[Closed] 4x4 or Estate?

Any newish land/range rover would horrify you in service and repair!

Mondeo and xc90 hardly comparible what about a 7 seater mpv - which is what the xc90 appears to be.

What you have done is compare apples and bananas - then come up with pears that cost more than ops price range.

4x4s generally have bigger wheel boxes ad high boot floors to let the axel and diff live under on your big tires

Had a 1991 Range rover 2.5 TD from 1995 to 2005. If I could find one similar in good nick that would be my choice or a SWB Landy.
The Disco a nice gas guzzling 4.0 V8 could get anything up to 22 mpg and as low as 9 mpg. Nice ride but I dare not tell you the cost of some of the repairs it had.
Well go on
Ignition modules and leads £800
Suspension, self leveling ACE, another £700

Shall I go on ?

XC90 is nothing more than a poor man's chelsea tractor.

trail_rat - Member

Mondeo and xc90 hardly comparible what about a 7 seater mpv - which is what the xc90 appears to be.

It's not totally outrageous tbh, the footprint is pretty comparable, XC90 is either a car-like MPV or an MPV-like estate. But yep, big price premium, you could get 2 decent mondeos for the price of the cheapest XC90 on autotrader. Not quick, either, if you care- lots of metal to shift.

Have you thought of a VW Tiguan?
Drives like a Golf but has all the advantages of a 4x4. You can get in 2wd which instead of 40mpg gives 50 mpg.

Did someone recommend a freelander earlier? FA boot space.

It's not hard. A 4x4 has bulky, heavy, additional mechanics. Ground clearance means its tall without tall interior space. Height plus weight means fuel economy will be poor.

Estate for same/more space with better handling and economy. People carrier for more vert height In load space.

Personally I've always thought 4x4 on an estate makes a lot of sense if you live in the middle of nowhere and need something to deal with snowy roads or the odd muddy field. Euro Ski resorts used to be full of them.

A lot depends on a persons mileage
My partners defender only does about 6000 miles a year
So tyre cost and fuel are not to bad.
But I'd not want the cost of one for higher mileage use

Just a little comparison
Good tyres for my little car £90-120 each and last about 15-30k
Good tyres for the landrover are also about 90-120

All the advantages of a 4x4 without being a 4x4 . Go on then enlighten me ? Does magic cause them to get traction like a 4x4 ?

Always thought a 2wd car that looks like a 4x4 is just a stupid move really.

[url= http://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/volkswagen-passat-deisel-estate-new-timing-belt-fitted/1004161924#gallery-item-full-1 ]THIS[/url]

Just had the timing belt changed (needs done every 60k) and has new tyres and brakes. And a tow bar for under £2,000 😀

I've one very like this with 160k on the clock and it runs like a dream. Loads of space for 3 bikes, kit and and mates. Enough poke and a nice relaxed drive.

Only downsides are light envy (they're not as bright as more modern cars) and the tyres can come off the rims if you drive it like a rally car 😀

[img] [/img]

Hmm... With that spec and that many miles, if it had a blue oval on it it'd cost far less (and have a better boot)

You're probably right about that, but i've seen Fords with far less mileage than mine that look ratty. When I wash the bus - maybe twice a year - it comes up like new.

Mondeo and xc90 hardly comparible what about a 7 seater mpv - which is what the xc90 appears to be.

What you have done is compare apples and bananas - then come up with pears that cost more than ops price range.

One vehicle to consider is a Galaxy/Sharon/Alhambra
The only vehicle I have owned that fits 4 people and 4 bikes with the wheels still on.

Aye well some folks definition of 4x4 are different to others

4x4 and faux x faux

For £6k you could buy two cars. Get a small cheap to run everyday hatch and also an older 4x4, for those days when you need one.

OK, sorry I thought 4x4 meant 4 wheel drive.

2wd or 4wd all the same when its slippy.

[img] [/img]

Yeah dales rider especially those with only winter tires on the front.

Xc90 would fall under 4x4 estate surely . V70 awd on stilts

Maybe.

Estate. More room, better economy, better driving and dogs can still get in the back as they age. Ok, being a little provocative there, but the final point is v real. Have a number of friends who have found getting dogs up into e back of their 4x4s a real pain and in some cases switched back to estates.

trail_rat - Member

Yeah dales rider especially those with only winter tires on the front.

That would never work, what idiot would attempt that you'd not get more that a few miles in snow before you crashed.

pick up truck? can get 5 bikes and riders plus a full weekend away kit and tents in the truck. All comfy and heated leather chairs, all mod cons, can jet wash the back out to keep it clean. Low to mid 30's on the mpg.

less road noise than my 57 plate modeo titanium x, more space, much cheaper company car tax. can't see me going back to an estate again.

Dales Rider, that photo is in bad taste if you are aware of the circumstances behind it.

It's not hard. A 4x4 has bulky, heavy, additional mechanics. Ground clearance means its tall without tall interior space. Height plus weight means fuel economy will be poor.

Estate for same/more space with better handling and economy. People carrier for more vert height In load space.

Personally I've always thought 4x4 on an estate makes a lot of sense if you live in the middle of nowhere and need something to deal with snowy roads or the odd muddy field. Euro Ski resorts used to be full of them.

[img] [/img]

[url= http://www.flickr.com/people/stennybusman/ ]steviebusman[/url], on Flickr

CountZero - Member

and few disadvantages.

Still not a very good estate, though. Not for serious stuff-hauling anyway.

Estate just seems to make sense. Had a quick look online and there are lots of decent priced Mondeo Estates, Skoda Octavias seem a bit more. Will keep looking, like the idea of a Galaxy/Sharon but could not bring myself to own a van/car cross. An estate is pushing it.

