tech_guy Posted July 4, 2011 Posted July 4, 2011 ...and what to avoid. Recommendations please from esteemed fellow Edugeekers. Looking to spend up to around £8k max. Something for rattling around in off the beaten track at weekends and for towing a folding camper. Why are S/H Freelanders so cheap? Is it because they're rubbish? I've been told to go for something like a Mitsubishi. Any suggestions? Many thanks.
featured_spectre Posted July 4, 2011 Posted July 4, 2011 Mitsubishi Pajero is fantastic...exceed versions are good with a lovely dash, considering the size they are quite economical on the diesel. 1
griffin Posted July 4, 2011 Posted July 4, 2011 Subaru foresters are great cars my wife and I love ours. Going for the non turbo versions gives you a low ratio gearbox and slightly more affordable insurance. 1
vikpaw Posted July 5, 2011 Posted July 5, 2011 I have Toyota FJ Cruiser - it's freakin awesome - Not really suitable if you want more than 1 passenger though. I'm no expert but some things to look out for : Is the spare tyre accessible, i.e. on the back door rather than underneath as it is on some cars here. Ground clearance. - Mine has a skid plate at the front. Size of gas tank - maybe not such an issue in the UK, though the cost factor will be Mechanical or Automatic switch to 4wd - i prefer mechanical. Extra features (again, maybe this is too advanced): rear-diff lock, variable skid control. 1
mac_shinobi Posted July 5, 2011 Posted July 5, 2011 I have Toyota FJ Cruiser - it's freakin awesome - Not really suitable if you want more than 1 passenger though. I'm no expert but some things to look out for : Is the spare tyre accessible, i.e. on the back door rather than underneath as it is on some cars here. Ground clearance. - Mine has a skid plate at the front. Size of gas tank - maybe not such an issue in the UK, though the cost factor will be Mechanical or Automatic switch to 4wd - i prefer mechanical. Extra features (again, maybe this is too advanced): rear-diff lock, variable skid control. Toyota Hilux ( quad cab ) or something like that ?? 1
laserblazer Posted July 5, 2011 Posted July 5, 2011 This will pass anything on the road (except a filling station)
K.C.Leblanc Posted July 5, 2011 Posted July 5, 2011 Mitsubishi Pajero is fantastic...exceed versions are good with a lovely dash, considering the size they are quite economical on the diesel. Just bare in mind a Pajero will have been imported secondhand, this can make tracing the car's history tricky. The UK model is the shogun. 1
broc Posted July 5, 2011 Posted July 5, 2011 Second hand Freelander (petrol) tend to be cheap because the 1.8 engines (K-series) have a history of overheating & head gasket problems which can damage the cylinder head. Also, they can be costly to service & repair if you are not into DIY. We had two 2 litre diesel Freelanders for a total of 9 years, neither gave us any serious trouble (dead battery on one) so you can get good ones.....we towed a caravan with one of them & it was fine. The old TDi Discovery is a traditional Land Rover under the skin & will go anywhere; parts are cheap (you will need them) good for DIY repair & they are very robust; the later TD5 engine Series II Discovery is more refined, but is more expensive to service & repair as there is a lot more electronics in them. I had one new but got rid of it at 3 years old because it had cost Land Rover a fortune in warranty repairs. There is a whole industry supplying Landrover spares & several fora & lots of magazines for enthusiasts. Nissan X-Trail is worth looking at, but beware the earlier ones have a reputation for breaking turbos. The 170 bhp engine in the later models (2008 onwards?) is great. 2nd hand Toyotas & Mitsubishi are generally reliable, but repair costs can make your eyes water if they break down, especially major engine failure. You need deep pockets to run & maintain 4x4, especially the bigger ones. If you are handy with spanners & big hammers, I would say go for a Discovery TDi & keep some of your cash for repairs & renovation. You will have a lot more fun...... 1
3s-gtech Posted July 5, 2011 Posted July 5, 2011 Avoid - 3.0 Isuzu Trooper (or any Isuzu with the 3.0 CR engine). They're absolutely notorious - the old 2.8/3.1 was a good engine but the 3.0 suffers from faulty injectors leading to bore wash, worn rings, and eventual catastrophic failure as the oil is diluted down with diesel leading to it seizing or running uncontrollably on its lubricant. Older 2.0 Diesel Freelander had the Perkins derived DI engine - some fans of these but they're old tech and not without some issues. The V6 will bankrupt you. Rav4, Vitara, X-Trail are all solid. 1
HaleStorm Posted July 5, 2011 Posted July 5, 2011 2.0 TDi Toyota Rav-4 (long wheel base version) is a good bet, bomb proof engine, alot of grunt and has all the offroad/onroad stuff you could want (dif locks and all that jazz) we use my dad-in-laws all the time for towing cattle trailers across fields, most of the time it will go where the John Deere wont 1
vikpaw Posted July 11, 2011 Posted July 11, 2011 (edited) Toyota Hilux ( quad cab ) or something like that ?? This is mine, the hilux is pretty cool, i believe the fortuner / forerunner has the same chassis. Edit: by the way, over here, the RAV4 would not even be considered to go off-road. It's like the take your kids to school, barely safe to go over a road hump kinda car. Edited July 11, 2011 by vikpaw edit 1
HaleStorm Posted July 12, 2011 Posted July 12, 2011 This is mine, the hilux is pretty cool, i believe the fortuner / forerunner has the same chassis. [ATTACH=CONFIG]10717[/ATTACH] Edit: by the way, over here, the RAV4 would not even be considered to go off-road. It's like the take your kids to school, barely safe to go over a road hump kinda car. it depends how the RAV4 suspension is set up, ours is about a foot taller than the stock model and its had a extra low gear box fitted...but even stock standard it was a good field shredder
vikpaw Posted July 12, 2011 Posted July 12, 2011 The only problem with mine is that the back doors are only half doors, and they open the other way, and only after you open the front ones, if you see what i mean, so it's not really built for taking passengers easily. If you get an all white one, it looks like a storm troopers head.
HaleStorm Posted July 12, 2011 Posted July 12, 2011 what you really really want is one of these Paramount Group 1
SYNACK Posted July 12, 2011 Posted July 12, 2011 If you are after a little 4WD that can still go off road try a suzuki jimini. The two liter ones have enough grunt to do some off roading due to their size and they are well balanced (I've had one at around 55 degrees sideways tilt). If you want to do propper 4WDing then you are going to need locking diffs and a bunch of power to get over more extreme obsticals and usually need to be petrol to get the quick power delivery required. If your thinking is more along the lines of driving through a few muddy paddoks then your average raised subaru legacy (forester) will probably do fine. If you have access to this program on any of your channels or other distribution methods it is quite informative: 4WD TV - TREAD LIGHTLY - KEEP IT SAFE - PLAY HARD!
mac_shinobi Posted July 12, 2011 Posted July 12, 2011 This is mine, the hilux is pretty cool, i believe the fortuner / forerunner has the same chassis. [ATTACH=CONFIG]10717[/ATTACH] Edit: by the way, over here, the RAV4 would not even be considered to go off-road. It's like the take your kids to school, barely safe to go over a road hump kinda car. Toyota hilux, just saw the Marauder as below, man they both look hot, hot hot. Now for the winning jackpot lotto ticket !!
mac_shinobi Posted July 12, 2011 Posted July 12, 2011 Subaru foresters Nothing against subaru at all - never been in one so can't comment but they do look amazing. Just if you read or say it backwards it says " U r a bus" or in english " you are a bus " Just my £0.02
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