4x4 advice

canon5571

Hello all!
I have a question and I hope ye might be able to help/advise.
I am 24 and driving a petrol saloon car. I keep a few horses and cattle and therefore need to do a lot towing. The car doesnt have a hitch so when I need to tow I have to borrow my dads jeep. My dilemma is, do I keep the car (I need passenger space) and buy a commercial jeep eg, Pajero, Fourtrak (that kind of size and budget) or do I go and get a car loan and buy a good pickup with crewcab eg L200, Navara and get rid of the car?
I quite like the new Navara and was thinking of taking the plunge and buying a decent 2-3 yr old jeep. Would there be any insurance issues with my age on a 4x4?
Any feedback or comments, greatfully accepted.

Slig

Tax would be a bigger issue than insurance, as you can imagine a 2.5L will be alot more to tax every year then a 1.4 or 1.6 petrol. I am unsure about taxing a crewcab commercial. Some insurers will allow you insure a commercial vehicle on a private policy while some will insist on commercial insurance. Ring around and get a few quotes

If your only concern is towing then try out a few suvs, Rav4, vitara and santa fe are all fairly economical with smaller engines. They would be a lot more fun than a crew cab on a daily drive aswell. Leg room in the back of crew cabs can also be small although I think the Navara is fairly roomy in the back. Put a canopy on the back and you can just throw anything smelly in the load bed.

foxhunter

canon5571 wrote: »

Hello all!
I have a question and I hope ye might be able to help/advise.
I am 24 and driving a petrol saloon car. I keep a few horses and cattle and therefore need to do a lot towing. The car doesnt have a hitch so when I need to tow I have to borrow my dads jeep. My dilemma is, do I keep the car (I need passenger space) and buy a commercial jeep eg, Pajero, Fourtrak (that kind of size and budget) or do I go and get a car loan and buy a good pickup with crewcab eg L200, Navara and get rid of the car?
I quite like the new Navara and was thinking of taking the plunge and buying a decent 2-3 yr old jeep. Would there be any insurance issues with my age on a 4x4?
Any feedback or comments, greatfully accepted.

You wont have a problem with the insurance but if you are towing anything bigger than a domestic trailer ie 750kg unladen I think you will need a EB licence.
Alot of people down this way have been stopped lately towing horse box's and car transporters with the wrong licence.
If you dont have the EB and you have an accident while towing then the insurance wont cover you .
I renewed my insurance last month on my l200 and they wont cover the trailer i have without the EB.

canon5571

Cheers for the replys folks!
I have the EB license so there will be no problem there. I never thought of going down the SUV route, could be an option. I was looking at Navaras in the north on the net and trying to work out the VRT but the VRT calculator doesnt have Navaras listed at all!

time lord

canon5571 wrote: »

Hello all!
I have a question and I hope ye might be able to help/advise.
I am 24 and driving a petrol saloon car. I keep a few horses and cattle and therefore need to do a lot towing. The car doesnt have a hitch so when I need to tow I have to borrow my dads jeep. My dilemma is, do I keep the car (I need passenger space) and buy a commercial jeep eg, Pajero, Fourtrak (that kind of size and budget) or do I go and get a car loan and buy a good pickup with crewcab eg L200, Navara and get rid of the car?
I quite like the new Navara and was thinking of taking the plunge and buying a decent 2-3 yr old jeep. Would there be any insurance issues with my age on a 4x4?
Any feedback or comments, greatfully accepted.

