Cheap 4x4, Disco, Shogun sport, L200 etc...

[Markyboyo]

Righty, I only live a few hundred metres from a free launch site (a steepish shingle beach) but as I don't have a 4x4 i'm currently driving all over Cornwall to use expensive slips that my car can cope with.
I'm looking to find something in the £2-4k bracket (possibly up to 5k) which will be good on the slips and also carry loads allowing me to dispense of my estate and get something more fun for everyday use.
I want to get hold of something registered between 99-00 which will last for a good few years. I'm currently considering 300Tdi or TD5 disco, shogun sport, L200, Frontera.

I think the Disco is pretty much the only 4x4 which will allow me to use low ratio and 4x4 on tarmac which would be a major clutch saver coming up the hill from the beach (you always bump into a car or two in the summer) but the tales of rust and reliability woes scare me!
Are the newer TD5's much better than the Tdi's in this respect.
Any comments on the above appreciated!

Mark

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by Markyboyo

Righty, I only live a few hundred metres from a free launch site (a steepish shingle beach) but as I don't have a 4x4 i'm currently driving all over Cornwall to use expensive slips that my car can cope with.
I'm looking to find something in the £2-4k bracket (possibly up to 5k) which will be good on the slips and also carry loads allowing me to dispense of my estate and get something more fun for everyday use.
I want to get hold of something registered between 99-00 which will last for a good few years. I'm currently considering 300Tdi or TD5 disco, shogun sport, L200, Frontera.

I think the Disco is pretty much the only 4x4 which will allow me to use low ratio and 4x4 on tarmac which would be a major clutch saver coming up the hill from the beach (you always bump into a car or two in the summer) but the tales of rust and reliability woes scare me!
Are the newer TD5's much better than the Tdi's in this respect.
Any comments on the above appreciated!

Mark

A chap I know is about to p/x his '01 Disco Td5 ES Auto on a VW T5 Van. The Disco is immaculate and might come for £5kish.

[Markyboyo]

Thanks for that mate, Unfortunately I won't be home till about the 22nd Dec, will it have gone by then? I'd really like to get hold of a 2000 model to avoid the higher road tax.
Be good to launch at loe, currently drive nearly 40 miles to launch at mylor by the time I have collected the boat from longdowns.
Hopefully have all the electrics and a frame on the boat next time you see it!

[Mollers]

Originally Posted by Markyboyo

Thanks for that mate, Unfortunately I won't be home till about the 22nd Dec, will it have gone by then? I'd really like to get hold of a 2000 model to avoid the higher road tax.
Be good to launch at loe, currently drive nearly 40 miles to launch at mylor by the time I have collected the boat from longdowns.
Hopefully have all the electrics and a frame on the boat next time you see it!

It might still be around by then.

[Nos4r2]

If you go even cheaper and buy a jap import you'll find there's quite a few very good jap imports with manual locking front hubs (or retrofittable manual locking hubs from earlier models) so you can use low range on tarmac.

Old shape Fronteras and Isuzu Troopers up to S reg can be retrofitted with earlier manual locking hubs from Isuzu Troopers for example. The swap takes minutes. (it may even be possible to retrofit manual locking hubs from the Nissan 720 to the early Navara)

[Markyboyo]

Thanks Nos, thats worth considering. A Friend had a 92 hilux with manual hubs and they were useful but I'd really like something a bit newer than that..... On the other hand if I got something that much older I could have a play offroad without worrying about damage too much!

[howy]

Hi,
I know exactly how you feel.I only have a TT Supacat (4.5metre inflatable catamaran with 50hp) but was in desperate need of a 4x4 to be able to launch.
I spoke to a friend who has a garage specialising in 4x4 and told him my requirements and that I did not want to spend more than £1000,he told me to look at Nissan Terranos as they have the same engine that is fitted to the new Black hackney cabs which are near on bombproof if serviced regularly.
Although these do not have manual hubs,they may be able to be fitted but I wouldnt like to say.
I bought a MK2 Terrano SWB 1997 2.7 TDI two months ago,serviced it (no cambelt it has a chain) it has towed my boat up steep beaches,had fun off road with it and my wife loves driving it so much she now uses it for the school and shopping run aswell,and its doing 30mpg average when driven on the road.
I paid £800,its covered 120,000 miles (nothing to worry about,still sounds very sweet and from what the mate with the garage said is good for another 250,000 easy) the body work is about 97% and it was taxed and tested for eleven months.
It may not be what you are looking for but ask around to see if it can have manual hubs fitted because mine wasnt a one off if you scour the P.C and local papers you could get one of these just as cheap.
Hope this gives you another option.
Regards
Howy

[Anthony22]

Originally Posted by howy

he told me to look at Nissan Terranos as they have the same engine that is fitted to the new Black hackney cabs which are near on bombproof if serviced regularly.

