Vehicles - collective view please.

[Pedro]

Seems to me that it'd be a false economy to have one of the big 4X4's for your long trips. Land Cruiser or Discovery will both do it all fine, but if I were you, I'd get something more suited to doing the motorway miles that has a bit of accommodation, can munch the miles and has economy. A big Audi, a BMW or something similar. Then for your "runabout" look to eventually change that too, knowing your main vehicle is sorted. You can then get what you want there. An older Hilux perhaps, but maybe indulge yourself with what you fancy.

Just one word if you are drawn down the LR Discovery route, they didn't get a rep for unreliability for nothing. They find it hard to shake now (but sales seem to suggest they are). Don't go earlier than the Disco4, which is when they turned around the reliability issues (mostly). So look post 2010.

 

[@theroedeerguy]

I run a new Hilux 2.4 auto on BF Goodrich KO2 AT and it is excellent on my daily commute and is equally capable in muddy fields.
Mileage wise I am getting 29-31mpg and it is great to drive, bags of torque and feels much more nimble than my last Hilux.
Get yourself along to SDM at Falkirk and try one for yourself.

Regards

BP

 

[Haloed']

My pal is a sales manager at SDM Falkirk and they took 8 in against new Hilux and they are stuck with them as they paid too much for them in trade ins and the Ford Rangers popularity has hit Hilux demand.

 

[Mungo]

Really don't understand why you're even thinking about a Landrover. I know you have a weakness for impractical nostalgic throwbacks, but a Landrover is just pure masochism.

Hilux will do you. Or any of the modern SUVs, though I'm unconvinced by the Fords. Nissans are worth a look.

Like a lot of rifle and calibre threads, for relatively low intensity domestic (as opposed to heavy agricultural) use, it probably doesn't really matter which you get: it will depend more on the condition of the individual vehicle more than the brand. Other than Landrover. Don't get a Landrover. You will cry.

 

[Patience]

I have had landrovers and various jap 4x4s and I have settled on the nissan terrano.
Not to expensive to buy/run and jap reliability.
7 seats and they fold up to give you a huge boot space for equipment and carcasses if your lucky enough.

 

[buck52]

Nissan Navara Tekna, averaging 35mpg (diesel Auto)
Luxury interior, all the tech you need
Its a £31000 RRP vehicle but with huge discounts it can be bought new for a LOT less

 

[User00033]

My pal is a sales manager at SDM Falkirk and they took 8 in against new Hilux and they are stuck with them as they paid too much for them in trade ins and the Ford Rangers popularity has hit Hilux demand.

I would have thought the Great Wall or Ssangyong pickups would have been more to blame in Scotland surely?

 

[Haloed']

Why would that be?

 

[JTO]

When I see people recommending vehicles that do c25mpg, I wonder if they have to buy their own fuel and cannot book it as an expense against income.

 

[JTO]

Why would that be?

Because he thinks Scots are careful with their own money, perhaps?

 

[Hornet 6]

We currently drive a Audi A4 allroad - great car, brilliant on long journeys, eats the miles, superb handling and lots of grip and quite happy going up Forest roads. Now with c100,000 miles and on a 59 plate. I regularly have to drive Edinburgh to London - 6 or 7 trips a year and not going to get less. Does 38 to 42 mpg on diesel.

If 2500kg max trailer weight is enough why not an A6 Allroad ?

Neil.

 

[ChesterP]

I'd agree that the Landcruiser is bettered by very little, even today, for what it was intended for and would have the space you need plus the towing capacity. Not the cheapest to run though unless you opt for the more road focused smaller diesel models. Also worth looking at are the Volvo XC90 which will also do the same and be more reliable than most Landys, or the Audi Q7. Unsure of towing capacity though.

 

[JTO]

or the Audi Q7. Unsure of towing capacity though.

Always fancied a Q5, but I've heard the Q's are hard on tyres.

 

[Chasey]

I am surprised no ones mentioned the Shogun? Towing weight 3300Kg

I had the 5 door 2006 version and it tows extremely well. I think the punative car tax ended with my moddle and the 2007 onwards were cheeper

My one was top of the range and I sold it for a measely 9K with about 80K on the clock and everything working fine.

Engine was noisey and you get 26mpg no matter what your doing it seemed, but aside from that I cant really fault it

ATB

 

[Baldman]

Owned all sorts of 4x4s , Landcruiser best one so far by miles

 

[Overlay]

Nissan patrol 3.0 VS

absolutely faultless on or off road

Ive had all sorts of 4x4 motors , but I've got say my patrol is the best all round road and off road vehicle I've ever owned

Pulls like a train, comfortable, leather seats, AC, built like a tank, the harder you work it off or on road the better it likes it

cracking piece of kit that's been used to pull discoverys and defenders out of the mud on several occasions

 

[User00033]

Nissan patrol 3.0 VS...cracking piece of kit that's been used to pull discoverys and defenders out of the mud on several occasions

And it has a special recovery point on the front just for Toyotas to rescue it when it breaks down....

ha ha. Oh the rivalry between Toyota and Nissan, all over the world.

Philip, sorry to disagree so strongly, and I don't know which version of the inline ZD30 motor you've there, but the majority of the 3.0 motors were underpowered for a heavy 4WD and useless at towing compared to a 4.2TD Nissan or 1HD-FTE Land Cruiser TD or any of the current (or previous) generation of pick ups. Only the very last of the ZD30DDTi motors delivered acceptable power & torque (just) for a fully laden 4WD, but by then their reputation was shot...

The Y61 Patrols have a rock solid chassis / drive train, old school tech, very agricultural, and in the 4.2 form - when it comes to older vehicles - a better buy than overpriced Land Cruisers. But from experience - lots of it - don't get the 3.0 and NEVER EVER one from 2000/2001. They are well known all over the world as the "grenade" of the 4WD world. Google is your friend when it comes to the Y61 with the ZD30 motors.

Private sellers couldn't sell the 3.0 second hand even for peanuts in Australia, they were that poorly regarded, trading at a MASSIVE discount to the 4.2 and less than half the price of a bad Land Cruiser.

 

[Irish Bob]

Land cruiser Amazon, but you will pay for a good one. The last produced will now be 10 years old.

Hilux. I am getting 34 mpg from mine in eco mode. Almost 40 mpg on motorway.

 

[Gunner223]

I nearly bought the Audi allround, but ended up buying the new Subaru outback, much better vehicle for the money.

 

[Essexsussex]

I have to throw this out there - but don't laugh people.

we had a similar problem - I am 6'4 and had both kids in rear facing childseats which take up a serious amount of legroom that the driver needs in my case. these were made to chauffer two or three proper American grown ups in serious comfort on the back seat.

also wanted to be able to tow big stuff.

the solution was a 2010 Chrysler 300 CRD (touring type thing). sounds terrible, I know and a bit footballer like. but all the toys, very comfortable to drive, 2,000 kg towing weight and has a Mercedes e class engine and gearbox. the price was £7k for a very well looked after model (not looking so fancy a year and a half later) with 60k, full dealer history.

has been excellent since I have had it, reliable other than an issue with the ignition which I should have had fixed as a recall anyway. there is absolutely loads of leg room, the boot space is OK but not amazing. there was a model upgrade around 2007 or 2008, and the ones with the black seats are the newer better ones. there are much trailed issues with suspension around 60k miles, but if this has been done you are good to go. the engines run regularly over 250k or more miles.

slightly thirsty but at 34mpg on a mixed run is not worse than many 4wds. other issue is that generic software reading computers can't read CHrysler or Jeep for some reason.

so there you go, worth a look as a random outsider