[url=/classified/advert/201301124896245/sort/default/usedcars/price-from/5000/price-to/6000/body-type/estate/model/a6/make/audi/onesearchad/used/onesearchad/nearlynew/onesearchad/new/postcode/sy25db/page/2/radius/1500?logcode=p]nice big 4wd estate for 6k[/url]

We have an XC90 and the boot is big with the seats up but if you put the middle seats down (and they fold flat) you have a massive space that is also quite high and knocks spots off an estate (110Ltr more than a mondeo estate for example), plus you get the 7 seats and 4 wheel drive.

Had an estate for years.. just got an L200 4x4 pickup.. The separate area for dog/gear is a godsend. No more mess, no more smells. I love it.

Tiptop,

Consider the Pug 3008?, my wife has had one for 12 months and it is the most versatile and best car I have ever driven, its also huuuuuge! inside. Seats fall flat, including the passenger seat just by flipping a lever and the boot drops to the floor and can be split into 2 compartments.
You could probably pick one up for about 8k or just passport one form somewhere like Arnold Clark.

Put it this way, I have a 37k V60 parked on my drive that goes no where on a weekend, I simply cant keep out of the bus!.

Brill review here:

For the 2wd point grew up in rural Northumberland and lived in the lakes with only 2wd. I was beaten by floods but then everyone was.
Stuck by snow when it drifted too high.
After that if the roads were open and safe I could get round.

I remember heading North in the van through Wigan when everything froze van pulling away and driving with some common sense was fine. 4x4 s with road tyres getting nowhere. Unless you have a life or death reason for trecking out in the uk arctic conditions then stop at home and chill out. If is life or death they come to you. The quality of UK roads is good enough for most cars.

Anyway find a nice big estate in diesel and have some cash.

in diesel

if you do > 15k miles a year, or regular long journeys. Short stop/start journeys not so good in a [i]modern[/i] diesel. DPF and all that

Thanks all, loving the Pug shout. Close mate is a car salesman at Arnold Clark so could get a deal there as well!

ave you thought of a VW Tiguan?
Drives like a Golf but has all the advantages of a 4x4.

🙄

Op for where you live:

Rav
Jimny tow bar mounted rack
Forester

Hyundai terracan for me. Brilliant car for 4k. 🙂

If you're thinking of a 4x4 for 6k then look at the rav4. 4x4 system on the crv isn't up to much. Avoid Xtrails - they have 'issues'. Turbos, intercoolers, fuel pumps, etc (from experience). Subarus can be expensive to run (from experience).
If you just want a reliable, cheap to run load lugger then any diesel estate from ford, vauxhall, vw or Toyota will do the job. I'd just get the newest, lowest mileage car I could find for the money.

I run a vw touareg 4x4, but only use it at weekends as I have a van for weekdays. Would never get a big 4x4 for everyday use - uses too much diesel, although servicing costs aren't too bad. It's currently sat on winter tyres which are awesome - they're not just for the snow.

Zokes have you driven a Tiguan?
The poster asked for suggestions and I put one forward.

It's about as much use as a 4wd as a chocolate teapot. I don't doubt that it drives nearly as well as a Golf, but that extends to it driving nearly as well as a Golf off road too.

FWIW, I had very few issues in my Mk IV GTI in the very cold winter three years ago up on the West Pennine Moors. No winter tyres either.

i think he means - do you mean golf like as in when you sit in it it looks like your in a golf on stilts ?

the higher COG alone says it cant drive like a golf - unless you mean like our old golf which was a complete pig to drive in everyway - my 1995 diesel fiesta handled better.

More useful, god have you seen all the snow we have ?

[img] http://www.diablerets.co.uk/Website%20Images/Snow%20Taxi [/img]

When I started a new job back in June and had to wave goodbye to the company car I picked up a 55 plate petrol Subaru Legacy estate and absolutely love it. Nice to drive, good spec, 4wd, and the load area is huge (have managed to fit 4 mountain bikes plus kit for two people for a weekend away in the back), with a level entry boot and the rear seats go completely flat.

If you're looking to spend a bit more cash or do a higher mileage maybe have a look at the new Legacy diesels, had one as a courtesy car a couple of times and really liked it.

If it has to "Swallow" bikes and Animals I'd say consider and MPV too...

A previous employer had a company VW Sharan (1st gen' Common Chassis with Galaxy, Alhambra etc ~10 years ago, modern equivalent would be a Touran?) you could remove / re-arrange the rear seats to your hearts content.

An MPV Would probably be better on fuel than a 4x4 too, and some people like the higher driving position...

But then you would have to drive a "Dad's Van", and be seen in it... and be comfortable with a vehicle that doesn't really do corners so well (They might be better now)...

If you really can't stomach an MPV then go Estate IMO. Unless you actually live somewhere that merits a 4x4 it's a waste of money...

What you want is a 4x4 estate.
Subaru Legacy Estate?

Subaru Outback.

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More clearance, big boot and with snow tyres on they are unstoppable.

Untreated roads with 6 inches of fresh powder - no problem.

Nice to drive out of the snow as well with the 60/40 power split between rear and front.

Thirsty though.

4x4s - Big on the outside, small on the inside.

Estates are better for space, but MPVs are alright too. If I were worried about my image, I'd prefer to be the sort of person that doesn't care about what strangers think of me tbh.

As we live in Halifax there are lots of small roads and an AWD estate seems the way forward.

Since when do small roads need AWD? Best thing for small roads is a small car with good rear visibility!