ones with out the intercooler...

If you are worried about it being to big get the Short Wheel Base one like this :

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/200944345045281/sort/priceasc/usedcars/make/ford/model/maverick/page/1/quicksearch/true/radius/100/postcode/ba202ne?previous=%2Fsearch%2Fresults%2Fusedcars%2F postcode%2Fba202ne%2Fradius%2F100%2Fmake%2Fford%2F model%2Fmaverick%2Fpage%2F1%2Fquicksearch%2Ftrue%2 Fsort%2Fpriceasc&anchor=advert200944345045281&logcode=p

[speedplay]

I heard you the first time Fizz...;)

[fizzwheel]

I heard you the first time Fizz...;)

Sorry its the old age creeping in...

[_Stretchie_]

There are people, stretchie will probably be able to point you in the right direction.


:notworthy:

Do a google search for 4x4 insurance rather than going straight for the normal companies, although they do crop up in the search but this way you get through to the 4x4 department. When looking around for insurance for mine last year and this year I made sure to ask them about greenlaning cover as mine will be used for that and pretty much all of them said you're covered as standard (BUT CHECK FIRST don't assume it).

Don't forget, greenlaning is driving on byways, byways are normal roads, covered by normal highway rules, you still need tax and MOT and seatbelts to drive them so you should be alright, however, if you went to a pay and play site and rolled it down a big hill I don't think you'd be covered

; )