New car advice

Chaz.Harding

OK, so straight to the point - I need a new car.

It has to be a diesel, and it has to be 4wd. I have up to £4k to spend, but I could push it a bit more.

I was thinking along the lines of a Landrover Freelander, Ford Ranger, Nissan Navara etc. Any other suggestions to add to the mix would be welcome.

Thanks,

Chaz.

Kowalski675

You'd be better off burning your 4 grand than buying a Freelander.

tlw1

bothered about fuel economy

mudsucker

does it need to be a 4x4 or would a Golf, Focus, Civic, Astra etc do the job?

Chaz.Harding

Yes, it does need to have a 4wd drive train. I live and work in rural remote locations, which in Winter become inaccessible by standard 2wd cars.

Fuel economy isn't a show stopper, although if it could reach 35/40 mpg on a motorway run, it would be a good argument for the car.

Again, it needs to be a diesel, and it needs to be reliable. But, cheap and easy to fix when it does go wrong, so nothing like a BMW X5 or Mercedes ML is suitable.

Thanks!

Kowalski675

RTW-Chaz wrote:

and it needs to be reliable.

Definitely not the Freelander then.

Thewaylander

Buy a normal 2wd car and invest in proper winter tyres.

Seriously a car is as good as its boots, so a 4wd is better in the snow true, but if it has normal tyres compared to a standard front wheel drive car with winter tyres its not, and with the savings on fuel and tax you'd make you will bill able to afford the winter tyres.

Simples.

Doctor House

Does it have to be a diesel? For similar rural/snow reasons we ran big diesel 4x4's for years. Recently changed to a 2.0 l non-turbo petrol subaru legacy. It is much nicer to drive and the fuel economy isn't really that much worse than a big ol' truck (the twin turbo versions are very thirsty). Never got more than about 32 - 33 mpg out of the diesels and the legacy comes in at about 29 mpg. Family members run a Ranger and a Navara and neither get more than mid 20's mpg.

Chaz.Harding

OK, so firstly, it needs to be a diesel. I don't like petrol cars, and I've had diesels for ages. I just like them more.

I considered a 4wd car, but they aren't very cheap or very common, so while something like an Audi Allroad A6, or Volvo V70 Cross Country would be great, the diesel variants are a bit too pricey for my budget.

As for 2wd car and snow tyres, again, nice idea in principle, but its not entirely practical. I do occaisionally have requirement to drive off road (nothing too severe, but I've found normal cars very easy to get stuck (sometimes pretty comprehensively)).

Thanks.

Kowalski675

RTW-Chaz wrote:

I don't like petrol cars, and I've had diesels for ages. I just like them more.

Pervert.

YeehaaMcgee

RTW-Chaz wrote:

OK, so firstly, it needs to be a diesel. I don't like petrol cars, and I've had diesels for ages. I just like them more.

I considered a 4wd car, but they aren't very cheap or very common, so while something like an Audi Allroad A6, or Volvo V70 Cross Country would be great, the diesel variants are a bit too pricey for my budget.

As for 2wd car and snow tyres, again, nice idea in principle, but its not entirely practical. I do occaisionally have requirement to drive off road (nothing too severe, but I've found normal cars very easy to get stuck (sometimes pretty comprehensively)).

Thanks.

Hmm, I's still reckon that for snow, a 2WD car with winter tyres will be all you really need.

Anyway, have you considered something like a Subaru Legacy?

Chaz.Harding

Subaru Legacy sounds like an option. But for the record, whatever I buy really needs to be 4wd. I live in a rural part of Hereford, and make regular trips to deep into the Brecon Beacons, and Northern Scotland too, typically along tight, steep, single track roads. I've always had 2wd's (both front and rear wheel drives) and always bought decent snow tyres, and its never stopped me getting stuck, between the low ground clearance and not having all 4 wheels driven.

YeehaaMcgee

Well, the Legacy was the thinking farmer's 4x4 for several years, and is still pretty popular with the landed gentry.

homers_double

I've got a nissan navara, its pretty comfy on long journeys, I do quite a lot of business miles and have driven it over to (and am doing the same tomorrow) Italy a few times.

