Small 4x4

I don't know ur set up for storage/parking.

But i think buying a quad and road trailer and just towing it behind a normal car can be a really good combo.
U have a decent light 4x4 that will go anywhere without marking fields no matter how wet/steep etc and a decent thing to shoot off

I'd say most 4x4's have drawbacks comprimise's and are a decent expense/luxory for an occasional shooter, i wrote my 4x4 off in black ice a few years ago and went back to a 2wd van for a temp fix, still got the van and hardly missed the 4x4.
I've since bought a 4x4 again and is handy for picking up etc, but for my own shooting i could easy cope with a car/van and quad

I know not wot u asked but older 2wd cars/vans are soooo cheap nowadays, 15k a year is a decent road mileage and for all modern 4x4's are quite good nowadays. "wd's just seem so cheap to buy, run and fix compared to a 4x4.
I see plenty of 04/5ish combi vans with decent mot's for 2-300 quid, do the job for a few years, good cheap motoring
 
I would say it would have to be a Vitara, I have a V6 petrol auto and although not econimcal ie about 20 mpg its just fantastic both on and off road. Reliable and brilliant heater not a bad word to say about them. Also mine has chain cam so no worries about that, cheap to insure. Also good high and low box with self locking hubs.

D
 
What wheels does the Rav4 come with? Is there a good choice of tyres or do you need different rims?

mines had all terrains on it when I bought it but I just recently ordered insa turbo mud tyres and the fit straight onto the the 16 inch factory rims, plenty of tyres available to suit them
 
just had a 600 mile trip in my old rav, 75% motorway right enough but I averaged 58 mpg which I thought was amazing
 
Resurrecting this one. Still haven't bought anything but I'v e decided to go for a larger SUV and not bother with the small ones. I'll use it for everything, shooting and work and where I need to carry the gear I'm now using the van for (which isn't every day) I'll get a trailer. You don't have to tax and insure them. Towing a trailer is a pain but it would only be three or four times a month and its way cheaper than keeping two vehicles on the road.

With this in mind, much as I like the thought of Toyota reliability, I think I will go for the Vitara. I can see a Rav4 feeling the strain off-road whereas the Suzuki will walk it.
Still can't decide on petrol or diesel. I accept that diesel is cheaper to run, road tax is little or no different and that £1000 a year premium for petrol is I'm sure, bang on. But.. I could get a lot more car for my budget with petrol, with lower miles. I think little will change of the political front this side of the next election, other than relentless road tax increases, but if the government collapses or there's a general election and the next government have a proper majority, all bets will be off and the trouble will start for diesel. If the car is to last longer than five years and its to be my only car, I think petrol is a better bet. I don't want to end up banned from city centres in the only car I'll have. My annual mileage is only about 10-14,000.

Question is, what's the petrol Vitara like for towing? Someone told me yesterday that the petrol Rav4 lacked the torque. It'll be a 5 door with the 147 bhp four, not the V6. It'll be towing a twin axle Ifor Williams or similar, possible a small livestock or other covered trailer so when needed I can transport my bikes. Will the petrol be up to that? Probably looking at an 06 onwards model as they have more power.
 
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Subaru Outback - the best of all worlds

:thumb: I have used nothing else but Subaru's for deer stalking for 25 years Pickups/Legacy's and currently a Forester Petrol Manual with dual range
The older shape are the best Legacy/Legacy Outback up to 2003 and Forester's up to 2007
But beware hare coursing travellers love them, The B******s had it away with my last Subaru Pickup (There as Rare as hens teeth now)
 
Resurrecting this one. Still haven't bought anything but I'v e decided to go for a larger SUV and not bother with the small ones. I'll use it for everything, shooting and work and where I need to carry the gear I'm now using the van for (which isn't every day) I'll get a trailer. You don't have to tax and insure them. Towing a trailer is a pain but it would only be three or four times a month and its way cheaper than keeping two vehicles on the road.

With this in mind, much as I like the thought of Toyota reliability, I think I will go for the Vitara. I can see a Rav4 feeling the strain off-road whereas the Suzuki will walk it.
Still can't decide on petrol or diesel. I accept that diesel is cheaper to run, road tax is little or no different and that £1000 a year premium for petrol is I'm sure, bang on. But.. I could get a lot more car for my budget with petrol, with lower miles. I think little will change of the political front this side of the next election, other than relentless road tax increases, but if the government collapses or there's a general election and the next government have a proper majority, all bets will be off and the trouble will start for diesel. If the car is to last longer than five years and its to be my only car, I think petrol is a better bet. I don't want to end up banned from city centres in the only car I'll have. My annual mileage is only about 10-14,000.

Question is, what's the petrol Vitara like for towing? Someone told me yesterday that the petrol Rav4 lacked the torque. It'll be a 5 door with the 147 bhp four, not the V6. It'll be towing a twin axle Ifor Williams or similar, possible a small livestock or other covered trailer so when needed I can transport my bikes. Will the petrol be up to that? Probably looking at an 06 onwards model as they have more power.

It will be easy to see what the max towing weight rating is for your Vitara and compare it with your trailer and likely load.

I have always been more concerned with the weight and stopping power of the tow vehicle rather than its bhp or torque...the gearbox can deal with the forward direction side of the equation! I am more concerned about keeping it in a straight line and being able to stop the trailer, than keeping up with the traffic.

In my youth...before the towing weight limits we thought nothing of pulling a car trailer with the same model of car as the load. The 80% weight guide was reversed. No problem going forward though for the old BMC B series engines with their long-stroke torque but only 68bhp. Driving defensively so no sudden braking was the skill...

Currently though, I have an old petrol Volvo XC70 with 200bhp and a trailer weight limit of 1750kg and an even older 300tdi diesel Discovery with a 3500kg towing limit. The Volvo feels much more stable towing a 1750kg load than the Discovery, albeit on low speed local trips around the lanes.

Alan
 
I have a SWB Vitara, whip the back seats out and stick some mud tyres on. :thumb: Ok for towing a small trailer, not so good for moving 4 dry Holstein cows from one side of the farm to the other in the Ifor Williams. Cheap to buy, cheap to run, insure, fix. Tax is a bit expensive (imho). Ok on the road and very good off it. proper 4 wheel drive & high / low. It is almost (in my opinion) as good off road as the farm Defender, I find it much more comfortable to drive long distances than the Defender and it costs a hell of a lot less.
 
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