4 X 4 ,what to buy ?

texanman

looking to get a 4 x 4 .Got a loan of an Isuzu Trooper 3L.Loved driving it but expensive enough to run.

Is there a 4 x 4 reasonable on fuel?

Thanks

peasant

Suzuki

Vitara 2.0 TD or 1.6 petrol (or 1.3 litre Jimny, if you like dinky )

As long as you don't want to haul mini-diggers around you'll be grand

OldmanMondeo

The new Vitara is a 1.9dcci(?) Renault engine. I would not go for the 1.6 petrol, it's a 3 door and is a bit thirsty.

Anan1

texanman wrote:

looking to get a 4 x 4 .Got a loan of an Isuzu Trooper 3L.Loved driving it but expensive enough to run.

Is there a 4 x 4 reasonable on fuel?

Thanks

It depends what you need it for. Any 4x4 will be harder on fuel than an equivalent car. What do you need the 4x4 to do?

texanman

Well I want the 4 x 4 for pulling trailers,light use.
I also do video work.Weddings ect and a nice 4 x 4 would do both jobs instead of having to buy a car and upgrade the van.
I hired a Jimny on holidays and loved it,bit small for my job though

It was one similar to this i had the loan of.

http://www.usedcars.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=587321


Im tempted.

Tex

Anan1

texanman wrote:

Well I want the 4 x 4 for pulling trailers,light use.
I also do video work.Weddings ect and a nice 4 x 4 would do both jobs instead of having to buy a car and upgrade the van.
I hired a Jimny on holidays and loved it,bit small for my job though

If you don't actually need to go off-road, then i'd recommend a diesel estate. It'll be more economical, more comfortable, better-handling & safer.

texanman

I do go off road ,down fields to empty a trailer of grass.
Suzuki Vitara seems nice, expensive 2nd hand .

Golferx

Suzuki have never used Renault engines.

4x4 like the Trooper will give only about 25mpg, a diesel Vitara, maybe 10mpg more, the petrol Vitara about 30mpg

colm_mcm

I reckon the current Vitara uses a Renault engine, old one had PSA 2.0

gyppo

Isnt there a 4x4 version of the Skoda Octvia estate available?

prospect

The current Vitara uses the Fiat Jtd diesel engine.

OldmanMondeo

When looking for an oil filter for a new Vitara, I was told it was the a Renault 1.9 engine. The customer hasn't come back with any problems.

DukeDredd

Anan1 wrote:

If you don't actually need to go off-road, then i'd recommend a diesel estate. It'll be more economical, more comfortable, better-handling & safer.

Good advice but i presume he would be able to get commercial road tax on a 4 x 4 for the wedding video business - can you do the same with a diesel estate?

Cmar-Ireland

Rav4 td or Vitara td. They will give you reasonable mpg. The bigger 4x4's will get 20-30mpg at best. That said, there is lots of Landcruisers for sale. If you dont need rear seating, then a commercial would be cheaper to run.
Steer clear of Isuzu, they are not very reliable.

Mc-BigE

you haven't mentioned money, so what about a santa fe?

its not 4X4 is two wheel drive, would it need to be for pulling a trailer and parking in the park car of hotels for weddings?

http://www.usedcars.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=598790

Bears

i agree santa fea is awsome and the newer model looks great to. changed from tuscon to santa and really happy with it

Anan1

gyppo wrote:

Isnt there a 4x4 version of the Skoda Octvia estate available?

Yes, but I think RHD cars only came with the 1.8T engine. Same deal with the Forester unfortunately, a diesel Forester would have done the job perfectly.

lazygit

i was about to post a similar thread..

OP i hope you dont mind a little hijack....
can someone recommend a 2 seater 4x4, any make/model/year.. just something i can look up on autotrader etc to get prices on

bazz26

lazygit wrote:

i was about to post a similar thread..

OP i hope you dont mind a little hijack....
can someone recommend a 2 seater 4x4, any make/model/year.. just something i can look up on autotrader etc to get prices on

Toyota Rav4, Honda HR-V, Suzuki Vitara, Suzuki Jimny, Mitsubishi Pajero Junior, Nissan Qashqui (spelling?).

Note, none of the above mentioned are really designed for much off road ability.

peasant

lazygit wrote:

can someone recommend a 2 seater 4x4

I suppose you mean a commercial 4x4 and not this woeful contraption?



@bazz
once again, I have to protest at your "not designed for offroad" in regards to the Suzuki Jimny.

You can't get more off-roady than two solid axles on coils and selectable 4WD with full reduction transfer box ...all of which the Jimny has got.

colm_mcm

prospect wrote:

The current Vitara uses the Fiat Jtd diesel engine.

AFAIK the Suzuki SX4 uses a Fiat JTD engine but the Vitara uses the Renault 1.9 dCI

texanman

Cmar-Ireland wrote:

Rav4 td or Vitara td. They will give you reasonable mpg. The bigger 4x4's will get 20-30mpg at best. That said, there is lots of Landcruisers for sale. If you dont need rear seating, then a commercial would be cheaper to run.
Steer clear of Isuzu, they are not very reliable.

I'll look at the landcruisers ,whats the mpg on them??

colm_mcm

Land Cruiser approx 30mpg combined for the 6 speed and around 27 for the 5 speed.

texanman

The landcruiser seems expensine 2nd hand.Isuzu is much cheaper. why ???

colm_mcm

cause the Isuzu is 5hite and the Toyota isn't.

texanman

Thanks Colm for the honest reply.

colm_mcm

I'm biassed though I might be lying because I can't offer an objective opinion on anything Toyota related!

