4wd small van

MF290

Is it possible to get a 4wd or awd caddy/berlingo sized van?

Harry Palmr

https://www.donedeal.ie/commercials-for-sale/4-wd-toyota-hiace/22066049

There are very few genuine box vans that are 4wd, almost all are car and pick up/crew cab variants.

159conor

There are 3 or so 4motion vw caddies in the uk so you can kina get one used, I dont beleve the current gen one offers 4 wheel drive.

159conor

Harry Palmr wrote: »

https://www.donedeal.ie/commercials-for-sale/4-wd-toyota-hiace/22066049

There are very few genuine box vans that are 4wd, almost all are car and pick up/crew cab variants.

That Toyota scares me a bit there is hardly any front crumple zone

nu_90

New berlingo/partner has awd , called grip control

159conor

nu_90 wrote: »

New berlingo/partner has awd , called grip control

Thats just fancy traction control for mud its still front wheel drive. There is an aproved aftermarket 4x4 conversion but that was not sold here as far as I can tell there are a few for sale in spain and the netherlands I think

XLR 8

MF290 wrote: »

Is it possible to get a 4wd or awd caddy/berlingo sized van?

If your not looking at brand new then check out the Fiat Sedici or Suzuki SX4 both are 4X4.They are a gem if you look after them. There are commercial versions too. It's unbeatable for the price in snow and off road. Load space might be an issue but I've seen plenty hauled in the one I owned. Rugged as f#@k too.

tom_tarbucket

A middlin’ big van is better than a good small van.

TrailerBob

The pertinent question is why you're looking for 4wd? Pretty much any 4wd system on a van will be passive, and next to useless in even a wet field with road tyres. 4wd is either for superior on road handling, or more serious off road traction.. I'm perplexed as to how a small van fits either of these categories.

ianobrien

I'd be thinking the same as above, a proper traction control (eg Peugeot Grip Control, Fiat Traction Plus, etc) and decent tyres.

Have a look on YouTube for videos of where 2WD Peugeot with Grip Control have gotten the machine into and out of.

MF290

TrailerBob wrote: »

The pertinent question is why you're looking for 4wd? Pretty much any 4wd system on a van will be passive, and next to useless in even a wet field with road tyres. 4wd is either for superior on road handling, or more serious off road traction.. I'm perplexed as to how a small van fits either of these categories.

Just to able to get through wet spots and gaps off road. I have an older style berlingo that is a great little van but useless with any mud.
Something like this would be ideal and would be cheaper ran than a jeep.

MF290

ianobrien wrote: »

I'd be thinking the same as above, a proper traction control (eg Peugeot Grip Control, Fiat Traction Plus, etc) and decent tyres.

Have a look on YouTube for videos of where 2WD Peugeot with Grip Control have gotten the machine into and out of.

Seems work well in fairness.
I see there is an berlingo xtr+ with a limited slip differential available too.

TrailerBob

MF290 wrote: »

Just to able to get through wet spots and gaps off road. I have an older style berlingo that is a great little van but useless with any mud.
Something like this would be ideal and would be cheaper ran than a jeep.

I completely get what you're after, I suppose the other question is ground clearance. I've seen more than a couple of Citroen Nemo/ Renault Kangoo kind of vans do a sump being used for that kind of work. Mate of mine switched to a Duster of all things for heading out to breakdowns with balers and combines after a sump breakage. Might be worth considering, fairly spacious with the back seats down, and as cheap to run as any small van.

Edit: also note that the van in the video has BFGoodrich AllTerrain tyres on it.. unlikely to be found on many vans... Except a guy up the road frome who has a full 4x4 Merc sprinter with them

air

Unless you're towing or have loads of weight in the back a set of decent off road tyres (as mentioned) combined with installing an LSD to your existing gearbox should make it a huge amount more capable.

You'd have less weight and fuel economy impact than full 4wd.
You could also raise the suspension if ground clearance was a concern.

Personally I'd start with a tyre upgrade and go from there.

colm_mcm

Duster is a good idea, an old Tucson for 1500 would also be quite economical provided it isn’t a ball of a yoke.

Eric Cartman

colm_mcm wrote: »

Duster is a good idea, an old Tucson for 1500 would also be quite economical provided it isn’t a ball of a yoke.

Many tucsons were 2wd.

