Shite 4x4's

[beko1987]

Myself and a colleague are having a 'What 4x4 can be classed as shite' conversation, and are struggling to find anything that is fairly cheap that would be any good.

 

Is it a case of snow tax atm, or has anything with 4 driven wheels and a hint of legality shot up in value since the last time I looked?

 

Anyone got any contenders for a shite 4x4 for not alot of monies?

[Shep Shepherd]

Subaru Legacy:

 

 

Quite a few sub-£1000 examples on Autotrader at the moment

[R9UKE]

 

 

And my favourite complete with XM style kink in the waist line:

 

[Bobthebeard]

My ideal shite 4x4 would be a Suzuki SJ 410. Astounding off road, cheap to run etc. Decent* examples still around for reasonable* money.

Owned three between 1989 and 1997. All were cheap and reliable. Not sure the snow tax has hit them as yet, but could be massively wrong.

[ShiteRider]

Could be wrong, but i don't thing the megane scenic is four wheel drive. Think it's more of a matra rancho kinda deal.

[R9UKE]

Nope it's a proper 4X4 hence the name - RX4! Also the diffs are a common f*ck up so to be fair, most have probably become 2 wheel drive.

 

The Scenic II Conquest which had the same plastic cladding look was a 2 wheel drive so maybe that's where you're coming from.

[Bobthebeard]

Nope it's a proper 4X4 hence the name - RX4! Also the diffs are a common f*ck up so to be fair, most have probably become 2 wheel drive.

 

The Scenic II Conquest which had the same plastic cladding look was a 2 wheel drive so maybe that's where you're coming from.

 

Are they decent shite though? As in affordable, cheap shite?

As opposed to just being shite, etc.

[John F]

My opinion* on shite off-road vehicles rather than normal cars with 4x4:

 

Rough Suzuki SJ410s can still occasionally be bought cheaply, standard ones have been known to fall over due to narrow track width. Good ones can be fairly expensive as they do have a certain amount of off-road cred once they've been modified.

 

Lada Nivas are generally ace, and occasionally crop up for well below £1000. Might need fixing, though... speak to explosive-cabbage of this parish, he's slowly renovating every possible component on his Niva. He might talk you out of it.

 

Post-1972 Series Land Rovers can be bought cheaply, and can last for ever with the right attention. You didn't say you were after comfort, did you? Petrol engines are thirsty, diesels are sluggish. Proper Land Rovers.

 

Discovery 200 / 300 TDi can be bought cheaply, especially in March / April when they're offloaded en masse by people that have just bought them for winter. Inner wings, sills, rear arches and boot floors can & do rot. 300 TDi is less durable but more comfortable than the 200 TDi. They're surprisingly affordable to run, managing up to 30 mpg with careful use.

[Bobthebeard]

My opinion* on shite off-road vehicles rather than normal cars with 4x4:

 

Rough Suzuki SJ410s can still occasionally be bought cheaply, standard ones have been known to fall over due to narrow track width. Good ones can be fairly expensive as they do have a certain amount of off-road cred once they've been modified.

 

Lada Nivas are generally ace, and occasionally crop up for well below £1000. Might need fixing, though... speak to explosive-cabbage of this parish, he's slowly renovating every possible component on his Niva. He might talk you out of it.

 

Post-1973 Series Land Rovers can be bought cheaply, and can last for ever with the right attention. You didn't say you were after comfort, did you? Petrol engines are thirsty, diesels are sluggish. Proper Land Rovers.

 

Discovery 200 / 300 TDi can be bought cheaply, especially in March / April when they're offloaded en masse by people that have just bought them for winter. Inner wings, sills, rear arches and boot floors can & do rot. 300 TDi is less durable but more comfortable than the 200 TDi. They're surprisingly affordable to run, managing up to 30 mpg with careful use.

 

 

Agree with the above, but never known a standard Suzuki SJ to 'fall over', any more than anything else would. Granted, bigger, heavier cars wouldnt fall over in extremis, but they wouldnt have got there in the first place off road. Narrow track width granted, but in all my time using em off road this hasn't been an issue. Suspect an 'Urban Myth' here.

[Shep Shepherd]

^

I drive a 1994 200 TDi automatic Discovery in the course of my job. GR11 at this time of year, although I wouldn't want to use it on-road all year round

[nigel bickle]

Ssangyong anything .

 

My Musso is absolute shite - but a good 4wd. excellent towcar & the Mercedes running gear seems astoundingly reliable.

 

Still absolute crap though.

[Station]

Still hankering over that Sportrak over on Retro Rides.

 

However, this must deem a high quantity of shite points;

 

Cavalier 2.0 8v 4x4:

 

 

 

 

've got this Cavalier sitting around looking for a new home. Biggest problem could well be that the 4x4 warning light is on, although it has still got it's 4x4 bits.

