The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: funkyfish on March 29, 2013, 10:12:08 pm
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We are looking for a new car. We did have a Freelander which was fab until it died. We would nto have got through the winter with out a 4x4 due to the snow and floods.
Have been looking at many 4x4s- they are either way to expensive, very high milage or a 3L engine. The ongoing running costs of a 4x4 like tyres/fuel etc would be very costly as well.
We looked at getting a van a couple years ago, but got the 4x4 instead.
Is there such thing as a 4x4 van?? have seen a couple of 4x4 people carriers- but can't remember which make they were-or if they are any good on ice etc?
Basically we need something that can take 3 big dogs and all our field kit- wellies water proofs etc and a couple bales of hay. Get us to the field (25 miles away) in all weathers and do more than 25 miles to the gallon!
Any ideas??
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We have a VW T25 camper van - they are based/converted from the VW transporter vans and I have seen pictures of 4x4 T25 campers. So, extrapolating that, I guess the vans must be 4x4 too.
I am sure someone will come along to tell me otherwise though. :-J
Donna
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oooh a VW would be amazing!! LOVE them. a bit £ tho for us...
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oooh a VW would be amazing!! LOVE them. a bit £ tho for us...
Our camper cost £4K - old B reg and lovely condition. It's the older, bay front that are more expensive. Still fab though. ;)
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There was such a thing as a 4x4 transit a lot of the utility compainies run them
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I was going to say Pinzgauer but then I saw your 25mpg requirement
Would a 110 Defender not fit the bill?
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Have a look on ebay or gumtree, ( or for Yorkshire ebaygum ) for Transit , toyota , hilux ,landrover 110, defender is still the best you can get for your needs, subaru forester can fit 6 hay bales in ,Issusu trooper are very good off roaders . the only thing you will struggle with is the consumption of fuel requirement, they all get thirsty in 4x4 mode, fit a trailer to any of them to carry more kit
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I have an old shogun and took all the back seats out - its now a 2 seater instead of 7 - all the room i need and you would be surprised how much weight i removed - bound to help with the fuel consumption.
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I've got a peugeot partner, it's 2 wheel drive but good in the snow, put winter tyres on it, snow chains and a load of huskys in the back just in case you need a tow, what more?
Honestly though, I'm yet to get stuck & I know an electrician who has the same van who was out and about in his in the lakes last weekend who didn't get stuck?
I just think vans are better in the snow
Donna - there was a 4x4 vw van, dead dead rare though.
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I'm not aware of a 4x4 van, though there must be some.
We have a transit van which we bought 7 years ago now. We inadvertently bought one that was top spec, so has traction control. It's actually brilliant in the snow. Obviously, it wouldn't cope with 2 foot of snow, but I have driven ours in more than 6 inches of snow, untreated roads, and it's fine.
In 2010, when we had our horrendous winter up here, we had a 4x4 and the van. The 4x4 ended up clonking out because its battery couldn't cope with temps of -18 every night. We used the transit for everything- including getting my sister from her house to the hospital when she went into labour! Out of us, and both my sister's families, only the transit of all of our 5 vehicles between the three families got us places.
Beth
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Thanks guys!
Sounds like a van is the way to go!! We already take out any back seats to fit everything in. Did look at a forester but it had done over 180 thousand miles and was petrol.
Forget about winter tyres. Will definitely help.
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Subaru legacy estate ;) :thumbsup:
They have 4WD (and a low ratio box for really bad conditions) and with the back seats folded down you can fit a bath in them, so plenty roomy :thumbsup:
I had one that managed through a flood that had stalled a discovery too :innocent:
We used to pick up old battered ones for around £400 (cv joints will need replaced around 120K miles ;)) which lasted for years :thumbsup: And the other good thing is being a car, rather than a jeep, the handling is superb and given they are scoobies you just want to go faster :excited: My mum is currently running an old automatic one - and it's just as well ! Without it, we'd have been stuck with all this snow !
HTH
Karen
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VW Transporter vans are available in 4WD. They are known as Volkswagen Transporter 4motion
Fairly expensive though.
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VW Transporter vans are available in 4WD. They are known as Volkswagen Transporter 4motion
Fairly expensive though.
That will be what the 4x4 campers are based on then :thumbsup:
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nice van.
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VW Transporter vans are available in 4WD. They are known as Volkswagen Transporter 4motion
Fairly expensive though.
That will be what the 4x4 campers are based on then :thumbsup:
Yep here is ours (http://lizburton.co.uk/wordpress/walks/snowdon-and-huey/)
off to the Laugharne weekend (http://s452743659.websitehome.co.uk/) next weekend, then France and Spain for 3 or 4 weeks then Baltimore Fiddle Festival in West Cork. And thats just before the middle of May!