OP it seems like youre the perfect candidate for a 2 seat commercially converted 4x4, any reason against it ?

colm_mcm

Commercials are often 4wd

MF290

TrailerBob wrote: »

I completely get what you're after, I suppose the other question is ground clearance. I've seen more than a couple of Citroen Nemo/ Renault Kangoo kind of vans do a sump being used for that kind of work. Mate of mine switched to a Duster of all things for heading out to breakdowns with balers and combines after a sump breakage. Might be worth considering, fairly spacious with the back seats down, and as cheap to run as any small van.

Edit: also note that the van in the video has BFGoodrich AllTerrain tyres on it.. unlikely to be found on many vans... Except a guy up the road frome who has a full 4x4 Merc sprinter with them

A 4wd duster would fit the bill nicely. Something with cargo space, 4wd, that would manage off road and is cheap to run is what I'm thinking of.

Eric Cartman

MF290 wrote: »

A 4wd duster would fit the bill nicely. Something with cargo space, 4wd, that would manage off road and is cheap to run is what I'm thinking of.

whats your budget ? a LWB landcruiser or pajero would have that kind of space, equally a crewcab pickup with a closed box on the back.

MF290

colm_mcm wrote: »

Duster is a good idea, an old Tucson for 1500 would also be quite economical provided it isn’t a ball of a yoke.

Older style sorento seem to be reliable.

Eric Cartman

MF290 wrote: »

Older style sorento seem to be reliable.

great car and cheap, also if you really demand off road you could get a defender 110 single cab

https://www.donedeal.ie/commercials-for-sale/01-lanrover-defender-2-5-diesel-new-doe/23439407

MF290

Eric Cartman wrote: »

whats your budget ? a LWB landcruiser or pajero would have that kind of space, equally a crewcab pickup with a closed box on the back.

As cheap as possible!! I wouldn't need a massive amount of space a swb would do. A decent condition landcruiser/pajero isn't cheap bought or ran.

Eric Cartman

MF290 wrote: »

As cheap as possible!! I wouldn't need a massive amount of space a swb would do. A decent condition landcruiser/pajero isn't cheap bought or ran.

the original shape sorento 03-06 or an 05-07 touareg 3.0 is your best bet for cheap yet still a real 4x4 ,

MF290

Eric Cartman wrote: »

great car and cheap, also if you really demand off road you could get a defender 110 single cab

https://www.donedeal.ie/commercials-for-sale/01-lanrover-defender-2-5-diesel-new-doe/23439407

Used to fancy one and then I drove a 95 defender 90 at work. It was more like a tractor than a jeep!!! Made my berlingo feel like a rolls royce to drive

TrailerBob

Eric Cartman wrote: »

the original shape sorento 03-06 or an 05-07 touareg 3.0 is your best bet for cheap yet still a real 4x4 ,

I don't think OP is looking for serious 4x4 ability, just a bit of traction and clearance when needed. I woulda also suggest that 'a touareg' and 'cheap to run' are not statements that are often found in the same solar system

Eric Cartman

TrailerBob wrote: »

I don't think OP is looking for serious 4x4 ability, just a bit of traction and clearance when needed. I woulda also suggest that 'a touareg' and 'cheap to run' are not statements that are often found in the same solar system

compared to a range rover anything looks cheap to run :pac: but genuinely those V6 first gen touaregs have proven to be pretty easily kept over time.

MF290

Eric Cartman wrote: »

Many tucsons were 2wd.

OP it seems like youre the perfect candidate for a 2 seat commercially converted 4x4, any reason against it ?

Jeeps just seem very overpriced and aren't cheap to run. Would ideally have a pickup or jeep that could handle a trailer as well.

TrailerBob

Then just get one.. best off a Toyota. I honestly have worked out the total running costs for my landcruiser versus the mrs's Kuga over 5 years. Between insurance, tax diesel, maintenance and testing, there's only a couple of hundred euro in the difference. Simply because the cruiser needs so little maintenance and repair. Aside from that, If you want the true power and ability, you have to pay in some way.

People always come into these types of threads claiming 4wd is not what you need and a set of tyres will make a bigger difference. It’s rubbish.

4wd makes a massive difference to a vehicles ability to get through any sort of tough ground. The difference is night and day.

air

Camila Plump Shingle wrote: »

People always come into these types of threads claiming 4wd is not what you need and a set of tyres will make a bigger difference. It’s rubbish.

