Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: 4x4 or not ????  (Read 2247 times)

The sheep whisperer

  • Joined Jan 2021
4x4 or not ????
« on: January 29, 2021, 05:31:39 pm »
Do you all have / need a 4x4 for farm/ Smallholding etc ?
If so please share your experiences of good and bad etc ....pickups or cars
Currently using an Audi estate but I feel it’s just not suitable for the muddy boots, and general load carrier and getting across wet grass is a definite no no and not really a tow vehicle
Thanks people  :thumbsup:

arobwk

  • Joined Nov 2015
  • Kernow: where 2nd-home owners rule !
Re: 4x4 or not ????
« Reply #1 on: January 29, 2021, 08:36:26 pm »
I have read some folk's advice ont' web that 'proper' gnarly off-road/mud tyres are sufficient to make a 2x4 vehicle quite adequate for farm-type work:  I wouldn't know whether that is by fitting gnarly to all 4 wheels or just the 2x drive wheels.  I would guess though that proper off-road/mud tyres best fitted to all 4 corners to help non-drive end from slipping side to side.


I personally went for a 4x4 Dacia Duster: actually quite well designed for off-roading and comes with well-proven Nissan electronic 4wd modes and very low 1st gear ratio. Wading depth not up there with the best but that didn't matter for my purposes. 
I have upgraded tyres once already but with intermediates cos I do decent road mileage:  car manages on my sloping fields most of the time, but hasn't coped at all well as of late.  So, I will be going for real gnarly off-road tyres shortly (as I'm again down to 3mm)! 


In summary, I would say the right tyres really do matter, 4wd or not.

 
« Last Edit: January 29, 2021, 08:44:56 pm by arobwk »

Kiran

  • Joined Apr 2019
Re: 4x4 or not ????
« Reply #2 on: January 30, 2021, 01:20:38 am »
I have  Nissan Pathfinder for use on the farm. It is for farm use only as otherwise the road tax would be crippling. Driving across fields, towing etc. Its perfect. I collect firewood in it, for that I would say the equivalent Navara would be better. If you have the space and budget then having a "farm truck" is great.

Backinwellies

  • Global Moderator
  • Joined Sep 2012
  • Llandeilo Carmarthenshire
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Re: 4x4 or not ????
« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2021, 07:39:49 am »
quad does farm stuff.    Car does rest!    Unless you need to tow a large trailer .... we have a landrover (road tyres) which pulls livestock trailer but we have cattle.   If you stick to sheep a 4x4 not necessary.
Linda

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The sheep whisperer

  • Joined Jan 2021
Re: 4x4 or not ????
« Reply #4 on: January 30, 2021, 10:51:41 am »
Yes I’m looking for a good all rounder , reasonably tidy/ reliable for work commute 60 mile round trip and economy. But able to lug stuff,tow a sheep trailer etc etc
Duster had crossed my mind , boot looks huge ????

vfr400boy

  • Joined Jan 2013
  • one life live it
Re: 4x4 or not ????
« Reply #5 on: January 30, 2021, 11:32:12 am »
I have a 2004 fabia estate 1.9tdi I paid £400 for it 5 years ago when I was between cars its passed its mot every year with minimal work , its extremely economical 55mpg cheep tax etc but a good friend has offed me a low mileage ranger truck am torn between the 2 , car is worth less to any one elce as its been used as a work hores moving every thing about etc but the truck its right money and 4x4 etc ha not sure what to do

Anke

  • Joined Dec 2009
  • St Boswells, Scottish Borders
Re: 4x4 or not ????
« Reply #6 on: January 30, 2021, 01:34:54 pm »
We have a small 28hp tractor (not 4wd), which does all the field work we need it to do, and the van (Renault Master MWB, high roof) does the rest - towing trailer, collecting feed, 35 hay/straw bales at a time, goats to vets etc (they hop in, safe penning inside) and I use it for overnight shows to sleep in. Even without the show aspect, I would now always prefer a van to 4 x 4. Van also doubled up for "camper" holiday last summer - easy to stop on the roadside and sleep in. Downside is 2ndhand vans have just gone up in price since last summer....

