I'm thinking of going from a car to a 4x4. I think I'd like a bit more room, elevated driving position etc

Won't be competing offroad etc but it would be nice if it wasnt totally useless off road!

I don't care where it comes from (english, japanese etc)

I do care about fuel economy

I like the look of the double cab pickup types but imagine they'll be too dear?

I do care about reliability, ie I'd maintain it ok, but I'd rather not be changing heads/clutches etc

I care about comfort, only a small family (wife n child) but a dog could be on the cards! Don't really want It to beuch older than 10 years...

I won't need to tow anything specific, but once again, it woupd be nice if it wasnt useless!

The £2.5k budget is an eBay budget, and I dont need to buy right away, so It might give 4x4 prices a bit of time to calm down after winter! So guys n girls, what suggestions have you got for me?

Cheers...

For that money an old Shogun will be more use than a tired Landy with a crap heater.


Ebay is full of old Shoguns at your price bracket.

You can have my 02 Shogun Sport for £3K. Any good?

Personally I wouls have a Trooper Citation, fully loaded, leather, 3.5 V6 24v, 250bhp, more torque than will ever need. Had a 1999 model 4 years ago, 1 owner, FSH £1500.

Wait a couple of months till the fuel and VAT increase really bite. Buy a petrol 4x4 for buttons and convert to LPG.

Off & snow ability is more down to tyres than anything else and Range Rover on ultra wide ultra low profile boots is useless in the snow and ice.

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Originally posted by britishtrident
Wait a couple of months till the fuel and VAT increase really bite. Buy a petrol 4x4 for buttons and convert to LPG.

Off & snow ability is more down to tyres than anything else and Range Rover on ultra wide ultra low profile boots is useless in the snow and ice.

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I got a freelander td4 y plate you can have for £2100. Its done 180k miles and has some bodywork dings and scratches, but mechanically good (just fitted recon rear diff and vcu). Its the cheapest TD4 in the country by a miles. Not sure what you have, but would also take cheap car in px

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Originally posted by TPG

quote:

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Originally posted by britishtrident
Wait a couple of months till the fuel and VAT increase really bite. Buy a petrol 4x4 for buttons and convert to LPG.

Off & snow ability is more down to tyres than anything else and Range Rover on ultra wide ultra low profile boots is useless in the snow and ice.

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This is it in a nut shell.Tyres.
I have a 06 jeep 2.8 crd.A fair motor.Does what it says on the tin (landrover based all their ideas on the Jeep brand after the war....)Any "proper" big 4x4(L/R,Jeep,Shogun,etc etc) will guzzle fuel,its pure physic's.Wieght and aerodynamics.
But! A good set of snow tyres on, most cars will go anywhere.A friend has some grasstrack tyres on at the minute.Bloody nosiey on the road but great grip during the snow.So there you go,A Diesel Picasso with Grass track remoulds on....

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beware that fuel comsumption is shocking in a 4x4, my jeep cherokee is not the biggest but the computer reads 21.7mpg at the min, and during the snow was down to 17 at one point.

i like the Galaxy 4x4, high up driving position, but not bad on fuel being pointed at the front, loads of space with seats out, if you can find a mk2 vw sharan, they came in diesel 4x4, but the mk1 badged ford galaxy only came with the vw vr6 engine and auto 4x4, sharan mk2 was offered v6 and diesel, and the diesel sharan is great on fuel, but hard to find in 4x4 diesel,

Early Nissan patrol. That or a Toyota Landcruiser both the best for the cash really. Had the pleasure of using both in 'hostile' conditions and they've never let me down.

Shogun

Takes a lot to please me and I'll be getting another one to replace mine.

Never thought I'd like a 4x4, now I wouldn't be without my Shogun.

Paid £1075 for it on ebay, its a 1996 2.8 td, does about 27 to the gallon pretty much everywhere, as long as you don't cruise at over 80mph. If you sit at 90 it does drink a bit more!

Will tow anything (Gross combination weight is over 6 tonnes!!!)

I drove a '04 land rover 110 station wagon thing the other day and I just cannot believe that they ever sell any, by comparison to my shogun it was pure shite, absolutely awful!!

The shogun has done 185,000 miles now, and apart from a new battery, has resolutely refused to go wrong (ok it could do with some new glow plugs now if I'm honest)

Only thing to watch, according to a mate who is a diesel engineer, is that the 2.8td is utterly bulletproof, but the earlier 2.5 is NOT, and neither is the later common rail version.

I'm on the lookout in the near-ish future, for a newer one like mine with the old 2.8 engine. They made them up to T reg as far as I have seen, that seems to be when the new model took over.

Get a Kia Sportage We bought ours as a stop gap between cars and it's a lovely thing. 2.0 16v Mazda based engine revs like a turbine and gives 30mpg plus it drives tight, more like a car than any 4x4 I ever drove. The 4x4 h and l both work and can get you out of trouble but I wouldn't go serious off roading in it though it's far too clean.

shogun is a good call, i had 2 ages ago before i appreciated a good 4x4, and only had each a few weeks, but ive always fancied a newer sport.

The thing also to consider is what you are going to do with it.
A,what is refered to in the press as a soft roader is a really good all round car.An X trail for example (Try and find a good one of those) All the little Jap stuff.Great.Even a Freelander,Most things in the £2.5k range will be high miles,poor history,getting on etc etc.Not all of these points can dismiss any car.
You've got to take each motor as it stands on its 4 wheels.A classic 1990's LSE Range Rover with a LPG conversion in good nick is going to be a better buy than a early P38 Range Rover for example.
But if your towing heavy loads alot,long distance you need wieght in the tow car.Once you've had a few coaches past at 70mph plus and trying to vaccum you in......Proper 5p 50p moments.
I am going to selling the current Jeep to release money out of it during the summer(Its a Cat C that owes me just over £3k,booking at £5k plus at the minute)and my dream replacement would be a early (To keep clear of the road tax lark)P38 Rangy with the late 2.8 Jeep engine and 5 spd Auto (In the one I currently have) in it.I'd buy the rangy as a non runner/petrol and convert it. As most have said on here,running a "Big" 4x4 is heavy on the fuel.

My 4x4 does 35mpg (I got 453 miles on a tank of fuel) when driven carefully (as in 60mph) and can run on pure veg oil (at 55p Litre) with only another fuel filter needing to be added.

Oh, its a 2.9td and big.

Very cheap to buy as well.

Diesel Jag X type .....

Good performance, economy and handling

ATB

Simon