So what 2nd hand (say 5+ years old) 4×4 would be worth while going for?
Talking a practical[ish] (car type, not pickup) 4×4 for mild off-road use…. not a spaceframed landy

Nissan X-trail
Honda CRV
Freelander (TD4)
Disco
What else?

What the pro’s con of the different models, as I’ve been looking at Freelanders TD4 (couple of m8’s have just bought one each, a cheap petrol and a bust diesel) and review vary from the downright sycophantic to the abusive. Yet even a nissian x-trail review suggest the freelander as a valid alternative….

Cons for all will be fuel consumption. Some less bad than others

wouldnt buy any of whats listed tbh

pajero / shogun

or if not towing and its just to get places id get a jimny – although i wouldnt like to drive any great distance in it …..

and ill add that im a landy fan but free landers and 5 year old discos are not landys …. the disco lost it when the spare tire went under the rear

TBH fuel and tax (though I’m not aware of how much it is) is a given, I was wondering more about reliablity & being able to use them over distance (not often).

EDIT: T_R, why not? I understand freelander/disco’s are not proper landy’s but I’ve spent enough time in landy’s to know I’d prefer the comfort you got from them! 😉

modern decent 4×4(not faux by faux like the freelander an the CRV will be about 400 quid p/a to tax

Light commercial(pick up , l200/hilux etc) is 200 odd

what do you actually need it to do ? access to top of hills/moorland or to drive along a muddy track once in a while ?

the freelander was designed as a car with 4wd not as an out and out offroader. it does well for what it was designed but dont think youll get far off road.

the disco 1 and 2 are great vehicles but they have lost their way of late and lack in ground clearance and entry angle due to the stupid wheel under the rear.

Need? None, more a long established ‘want’, with a small proviso my village in in a dip and impossible to get of (or into) once it snows .. though the main road is 1/2 mile away and will always be clear (or cleared promptly).

This is currently just a pipe dream, but was wondering if there worth the effort of running.

Just taxed my ’57 pate x-trail (2.0 Diesel, 173BHP) £245

for 6 or 12 months Jon? 😳

the freelander was designed as a car with 4wd not as an out and out offroader. it does well for what it was designed but dont think youll get far off road.

did pretty much everything the Disco4 would do on the test track but a LOT slower… not that bad at all but you gotta go steady in them. clever braking does not make a good 4×4 unfortunately.

look for a cheaper older 300tdi/td5 disco 2 or a pajero/shogun would be my choice

im eyeing up an l200 walkinshaw in the future but waiting for them to come on the used market ….. im looking for a towtruck for my offroader though (which was bought from a long established want since i was a kid….)

im justifying that to my self by moving house to let us go from running 2 cars down to 1…. and both of us riding to work again !

yup the disco 4 – that well known off road capible vehicle

but tbh for what he wants it will be fine.

just remember though – it may be 4wd it doesnt mean it will slow down any quicker – 4 x **** all is still **** all

I am aware of the limits of 2tonne vehicle trying to stop in snow/ice, it more about being able to get traction in the 1st place.

Snow tyres have served this winter but once it did snow, the g/f wasn’t willing to drive out of the village even with better tyres (missed a good m8’s 40th party & was every annoyed).

aye not trying to teach you to suck eggs but round here the ammount of X3/5s and ml300s i see in fields in winter on the back roads in my 2wd van is quite humouring.

where do you live that the snow got bad this year ?

last year i couldnt get within 3 miles of the house for 4 months – november to march ! – i learnt alot that year ! – as my light weight rear end van started pirouetting down a hill due to the camber of the road !

yup the disco 4 – that well known off road capible vehicle

Well, yes. Unless you’re one of the “it’s not a real off road vehicle unless it has a 4″ lift and 35s”?

Straight out of the showroom it’s far more capable than most people think. I have a Disco3 and with the addition of some AT2s it has performed incredibly well alongside some well prepared/lifted Disco2s and Defenders.

ah missed that one. 12 months.

if i was to go out and buy a stock vehicle tomorrow to take off roading.

itd be a jimny – ive watched them walk over chavved up defenders and discos.

driver skill over powers all. but light weight helps too 😉

my mates disco 2 sucks off road due to his thoughtful addition of a tow bar and a lift kit – hes not even got a towing licence but he didnt even get into the field last time 😀 – then when he got in his springs fell out cause he is an idiot !

