Suggest a 4X4 / all wheel drive.

CardinalJ

Hi,

I'm thinking of changing car and have been strongly contemplating getting a 4x4 or something with four wheel drive.

I live in Dublin but do a lot of mountain biking meaning i have my current car (03 1.4 Golf) loaded up 2/3 times a week. My reasoning for wanting something with 4 wheel drive is that Im up in Wicklow all year round and the roads are getting worse all the time. I also love getting out on the bike in the snow, but wouldn't try taking the golf up towards roundwood etc when the weathers bad. The golf isn't that bad on snow/ice, but there's a bit too much 'winging it' when I'm using it in the mountains during snowy periods.

Basically I'd be looking for something second hand and would budget around €8-10k. Big boot, petrol or diesel and probably not more that a 2L engine.

Any suggestions?

John

pete4130

You've got your softroader options like a santa fe, sorento etc...not a "real" 4wd system. They'll be cheaper than the likes of a Nissan Patrol, Landcruiser, Discovery/Defender but these will be more expensive to run (and outside your 2L engine size requirement). They won't be as nice to drive as a regular car either.

One of the most underrated cars in Ireland is the Subaru Forester. You can get a 2.0 non turbo with a very clever AWD system and it has a low range gearbox too (albeit about a 15% reduction rather than a 50%). They can be got for very little with average mileage & good spec as people perceive them to be really expensive to run. They won't have the greatest mpg but no 4WD will have. Around town maybe 25-30mpg and out of town maybe 30-35mpg.

They are basically a raised estate with 4WD, based on the Impreza platform (the older models anyway).

Other similar options would be a Volvo XC70, an Audi Allroad but the engines are probably too big?

Another good option is a Subaru Outback. Much more boot space but I don't think they come in smaller than a 2.5L engine size. No low range on the Outback but similar ride height to the forester.

Take this one for example:

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4505348

It's well under budget, its 2.0L, really good spec and a few years up on your current car. The mileage isn't even that high really, a little more than average I guess. You're getting a lot of car for the money.

Or this one:

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4501088

It's about half the mileage, a little bit more expensive and has NCT until next year. It's reasonable spec on it too. This one seems to be an older model/pre facelift by the looks of it so the black one might make better snese with resale value. Then its hard to ignore the older model has less than half the mileage.

CardinalJ

pete4130 wrote: »

You've got your softroader options like a santa fe, sorento etc...not a "real" 4wd system. They'll be cheaper than the likes of a Nissan Patrol, Landcruiser, Discovery/Defender but these will be more expensive to run (and outside your 2L engine size requirement). They won't be as nice to drive as a regular car either.

One of the most underrated cars in Ireland is the Subaru Forester. You can get a 2.0 non turbo with a very clever AWD system and it has a low range gearbox too (albeit about a 15% reduction rather than a 50%). They can be got for very little with average mileage & good spec as people perceive them to be really expensive to run. They won't have the greatest mpg but no 4WD will have. Around town maybe 25-30mpg and out of town maybe 30-35mpg.

They are basically a raised estate with 4WD, based on the Impreza platform (the older models anyway).

Other similar options would be a Volvo XC70, an Audi Allroad but the engines are probably too big?

Another good option is a Subaru Outback. Much more boot space but I don't think they come in smaller than a 2.5L engine size. No low range on the Outback but similar ride height to the forester.

Take this one for example:

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4505348

It's well under budget, its 2.0L, really good spec and a few years up on your current car. The mileage isn't even that high really, a little more than average I guess. You're getting a lot of car for the money.

Or this one:

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4501088

It's about half the mileage, a little bit more expensive and has NCT until next year. It's reasonable spec on it too. This one seems to be an older model/pre facelift by the looks of it so the black one might make better snese with resale value. Then its hard to ignore the older model has less than half the mileage.

The 2L thing is mainly based on insurance. I'm 27 so insurance is currently €500, I previously checked for a 2.5L defender and think it was coming in around €800, slightly less if I put my girlfriend on in.

Had looked into a forester before. Drove one on snow years ago and thought it was great. Ill have to look into the tax costs of the forester.

Thanks for the suggestions.

shooter88

Why not keep the golf and get a classic land rover 150 to insure and 56e tax easy to pick a very clean one for half your budjet

Cungi

I'd go with a Legacy/Impreza estate

But you could also have with those requirements:

Toyota Rav4
Honda HRV
Land Rover Freelander
Hyundai Santa Fe
Kia Sportage

kuro_man

Golf R32?

shooter88

The 2lt "4x4" won't be any good for what your looking for most don't have a decent 4wd system and won't really go much further than a car in snow or even in muck..basically if it doesn't have a low box don't bother

4wd Vitara on suitable tyres would do the job.

