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General => General discussion => Topic started by: tsr_adi on 05 September 2011, 18:47
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Been thinking about the up and coming months and how difficult it would be for me to get to work in the winter, especially if its anything like last year. Been looking at cheap 4x4s for around 500quid, which gives me the option of very thirsty and rotten disco's, broken pajero's, or a decent cherokee, or decentish frontera. Whatever I go for, would have to be a diesel, I know V8 cherokees are very nice and V8s are cheap, but thats cuz no-one can afford to run them, and that includes me! I've had a pajero SWB 2.5TD before a few years back and I loved it, although I found it slow and a bit thirsty. Anyone recommend/share your experience on any cheap 4x4s?
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Dunno if its still their but was about a week ago, on auto trader there was a passat 4mo 2.8
full heated leather etc for about £700
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Fiat panda
I'll get the coat
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This for a giggle:
http://forum.difflock.com/ads_item.php?id=14110
Or anything else from the myriad other 4x4s on Difflock. :grin:
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I'd love something like a jacked up suzuki SJ or lada riva, but I have 3 kids so needs to be practical. Hence why a cherokee would be perfect. Never owned one, been in one before though.
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I've just travelled to H
eull in one today.
Only recommended if you like travelling by jelly.
Nip over to Germany and pick up a T25 Syncro Multivan for £1500 and sell it next spring for £5-6k. :grin:
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something soft and bouncy is fine by me. the thing I miss most about having a truck is that NO-ONE gets in your way :evil:
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I think your price range suggests a 1.6 suzuki vitara, should get a worker in that budget- and as its petrol it will always start in winter. I, however, have had a hilux surf for years now, with mud tyres on it, and always look forward to the snow.
Bear in mind however, most jap 4x4's are only part time 4 wheel drive, they wont work in 4 wheel drive mode on a tarmac road without winding up the transfer box as they dont have a central diff. its intended for use only on loose surfaces, so when its just a bit icy in places, its going to prefer 2 wheel drive, and its rear drive! So with 'regular' tyres it needs more care.
Have you considered winter tyres as a cost effective option to another vehicle? £200 for a set + steel rims
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To be honest I'd rather drive a fiat panda 4x4 than a vitara. If I had one it would have to be a fatboy, and they're probably about as practical as my mk1 cab :grin: I know what your saying about part time 4x4, but I found pulling my caravan out of 4ft of snow one winter with my pajero easy in 2wd, and I think a lot of that was to do with the weight and the ground clearance. I just don't want to be getting stuck in the snow like last year, and 4x4 is the way to get out of the snow :cool:
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Been thinking about the up and coming months and how difficult it would be for me to get to work in the winter, especially if its anything like last year. Been looking at cheap 4x4s for around 500quid, which gives me the option of very thirsty and rotten disco's, broken pajero's, or a decent cherokee, or decentish frontera. Whatever I go for, would have to be a diesel, I know V8 cherokees are very nice and V8s are cheap, but thats cuz no-one can afford to run them, and that includes me! I've had a pajero SWB 2.5TD before a few years back and I loved it, although I found it slow and a bit thirsty. Anyone recommend/share your experience on any cheap 4x4s?
There is nothing decent about Fucterrors :laugh: Horrible nasty cars that should be burnt, especially oak green SWB 2.0 115's 'Sports' versions :angry: Their only saving grace is people are automatically scared of the bull bars when faced with single track roads :evil:
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Spare set of alloys and some winter tyres = job done
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On my mk1 cabby? No chance. I want a 4x4 for over winter so my cab can go in the garage.
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If you want 4wd, why not go for a VAG car:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2001-VOLKSWAGEN-PASSAT-V6-4MOTION-SYNCRO-BLUE-/190572301783?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item2c5efe8dd7 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2001-VOLKSWAGEN-PASSAT-V6-4MOTION-SYNCRO-BLUE-/190572301783?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item2c5efe8dd7)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1998-AUDI-A4-2-8-QUATTRO-BLUE-/320755254032?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item4aae80c310 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1998-AUDI-A4-2-8-QUATTRO-BLUE-/320755254032?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item4aae80c310)
The area we live in is horrid in the snow with hills so I would consider one of these types myself if I was looking. But the benefit of having 4wd for those couple of weeks in a year that might be affected, vs the cost of running a heavy 4wd (especially if it's V6) the rest of the year doesn't make sense.
Agree about the Vitaras. I drove my in-laws Grand Vitara V6, it was pants on road and even in snow the 4wd wasn't great .
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:embarassed: should have known better than to mention the mighty vitara really.... A favourite with 4x4 clubs tho! Dihatsu Fourtrak instead, tough as old boots!