doganjo

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Clackmannanshire
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Re: 4x4 or not ????
« Reply #7 on: January 30, 2021, 06:02:53 pm »
I have a 2004 fabia estate 1.9tdi I paid £400 for it 5 years ago when I was between cars its passed its mot every year with minimal work , its extremely economical 55mpg cheep tax etc but a good friend has offed me a low mileage ranger truck am torn between the 2 , car is worth less to any one elce as its been used as a work hores moving every thing about etc but the truck its right money and 4x4 etc ha not sure what to do
Buy the ranger; Keep one of them for the farm and don't tax it
Always have been, always will be, a WYSIWYG - black is black, white is white - no grey in my life! But I'm mellowing in my old age

mab

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • carmarthenshire
Re: 4x4 or not ????
« Reply #8 on: January 30, 2021, 07:09:55 pm »
I make do with an vauxhall astra estate and tow a 6x4 livestock trailer to move sheep, but have considered having a 4x4 on 'agri' registration - but am not sure what you can do on road legally when registered as agricultural.

I make do with an vauxhall astra estate and tow a 6x4 livestock trailer to move sheep, but have considered having a 4x4 on 'agri' registration - but am not sure what you can do on road legally when registered as agricultural.

have quad & tractor for on land use, but would like to diversify into cattle and I can't tow them with the astra
« Last Edit: January 30, 2021, 07:12:16 pm by mab »

arobwk

  • Joined Nov 2015
  • Kernow: where 2nd-home owners rule !
Re: 4x4 or not ????
« Reply #9 on: January 30, 2021, 08:42:13 pm »
As indicated by the variety of replies/options, it all comes down to individual circumstances:  in my case I need a decent off-road capable "car" just to get to my operating/storage/garaging site before I can swap to using 4WD tractor for field ops!  (Yes, I could abandon car at gateway and walk, but I also generally have gardening equip' to off-load/load-up.)

Re Dacia Duster; boot is, indeed, quite large (partly why I bought it), but it's not lined out, off-the-shelf, for really dirty loads:  I have a 3rd party boot liner, but it's not perfect. Also, if large trailer/animal transporter in mind, then Duster limit is 1,500kg braked and I reckon a vehicle with 2,000kg minimum is a better all-round bet (Nissan Trail say, or other):  I now wish I'd gone for something with higher tow limit for moving equipment on-road to broaden opportunities for grounds maintenance biz!

I also wish there were more options for 4WD vans:  not sure why manufacturers have generally ignored this sector.   

« Last Edit: January 30, 2021, 08:44:24 pm by arobwk »

arobwk

  • Joined Nov 2015
  • Kernow: where 2nd-home owners rule !
Re: 4x4 or not ????
« Reply #10 on: February 05, 2021, 08:43:51 pm »
Had to tow "Fluffs" (the Dacia Duster) out of a quagmire yesterday with the tractor in the poring rain.  (I was over-confident about venturing up to store site for unloading the car boot.  I got there, but couldn't get back without tractor assistance.)  Not a happy occurrence and those gnarly replacement tyres are getting closer by the minute. 

The sheep whisperer

  • Joined Jan 2021
Re: 4x4 or not ????
« Reply #11 on: February 08, 2021, 07:49:48 pm »
Got the chance of an old R reg land cruiser Lwb to use as van,tractor, tow truck but worried it's a it old and may turn out to be trouble and a money pit. A pick up would be my ideal motor but expensive and lots have the vat to add also.

arobwk

  • Joined Nov 2015
  • Kernow: where 2nd-home owners rule !
Re: 4x4 or not ????
« Reply #12 on: February 08, 2021, 08:22:18 pm »
That is getting a bit old, but who knows?  I don't.  Have you checked for a Toyota Land Cruiser web-site/Toyota forum sub-site ?

Buttermilk

  • Joined Jul 2014
Re: 4x4 or not ????
« Reply #13 on: February 13, 2021, 07:30:19 am »
I have a Shogun but needed a vehicle that could tow at least 3 tonnes.

My son had a Ranger and I could not drive it any distance as I found the footwell/seating angles made it very uncomfortable for me.

 

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