 

Like it's Cavalier/Calibra Turbo counterparts, these got the 'internet forum recycling' myth thing of the 4x4 transfer system always failing (unbalanced tread on tyres, etc), but it just came down to poor user maintenance. It used the same system as the Evo which owner's obviously paid more attention to.

[Lacquer Peel]

I remember hearing that 'myth' in the 1990s when my dad's friend owned a Calibra Turbo 4x4.

 

I think buying an off-roader for winter is utterly ridiculous unless you live miles up a dirt track.

[John F]

Suspect an 'Urban Myth' here.

 

Might be...

 

And whilst we're on the subject of urban myths - the doors apparently fall off LR Freelanders

[scruff]

Tata pick up truck

[Bobthebeard]

I remember hearing that 'myth' in the 1990s when my dad's friend owned a Calibra Turbo 4x4.

 

I think buying an off-roader for winter is utterly ridiculous unless you live miles up a dirt track.

 

Quite. Or if you are a farmer in Wales/Scotland/Iceland.

Otherwise just 'run what you brung'.

The snow will be gone in a day! Don't waste your money.

This is a niche website for skint people that love old cars. After all, we managed ok before the Daily Mail scared us half to death.

Man up boys!

Lol

[beko1987]

I remember hearing that 'myth' in the 1990s when my dad's friend owned a Calibra Turbo 4x4.

 

I think buying an off-roader for winter is utterly ridiculous unless you live miles up a dirt track.

 

Quite. Or if you are a farmer in Wales/Scotland/Iceland.

Otherwise just 'run what you brung'.

The snow will be gone in a day! Don't waste your money.

 

I agree, with my sensible hat on it is a bad idea.

 

However, with my stupid hat on... We have been looking at road legal buggies, and having stupid conversations about them! Like the cav 4x4...

[John F]

...and having stupid conversations about them! Like the cav 4x4...

 

I've collected about 85% of the stuff I need to turn my 2.5 V6 2wd Calibra into a 3.0 V6 4x4 Calibra

 

Don't watch this space, 'cos it's not even close to the top of my projects list, but when the conversion happens I'll put a thread on here about it.

[flat4alfa]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NISSAN-RASHEE ... 1059721346

 

[skattrd]

Lada Niva

R21 Quadra turbo (much want for one of these)

Subaru Justy

Skoda Octavia 4x4 - quite new, but have seen the odd one under £1k.

Mitsubishi RVR + various other random imports.

[Bobthebeard]

I know a guy that 'persuades' his wife that they need a different car every few months. He has wasted ££££s over the years on cars. If it snows, he buys a 4x4. If it is sunny he buys a soft top. Etc etc. He is a serial car buyer. His wife always believes him!

Mine never does.

[beko1987]

I know a guy that 'persuades' his wife that they need a different car every few months. He has wasted ££££s over the years on cars. If it snows, he buys a 4x4. If it is sunny he buys a soft top. Etc etc. He is a serial car buyer. His wife always believes him!

Mine never does.

 

I'd do that if I could get away with it. The Mrs. badgered me to get a 4 door so getting baby in and out would be easier. I've had the ZX 4 months now and have had more than me in it twice! Baby has been in once, the day we got it for a laugh. Everytime I look at 3 doors she puts me off saying 'What If'. Ruddy Wummin.

 

John - I'd love to see a thread on that conversion, if nothing else for the fact that I like those sort of threads!

[dollywobbler]

Oh come on folks. Must it always be me who recommends the Maverick/Terrano?

 

If you want the reassurance of just having more drivel wheels, a Subaru is hard to beat though. Most popular 4x4 around here (aside from farmers in their Land Rover Defenders and Farmers' wives in their Freelanders) is the Subaru Forester. Just as much ground clearance as a Freelander, much better four-wheel drive system and reliable. Early ones are getting cheap now.

[flat4alfa]

shite 4x4 for not alot of monies?

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default ... ryId=26789

 

More than you'd want to pay but these go for the best offer anyhow

 

[face]

A nice and standard Suzuki SJ will cost the same as a tidy Jimny these days purely down to the rife 4X4 modding scene. The Jimny will be reliable and just as tough as the SJ.

[Six-cylinder]

You have just missed out on a great Discovery as I have now sold mind.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=15567&p=417297#p417297

[richardthestag]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NISSAN-RASHEEN-4X4-LIKE-A-PAO-BUT-COOLER-/321059721346

 

 

A subliminal glimpse of that and my first thought was next gen wartburg knight.

[254575]

[Junkman]

A shite 4x4?

Umm....

 

[John F]

The ULTIMATE shite 4x4 is D701 SWL, of course