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A favourite with 4x4 clubs tho
Not the one I'm a member of! 90s, Discoveries and the odd SJ, yes.
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something soft and bouncy is fine by me. the thing I miss most about having a truck is that NO-ONE gets in your way :evil:
I do.
In my motorhome :evil:
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been thinking similar myself adi, since moving back to alford and travelling to lincoln 3-4 times a week to work , due to the weather last year im wondering if the a4 is going to get through the snow?? or i might just throw a sicky for a few weeks if its really bad lol....
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Jimny :wink:
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impreza would be a good choice
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1.8t Skoda Ocatvia 4wd :cool: Some can be had for just over £1k on auto trader atm, tempted by one myself.
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i dont know why people hate fronteras so much.
a friend of mine had one throught the winter and it was pretty good.
2" lift takes about 20 mins and costs about £40
add a decent set of mud tyres and it wll do things discoverys wouldnt dream of.
main problems are front torsion beam suspension doesnt allow much articulation but the rear leaf spring axel makes up for that alot,they do have a bit of a rough bouncy ride.and the petrols will misfire at the slightest hint of damp.
and the best part of a frontera is they should have substantial steel sump and fuel tank guards fitted from the factory which means you can throw them into anything with minimal risk of damage.
and if you take of the lower half of the front bumper they look awesome.
plus there cheap cos no one else likes them :grin:
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Had one. No one liked it, except my eldest daughter but she has no sense, at all. My passengers that sat in the rear were scared even when I was driving normally, thanks to the leaf spring suspension. It was slow, thirsty and more boat like than a MK3. My wife battled getting in and out of it being short. It developed a nasty problem after only 3 months of ownership, got rid of it as a garage said it'll cost more to put right than what the car was worth. The number plate ended in WHY - that is what I asked myself every time I jumped in it, and when I see one or someone mentions it I ask myself the same again...
WHY?!
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most 4X4 aren't that brilliant on snow and worse on ICE
excluding syncros, 4 motions or quattros my weapon of choice is ........
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/dannyp1595/snow/13012010090.jpg)
a sh!tty littel 2wd saxo, bang some bargin basement remould snow tyers on it, and put a set of snow chains in the boot.? the problem with discos ect is they are heavy so they need so much more grip to get up hills a saxo will get places a disco wont. worst but with big 4wd's is going down hill, when a disco starts skating on ice your f**ked, littel hatchback you can controll more and use the undriven on snow on verges to slow yourself
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/dannyp1595/snow/06012010087.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v643/dannyp1595/snow/06012010085.jpg) deal with that not a bother doing probs 100 - 150 ml a day on roads like that or worse also much fun pissing about sideways
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I had a insurance quote for a 90 disco, and adrian flux quoted me £49 a month!! Im still pretty tempted to ditch the mk3 as month insurance on that is £150 :sick:
Its just having around £3k to find a decent disco which i dont have. :sad:
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I had a insurance quote for a 90 disco, and adrian flux quoted me £49 a month!! Im still pretty tempted to ditch the mk3 as month insurance on that is £150 :sick:
Its just having around £3k to find a decent disco which i dont have. :sad:
and then another 3k a month on repaires
they are crap, one of my neighbours owns a land rover repair centre
Defender FTW
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I had a insurance quote for a 90 disco, and adrian flux quoted me £49 a month!! Im still pretty tempted to ditch the mk3 as month insurance on that is £150 :sick:
Its just having around £3k to find a decent disco which i dont have. :sad:
and then another 3k a month on repaires
they are crap, one of my neighbours owns a land rover repair centre
Defender FTW
Really?! I have read nothing but praise online. Maybe i will stick to the mk3! At least I have a jack that will lift it up :laugh:
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Im gonna get some snow chains was a nightmare when we had that snow and this year is going to be bad me tinks
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well, im going to be doing a 160 mile round trip twice a week to uni over winter, up and over hills to Edinburgh which is Guarnateed several snowy days. Rather than bankrupt myself in my Hilux (which does well on its mud tyres), ive got my eye on a mk3 diesel. bang some fresh snow treads on it and off i go!
As danny p mentioned a suitably prepared wee car will be great (yes a mk3 probably weight twice that of a saxo), a 4x4 only lets you deal with deeper snow, which is not likely on a major road- unless the jack-knifed lorry is blocking it anyway!
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I had a insurance quote for a 90 disco, and adrian flux quoted me £49 a month!! Im still pretty tempted to ditch the mk3 as month insurance on that is £150 :sick:
Its just having around £3k to find a decent disco which i dont have. :sad:
and then another 3k a month on repaires
they are crap, one of my neighbours owns a land rover repair centre
Defender FTW
Oh right, same axles, same gearboxes, same transfer boxes, same engines, yet a Disco is junk and a Defender is 'FTW'?
