Decision time for a new jeep

peterwaldron11

Its time now to change the car and im looking into jeeps, non-commerical, and im lost as to what to get. All the reports that I have read show that their mpg is low and models i like, the VW Touareg, Discovery 3 and the ford Ranger, all show high consumption. So what is the real one to choose here? Im at a loss as I cant afford to fill the car like an animal and I understand that this is a contradiction in terms of spending the money on a large engine and jeep but I still want to be able to get value for money for the mpg. So if you can give me first hand information or suggest a jeep let me no.

endasmail

dont get a touareg

cant beat a toyota

TheAnswer

Kilos cost money (to shift around). And the extra friction of the 4 wheel drive system takes even more fuel to move, not to mention the huge chunky tyres and their increased rolling resistance.
If you want to drive a big heavy jeep (and there ain't no lightweight ones!) you are going to pay for it at the pumps. Simples.

101sean

If mpg is a concern, you don't want a big 4x4, none will get better than 25-28mpg in mixed countryside mileage, the toerag probably even less. The Ranger is also primitive in comparison to the D3 and VW. You'll also get crucified on motor tax on a big private 4x4

Seriously think about what you need, I do it because Land Rovers are an expensive obsession otherwise I could save a fortune by driving a medium sized estate car.

If it is what you need and just need it to work, go Toyota/Isuzu/Mitsubishi. Discovery will be more comfortable and has more character but dealer support and silly problems could break your heart

Smaller 4x4s and SUVs like Freelanders, RAV4s, Pathfinders, Sportage, Vitara etc will be cheaper to run but still have an MPG penalty.

Kilmac1

have a disco 3 since 08 never had problems just silly 5p chips going but dealer stood over it, dad swore hed never buy a jeep but he's never out of it now

TrailerBob

For what its worth, I have a 03 landcruiser (old shape) since '08 that I do c. 30,000 miles a year in. It's big, its comfy, it does a very steady 29-30 mpg, has all the power you want, and NEVER breaks down. Passenger one is big tax as you know but other than that running costs are not that bad.

Comparison with my old passat tdi

Tyres - 20 a corner more on jeep but get 20k extra from a set.
Diesel- 10 a week extra.
Insurance- 200 less.
Parts - zero (bar oil and filters and t- belt)

Overall its costing me roughly the same as the VW to run anually.
Which I cannot find another big jeep to match all categories. Pajero probably comes closest, then agree with Sean about the disco.


*yes I love my Toyota!

Juniorhurler

TrailerBob wrote: »

For what its worth, I have a 03 landcruiser (old shape) since '08 that I do c. 30,000 miles a year in. It's big, its comfy, it does a very steady 29-30 mpg, has all the power you want, and NEVER breaks down. Passenger one is big tax as you know but other than that running costs are not that bad.

Comparison with my old passat tdi

Tyres - 20 a corner more on jeep but get 20k extra from a set.
Diesel- 10 a week extra.
Insurance- 200 less.
Parts - zero (bar oil and filters and t- belt)

Overall its costing me roughly the same as the VW to run anually.
Which I cannot find another big jeep to match all categories. Pajero probably comes closest, then agree with Sean about the disco.


*yes I love my Toyota!

At 30 mpg your land cruiser burns 1000gallons or 4500 litres of fuel per year.
At current prices €10 per week (difference in passat and cruiser) is 7 litres of fuel. Multiply this by 52 weeks is 364 litres.
Therefore your passat burned 4136 litres for 30000 miles. That converts to 32.64 mpg. That passat was a sow. I had a skoda superb (same car) that did 49mpg combined. My Isuzu D-max does 32mpg. You were right to offload that passat.

TrailerBob

True, should have been better.. it cost a fortune in repairs too... got badly burned!!

Guess my point is that some people think the running costs are completely off the wall for jeeps. Not so if you have the right one and you don't drive it like Lewis Hamilton.

32 is good for a dmax, much better than L200's lazy lump.

Juniorhurler

TrailerBob wrote: »

True, should have been better.. it cost a fortune in repairs too... got badly burned!!

Guess my point is that some people think the running costs are completely off the wall for jeeps. Not so if you have the right one and you don't drive it like Lewis Hamilton.

32 is good for a dmax, much better than L200's lazy lump.

Ya happy with it. Like you say though, I drive her handy. Rarely above 2000 rpm.

Eric Cartman

Juniorhurler wrote: »

Ya happy with it. Like you say though, I drive her handy. Rarely above 2000 rpm.

even lead footing it in an auto d-max i get 28mpg

Juniorhurler

Eric Cartman wrote: »

even lead footing it in an auto d-max i get 28mpg

Ya but mine is the old model, which I believe are a bit slower and a bit thirstier. Correct me if I am wrong though.

si_guru

If you fret over the pumps and mpg - don't buy a full size 4x4. You WILL hate it after about 1 month.

I am convalescing Land Rover addict currently in sheltered motoring....

Anyway my auld Disco' V8 would cost well over €100 to fill and then manage about 250-300miles! Think of taking your car to your local garage, filling the tank then paying 2 or 3 times what you pay for a diesel family motor. ..or imagine throwing €50 on the ground each time you fill your current motor.