I had a Nissan Terrano for 9 years from new.Fantastic.Not smooth or fast or economical but indestructible.

yup the disco 4 – that well known off road capible vehicle

You driven one then? Can’t say I have, but I owned a D3 for a good while and used it extensively offroad and it would give a defender a run for its money any day of the week. On the road, well it would be ridiculous to suggest they were even vaguely comparable!!

Sure, jack a SWB defender up and stick knobbly tires on them and they’ll go anywhere. But as a stock, “off the shelf” vehicle on road tyres they are no more capable than a stock D3/4, and a damn site less comfortable!! 🙄

the freelander was designed as a car with 4wd not as an out and out offroader. it does well for what it was designed but dont think youll get far off road.

Maybe, but they do work ok – ours has been used often to tow horsebox trailers, which it will happily get off wet/mud paddocks and the like. Hill descent works well, and good in snow – if you can drive 🙂

My wife has a 56 TD4 auto, only problem has been two sets of injectors (which it seems the BMW engine is partial too) – advice is to keep off the supermarket diesel and ensure the fuel pumps are changed at 80k. You’ll get 30-35mpg and unfortunately +£400 for tax as they were built pre the co2 limits…

And we saw a Disco 4 go up the rock steps that use to be on the Pennine Bridleway, with no fuss/noise whatsoever.

“SWB defender up and stick knobbly tires on them and they’ll go anywhere”

if thats what you think ill let you continue to think that.

stock 90
Maximum Gradient 45º
Approach angle 47º
Departure angle 47º
Ramp break 147º
Traverse angle 35º
Minimum ground clearance (unladen) 323 (12.72)

disco 4

Approach Angle 36.2º
Ramp Break Over Angle 27.3º
Departure Angle 29.6º

Ground clearance Up to 310mm (air suspension

most folk modify their defenders for the worse with the clarkson effect lift kits and knobblys …. raise COG and give it a tendancy to fall over at will.

for what this fellas looking for a disco 4 will work fine but its gone firmly into the poor mans range rover sport these days. Makes a damn fine tow truck and on the road its unfaultable.

yup the disco 4 – that well known off road capible vehicle

was as good as a 110 that we tried that day too… but more comfortable and you don’t hit your knuckles on the window when turning.

Slight hijack. JonBurns…what do you think of your X-Trail? It’s on my shortlist at the moment. Probably looking at similar age (2007-2008). Cheers.

Panda 4×4, Audi allroad, Subaru legacy etc?

Disco 3

Can be cheap(ish) to buy, astonishing off-road, great on-road, buy a good one and you’ll love it, buy a poor one and it’ll be a nightmare. Thirsty, but you can average around 30 if you’re not a lead-foot.

For proper off roading Lada Niva, but they are a bit crap on the road.
Aren’t the Toyota Land Cruiser/Prado the dog’s danglies in the 4X4 world?

sadly enough I had to buy a 4×4 just before Christmas as I couldn’t get up the drive to my new house 😳 Lots of freelanders about, but that because they are unreliable.

I looked at lots of things and in the end I ended up with a Rav4, and to tell the truth its very very good, and can tow a LWB van loaded with 2 tons of sand up a muddy lane, so the 4×4 seems to be pretty good.

Plus it does around 32 mpg, which isn’t bad.

If you go for a CRV don’t go for the petrol – it’s a guzzler. Great to drive on the road but it’s not a off roader in the true sense of the word.

do not ever buy a landrover you ll spend the rest of your life stood beside the road waiting to be picked up..

if thats what you think ill let you continue to think that.

But have you actually driven a D4 then, or just gonna quote some figures from the manufacturers website?

Approach and departure angles are rarely of concern 95% of the time, traction and ground clearance are what usually get you stuck unless you’re going to play at pay sites etc.

And comparing ramp over angles is hardly like for like for a vehicle which is about 2 feet longer and can seat 7.