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There used to be 4x4 transits dunno if they still make them. Can't see many old ones being still around due to the tranny's rust problems. There was also a mercedes sprinter in a 4x4 version but probably rotted away even quicker than the transits. If you really need 4 wheel drive the cheap option is an old discovery. Cheap to buy, not too bad on fuel and easy to fix when something breaks. Stick a trailer behind it if there's not enough room inside.
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I remember those 4x4 transits, we had one on trial at work back in '92 it was converted by county ( they of tractor fame), but as everyone's said I don't think any will be still running today.
Don't underestimate a front wheel drive van with proper snow tyres though, it looks shocking but I have a Berlinger withsnowtyres on and it's fantastic in the snow!
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one with 13,000 miles
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/list/21/transit%204x4%20/ (http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/list/21/transit%204x4%20/)
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Or what about a 110 or 130 Land Rover with an ex military ambulance body, they're massive.
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Land Rover Discovery also do vans called 'Commercials'. I have a D1 300 TDI and does 30+ mpg. I just take the back seats out and I have a van - just 4 x 10mm bolts. We can get 8 poultry crates in there.
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I can recommend the Honda CRV....get the diesel one though as the petrol ones guzzle fuel. They have a 4x4 that only comes on when it detect slipping so your not driving in 4x4 unnecessarily.
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Depends how much you are wanting to spend. 4x4 commercials are the probably the way to go. Renault Kangoo do a 4x4 van although they are rare but there is one on ebay at present. Subarus in general are brilliant in the snow and on mud. We had a Forester and it was fab plus very unbreakable. If you want to spend a bit more Skoda Yetis are very good and as economical as most small diesel cars. There are also various 4x4 estates that give decent economy and are great as long as you dont want to do much off road as the ground clearance isnt the same as a proper 4x4.
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Thanks so much guys! :)
Prob going to go for a van as can cage out the back for the dogs and have room at the side for stuff/hay etc. Don't need to off road, just get through ice and snowy roads. Won't have the ground clearance for floods, but at least I can afford the running costs!
I quite like the Peugeot partner and Ford transit connect (lwb). Not sure if either are front wheel drive so more research needed.
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Partner & berlingo van are basically the same van, make sure, and I mean make sure if its got more than 90k on it the cam belt has been changed, don't buy it if it hasn't got a receipt - should e done around 80k miles, partner is front wheel drive, just get the bog standard 1.9 deisel engine, don't get the more powerful one, its unreliable.
Loads of room in the back, don't worry about condition if the load space too much, a new ply line kits about 120 inc vat and akes it look almost new inside, I've also got the 50/50 solid/mesh bulkhead
There is one with a side door but they cst more, ihavnt gt one of those
Can't reccomend it enough, love mine, it's a 51 plate 100k on the clock, just keeps going, does around 35 to the gallon , it's bloody slow but once you've got the speed up its great, and it's dead comfy over distance, and the passenger seat converts into a table - which is nice
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How about a Mitsubishi Delica? Based on a Pajero' 4x4 2.8 turbo diesel and about 25 to the gallon. Huge load space and still have 4 seats.
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I've got a peugeot partner, it's 2 wheel drive but good in the snow, put winter tyres on it, snow chains and a load of huskys in the back just in case you need a tow, what more?
Honestly though, I'm yet to get stuck & I know an electrician who has the same van who was out and about in his in the lakes last weekend who didn't get stuck?
I just think vans are better in the snow
Donna - there was a 4x4 vw van, dead dead rare though.
yep we have a berlingo (same thing) got winter tyres and absolutely amazing - OH got home on the worst Friday recently BIG snow and drifts North Wales. Our last vehicle was All wheel drive (not QUITE the same I dont think!) a mazda Bongo. Great van - but I wouldnt have taking it places Id take our berlingo. I think toyota HIAce do a 4x4. But if you want a cheap pretty good coutry vehicle cant recomebd the berlingo/partner with decent tyres highly enough. Cheap too. We also have a van (fiat scudo) - wouldnt be without it generally, but useless on the field/in mud/snow/frost. I was snowed in!
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Ford do a Transit do a 4wd van, so do iveco and VW (the 4 motion already mentioned). All full sized vans. There are quite a few car derived vans VW caddy as well as those previously mentioned. Ssanyong also and I am sure there is a commercial SWB Shogun and Mitsubishi outlander commercial. Kia Sorrento also....not forgetting the land rover freelander commercial and Disco commercial.
Have a browse through this link.
http://vans.autotrader.co.uk/bodytype/four-wheel-drive/search?locationName=ISLE%20OF%20SKYE&latitude=57.2354490341&longitude=-5.8714705125&postcode=IV42 (http://vans.autotrader.co.uk/bodytype/four-wheel-drive/search?locationName=ISLE%20OF%20SKYE&latitude=57.2354490341&longitude=-5.8714705125&postcode=IV42)
Rgds
Sskye