if not a truck , which 4x4 ?

[KRW]

Still running my trusty old 2004 XTrail 2.5 that I've had for the last 21 years, patched up the rear suspension mounts last year after noticing they were in need of attention (after it went through the MOT no issues) and hoping to get a couple of more years out of it yet.
The odd one or two Japanese imports do crop up for sale now and again, last one I saw was around the £7k mark a year or so ago when I last looked.

 

[Cottis]

It depends on the type of stalking you’re doing, roe and smaller don’t need a proper 4x4, larger fallow and reds definitely do.

Ive had lots of 4x4 over the years but in recent years I’ve had :

A petrol crv 2004 model- great for family, ok with seats down and plastic sheeting for animals up to fallow buck size. Ok on forest tracks and green solid fields.

Discovery 2 td5- awesome off road, lovely position to drive and feels like a shooting truck should, downside is they need regular repairs. Mine was a 2 seater commercial so was big enough to haul reds into the back.

Now moved into a KN26 Hilux as I need the extra seats and the truck bed will be useful for reds with a winch setup. It’s not as nice to drive as the discovery but will hopefully be more reliable.

I’ve a Yaris for my train station commute and school runs. I came to the realisation that you really won’t be able to get a vehicle to do both as a family car and a stalking vehicle.

If I was just shooting roe/fallow then I would probably got for a late freelander they’re capable off road and get reasonable rep for reliability.

Yep I agree. I have run two vehicles now for about 5yrs and I would never go back. The flexibility is great. I was trashing the crap out of my single vehicle prior to that, taking it places it was never designed to go. I don't have a family but I couldn't imagine having to keep a family vehicle clean so often, knowing how much abuse I ask the little Suzuki to take. It is filthy inside and out not to mention you wouldn't want ticks and crap on the kids and wife etc.

After having driven diesel daily drivers for 20yrs, I am now back to 2 petrol vehicles as I refuse to muck about with modern dervs which are choked to hell to satisfy emission laws.

I have a Golf R for good road use for daily work and shopping and usual A to B stuff and then a Mk1 Grand Vitara for all the mucky stuff. It soaks up the abuse and never goes wrong. Apart from usual servicing and brakes/tyres etc, the only things I have done on it in years is a front caliper, a new tailgate handle and re-lubing and servicing the steering column which was getting stiff and crappy. It owes me nothing and will likely outlive the Golf which has only 20k on the clock and has already cost me more in repairs/servicing in the short time I have had it than the GV has in god knows how long. The Suzuki does 5k miles a year and they are all harsh miles and i just put new oil and filters in it once a year. It also goes literally anywhere on AT's other than the most severe steep wet/muddy slopes. With proper MT's i genuinely think it would go anywhere. Probably should treat it to a new battery but even that seems fine. Also has the best heaters known to man. Hotter than the sun within 2 minutes of starting the engine.

 

[doric_prince]

Yep I agree. I have run two vehicles now for about 5yrs and I would never go back. The flexibility is great. I was trashing the crap out of my single vehicle prior to that, taking it places it was never designed to go. I don't have a family but I couldn't imagine having to keep a family vehicle clean so often, knowing how much abuse I ask the little Suzuki to take. It is filthy inside and out not to mention you wouldn't want ticks and crap on the kids and wife etc.


After having driven diesel daily drivers for 20yrs, I am now back to 2 petrol vehicles as I refuse to muck about with modern dervs which are choked to hell to satisfy emission laws.

I have a Golf R for good road use for daily work and shopping and usual A to B stuff and then a Mk1 Grand Vitara for all the mucky stuff. It soaks up the abuse and never goes wrong. Apart from usual servicing and brakes/tyres etc, the only things I have done on it in years is a front caliper, a new tailgate handle and re-lubing and servicing the steering column which was getting stiff and crappy. It owes me nothing and will likely outlive the Golf which has only 20k on the clock and has already cost me more in repairs/servicing in the short time I have had it than the GV has in god knows how long. The Suzuki does 5k miles a year and they are all harsh miles and i just put new oil and filters in it once a year. It also goes literally anywhere on AT's other than the most severe steep wet/muddy slopes. With proper MT's i genuinely think it would go anywhere. Probably should treat it to a new battery but even that seems fine. Also has the best heaters known to man. Hotter than the sun within 2 minutes of starting the engine.

Totally agree on The 2 car battery; one for on road/ one more off road focused, serves us well.

In the past Tried to get a do it all and there are too many compromises. The diesel issue of emissions control being the fatal one over time.

Agree with poster- now back on 2 x petrol engines due to this, but we do low mileage so crap mpg on a heavy 4x4 not as much of an issue. Still need a small pertol run around for the tight carparks.

 

[Essexsussex]

FL2 SD4 2.2 diesel auto. With the right tyres will get you most places you need to get to.

Same. Add a heck pack to the back and you don’t need to get covered in ticks either

 

[Koenig]

My Subaru Outback has been pretty decent over 4 years and 50k. Nice big boot, permanent AWD which keeps it below 40 MPG even if driven like a granny. Pretty rust resistant and I’ve never had it stuck.

Buggers for parts however.

 

[Dave_45]

Looks like the duster commercial is going to be a thing.