Now, if I wanted that "jeep" style today at an affordable cost I would go straight for a Sportage, iX35 or Yeti.

101sean

Best I get out of my Defender is 27mpg but it's on knobbly tyres, I have a heavy right foot and rarely get out on good roads

My 101 is a very heavy drinker, 12mpg and a €160 tankfull will take it about 300 miles :eek: It's only a weekend toy though and the V8 exhaust note almost makes it worth it!

Top Dog

Why exactly do you want a 4x4? Towing? Image? Work?

We have a Shogun - @ €120 to fill the tank and get 400ish miles for that. Love it, but the soaring cost of fuel could make you cry (diesel gone up over 35c/l since we bought it late last year! :eek: ) Tyres ain't cheap at €160 a corner either - about €50 dearer each than the 18's we had on our Laguna before it

Thankfully now have a frugal Fiesta for the work commute too, and the fuel cost savings are more than covering the cost of taxing, insuring & maintaining it. Really miss driving the Shogun during the week, but appreciate it more on the weekends then - plus saving a heap of wear and tear on it.

Zimmerframe

endasmail wrote: »

dont get a touareg
cant beat a toyota

I have had both, and imho there is no comparison, the Touareg is better in every way, but it's certainly not cheap to run. I get an average of 26 mpg. The wife has an Octavia and a lighter foot and she is getting an average of 63 mpg.
I hope you are talking commercial tax too, as I think the passenger Touareg (<2011) is something like €2100 to tax.
Needless to say, if you go for a Touareg it must be the 3.0 V6.

TheAnswer wrote: »

If you want to drive a big heavy jeep (and there ain't no lightweight ones!) you are going to pay for it at the pumps.

Absolutely.

TrailerBob

Zimmerframe wrote: »

I have had both, and imho there is no comparison, the Touareg is better in every way, but it's certainly not cheap to run. You will get an average of 26 - 27 mpg.

Did you do much towing with the touareg? Never owned one myself but two colleagues have and don't rate the drivetrain for proper towing.. don't think that's what the OP is looking a jeep for, just curious, not convinced the VW would stick half the hardship a cruiser would. I've no doubt they're a better motorway driver.

Zimmerframe

TrailerBob wrote: »

Did you do much towing with the touareg? Never owned one myself but two colleagues have and don't rate the drivetrain for proper towing.. don't think that's what the OP is looking a jeep for, just curious, not convinced the VW would stick half the hardship a cruiser would. I've no doubt they're a better motorway driver.

Not really towed much to be honest m8, towed a trailer with 5 cattle a couple of times for the "auld fella" and the rest of the time with 240bhp towing a small builders trailer wasn't much of a test.

I can't say, if it could handle the hardship as good as a landcruiser, but likewise haven't seen any evidence that they wouldn't either.

Regarding everything other than running costs eg power/handling/creature comforts etc. the Touareg wins hands down.

It averages 26 mpg but on long journeys you could coax 33 out of it. It would probably do a lot better on diesel if I drove it "properly".
It's heavy on brakes and tyres too (or I am). The first Touareg had Michelin tyres and they were as bald as myself after 9000 miles :mad: but now I find the Hankook Ventus lasts great on the Touareg.

The 2.5 Touareg is not in the same league as the 3.0.

I can't really remember what mpg I was getting from the Toyota, but don't think it was a lot better either.
The last landcruiser I had was a 2007 and to be honest I hated it, but my dad has a 2001 landcruiser Swb and it's a great workhorse and I love it.
Any other questions, fire away m8.

TrailerBob

just curious as to why you thought a toaureg is better in every way than a cruiser. (Cruiser driver BTW). Agree on handling/comfort, but not as a workhorse or reliability (up to 05 cruiser especially). Depends on what you need i suppose.

Zimmerframe

TrailerBob wrote: »

just curious as to why you thought a toaureg is better in every way than a cruiser. (Cruiser driver BTW). Agree on handling/comfort, but not as a workhorse or reliability (up to 05 cruiser especially). Depends on what you need i suppose.

Handling, comfort, power are the most important to me, I never had any reliability issues with the Touareg.
Don't really use it as a "workhorse" I suppose, but anything I needed it to do, it handled with ease, so having had both like I said, there was nothing that I deemed the landcruiser could do better, whereas there were many areas where I thought the Touareg had a definite edge.
But as you said, depends on what you you need/want.

Johro

101sean wrote: »

If it is what you need and just need it to work, go Toyota/Isuzu/Mitsubishi. Discovery will be more comfortable and has more character but dealer support and silly problems could break your heart

Smaller 4x4s and SUVs like Freelanders, RAV4s, Pathfinders, Sportage, Vitara etc will be cheaper to run but still have an MPG penalty.

Mate of mine has a 1.6 petrol Vitara and it's costing him a fortune in juice.
My 2.5L diesel Pajero ain't so bad after all.

YouTookMyName

MPG is for car drivers!

I had a 2003 L200 for almost 3 years. Needed nothing apart from the usual. Burned a clutch towing blocks and concrete 1 summer though.

Then the engine blew in january after i had done 40000miles in it and 120k on the clock. Not a day goes by i don't miss it.