Cheap 4x4?

[pompei]

The Fuhrer and I both have rear wheel drive cars which have been hopeless in the snow. I don't want to use the Fiat Coupe or 500 and I certainly don't want her driving them So we are thinking of a cheap (less than £1500) 4x4 to use in the winter months. Are there any recommendations/ones defo to avoid? Must have a heater and that's about it. Thanks

[Captain Mainwaring]

Ford Maverick/Nissan Terrano.

[Rod/b]

Lada Niva for maximum Shitepoints.

[M'coli]

Justy minute...

Hey-hey!!! Look at this fine specimen

 

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/VERY-RARE-SUBARU-JUSTY-4-X-4-VAN-/130461492893?pt=UK_Commercial_Trucks&hash=item1e601c669d

[scaryoldcortina]

Lada Niva for maximum Shitepoints.

 

No, niva is third, they are actually very capable... second goes to the Fronterror and max points to the Dacia Duster*

[pogweasel]

Gerroff that Justy!

 

Vitara would do the job just perfectly, as long as it is not one of those FATBOI editions.

Plus you would have lots of change.

[Rod/b]

Fourtrack or Sportrack too.

[boobydoo]

Panda 4X4......dead cool.

[Doctormop]

Sierra XR 4x4,

Early model Toyota Rav 4

[Guest]

I've always wanted a go in a Niva, are they any good? I imagine they're very good off the road for the money and horrifically awful \ unrefined on it.

[eddyramrod]

These:

If you want heating, avoid the soft-top version (voice of experience!) but there should be plenty of all-steel ones on the standard wheelbase at the right sort of price. Shown is the LWB, which I've only seen as a softie. Bonus: little engines (1.0, 1.3) mean cheap tax.

 

I could have this one ready for you to collect on Monday, 600 notes... but it does have to be collection-only, I'm afraid.

[pogweasel]

Every remaining Sooki SJ in the UK that hasn't dissolved into a little pile of oxide has been turned into some kind of comically-overpriced and offensive off-road toy though...

[eddyramrod]

You have to go hunting them in their natural habitat...

[Albert Ross]

This kind of shizzle float your bizzle?

 

 

http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/uvl/po ... distance=0

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

I've always wanted a go in a Niva, are they any good? I imagine they're very good off the road for the money and horrifically awful \ unrefined on it.

 

They were one of the first mass production monocoque off roaders. Independent suspension at the front, and coils at the back too. I think they'd be acceptable on 1970s-designed Lada terms.

 

Anyway, a cheap set of steelies and a set of winter tyres has got to be cheaper than buying/running an off roader?

[Richard]

You'll be lucky to get a serviceable 4x4 at a reasonable price this winter. Everything weather related, right down to table salt, is either unobtainable or massively overpriced.

[pompei]

I fear you might be right, Richard. We went to see a Honda CR-V yesterday which had magically increased in price by a grand when we got there ...

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

The prices of winter tyres are magically going up too, but not too badly.

 

What's your other RWD car? andrew e who frequents this board posted a blog about winter tyres on the AROnline 'site, I think it's a good display of how mobile an otherwise almost unusuable vehicle becomes with winter tyres. http://www.aronline.co.uk/blogs/2010/11 ... out-there/

[mattblack]

Couple of bags of sand in the boot?

[Cavcraft]

Nivas are legendatry off-road and also built for (very) sub zero temp's.

 

In the nice to drive stakes I've found the 2.8TD Pajero very hard to beat. A bit juicy but a fantastic ride and the Pajero (as opposed to the Shogun) is very well equipped too. I hear the 2.5s aren't so clever (engines seem to chuck their hand in too easily) mind.

 

In the bargain stakes I'd probably (and predictably) go for a Frontender but it'd need to be the 2.0 8V Sport as they seem the best of a reasonable/bad bunch. The chassis is very solid, they're quite reliable and easy to work on and they can be had cheaply. They'll also take a fair amount of abuse and parts etc are cheap enough.

Achilles heels seem to be shitty plastic fuel pump sender to fuel line fixings, leading edge of bonnet rusts (gaffer tape) and calipers can stick. You'd definately get one with a decent MOT and in useable order for sub £700 pretty easily. If you have a look at FOG (Frontera Owners Group) on the interwebz there's usually some cheap ones advertised on there.

 

*Oh, the Sport only has two rear seat belts so if you have three kids or whatever they're not much cop.

[MK5 Escort]

Indeed, how about a Daihatsu Fourtrak as suggested earlier? A decent, early nineties one should come within your budget now. That was the first one that come to mind. Decent off road and certainly not all that bad on it, considering. Generally last forever too.

 

Lada Niva - yes please! If you can find one though...

 

Not fond of the Suzuki SJ’s though. Terrible roly-poly things to drive and shoddily built would be being polite to it.

 

I'm a big fan of Vauxhall’s circa late 90's / early 00's, but even I wouldn't touch a Frontera. They’re ridiculously cheap though, practical and if you’re willing to look around, even late(ish) ones should be coming close to or within budget now.

[wuvvum]

I might be selling my Justy yet - I've just had a second chance offer on something I rather fancy, just got to decide if I'm masochistic enough to drive it back from Manchester, but if I do the Justy will have to go to fund it. It'll be a lot less than £1500 if I do get rid.

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

I wouldn't buy an off-roader 4x4 just for the snow, too many compromises.

[Pete-M]

Audi A6 quattro. Superb on snow.

 

The Spanish are right about the Shogun.

 

Don't get an XR4x4 just to abuse over the winter, it'd be a waste of a decent car.

 

What's the problem with RWD? I've only got RWD this winter and it's not got stuck yet...

[Guest]

Audi A6 quattro. Superb on snow.

 

The A5 Quattros aren't too bad either. They just can't tow anyone out of misery - they step sideways instead.

[qwerty]

I'm also trying to decide whether its worth selling the daily golf and buying a 4wd. But as has been mentioned people are whacking the prices right up immediately. Incidently whats so hurrendous about Frontera's?

[Albert Ross]

I'm also trying to decide whether its worth selling the daily golf and buying a 4wd. But as has been mentioned people are whacking the prices right up immediately. Incidently whats so hurrendous about Frontera's?

 

 

The badge.

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

Some excellent points.

But - aren't all Defenders full-time 4x4?

I've found part-time 4x4s (Mitsubishis L200 and Challenger) controllable and surprisingly capable in 2/RWD at regular speeds on snowy roads. They turn into under-steering messes in 4WD.

Almost any conventional car fitted with winter tyres on the driven wheels is just as capable as an off roader in the snow, and normally more stable and forgiving due to lighter weight and lower centre of gravity. The only real restriction, like you mentioned, is ground clearance in very deep snow.

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

Sorry, misunderstood you there.

 

The Mitsubishis have good ground clearance, and 4x4 capability if you reaaally need it.

[red5]

Well, I do a 40 odd mile round trip commute in my new (old) Fronterror 2.3 turbo-ish. Returns 35-odd to the gallon, people mostly bounce off and I have used 4wd on it for about 3 days. Don't really need it unless the road in completely covered or shiny from the Johnny rev idiots. I would however, and am going to, switch the Auto front hubs to manual, so I can use the 2h/4h shift without all the fuss ( It also drags us to various, very muddy, motocross tracks pulling a trailer/caravan). Oh, and bits fall off in a 'you couldn't make it up' kind of way for extraShite factor.