Cheap 4x4s

Is there such thing as a cheap 4x4 to buy 2nd hand and run?

The bad weather has annoyed me and a 4x4 is the way to go.

I am talking basic. BMW X5s are not my thing. We are talking go...not show.

[mattSV]

How about a scooby - I only paid £2.5k for my impreza

[gruntygiggles]

What's your budget? You can get an old landy series I or II for good prices these days with great off road capabilities, but they are not fast and not luxurious.

Then there are the jap 4x4's which have the comforts we've got used to in a car, can be cheap to pick up and are still good off road.

[gruntygiggles]

Also, any age Audi All Roads are good.

[L3nny]

The small Suzuki ones are supposed to be good. Jimnis, Samuaris and the like. Just don't try to go around a corner in one.

[fizzwheel]

Ford Maverick / Nissan Terrano II.

The ford is the Nissan with different badges on it. Hideous to look at, but you can pick up a decent one for £1500 ish, very car like to drive, but surprisingly good off road to. Ours is a 7 seater long wheel base version, which has loads of space inside.

Road Tax IIRC was £205 ish
Does about 25 to 30 mpg on a good day
Will sit at 70-80 on the motorway with no trouble at all, have seen 100mph on the speedo, but thats not good for fuel economy.
last time I bought tyres was £90 a corner, for something that works well off road to.
Has selectable 2wd / 4wd so on road you run it in 2wd which also keeps costs down. Has 4wd high and low range.

Problems with ours, needed rather alot of welding for one MOT, watch for rear seat belt mounts, its blew its heater matrix last winter which was rather expensive to buy. Sometimes people have trouble with the transfer box, but otherwise engine and transmission are well known for being bullet proof.

If you are going to get one, go for the later facelifted one like ours if you are going diesel as its intercooled so you get a little more power ( 122bhp ) look for the bonnet scoop.

[flymo]

take a look at the Nissan X Trail. On snow and ice it is truly awesome how it finds any grip at all.

I tested it on steep icy roads in my town, roads that other cars were totally unable to use, the XTrail climbed them like there was no ice at all, amazing.

The small suzukis jimnys are prone to flip over in a swerve, look at the accident damaged ones for sale and you can see they've all been rolled. Modified they're great off road, but rubbish on road
If what you need is more a 4 wheel drive car than an actual off-roader, cheapest one I know of is the Suzuki Ignis 4grip, 1.5 litre petrol... More off road and still cheap is the updated Daihatsu Terios, 1.5 petrol also, that was the car that Clarkson drove painted as a fox on TG.

I'm sure people will point you in the direction of diesels for economy, but unless you're going to do huge miles there's very little saving to be had for diesel, especially once you factor in the higher purchase prices.

Originally Posted by benji106

that looks like 2 x 2