New car advice

Chaz.Harding
Chaz.Harding Posts: 3,144
edited September 2013 in The hub
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.
Boo-yah mofo
Sick to the power of rad
Fix it 'till it's broke

Comments

  • Kowalski675
    Kowalski675 Posts: 4,412
    You'd be better off burning your 4 grand than buying a Freelander.
  • tlw1
    tlw1 Posts: 21,831
    bothered about fuel economy
  • mudsucker
    mudsucker Posts: 730
    does it need to be a 4x4 or would a Golf, Focus, Civic, Astra etc do the job?
    Bikes are OK, I guess... :-)

    2008 Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Comp.
    2013 Trek 1.2
    1982 Holdsworth Elan.
  • Chaz.Harding
    Chaz.Harding Posts: 3,144
    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!
    Boo-yah mofo
    Sick to the power of rad
    Fix it 'till it's broke
  • Kowalski675
    Kowalski675 Posts: 4,412
    RTW-Chaz wrote:
    and it needs to be reliable.

    Definitely not the Freelander then.
  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,594
    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.
  • 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
    Chaz.Harding Posts: 3,144
    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.
    Boo-yah mofo
    Sick to the power of rad
    Fix it 'till it's broke
  • Kowalski675
    Kowalski675 Posts: 4,412
    RTW-Chaz wrote:
    I don't like petrol cars, and I've had diesels for ages. I just like them more.

    Pervert. :lol:
  • YeehaaMcgee
    YeehaaMcgee Posts: 5,740
    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
    Chaz.Harding Posts: 3,144
    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.
    Boo-yah mofo
    Sick to the power of rad
    Fix it 'till it's broke
  • YeehaaMcgee
    YeehaaMcgee Posts: 5,740
    Well, the Legacy was the thinking farmer's 4x4 for several years, and is still pretty popular with the landed gentry.
  • homers_double
    homers_double Posts: 7,977
    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.
    Advocate of disc brakes.
  • audi all road should do the job or a vw passat estate 4 motion?
  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,594
    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
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    ... i win :P
    Mine runs on Veg oil.

    I win.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • TCR4x4
    TCR4x4 Posts: 38
    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
    97th choice Posts: 2,222
    Completely left field but a decent car for fitting in mtbs. Renault kangoo trekka dci
    Too-ra-loo-ra, too-ra-loo-rye, aye

    Giant Trance
    Radon ZR 27.5 Race
    Btwin Alur700
    Merida CX500
  • TCR4x4
    TCR4x4 Posts: 38
    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
    YeehaaMcgee Posts: 5,740
    nicklouse wrote:
    Mine runs on Vag oil.
    I win.
    Niiice.
  • russyh
    russyh Posts: 1,375
    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
    Kowalski675 Posts: 4,412
    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
    russyh Posts: 1,375
    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.
  • Daihatsu fourtrak , mitsubishi shogan .
  • 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.
  • i have just got a legacy diesel

    Why would you do that?
  • 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.
    Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.