4wd makes a massive difference to a vehicles ability to get through any sort of tough ground. The difference is night and day.

Nobody but you has made any such blanket statements.
It's clear the OP isn't going on the Paris Dakar either.

A lightly loaded FWD vehicle with off road tyres coupled with a LSD can be very capable - most likely more capable than a 4wd with road tyres in fact in the muddy conditions that the OP has described.

peasant

air wrote: »

A lightly loaded FWD vehicle with off road tyres coupled with a LSD can be very capable -

-off road...not very pleasant or safe on a wet road (where it spends most of its time)

4WD with decent all seasons makes sense everywhere.

John_Rambo

air wrote: »

A lightly loaded FWD vehicle with off road tyres coupled with a LSD can be very capable - most likely more capable than a 4wd with road tyres in fact in the muddy conditions that the OP has described.

Then you're in to driving knobbly off road tyres on regular roads. Pain.

Edit - That Peasant ^ got there before me!

There's a 4x4 Peugeot Partner.

air

Agreed, was just making the point that 4wd isn't the only possible solution when more grip is required. I wasn't suggesting fully off road tyres for his case.

From what the OP has said, the extent of the "off roading" involved is confined to getting across wet fields and economy in between is a priority.

I had a similar use case myself in the past, never went 4wd & just took the chance.
I did get stuck once over the space over the space of 2 or 3 years.
Cost me about 3 hours of my time (Friday evening heading for home of course) but those were the best paid hours I ever had in terms of the money saved over the full period.

AMKC

A Suzuki Jimny or Daihatsu Terios second hand if you can get them. Both are small but very cabable off roaders. A Fiat Panda 4x4 is another. Just putting them out there. Maybe they are to small for the OP.

peasant

AMKC wrote: »

A Suzuki Jimny or Daihatsu Terios second hand if you can get them. Both are small but very cabable off roaders. A Fiat Panda 4x4 is another. Just putting them out there. Maybe they are to small for the OP.

Can't speak for the other two, but a Jimny is not a vehicle I would like to use as a work van...it's too uncomfortable and compromised as a road vehicle, not to mention somewhat cramped.

(I used to own one for several years...great fun as a private vehicle...but I wouldn't want to spend my working day in it ...unless that work was in forestry or something similarly off-roady)

FAMLEE

There's no market for small vans with 4wd, what you need is a real mechanical 4x4. Not shi1teboxes with electric passive systems.

MF290

I will write a letter to citroen demanding a 4wd berlingo and I might as well ask for the hydropneumatic suspension which raises and lowers!

Ferris

Saw a passenger Caddy yeterday with a rear diff visible from behind, remembered this thread and paid more attention and saw it had a 4 Motion badge on it. Maybe a similar setup was available in the van version, it was a 2L but.

MF290

XLR 8 wrote: »

If your not looking at brand new then check out the Fiat Sedici or Suzuki SX4 both are 4X4.They are a gem if you look after them. There are commercial versions too. It's unbeatable for the price in snow and off road. Load space might be an issue but I've seen plenty hauled in the one I owned. Rugged as f#@k too.

Thanks a good shout, snubbed them after a google image search last time but look a right little car for the money. Hard find much info on reliability.
Youtube video of the fiat panda brought me down a rabbit hole of unsuspecting 4x4's

Mc-BigE

what about the last generation land rover discovery (2 seater or 5 seater crew cab)? or depending on your budget the new 2 seater commercial one.

MF290

Mc-BigE wrote: »

what about the last generation land rover discovery (2 seater or 5 seater crew cab)? or depending on your budget the new 2 seater commercial one.

I like the look of them and great spec but reliability and cost of parts not to mention the price of them.

XLR 8

MF290 wrote: »

Thanks a good shout, snubbed them after a google image search last time but look a right little car for the money. Hard find much info on reliability.
Youtube video of the fiat panda brought me down a rabbit hole of unsuspecting 4x4's

The petrol versions are very reliable and frugal. The diesels are like any other diesel vehicle and need a bit of TLC. I had the 1.6 petrol Sedici 4X4 and not once did it ever have an issue. Honestly for the money you won't find a better 4X4. I drove it all over the hills in Wicklow during the beast from the east a few years back through snow drifts three feet deep and up icy roads it was faultless. Best of luck finding one they're rare enough. I regret letting mine go if I'm honest.