I had the exact same dilema. Three kids, a pony, a touring caravan and a gardening/rubbish trailer. I bought a Mazda bt 50. Brill outcome. Insurance today renewed at 595 fully comp. and tax is commercial. She has a.b.s., e/w.x4 air/con etc etc. the dearest extra is the hard top for the back. About 950euro to your door. 2.5l turbo diesel. I drove to Enniskillen the other day. I filled her to the brim before I left and when I got back. She used exactly 20 euro, not a cent more could I fit in it. From my door to Asda is 77 miles. So a tenner up and a tenner back over 150 miles is good for the vehicle she is. The4 only dray back is the leg room at the back is not as big as a saloon passat say, but your not going to be a taxi. Ps it is fine for commercial tax, ins, etc even though it has 5 seats. I fully checked this with the insurance comp. the Gardaí and the tax office before I bought. Great bargains on these vehicles at the moment. Many young trades men will take hand and all of you for a cash sale.
time lord...

canon5571

Thanks for that Timelord!
The Mazda never even entered my head. Its not a 4x4 I really ever noticed before. Do you mind me asking what year of BT50 you have? There seems to be a new model introduced in 05/06.

time lord

canon5571 wrote: »

Thanks for that Timelord!
The Mazda never even entered my head. Its not a 4x4 I really ever noticed before. Do you mind me asking what year of BT50 you have? There seems to be a new model introduced in 05/06.

July 07, They are not as plentyful as the L200 or Nivaras but for price they rock, plus everyone that has one generally puts it to work not like all the chromed up posers with 100% road thread tyres on their crew cabs. My 11 year old drives it off road in low 4, it has a tight turning circle and parts/accessories are very easy to get as all ford ranger stuff fits it. ps some '07 models have abs some dont.

AsphaltRisin'

Slig wrote: »

Tax would be a bigger issue than insurance, as you can imagine a 2.5L will be alot more to tax every year then a 1.4 or 1.6 petrol. I am unsure about taxing a crewcab commercial. Some insurers will allow you insure a commercial vehicle on a private policy while some will insist on commercial insurance. Ring around and get a few quotes

If your only concern is towing then try out a few suvs, Rav4, vitara and santa fe are all fairly economical with smaller engines. They would be a lot more fun than a crew cab on a daily drive aswell. Leg room in the back of crew cabs can also be small although I think the Navara is fairly roomy in the back. Put a canopy on the back and you can just throw anything smelly in the load bed.

hes farmin so he'll get insured alright. also seein as he's farmin he'll need a proper 4x4 for drivin through his land etc. crew cabs are fine for commercial tax too.

as for what ones are good, its up to personal preference really as most of the modern crew cabs are pretty good in terms of reliability and all will to a cow box and stuff like that.
depends what year you want to do for as well but any of the jap ones are fine, and i personally have had no major woes with ford rangers

AsphaltRisin'

canon5571 wrote: »

Cheers for the replys folks!
I have the EB license so there will be no problem there. I never thought of going down the SUV route, could be an option. I was looking at Navaras in the north on the net and trying to work out the VRT but the VRT calculator doesnt have Navaras listed at all!

suv will rip into your pocket for tax though compared to commercial jeep or crew cab

Redtop

Commercial Landcruiser is your only man and you will get 31mpg on average and better on long runs.

flem123

go 4 a long wheel base jeep 4 more stablity wit d trailer n also you can jus use the seats in the back for passengers.. i wudnt go near old pajeros as they drink the diesel like water and cud do wit a sixth year to be honest

Madame Razz

I have the same dilemma.

Trying to decide on what type of commercial 4x4 to go for.

So far have driven long and short wheel base Landcruiser, Land rover Discovery and Freelander, VW Toureg, Volvo XC90 and Hyundai Santa Fé.

Looking to buy new or nearly new.

Very much leaning towards Disco but I don't know; tho I am getting a cery good deal on a new one from a local garage, an 09 for the price of most 08 with a bit of mileage.

It will do a little bit of towing, but it'll be for road use mainly, and I'll be doing a lot of miles.

The job dictates it has to be a 4x4.

Are there any others I should try and what do ye reckon about a Discovery; are they all they are cracked up to be??

The whole thing is muchos confusing.....

canon5571

Wouldnt a passenger model of a jeep eg. pajero, landcruiser be liable for a higher tax rate as opposed to a crew cab pick up??