Hairdresser's 4*4 - I know, but..
New GF lives in remote cottage and drives a Seat Somethingorother. Cottage is a round 1/2 mile from the road which isn't a main road so not high on the gritting priority list. Earlier in the winter she was stuck at home for 10 days whilst my CR-V (much more impressive in snow than I thought it wouild be) happily managed over the hill to the road and coped admirably with the road. Not happy at being dependant, she's looking at something else and doesn't need it to be big or fast and the longest distance it's likely to do in one go will be 20-30 miles, she's looking at a Vitara. The little one with no real space in it. As long as it can transport shopping, small'ish dog and oversize boyfriend (not all at once) she'll be happy.
So - any opinions on a S reg 60k miles vitara for around £1.5k?
cheers
Get a proper 4x4 the SJ410 is the only way to go
[url= http://www.rhinorays.co.uk/ ]Rhino Rays[/url] does some fancy ones
For her needs personally I'd go with a Jimny. Slightly more but you'd get newer as well.
Mate of mine (6ft 5) had a Jimny for a few years, he's a farmer and managed to get everywhere in it also tows ok too. Pretty cheap too:
I used to be the RoW officer for RhinoRiders and drove a self modified Vitara, that consisted of a 3inch body lift (fitted in the garage by myself & my old man in about 2hrs, very simple job) and a 2.5inch suspension lift (Ironman shocks & procomp shocks), fitted a set of BF Goodrich MT's and used to spend day & night recovering my friends in their Landys, Jimnys & SJ's, I loved that truck. it was an M reg and did me proud for about three years, I picked it up for about £2500 (this is at least 5 years ago now) and ran it for about 3 years happly. Sadly once they start to rot they go very quickly, check all the places where the body meets the chassis (8 points if I remember correctly) also check the back door/bumper interface that tends to go. They are very capable trucks and a lot of fun. If its for the wife just stick some BF Goodrich AT's on it and they'll last as long as the truck. Just don't expect anywhere near NCAP safety from it!!
as for Jimnys, these guys are good if a bit pricey http://www.kapsuzuki4x4.co.uk/
Rhino Ray gets my full recommendation, he's a top bloke.
Personally I'd like to get my hands on an LJ have a looky here: http://www.lj10.com/
ok so, what i thought - good for the what's wanted but watch for rust
cheers guys, virtual pint on me
oh and the heater's are crap so buy her some of those gloves on strings and a hat.
and don't drive on hardpack surface's in 4wd you'll wind up the front diff and it'll go bang, fit some freewheeling hubs (not the automatic ones they are shit if you're off road and reversing) that will help with the fuel economy. And a day at a skid pan wouldn't be a bad idea if the roundabouts ever get a little greasy around your way!
buy one, they are a laugh. (then modify it)
It's a good 4x4.
I had a short wheelbase one in Oz and it went places where the 'proper' 4wds were having problems. Up to the axles in mud - no problem.
Lethal handling on rough roads at speed - I suspect the backend could be better located.
Otherwise, basically a cheap Japanese car in spec.
I enjoyed owning it.
I had one for a few years, a 1994 1.6 petrol soft top. They are surprisingly good off road with the right tyres (I had yokahamas fitted on it and they transformed the handling on and off road).
Parts are very expensive and they have stupid 6000 mile service intervals, mine did about 28mpg if I was careful which was one of the main reasons I got rid. As said above, great fun on wet roads in 2wd mode and they are great in snow in 4wd and will do great donuts on carparks....
Get a late diesel model if you can find one, think they were fitted with the psa engine as fitted to peugot 309s etc.
Can I be really obvious and point out that winter tyres would be a lot less expensive? Some cheap steel wheels + decent winter tyres will probably only run to £400 and would last realistically for the life of the car.
The Vitara's not really very nice, honestly. It works properly, so no problems there, but it's pretty crude to drive. Her current Seat would almost certainly be nicer in almost every way for 340+ days of the year.
If a proper 4x4 is needed (for ground clearance purposes etc) then a Mitsubishi Pinin is far nicer, and around £2k for an 02 plate with 70k on the clock
nick - had a look on autotrader - nice one - cheers