Loads of room in the back, a good (albeit slightly industrial) interior if you for a highter spec. Min'e the Long Way Down and has full leather, heated seats etc.

Plastic load liner means I can hose the mud out after a decent day in the saddle if I've been traveling and it also means if I'm on a site vist close to a trail centre I can take the bike with me. I've been paid to ride several stanes, cannock, llandegla, cwm carn and afan to name but a few.

I'd say on average I get around 25mpg bu can eek that up to 28 on a decent m-way run.

yorkcyclefair

audi all road should do the job or a vw passat estate 4 motion?

Thewaylander

homers double wrote:

I've got a nissan navara, its pretty comfy on long journeys, I do quite a lot of business miles and have driven it over to (and am doing the same tomorrow) Italy a few times.

Loads of room in the back, a good (albeit slightly industrial) interior if you for a highter spec. Min'e the Long Way Down and has full leather, heated seats etc.

Plastic load liner means I can hose the mud out after a decent day in the saddle if I've been traveling and it also means if I'm on a site vist close to a trail centre I can take the bike with me. I've been paid to ride several stanes, cannock, llandegla, cwm carn and afan to name but a few.

I'd say on average I get around 25mpg bu can eek that up to 28 on a decent m-way run.

can fit my bike in my Leon FR and get over 50 mpg... i win :P

nicklouse

Thewaylander wrote:

... i win :P

Mine runs on Veg oil.

I win.

TCR4x4

Nissan xtrails are underrated. I had one before buying my landrover disco and it was surprisingly good offroad, especially with decent tyres.

They have a few issues, like any car, but on the whole are pretty reliable and the 2.2 DCI engine pulls like a train. For your budget an older style 2004-2006 model would be best.

The pre 2004 were a bit more rustic and the new shape one still commands a high price.

I never worked out the mpg as it didnt concern me, but I'd guess its better than my disco which gets 23 mpg Ish on average.

You can also fold the rear seats completely flat and fit 2 mtbs in the boot!

97th choice

Completely left field but a decent car for fitting in mtbs. Renault kangoo trekka dci

TCR4x4

97th choice wrote:

Completely left field but a decent car for fitting in mtbs. Renault kangoo trekka dci

Haha, true. The guy who bought my GT came down from up north somewhere in one of those to pick it up! He said the only reason he had it was to fit bikes in.

YeehaaMcgee

nicklouse wrote:

Mine runs on Vag oil.
I win.

Niiice.

russyh

I wouldn't look to far away from an xtrail, looking like great value for money at the moment. The TD4 freelancer is not a bad car, the 1.8 petrols were the problem models so steer clear of them. You should get a decent one at this time of year as the 4x4 market is flat currently. You may also find a rav4 within budget but of a bird car but a very capable car.
If you need any vehicle pricing info send me a pm, I work in the wholesale side of the motor trade so can help with vehicle valuation if needed.

Kowalski675

Russyh wrote:

The TD4 freelancer is not a bad car, the 1.8 petrols were the problem models so steer clear of them.

They were all problem models - poorly built, unreliable heaps of unadulterated shite. And that's from a man who used to be service manager at a LR dealer, lol.

russyh

You could say that about most cars, the td4 is well received in the trade and actually pretty good value. I wouldn't over look them in terms of bang for your buck! I have ha very few problems with them in my time selling them in the trade.

coulddobetter

Daihatsu fourtrak , mitsubishi shogan .

rockymountainrich

i have just got a legacy diesel boxer engined beast i get 40-45mpg and its so much more fun to drive great off road too and bike goes in a breeze.

Kowalski675

rockymountainrich wrote:

i have just got a legacy diesel

Why would you do that?

paul.skibum

We have a mid 90's legacy in Canada and with proper winter tyres on it would drive up a piste without blinking - never faltered on rough and snow covered roads. Leaks oil like a fountain but that's due to the environment we keep it and my mates insistance on using it in mid winter for 30 second journeys.