[devonlady]

Driving my grandson to school a few weeks ago in my Landy Defender I hit a patch of black ice on the A38, whooshed off the road, through trees and turned over. Unfortunately my poor old Landy was written off. The trees took the front off!!
I found that if I wanted another Landrover I would have to take out a mortgage!!!  I've only ever driven these and took my partner's and daughter in law's advice (ill advisably)  and bought a Suzuki Grande Vitara, very posh, very shiny, all whistles and bells etc. but, not for me! I don't do smart!!
Also I'm afraid to take it up the track as I don't think it has enough clearance underneath.
What would folk suggest as an alternative. If I find something Jim will pay for it and have the Suzuki . It must have the same clearance underneath as a Landrover and be a bit reliable.
Any suggestions would be welcome.

[devonlad]

if you're looking for rugged then Jeep Wrangler maybe- rugged and cheap Dacia Duster

[farmershort]

I'd say a discovery.. If you can find a good one. I bought a v8 disco 1 as a stop-gap whilst building my defender, and i love it.

They're the same underneath as a defender/series, they just have a lid with slightly more curves. Very practical indeed, and it has to be said, a better driving position than a defender.

If you don't need that size, then a freelander 2 is also a very for car. Not as much clearance as a defender/ disco,  but very capable with the right tyres. They used to use them at the eastnor castle 4x4 track for pulling out people who get stuck in range rover on experience days. They're built on a modified Ford Mondeo sub frame, which is a very good thing.

HTH

[Sbom]

My husband is a mechanic and he would definitely say steer well clear of discovery and freelander! In fact he's outside right now fixing a discovery as it's blown head gasket and it was here last month to having something else done. In fact he's constantly fixing land rovers and hates them! ( we a.so have a freelander outside who's dash is lit up like a Christmas tree!

We have a Nissan Pathfinder and its fantastic.  Toyota hilux seem to last forever.

[landroverroy]

Get another Defender! You either love Land Rovers or you don't. And you obviously do. Will your insurance not pay for another? If you take your time, surely there will be one within your price range.

[clydesdaleclopper]

We had a fabulous Toyota Landcruiser. You could raise the suspension going over really bumpy ground and it would tow anything out of anywhere.

[stufe35]

Suzuki Jimny--has the offroad ability and clearance of a landrover and has low box which many pretend 4x4s don't have.  Downside it dosent have the towing capacity if this is important to you. Loads of them around at fair prices. Most have only been school run vehicles.

If you need towing...Ford ranger appears to have good reputation, and has the ground clearance etc.--Toyota hilux too enjoys good reputation.  Just find one that's been a business mans tax break rather than a builders hack.

At one time if you had cut me in half id have said Landrover through the middle....but too many breakdowns and things which constantly break which shouldn't ..plus crazy prices have changed my thought processes.
I must say I have owned numerous landrovers and discoveries on which I base my comments.   I haven't owned any of the other vehicles I mention ...but drove a ford ranger at work for some serious towing work (the older low geared model) and it was stunning ..im going back to the year 2000 with that experience. 

No idea of your budget either ?

[Buttermilk]

When my Land Rover 90 died, nearly three years ago, I went and test drove a Mitsubishi Shogun.  We then went to the LR garage next door and we were allowed to sit in a defender but not test drive it - we did look a lot scruffy and were driving an elderly Ford - The difference in comfort and safety levels was unbelievable.  We bought a new, we were looking for second hand honest, short wheelbase Shogun and have not been dissapointed.

The Shogun will tow 3 tonnes (the long wheelbase one will tow 3.5 tonnes) is more economical with fuel than my old Landy.  Low box and 4 wheel drive will get me anywhere I want to go and it is comfortable for those long journeys where I used to borrow a vehicle as the Landy was a tad uncomfy after 6 hours solid driving.

Would I go back to Land Rover?  No but if I ever get a new engine in my old one it will be used as a local run around for the OH.

[devonlady]

I am grateful for these suggestions and comments, lots of food for thought! Much as I would love another Landy, I now realise my age (67) and my height (5ft 1) are against me, the Suzy has proved this.(I can see over the steering wheel!)

[pgkevet]

I accidentally (daft but true) walked into a 'great wall motors' showroom a while back. While one generaly considers chinese stuff cr[member=36627]P[/member] they can make good relaible stuff too. If it's ground clearance and towing capability and lots of room in the cab then they have to be worth considering on price alone - so long as your not in a hurry 'cos the 0-60 time is tediously slow.

As for Landy...horrible things when you're my size. I can just about fold myself into one and manage to keep moving one limb out of the way of the others to drive it while bent forwards over the wheel to see out while scraping the back of my neck on the roof. We have a nissan x-trail for 4x4 conditions and it's OK and comfortable even for me and my short wifey.

[Womble]

I have a love-hate relationship with our Landy. (I was driving down the motorway a couple of weeks ago, when the windscreen wiper flobbled a bit lower than usual, jammed on the bottom of the windscreen, exploded the wiper motor and then fell off, for example!) As a result, I only use it for the times I actually *need* to be driving a Landy, and run about in a cheap wee Fabia the rest of the time.

Of course the upshot of that is that fuel+insurance+tax+repairs means that it costs me about £1.50 a mile to run (and that's in an uneventful good job it was just the windscreen wiper that fell off kind of year!).

BTW, would a Subaru Forester have enough ground clearance and towing capacity for you?  They seem to have a fanatical following amongst those who own them.

[Marches Farmer]

I've just had the chassis of my FourTrak welded up to pass the MoT.  I need a tiny tow truck that can turn on a sixpence and it's done that perfectly for 13 years (and was secondhand when I bought it).  4X4's seem now to be all chrome and attitude and there's nothing in the way of a reliable workhorse out there.

[Penninehillbilly]

I loved our Toyota hilux, would go anywhere I asked it, but OH with the purse strings decided on a van.  May have regretted it as he carries firewood up half mile of lane in snow :-).

[big soft moose]

If you want a propper 4x4 Ford Ranger  or  Isuzu Denver, or  an older Hilux from before they changed the design - The denver has more grunt  (2.5 vs 2.2) but is also more expensive and gets lower MPG.

(Nissan Navara or  Mitisubuishi L200 are also an option if you have lots of money, but the cheaper second hand ones tend to have issues - the Navara in particular is notorious for HGF and other engine failures)

If you want a pretend 4x4 either the Suzuki Jimny or the Dacia Duster  (if buying the duster get one newer than '13 as they moved the production from India to Romania and the build quality got much better.)    Skoda Yetis are okay if buying new or nearly new but i wouldnt buy  a second hand one without a decent warranty as high milleage examples are prone to DMF failure

[Herdygirl]

I agree with Stufe35 we bought a Jimny from new 3 years ago £12,000 and its great, copes with all terrain, tows our sheep trailer no problem, drags in the hay, loads all the feed and there is plenty of room for the dog.  Snow, mud, floods don't bother it .....we love her