Set of tyres on it ,lift kit(500 quid)

Be a fine stalking motor but the duality of it dies with being a two seater and you are back in the just get a hilux (whatever pick up) territory.

 

[Malxwal]

Looks like the duster commercial is going to be a thing.

Set of tyres on it ,lift kit(500 quid)

Be a fine stalking motor but the duality of it dies with being a two seater and you are back in the just get a hilux (whatever pick up) territory.

It's really hard to go without a pickup once you're used to having one.

 

[Chris Richardson]

Just got rid of my ranger never buy another nothing but trouble , just got a estate car to put me on but to be honest having had lots of trucks a small van would be my next vehicle as long as you’re not doing serious off road they work a treat

 

[Jagare]

Looks like the duster commercial is going to be a thing.

Set of tyres on it ,lift kit(500 quid)

Be a fine stalking motor but the duality of it dies with being a two seater and you are back in the just get a hilux (whatever pick up) territory.

About a year back I was toying with the idea of getting a low mileage Duster 2 extreme and taking it down to a company in Poland called, Overlimit and get them to pimp it with, a lift kit, bigger tyres and front winch and even perhaps a snorkel.
Then reality kicked in. Being a geriatric old geezer, not shooting the amount of deer I did 20+ years ago I bought a Suzuki jimny 4. It's my fun hunting vehicle. Fitted with lift kit, wider rims, and bigger tyres plus internal shelving and storage. The longest journey I do these days is a maximum of a couple of hours each way. The ground I hunt on is ten minutes from my house, and when I go picking up, the furthest place is a little over an hour away. The Jimny is permanently loaded,apart from guns and ammo with everything I need for a days hunting or working the dog. My Dacia Duster is still used daily for feeding up on th shoot or taking the dogs for training or exercise. I'm hoping the Duster will see me out.

 

[Scarpa]

I live over 3000ft up in the Austrian Alps on a steep twisty road and we have 2 Duster II diesels, they are becoming one of the most common cars for farms and mountain huts out our way. It is a pretty comfy drive between home and the UK and can fit 3 bikes in the back with the seats folded down. Whilst not a full on rough ground 4x4 it is way more capable than the average SUV and has handled deep snow, rough forest tracks and has an auto descent mode for steep slippery terrain. I added a Garmen dash cam which has forward collision alert and lane departure for added safety, the cars do have blind spot indicators and all round cameras on some models. So faw are very happy with them, previously I've had a Subaru Forester and Skoda Scout AWD.

 

[Subsistence]

I was looking at a few dusters, along with some other things, in the end I ended up getting an older but very well looked after RAV4. So far it's been amazing and I'm very happy with my choice

 

[purdey24]

I have had three Land Rover FL2 and really rate them.
The Dusters are great too and I believe you can now get a petrol hybrid automatic.
In Europe you can buy a Duster pick up which looks identical to the late lamented Subaru pickup, not sure if it is fwd but it probably is.
Currently running a BMW X3 which is ok off road but the tyres are far too wide.

 

[Jagare]

I've seen pictures of the Duster single cab 4x4 pickup that looks to be a very handy small pickup. The double cab version struck me as being neither of use nor ornament.

 

[olliehopes]

Do it once. Do it right. Large dog crate in the boot with the seats up and still plenty of space for a couple of fallow/multiple roe.

 

[GBR66]

Um, I went through this a few months ago, I did the research and was looking at the Navarra, about an 2018 plate, but the wading depth was rubbish and ended up buying a 15 year old ranger rover.
So far so good. Ask me in a few years if I made the right decision. I did spend a long time doing my research and got (what I think is ) a good one.

Um, I went through this a few months ago, I did the research and was looking at the Navarra, about an 2018 plate, but the wading depth was rubbish and ended up buying a 15 year old ranger rover.
So far so good. Ask me in a few years if I made the right decision. I did spend a long time doing my research and got (what I think is ) a good one.

I've had a 2012 RR from a year old, done 150k miles and now costing me a fair bit on suspension repairs, however it still is a comfortable mile eater on long journeys, and will go pretty much anywhere (as the bodywork will attest!). I think I'm going to replace it with a Ranger - partly because the road tax on a 4.4 V8 diesel is 2400 euros a year here! Ranger is 300.

 

[Malxwal]

Do it once. Do it right. Large dog crate in the boot with the seats up and still plenty of space for a couple of fallow/multiple roe.
View attachment 454303

Do it once, learn, never do it again (All in jest)

 

[Norfolk Deer Search]

Second owner Subaru Outback or Forester

You go to the continent in winter, ^^^^^^^ is all you see on the road or in the middle of a forest!

 

[AJC]

i use a D5 daily and a D4 as my shoot/dog bus.
i also have a TD5 110 defender but that rarely gets used.

 

[tackb]

Do it once. Do it right. Large dog crate in the boot with the seats up and still plenty of space for a couple of fallow/multiple roe.
View attachment 454303

i have a 15 plate one of those in the workshop with a snapped crank.............

 

[Essexsussex]

i have a 15 plate one of those in the workshop with a snapped crank.............

It’s heartbreaking for owners of discos, and from everything I’ve read before nearly buying one it sounds like whilst there is a little you can do to help prevent it, it is still a lottery if it will go or not. Would have preferred a disco but went for a FL2 instead because of this.