As for D4 being a poor man’s RR Sport – I think most D4 owners would tell you it’s the other way around seeing as the Sport is just a Discovery in a mini-skirt 😆

do not ever buy a landrover you ll spend the rest of your life stood beside the road waiting to be picked up..

135k miles in mine would say otherwise. But I’m sure you’re right.

Don’t laugh but…..bought a Suzuki Grand Vitara a year back, has been cracking in the snow, ice, rutted tracks near my house. Can lock out the diff, never had to though. Miles cheaper than any equivalent. I’m happy!

Why all the talk about D4’s? The OP is looking for a 5 yr old car.

If you go for a Disco 3 be prepared to get to know your local Land Rover dealer well. So well they’ll probably give you your own parking space. IME.

I have had a freelander sport td4 for 6 years and it’s never let me down, I bought a pathfinder last year to replace it and regretted it, luckily I had kept the freelander so sold the pathfinder and I will now keep it until it falls to bits, the pathfinder was shocking .
If you can put up with the date interior and remove the egr valve they are a good little 4×4 .£245 tax for
mine, loved the snow in 2010/2011.
Never got stuck in fields /tracks when I go fishing In some pretty remote areas
http://s26.photobucket.com/albums/c134/mattzzzzzz/?action=view¤t=freelanderwithroobox.jpg&evt=user_media_share

Subaru Forester.
Not for the pukka climb mt everest/wade the darian gap offroading, but perfectly capable ofmore than you think, including pulling “proper” 4wds out of the ditch in the snow.
Cheaper to run, and the most comfy seats you’ll find anywhere.

[/quote]Talking a practical[ish] (car type, not pickup) 4×4 for mild off-road use.

Currently have a Kia Sorento (yep zero street cred). However tows like a dream, good in snow and light mud. Cheap: 8k will get you 65k and 5-6yrs old with leather, AC etc. Downsides: no image, sh1te consumption – 30ish on 2.4 oil burner auto but then it is the lardy side of 2 tonnes, never going to compete with proper landrovers off road . Upsides: very stable towing 24 ft 1.5 tonne caravan at 60 past artics, very reliable and lots of kit for the money.

Why all the talk about D4’s? The OP is looking for a 5 yr old car.

Wait, you want to keep the thread on topic? 😯 🙂

I’m on my second LR3 in 5 years and haven’t been let down once.

Regarding other options, I would certainly have a Subaru Forester – very capable.

Last year I bought an Audi Allroad 2.7t tiptronic. Ace car, but the tiptronic was a disaster waiting to happen so I sold it. It was a 2001 model with 110k on it and still felt fresh. The interior had stood up very well. The car handled snowy conditions (Michigan winter) with little fuss and the extra ground clearance helped. The 2.7 biturbo engine is addictive and so long as you realize the turbos will need to be replaced at some point it’s not a bad engine (chance for an upgrade, right?) They need a timing belt done in later life and it’s a big job. A 4.2 manual transmission would probably be the least expensive long term. The air suspension is not as scary as internet experts will have you think. I replaced one of the air suspension struts in a day including beer breaks.

Isn’t Pajero Spanish for w***er?

I think it’s spot on unless you really use a 4×4 for off roadage

I’ve been very impressed with our freelander in the snow. Had a play in the pub car park when it was thick with snow and you had to really push it hard to make it let go. The TD4 is the only one worth having and you need to keep an eye on a few things (change the oil breather, check the VCU, fit matched tyres) but on the whole they are good.

As for the Disco bashing, I did a 4×4 course in one and it was brilliant. Pushed it way beyond what I was was comfotable with then the instructor gave as demo!

I’ve got an 08 Mitsi Outlander 2.2, it’s fantastic. Get 40mpg if driven sensibly (that was with a full load, 2 bikes and a roof box on top too), £240 to tax per year. Has an additional 2 foldaway seats too, yet a low load bay despite this, lower than the toyota, honda, peugeot freelander versions – I checked for the dogs jumping in and out. Drives like a car, good vis all around, a bit noisier than the BMW 320d it replaced, but that’s expected, 4×4 is very capable also. Absolutely no issues to date. It gets a bit of a slating for being expensive compared to the competition but the horrendous depreciation of Jap motors should see you right there.

HTH