Defenders are looney money, was half thinking of getting one shortly but the premium on them is mad imo.

Cee-Jay-Cee

shooter88 wrote: »

The 2lt "4x4" won't be any good for what your looking for most don't have a decent 4wd system and won't really go much further than a car in snow or even in muck..basically if it doesn't have a low box don't bother

Absolute rubbish. The low box is for total extremes and having owned a 2.0 Impreza with such box and a vitara I never ever had the need to use it. I now have a 2.0L Legacy saloon (BL5) which has diesnt have the hi/lo box and in the snow and ice 2 years ago I was able to get up and down to my house where my brothers Free lander failed. Tyres are a very big part of an AWD vehicles capabilities. I had winter tyres on my car and there was virtually no where it wouldn't go.

Abi

shooter88 wrote: »

Why not keep the golf and get a classic land rover 150 to insure and 56e tax easy to pick a very clean one for half your budjet

^ I like that idea.


Also, maybe a Nissan X-trail. Grand big boot in them.

CardinalJ

shooter88 wrote: »

Why not keep the golf and get a classic land rover 150 to insure and 56e tax easy to pick a very clean one for half your budjet

Interesting idea but running two cars is probably a bit much. I'd be using both the whole time so it would work out far too much.

shooter88 wrote: »

The 2lt "4x4" won't be any good for what your looking for most don't have a decent 4wd system and won't really go much further than a car in snow or even in muck..basically if it doesn't have a low box don't bother

Don't know a lot about 4wd cars at all but I've driven on snow in FWD cars plenty and in a forester and the difference was huge.

shooter88

CJC999 wrote: »

Absolute rubbish. The low box is for total extremes and having owned a 2.0 Impreza with such box and a vitara I never ever had the need to use it. I now have a 2.0L Legacy saloon (BL5) which has diesnt have the hi/lo box and in the snow and ice 2 years ago I was able to get up and down to my house where my brothers Free lander failed. Tyres are a very big part of an AWD vehicles capabilities. I had winter tyres on my car and there was virtually no where it wouldn't go.

The free lander is one of those "4x4" that are really cars and dont have a decent 4wd system..the low box is not for extremes it lowers gear ratio ultimately moving wheels slower eliminating wheel spin

Carson10

This car would be ideal for your bikes and has that upmarket/country feel.
Volvo XC70 Estate 4x4 2002. Nows its 2.5 petrol, but maybe €4,995 you could see past the high tax rate and have money left over.

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/4561922

comanche_cor

CardinalJ wrote: »

Hi,

The golf isn't that bad on snow/ice, but there's a bit too much 'winging it' when I'm using it in the mountains during snowy periods.

Any suggestions?

John

Yup - get a set of winter tyres for the car (& the bike). Sorry but getting a AWD / 4x4 is madness for your needs ... unless you want a 4x4 just for the sake of it.

Simples... will save ya money in fuel, tax, upgrade costs etc ... use the savings to add more bikes to your arsenal

Btw another thing to consider with some of the 4wd is that if you carry bikes on the back (I presume you won't be putting them in the back), because they are higher you bikes might catch on some of the lower gates for example the car park a Djouce - PITA.

walus

If you are really into AWD cars then there aren't that many better than Subarus. I've Legacy and the grip and handling is superb. Check out the Forester as suggested earlier. Very understated car that can be had for a good money. On top of that the non turbo 2.0 petrol are very reliable.

ba_barabus

I'm going to recommend something slightly different.

A good roof rack placed on top of a Fiat Panda 4x4 with a set of M&S tyres fitted.

I've seen them in use this week on heavy snow in the ski slopes in the Cairngorms national park in Scotland. All I can say is they are like a mountain goat with the amount of available grip. The snow was the worst I've ever been out in and these things just kept digging in and going.

I'd imagine they are cheap to run also given they have a small enough engine.

CardinalJ

Some real interesting thoughts there. Ill have a look into them after work.

Thanks.

wendell borton

CardinalJ wrote: »

Some real interesting thoughts there. Ill have a look into them after work.

Thanks.

The low box makes a difference as the diff will be locked so power will be sent to all wheels, without it power will only go to spinning wheels.

Anan1

wendell borton wrote: »

The low box makes a difference as the diff will be locked so power will be sent to all wheels, without it power will only go to spinning wheels.

Low range and diff locks are two different things. Also, many awd cars will have limited slip differentials and/or ESP to help keep the car moving.

flazio

Was going to suggest an Octavia Scout but they seem to be quite rare on the market.

ETA found one,
http://www.carzone.ie/search/Skoda/Octavia/SCOUT-2./201308212529496/advert?channel=CARS