That really doesn't make any sense.
Signature from difflock.com - Daihatsu: because life's too short to be fixing Land Rovers :grin:
Go find a cheap Audi 80 Avant quattro - that'd be a big win.
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Vitaras are a bit gay but ive been working on a mates the past few months.
Just dont a disc conversion on the rear with rover 600 calipers,he did the lift himself and then i adapted the prop and retro fitted power steering for him.Put new brake lines front to back.In the process of making a swing out rear bumper to house the spare wheel,i made the side steps/rock sliders and skid pan and he got the front bumper from the Armour something or other.
The snorkel looks nice and was a pig to re route but should do its job.
Just about to finish wiring up the front and rear winch, second battery under the bonnet,split charger system,cb etc.
Made him a centre console that he can operate his winch from in the cab or by plugging a lead in and doing it near a tree etc.
Just ordered a pipe bender and gunna make him a nice roof bar for the lights/jerrycans etc.
Then using a Hilux back axle and fitting a locker in it.The next one when we get a unit is having a Calmini kit and im trying to talk him out of having air lockers as they are pants if you ask me.
Fun project although its not my thing anymore.I used to have a D21 pick up i jacked up and could go anywhere in.I loved that thing!
Heres his project which is ongoing atm.
(http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/4790/img0214ga.jpg)
(http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/2927/img0215gp.jpg)
(http://img32.imageshack.us/img32/5007/img0217x.jpg)
(http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/8232/img0216yv.jpg)
Only trouble is it has a 1.6 petrol lump in it :sick: he wants a 1.9td pug lump in it but im trying to talk him into a vag lump.
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Arches and wheel spacers are in the workshop waiting to go on,its got another couple of months of progress on these pics but as its not my project i havnt taken loads like i would have done my own.
He is never going to tow anything with the thing he is just using it as a pulling out tool so i dont think he is too bothered about position.
Not sure about the ride height,if i recall rightly it was just sat on the springs in them pics with no fuel tank on.But he seems to know what he wants i just do the work.Although 4 hours waiting in A n E yesterday with a bit of his vans brake disc in my eye made me question my help towards him! :grin:
He's done a hilux and a navara before too,as i was doing his wiring i asked how much he paid to have similar stuff plumbed in on the Navara and it was £2000 for the wiring alone with no braketry etc.I nearly fell over! :sick:
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I will be honest i dont know what beadlock is :grin:Im guessing its something that keeps the bead on the rim when running silly low pressures?
I will mention it to him about the towbar though cheers.Although as its me doing a lot of the fab work then again i might not :grin:
The spacers are only 15mm just enough to stop the tyres catching the inner arch so hopefully that wont be a problem.
He isnt loaded by all means and works 7 days a week 12 hours a day as a welder to do his hobbys so its not a case of him just throwing money at it,he gets down and dirty with it too,he;s a good lad too.
I will be going out and having a play when its done all being well,should be a laugh as i havnt been green lanin' for years.
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Go old school, my old landy used to get everywhere plus it was tax free and 100 a year fully comp,it had rediculous road manners though,
(http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa478/screech16v/Image0306.jpg)
(http://i1199.photobucket.com/albums/aa478/screech16v/Image0310.jpg)
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Suzuki Vitara with some fat wheels on it, slightly modified thing didn't get stuck in our yard once last winter, was an animal, I flattened all the snow down in the yard with it.
Bosses mates thing, was awesome.
Also had an Audi A6 2.5TDI four wheel drive with sports tyres on it. That was insane in the snow, probably the worse tyres for snow ever but it accelerated like mad on the ice and snow. :shocked:
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iv'e seen many many competitions won with next to standard vehicles, just have a good driver and navigator. the guys who spend £1000's tend to get slightly aggitated at them
A mate and I have been mulling over entering a team-recovery/winch event using the SJ and a hand-winch. Against the thousands of pounds of winches, lockers and beadlock etc etc etc :grin:
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If I had a 4x4 i think i would purposely try to get stuck just to try and get out....I know thats the whole idea, but as an everyday car I could find myself in a bit of trouble, maybe up mt Snowdon or similar :lipsrsealed:
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If I had a 4x4 i think i would purposely try to get stuck just to try and get out....
Nah, getting stuck blows. I'd rather drive straight through.
This is the sort of off-roading I delight in:
http://youtu.be/cy8DTSL1u-k
Or alternatively, I'll take trials.
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For road use only?
Any diesel Quattro you can find. I think someone mentioned an Audo 80 Quattor Avant? Perfect.
Might want to read up on the fuel consumption of the 2.8 V6 mentioned though. You'll struggle to get much above 20 in the winter, and yes, I have owned one.
:smiley: