[HappyHippy]

I must admit i really liked my Subaru Forester, but it was a little bit thirsty and the parts were expensive. 

I LOVE my scoobies !
But do agree that they're thirsty beasts if you're nipping on in them.
I've had 4 legacy estates, all fairly old and bought for around £300, but they just go on forever !
CV joints usually need replaced at 120,000 miles but apart from that I've had no real problems.
Apart from the one year in Aberdeen when we forgot to top the anti freeze and got caught out with a sharp frost that resulted in a cracked engine block  , but even with this fatal injury it still managed to haul 10 Llylandii trees out of the ground and drive to the scrappie before giving up completely!
I've managed through floods that stopped a landrovery discovery in it's tracks and in the snow the low ratio gearbox outdoes itself - I've driven LOTS of cars in my time but the suberu is definately my top pick (But I'm going to go & cry into my cup of tea now cos I've got a fiesta at the moment and it's just not the same  ) 

[woollyval]

I used to have a series 3 landy.....wonderful vehicle for real tough jobs. I use a Ford Courier van for normal and business use but had to have a 4x4 as we are on a very steep slope as anyone who comes here will vouch for
We need to get down to the woodland and pull our trailer so......when my landy got to the point of spares only I bought very very cheaply coz no one else wanted it, an Isuzu Trooper.............on ebay........... and I have now had it for 3 years and its amazing......will pull anything anywhere AND it dosent leak when its raining!!!!

[Rainyplace]

Well we run a 3 year old Discovery TDV6, our second landrover. Yup it certainly is a gas guzzler, but is def the right car for us. We were one of those dreaded familys who drove a 4 x 4 in the city before we moved out to rural life, and woe betide anyone who has a go at me! Our old Landrover helped to save my daughters life, I took her to the Docs as she was unwell, the rash was covering her body with incredible speed - yup it was Meningitis and I did not recognise the signs at home. We lived in the West End of Glasgow, this was busy a Friday afternoon at 4.30 and the River Kelvin had flooded the Ambulance could not get through, the roads were gridlocked. The Doc said I was to drive and we would have to take her to hospital ourselves we eventually made it through the traffic and the floods and my daughter was rushed into intensive care. Thankfully she survived with no physical disibility but it took her a long time to recover, the Docs at the hospital said us taking her and the quick action of my G.P saved her. Anyway on a lighter note, we car share with 2 other families for the school run so it carries 6 big kids with plenty of space for all their gear,its transported our aged Mothers around who live/have lived with us and of course its a great workhorse around the place pulling ponies/pigs/sheep. We are happy to do trailer runs for friends who may need it. Yeah for the 4 x 4 's!

[BadgerFace]

I have a 1998 defender 90 CSW. Goes anywhere does anything !! I've only ever had landrovers, I learnt to drive in one, my first being a 1952 pickup with PTO (wish I still had it). I only replaced the last defender 90 as it was stolen.  My husband had a disco for a while but it made me feel very travel sick, even when driving it 

[juliag]

Mitsubishi shogun 3000 v6, R reg but an amazing car, Tows like a dream and very fast, its an automatic and when towing you wouldnt know there was anything behind it. Before that we had a landrover discovery which although I loved it at the time on changing it for the mitsubishi there is no comparisom. My car not only has to work it also has to be a comfortable driving car and the mitsubishi will cruise down to the south of france no problem at all, in comfort (leather heated seats etc) which the landrover would certainly not have done. Both the shogun and the landrover are 7 seaters but again the 2 back seats in the landrover are uncomfortable whilst the shoguns can be classed as 'proper' seats. Depends if you need a comfortable driving car as well as a workhorse, the mitsubishi will do both.
My oh has a landrover freelander which he doesnt rate as highly as the toyota rav 4 he had before. very much a toy 4x4 which isnt really up to much, having said that it has taken me across wet fields!

[buddy]

Garden Cottage what is your budget as I think it makes a big difference. There are loads of older 4x4s around for a good price. It is handy if you can repair cars too and get hold of spare parts reasonably priced. What about the working cars instead of typical 4x4? Volvos go on for ever.

[Rhyan & Melissa]

We used to have a Toyota Prado then a Range Rover Sport. The Range Rover was brilliant. Fast, good on and off road and great to drive. We now have a Merc C270 estate - which is great on on roads - terrible off them, so we are looking for a Kia Sportage as a second car. These little Kia's are a damn good workhorse if you find one with low mileage. You can pick up a 2003 model for about £1700!!

[garden cottage]

thanks for all the replies, still looking- re tax increases next year were looking at nice 2002-2003 discoverys that was until the tax on anything after 2001 march with a TD5 engine in will be £400.00 ouch

[MrRee]

Ah,to be living in France,no road tax!!!      smiles cos there's no icon for "rubbing it in" .......... Ree

[garden cottage]

must be some down side to france surely, I hope an angry french farmer sticks a pitchfork in your tyre (only joking)..................neil

[gavo]

they all drive on the wrong side of the road for one     

Gavin

[juliag]

and they talk so blooming fast I for one cant understand a word!!! smiling goes a long way though even if they do think you are just a little bit mad..........

[garden cottage]

well weve bitten the bullet and gone for a nissan x trail, chuffed to bits with it. just ticks all the boxes for us,superb tow car 136 bhp 40mpg lovely to drive and car like comfort with 4wd on the flick of a switch.