Buying 2nd hand 4x4

Anan1

I don't think any estate will fit a 9-foot board inside, TBH. My Forester will take 180cms from the tailgate to the back of the front seats, 9 feet is what, 280cms? Maybe it'd fit into a big estate if you slid it between the front seats, but that'd affect visibility & safety. I'd say roof bars are the the answer.

Eoin

Ah right - sounds like too much work for the OP though:

I'm not arsed strapping it on/off every time I leave/arrive/leave the beach.

aka_Ciaran

peasant wrote: »

just get a van and be done with it

you can throw the board in, get changed in it and even sleep in it if needs be

There's a van going for 700 on adverts at the moment (not mine)

Ya but vans are noisy and rattly...drove one before for a couple years and swore never again. Mind you that was a Ford Courier so I'm sure there's more comfortable ones out there. If I could find a decent one that was comfy and nicely kitted out I might have a look.

Slig

we on estate cars now?
I was enjoying the 4x4 "debate"(:P), hasent been a good one really since the 4x4 forum was set up.
Has anybody done the "well what do you drive so?" question yet?:D
In my opinion (and OT) the argument that they hold everybody up doesnt hold much water, the most sensible car (toyota corolla) is equally at fault


OP, if you intend to take the board to some serious spots then high ground clearance is a bigger consideration than 4 wheel drive. some estate cars have it. The likes of a subaru forrester is worth considering but I'd say out of your budget. Santa fe is alright but the radical styling was kinda put to shame by the newer modle in my opinion.
VW transporters can be picked up cheap and gives you the option of throwing a matress in the back too, some of them were 4x4 aswell, synchro I think. On the same lines there is the mazda Bongo, ford Freda thing.

aka_Ciaran

Anan1 wrote: »

I don't think any estate will fit a 9-foot board inside, TBH. My Forester will take 180cms from the tailgate to the back of the front seats, 9 feet is what, 280cms? Maybe it'd fit into a big estate if you slid it between the front seats, but that'd affect visibility & safety. I'd say roof bars are the the answer.

You could be right a 9 ft board would probably be stuck between the seat...would need to measure any one I was thinking of. So this takes me back to my original plan of a 4x4

Anan1

Anything big enough to take a 9-foot board inside is going to be a bit less than the ultimate drive. My advice is to get a Forester S turbo with roof bars - I take it from the interest in the Nissan Stagea that fuel consumption's not a deal-breaker.

peasant

aka_Ciaran wrote: »

You could be right a 9 ft board would probably be stuck between the seat...would need to measure any one I was thinking of. So this takes me back to my original plan of a 4x4

No it doesn't ...anything that will have a 2.5 - 3.0 m long load area will be a van. 4X4's are just estates with no back seats when it comes to the load area

Biro

aka_Ciaran wrote: »

You could be right a 9 ft board would probably be stuck between the seat...would need to measure any one I was thinking of. So this takes me back to my original plan of a 4x4

Really if you want to fit it inside the vehicle a van is the only option. A LWB 4x4 is only going to be similar size to an estate, apart from a few inches in height. So either you get a pick-up or a van! The pick up will have the board on the outside though!

Vegeta

Anan1 wrote: »

I don't think any estate will fit a 9-foot board inside, TBH. My Forester will take 180cms from the tailgate to the back of the front seats, 9 feet is what, 280cms? Maybe it'd fit into a big estate if you slid it between the front seats, but that'd affect visibility & safety. I'd say roof bars are the the answer.

I cant think of anything off the top of my head bar a van that will take a 9ft surfboard inside.

If you don't get a van it will be going on the roof, if its going on the roof you might as well get a nice efficient, reliable and safe saloon with a roof rack.

Sounds like a van would be the job though.

Eoin

Problem solved:

Vegeta

Biro wrote: »

Really if you want to fit it inside the vehicle a van is the only option. A LWB 4x4 is only going to be similar size to an estate, apart from a few inches in height. So either you get a pick-up or a van! The pick up will have the board on the outside though!

Even a pickup wouldn't have a 9ft flat bed would it?

aka_Ciaran

Anan1 wrote: »

Anything big enough to take a 9-foot board inside is going to be a bit less than the ultimate drive. My advice is to get a Forester S turbo with roof bars - I take it from the interest in the Nissan Stagea that fuel consumption's not a deal-breaker.

Had a quick look on autotrader for Stagea's...couldn't find any 2.5 diesel looks like they're all petrol. In this case the fuel consumption and road tax would be a deal breaker.

I find it hard to believe a LWB 4x4 wouldn't take a 9ft board. My mum's Honda jazz can take a 7 ft 9 board with the seats down (although it does come out over the passenger seat a fair bit)

Biro

Vegeta wrote: »

Even a pickup wouldn't have a 9ft flat bed would it?

Nope, but he seems insistant on a 4x4!

Biro

aka_Ciaran wrote: »

Had a quick look on autotrader for Stagea's...couldn't find any 2.5 diesel looks like they're all petrol. In this case the fuel consumption and road tax would be a deal breaker.

I find it hard to believe a LWB 4x4 wouldn't take a 9ft board. My mum's Honda jazz can take a 7 ft 9 board with the seats down (although it does come out over the passenger seat a fair bit)

Tax on a 2.5 is the same regardless of fuel or anything else seeing as you're not getting a 2008 one!