Mahatma coat

I work in forestry here in Australia so Offroad capability is tested in our vehicles. I would recomendthe landcruiser if you want something large or the suzuki if you want something small,however the vehicle best suited to your needs is the Subaru Forester, dont touch the Isuzu, steamin pile of horse****, same goes for Kia's and Hyundais (i mean seriously a 2WD jeep, hah)

prospect

colm_mcm wrote:

AFAIK the Suzuki SX4 uses a Fiat JTD engine but the Vitara uses the Renault 1.9 dCI

Oooh, hadn't thought about that. I was thinking about the SX4... my bad....:o

Lord Nikon

Kia Sorrento
Nissan Quasqai 1.6litre petrol 25grand.

prospect

Mahatma coat wrote:

dont touch the Isuzu, steamin pile of horse****, same goes for Kia's and Hyundais (i mean seriously a 2WD jeep, hah)

I know two farmers who have/had Kia Sorrentos and they both rate them very highly. One changed it and now regrets it. So they may not be in Landcruiser league, but I wouldn't think they deserve to be branded as a "steamin pile of horse****"

P

Mahatma coat

all I can base my comments on is the fact that oneofthe guys that worked for us had a Santa Fe and we had to have him leaveit in the yard at work cos we were pi$$ed off havin to tow him up hills after us

Oh and we were generaly ableto tow him with the Sierra

Podge

peasant

Mahatma coat wrote:

the Sierra

In these quarters also known as the Suzuki LJ, which was replaced by the Jimny (which has about 30 - 40% more power)

colm_mcm

Mahatma coat wrote:

all I can base my comments on is the fact that oneofthe guys that worked for us had a Santa Fe and we had to have him leaveit in the yard at work cos we were pi$$ed off havin to tow him up hills after us

Oh and we were generaly ableto tow him with the Sierra

Podge

The Sorento is 4WD as is the Terracan and the new Santa Fe, and some of the old Santa Fe models. Don't make such a sweeping statement based on one 2WD machine.

joey90

Here's my 2 cents: Suzuki loses control at the back, a friend of mine could not get rid of one quick enough. Isuzu Troopers are popular in the Limerick region.... Santa Fe and Tuscon, Nissan X Trail and Rav 4 are very good "Soft Roaders", I'd keep away from Freelanders.

I've had 3 Pajero's, niggley little problems with them, but on my second Land Cruiser (newer model), which is excellent, very solid on the road, very fast, €75 euros gets me 850km. As Eddie Hobbs says about the Land Cruiser "If they're good enough for the Taliban, they're good enough for me!"

colm_mcm

Full time 4WD is the only way to go TBH

peasant

colm_mcm wrote:

Full time 4WD is the only way to go TBH

But only if it has a lockable center diff, otherwise it turns into 0 WD at the first sight of wet grass

colm_mcm

The machine I'm thinking of (the daddy ) has lockable diff.

Cmar-Ireland

colm_mcm wrote:

The machine I'm thinking of (the daddy ) has lockable diff.

Would that be an 80 series Colm?

colm_mcm

leaning towards 90 series actually!

Cmar-Ireland

colm_mcm wrote:

leaning towards 90 series actually!

I would class the 80 as the daddy!! Especially in 4.2td guise!! You can get them with 3 locking diff's :eek:

colm_mcm

My uncle used to have one. they were very cool.

CJhaughey

I have over 200k miles in my 97 'cruiser and its still as strong as ever, one thing to watch is the tie rod ends, they are covered with a plastic gaiter and if the cable tie that holds the gaiter in place goes it won't be long before you are looking at replacing the tie-rod joint, at €120 +labour to fit and track they are an expensive part.
I know I have had to replace 3 of them.
BTW Eddie Hobbs replaced his old 'cruiser and my BIL has it now, very nice condition I would say that Eddie didn't do a lot of off road in it

macnab

The 3.0 litre Isuzu has a soft engine with a tendancy to destroy turbos. If you must buy an Isuzu then buy the 3.1 litre coz they are more reliable. I would say if you want a big 4x4 then buy a Landcruiser, if you want a small 4x4 then buy the Suzuki Jimny.

Cmar-Ireland

I had a Toyota Hilux Surf for 5 years. It's basically a Colorado/Prado with a different bodyshell. I couldn't fault it in any way. There is a few in the trader atm. Maybe check one of them out?

texanman

Thanks for the replies so far.Was looking at the Suzuki grand vitara since.
Few good things said about them.

Mc-BigE

here's a real 4x4:)

40 euro road tax a year, classic insurance.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1957-Series-1-Landrover_W0QQitemZ290093499971QQcategoryZ27379QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item290093499971

Wazdakka

Cmar-Ireland wrote:

I had a Toyota Hilux Surf for 5 years. It's basically a Colorado/Prado with a different bodyshell. I couldn't fault it in any way. There is a few in the trader atm. Maybe check one of them out?

I agree completly,
The Surf is an amazing 4 X 4.

GB15

Mc-BigE wrote:

here's a real 4x4:)

40 euro road tax a year, classic insurance.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1957-Series-1-Landrover_W0QQitemZ290093499971QQcategoryZ27379QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item290093499971

Nice! BTW how old does a car have to be to classify for vintage road tax. Also is it the same age requirement for classic insurance?

Mc-BigE

GB15 wrote:

Nice! BTW how old does a car have to be to classify for vintage road tax. Also is it the same age requirement for classic insurance?

must be over 30 years old for 42 euro road tax

classic insurance depends on the car, some cars can become classics after 15 to 20 years, but usually its 25years. and it must be your 2nd car to get the cheap insurance.