Are these the ones that were spontaneously igniting a little while ago...? :o

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7622407.stm

[howy]

Thats frightened me,my misses has my son in the car this morning taking him to school and is going to the supermarket to do the shopping!!!!!!!!

So I rang the chap who has the specialist 4x4 garage who recommended the Nissan Terrano to me immediately and he has not heard of any Nissan Terrano going up in smoke he said that its more than likely wiring thats catching fire in the engine bay of these taxis that is either routed wrongly or not rated to the job,but he has definately not seen or heard of any incidents of this happening to Terranos.....

THANK GOD

[Anthony22]

Originally Posted by howy

Thats frightened me,my misses has my son in the car this morning taking him to school and is going to the supermarket to do the shopping!!!!!!!!

So I rang the chap who has the specialist 4x4 garage who recommended the Nissan Terrano to me immediately and he has not heard of any Nissan Terrano going up in smoke he said that its more than likely wiring thats catching fire in the engine bay of these taxis that is either routed wrongly or not rated to the job,but he has definately not seen or heard of any incidents of this happening to Terranos.....

THANK GOD

That's good to hear!! I thought I'd mention it as I didn't think the news would have spread as far as Wales. I would imagine if mothers' cars etc were catching fire left, right and centre then there would be some national coverage! As the chap says - probably some dodgy wiring in the cabs causing the problems.

[Markyboyo]

Would a subaru forrester be of any use?? Has anyone on here used one? Permanent all wheel drive and a low ratio box in a normal estate. I'd look to get some M+S tyres on it to help.

[G.Mac]

The Fozzy is a good car, the new ones can tow 2000kgs (acording to the Subaru website for the 2.5xt) if you realy want a forester get a jap import STI but not sure if they have a lesser towing weight or not

heres a wee vid of the Forester STI in action

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=x18goizbqs4

Im sorry, I will put my subaru anorak on and leave now...lol

Graeme

[Markyboyo]

Hi Graeme,
I'm tempted by a scooby and I think the early ones are rated to 16 or 1700kgs which is fine as the boat only weighs in at just under 1300. The Turbo's dont have a low ration box on them afaik though. The low ratio box is also missing from the new legacy diesel which seems crazy to me! Maybe it can't take the torque of the turbo or new diesel?

[Bigmuz7]

I might have a commercial Trooper LWB Duty, 5dr but only two seats ..nearing sale on 04 plate if its of any interest..low miles etc. its one of the best tow cars i've used IMO

[MarkL]

Alternatively, my SWB Pajero will be for sale in the next couple of weeks.... 96P, 45,000 miles, 3" lift, 33" mud terrain tyres, snorkel, axle breathers, climate control, locking diff, height adjustable towbar, recent service etc.....

PM me if you want more details, pics etc...

Cheers,
Mark

[Hightower]

What are the Mercedes ML series like to tow with? There seem to be a few around the £3000 mark and pre "Expensive" Tax too.

[Nasher]

Originally Posted by Hightower

What are the Mercedes ML series like to tow with? There seem to be a few around the £3000 mark and pre "Expensive" Tax too.

From personal experiance they are very nice to drive.

From what I've heard, they are quite good for towing, but very expensive to repair or get serviced, even by a non franchised dealer if you can't do it yourself. Even then parts are pricey.
I looked at them very closely before swaping my old Shogun in for the newer one a few years ago.
Froim memory, and for my specific use, the M270 lost out to the Shogun on grunt, MPG, space, and spare parts prices.

Nasher.

[codprawn]

For people looking for newer vehicles some of the very best deals are from the main dealers. Look at the prices on stratstones website.

I was at my local LR dealer and they had a mint Range Rover 2003 reg SE model TD6 diesel with full leather and all the toys for under £15k. They are about £60k new - even more shocking it only had 33,000 miles on the clock!!!

They also had a 2006 discovery 3 diesel - again about 30,000 miles for £14,000 - makes buying new seem a bit silly............

[Hightower]

Originally Posted by Nasher

From personal experiance they are very nice to drive.

From what I've heard, they are quite good for towing, but very expensive to repair or get serviced, even by a non franchised dealer if you can't do it yourself. Even then parts are pricey.
I looked at them very closely before swaping my old Shogun in for the newer one a few years ago.
Froim memory, and for my specific use, the M270 lost out to the Shogun on grunt, MPG, space, and spare parts prices.

Nasher.

I wouldn't have thought and wouldn't have expected MPG was going to be great with a big petrol engine in there. They do look very comfortable however.

I do agree that servicing and repair could be expensive for a lack of aftermarket suppliers. My father used to run an older 280E and we did sometimes have to get spares from the main dealers. Reliability should be better than average however and I bet that most have had an easy life carting the kids around.

Whats the towing capacity for this car?

[Mollers]

Friend of mine bought a RR Vogue HSE fully loaded on a 54 recently, for £22k. Cost new £72K. He bought from a prestige dealer with low miles. The supercharger blew-up within days, the dealer collected it, sent it to a LR main agent, sorted it and returned it.