Vegeta

aka_Ciaran wrote: »

I find it hard to believe a LWB 4x4 wouldn't take a 9ft board. My mum's Honda jazz can take a 7 ft 9 board with the seats down (although it does come out over the passenger seat a fair bit)

Sure it might fit inside, from dash to the rear door but then forget giving friends a lift.

Also how will it be secured, I don't fancy being in any vehicle with an unsecured 9ft object moving about under breaking.

I think the newer Pajero has an internal length of approx 8 feet, after a google search.

you need one of these, 12 yards long and 2 lanes wide, 65 tonnes of American pride, Canyonero

cormac_byrne

Vegeta wrote: »

Sure it might fit inside, from dash to the rear door but then forget giving friends a lift.

Also how will it be secured, I don't fancy being in any vehicle with an unsecured 9ft object moving about under breaking.

I've got a LWB Series Land Rover, That would take a 9ft board, but it would as Vegeta says be 'from dash to the rear door'.

The passenger seat back would need to be tilted forward or removed.

Obviously the board would need to be strapped down to prevent it exiting via the front windscreen on braking.

In the back on the drivers side you could have a sideways bench seat (for 3 small or 2 normal people) and 1 forward facing seat, or 2 forward facing seats.

There's also a center seat in the front but it's very small.

The same info is as valid for a Defender as it is for Series Land Rover

cabrwab

We have a LWB (commercial) landcruiser in work and this will take an 8ft screen in it, but only when you put it on the centre armrest.

Op unfortunately the easiest thing to do it get a car get a roof rack, if you get an estate also will serve as a nice place to sleep.

Vans would be your best option, most newer vans are closer to car feeling then you might think but these would need to be newer ones, can still be rattly sometimes. After driving a VW transporter for work i would not recommend it (unless its a very new version). Use my work van sometimes to go canoing perfect, place to change/sit afterwards before you hit the road!

A mits pajero swb has no room in it at all i recently get an 8ft surf board inside the Mazda3 not impairing my vision. the passanger was not happy though. I tried the same with the pajero and it was useless. Nice jeep but nope useless.

L-M

Slig wrote: »

Has anybody done the "well what do you drive so?" question yet?:D

Lol i was so very tempted, but i refrained from doing so.

Guy:Incognito

Vegeta wrote: »

Sure it might fit inside, from dash to the rear door but then forget giving friends a lift.

It'll fit in an estate from dash to bootlid too. Passenger can sit behind the driver. With a commercial 4x4 or van he's only going to have 2 seats anyway.

aka_Ciaran

Stekelly wrote: »

It'll fit in an estate from dash to bootlid too. Passenger can sit behind the driver. With a commercial 4x4 or van he's only going to have 2 seats anyway.

True enough. Am looking at estates as we speak...BMW 3/5 series touring is making the early running...:)

landydef

this would be DEADly http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Ford/Granada/2.9-Hearse/933315/ theres a V6 one as well but its eleven grand

niceirishfella

landydef wrote: »

this would be DEADly http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Ford/Granada/2.9-Hearse/933315/ theres a V6 one as well but its eleven grand

snap it up quick........there's loads of punters DYING to buy it!

boom boom!:D:D

Slig

niceirishfella wrote: »

snap it up quick........there's loads of punters DYING to buy it!

boom boom!:D:D

Brings back memories of that awful joke about the taxi driver that used to drive a hearse:D

Vegeta

Stekelly wrote: »

It'll fit in an estate from dash to bootlid too. Passenger can sit behind the driver. With a commercial 4x4 or van he's only going to have 2 seats anyway.

good point

aka_Ciaran

Ok, after much searching and reading I have come full circle and am again looking at a 4x4. I've narrowed it down to two, either a Hilux Surf 2.5 or a Mitsubishi Pajero/Challenger/Shogun(Sport) 2.5. I'm pretty sure a 9 ft board will fit in any of these, albeit protruding between the seats.

So criteria are diesel, max 10 years old, max 2.5 ltr engine, possibly commercial, max 100,000 miles. I intend to go north or UK as they are definitely cheaper and also a much better selection. Some more questions:

- What's the difference between the Mitsubishi Pajero/Challenger/Shogun? They seem to be a variation of the same thing. Is any one in particular better than the others?
- What's the fuel consumption like on any of these...will be going for 2.5 ltr diesel max?
- Any known issues with any? For example I know that about 20% of Hilux Surfs have head gasket problems, although not a big job to get fixed seemingly.


Thanks again - replies so far have been very helpful.


Ciaran.

peasant

as you're now definetly looking for a 4x4, I've moved this thread to the definete 4x4 forum

aka_Ciaran

Well I'm nothing if not decisive

L-M

Everyone, and i really mean everyone that owns a Pajero that i've talked to says that they guzzle juice. I can't say much for the old model Cruisers as i honeslty don't know.

oflynno

might i suggest a toyota previa type of vehicle

i had one and could get 12ft timber inside with the doors closed

the back seat all fold down to make a huge bed:rolleyes:

they are dead comfy on the road and the 4x4 will not see you stuck at the beach

and they are cheap

aka_Ciaran

oflynno wrote: »

might i suggest a toyota previa type of vehicle

i had one and could get 12ft timber inside with the doors closed

the back seat all fold down to make a huge bed:rolleyes:

they are dead comfy on the road and the 4x4 will not see you stuck at the beach

and they are cheap

Ya they look quite good actually, but had a look on Autotrader.co.uk and seems they only come in 2.4 petrol which would be too steep to run and tax etc. Pity because they would be ideal every other way.