Mitsubishi 4X4

[Doric]

I'm mainly concerned about how it fairs on snow covered roads with decent winter tyres, as most tracks I use whilst a bit gnarly, aren't beyond a light 4wd car, except for a few rutted slopes which might need difflock. Not sure of the Rav has difflock? I've read conflicting reports where some have electronic lock via a button on the dash whilst others don't. Is there a Rav model which is the one to look for? The one I'm looking at is 05 plate XT4 petrol spec.

Jimneys hold their value really well and there's none close enough in budget to look at. My choice seems to come down to these three:

• afore mentioned Mitsubishi Pinin Shogun (excellent condition all round, 110K miles, mot and recently serviced) with good tyres;
• Rav4, 2005, XT4 petrol some service history, excellent condition all round, new winter tyres fitted, mot present, 100K miles;
• Xitrail 2.5sve petrol...80K miles, 2005 plate, cheap as chips, short mot but in good all round nick, auto box.

The Pinin doesn't seem to have many admirers on here; the Rav 4 seems a mixed bag but whilst not a true off roader should cope with snow on roads and there's loads of choice at bargain money.

Something I haven't mentioned is that I've been diagnosed with a serious illness and will need regular hospital appointments and my wife, tragically, has just been diagnosed with cancer, so again, over the next 6 months, regular hospital visits are necessary, so what is important to me is something that stays reliable for the next year or so, and can be relied upon to get through any snow the winter might throw at us where my current SUV would get trashed or stuck. Access to my shooting grounds is merely a bonus all things considered, rather than parking up and having to trudge a mile (no fun with a munti on your (bad) back!).

With regards to snow. I fitted mud and snow terains to my short wheel base Pinin and was surprised at how well it performed in deep snow. On one night in particular the roads to our foxing ground were blocked for several weeks with three to four feet of the white stuff so when the road was eventual reopened we headed out with some bait and had to drive down the farm track this was still full of snow but once on the track we were committed as to stop would have risked getting stuck. So with little option we soldiered on through snow as deep as the top of the bonnet, through the woods to the only area wide enough to u turn and followed our tracks out. I doupt if the large all singing all dancing truck I have now would perform like that wee Pinin.

 

[ChesterP]

With regards to snow. I fitted mud and snow terains to my short wheel base Pinin and was surprised at how well it performed in deep snow. On one night in particular the roads to our foxing ground were blocked for several weeks with three to four feet of the white stuff so when the road was eventual reopened we headed out with some bait and had to drive down the farm track this was still full of snow but once on the track we were committed as to stop would have risked getting stuck. So with little option we soldiered on through snow as deep as the top of the bonnet, through the woods to the only area wide enough to u turn and followed our tracks out. I doupt if the large all singing all dancing truck I have now would perform like that wee Pinin.

Yes, I have heard many similar stories about the smaller, lighter 4x4s and I can't help but think that's it's having a decent 4wd system, allied to decent tyres and light weight that make these little off/soft roaders so good. I've come to the conclusion that it doesn't mater what the maker's badge is, the recipe is just that: Low mass, good rubber and true 4x4 drive. In AWD land the Forester really seems to have it sewn up.

 

[Heym SR20]

Don’t forget the 4x4 Panda’s and if you can still find one - the 4x4 Kangoo Treckas. They are very popular in the Alpine regions for very good reasons. And to carry big deer - just put a rack on the tow bar.

 

[75]

And SJ410s used to go anywhere - brilliant off road, if a bit prone to falling over...

 

[ChesterP]

The Pandas and SJ140s are brilliant little vehicles but sadly corrosion is their enemy (as is gravity in the case of the SJ ). Finding a good one these days which is economically viable isn't easy! (I did look) and the SJ's tend to hold their value as they've got cult status amongst some. I have one area of rot on the RAV which is easily sorted (the rear load bay sump for the warning triangle tends to rot out in these as that is where moisture collects and they catch all the crud underneath. Having a new one fabricated as parts are no longer available from Toyota).

 

[Alantoo]

Low mass, good rubber and true 4x4 drive. In AWD land the Forester really seems to have it sewn up.

We were always impressed with the local keeper's little Haflinger back in the 50s. A few years ago I saw a number of workhorse vehicles in the Swiss Alps which managed to combine low centre of gravity with sufficient ground clearance to climb and turn on impossibly steep slopes...one of the pick-up style machines had a wasp waist...the chassis was a beefed up torque tube/prop shaft housing which rotated between the cab and tub allowing all four wheels to stay on the ground...ingenious.

Alan

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Having a new set of fronts fitted tomorrow after some kindly soul decided it would be funny to screw in some panheads to my fronts when parked in town

duelers were too pricey and the fitter didn't rate them as highly as Yokohama Geolander G015s, which will be fine mixed with rear duelers (both are all season, but G015s are also more all terrain biased).

What is this with broken Britain? The scrotes/vandals seem more numerous than rabbits around here Dover too.

 

[ChesterP]

What is this with broken Britain? The scrotes/vandals seem more numerous than rabbits around here Dover too.

It's sickening the deliberate damage caused by morons with little better to do or simply because those morons are other road users who don't give a damn. I remember when we bought our (new to us) RX450...some kindly soul keyed it front to back, presumably "a have not" with hatred for those who work hard for these things, within a week of us getting it. Our little 5 yr old honda civic has more dings and scratches due to the "couldn't care less" utter selfish tossers (and regrettably a lot of these are of the female persuasion) who frequent our local supermarket car park. I sat and people watched once whilst waiting to pick my wife and our shopping up from the local supermarket and it was staggering just how many doors were opened onto neighbouring cars, or trolleys bashed into or along them. Years ago whilst sat in my car at a service station having my lunch, a lady actually drove into the side of my car, pushing the front nearside door right in. She continued her turn in a slow deliberate move which continued to scrape and dent my car and proceeded to drive off, but I ran after her, stopped her and demanded her insurance details. He response was "I didn't feel any bump!" I took her over to examine my car and the red paint of her car was all over mine along with corner bumper damage to hers. She was a blatant liar. Although the insurance paid up, my insurance premium went up for being "involved in a collision" which is the really annoying thing about an incident you are totally innocent of any wrongdoing over. Yes, Britain has it's fair share of really selfish inbred scum bags.

 

[Brittany boy]

Had a short wheel base pinin for 18 months it was a great little car for the shooting just a bit tight in the boot even with seats down but mechanically it was sound and great to drive and reliable. I would have no issues going back to one for the shooting. I sold it and got a disco 300tdi but it was heavy and marked the fields especially in the wet then had a Jimny , great car off road pretty bad on road and even smaller than pinin.