Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: vehicle woes  (Read 11441 times)

MAK

  • Joined Nov 2011
  • Middle ish of France
    • Cadeaux de La forge
Re: vehicle woes
« Reply #15 on: July 09, 2012, 09:48:23 pm »
We picked up an Hyundi Galloper ( basically its a like a Mitsu' Pajaro). Seven seater and plenty of towing power with large indoor flat bed capacity. I realised that we needed to reduce our costs and not get hung up on the make of a car. Ours does all we need it too and is low maintenance/cost. Ideally we would buy a low cc small car for days out but the Galloper is such a reliable work horse I won't get rid of it. .
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NormandyMary

  • Joined Apr 2011
Re: vehicle woes
« Reply #16 on: July 09, 2012, 09:52:59 pm »
NM, I have one too.  Mine is nice but we have never towed in it because OH's car already has a towbar
Sally
They are lovely to drive aren't they Sally? I dread the thought that one day he'll have to go if he fails its CT (our MOT in France), as parts are very expensive for Jap cars over here. Im hoping that he's got a few more years in him so that I can put off getting a "sensible" car, although where we live, a 4x4 is sensible, especially in the snow and very muddy country lanes.
Mary.

VSS

  • Joined Jan 2009
  • Pen Llyn
    • Viable Self Sufficiency.co.uk
Re: vehicle woes
« Reply #17 on: July 09, 2012, 10:09:49 pm »
If you like the disco apart from the air suspension woes, I think you can convert them to standard coil-springs.

I think that might be worthy of consideration mab. I DO like the Disco (this is disco no. 3 for us). It is comfortable, can carry the family in comfort too, has a decent and flexible load space, and although it is heavy on juice on short trips, it's not too bad on longer runs and motorway trips (so longer as you remember that it has a blind spot that will hide a transit!) and the traction control is essential on our steep, lumpy drive and sloping yard.

The earlier two have been pretty good in terms of reliability and it is primarily the suspension that is causing problems on this one.
The SHEEP Book for Smallholders
Available from the Good Life Press

www.viableselfsufficiency.co.uk

Odin

  • Joined Oct 2011
  • Huddersfield
Re: vehicle woes
« Reply #18 on: July 10, 2012, 06:21:03 am »
Mechanics list, personal opinion.
Good 4 wheel drive UTILITY Vehicles :- Suzuki Jeeps and Vitaras. Dihatsu 4 Tracks. Land Cruisers. Pajeros and early L/Rover 90s with TDI engines and Series Land Rovers. These kind of vehicles wear dints and scratches with pride and tell a story.
Warriors, Naveros, Rangers are popular with builders and farmers who don't farm (get their hands mucky). Too big for getting in and out of tight fields, push & pulling tackle around, hitting bushes, posts and walls.

As for Hummers, I have experience with them, "during the War" (Uncle Albert). Yes I was involved in the invasion of Iraq 2003, loads of Hummers about. The Yanks lacked experience and I ended up fixing a few, always fuel problems because the low grade of diesel been used. Good in a straight line and big capacity, not ideal for a quaint British small holding.
A man who cannot till the soil cannot till his own soul !
A son of the soil .

Womble

  • Joined Mar 2009
  • Stirlingshire, Central Scotland
Re: vehicle woes
« Reply #19 on: July 10, 2012, 07:34:30 am »
Warriors, Naveros, Rangers are popular with builders and farmers who don't farm (get their hands mucky). Too big for getting in and out of tight fields, push & pulling tackle around, hitting bushes, posts and walls.

Yes, but the mucky handed farmers I see near here use quad bikes and dogs for most of the on-field work like checking or rounding up sheep. If they need to get sheep onto a trailer, they'll do it in a place where they have room to get the Warrior into position. Different tools for different jobs around the farm, that's all.
"All fungi are edible. Some fungi are only edible once." -Terry Pratchett

TheCaptain

  • Joined May 2010
Re: vehicle woes
« Reply #20 on: July 10, 2012, 09:24:08 am »
As for Hummers, I have experience with them, "during the War" (Uncle Albert). Yes I was involved in the invasion of Iraq 2003, loads of Hummers about. The Yanks lacked experience and I ended up fixing a few, always fuel problems because the low grade of diesel been used. Good in a straight line and big capacity, not ideal for a quaint British small holding.

I wasn't impressed by them at the end of the war but that may have been Iraqi meching. Slightly better at withstanding IED's than our L/R. Hellish noisy too, plus I don't think there'd be much call for a top gunner around the farm.

Then again...

jonkil

  • Guest
Re: vehicle woes
« Reply #21 on: July 10, 2012, 10:05:51 am »
Simple.
Buy a Landcruiser.
They all have their little problems but Toyota much, much less.
Landcruisers from 2004 onwards have brake caliper issues (seize and need replacement) but are bulletproof in all other aspects.
Here in Ireland they are #1 and it's the one to have, the s/h values reflect this.
Discoverys and the others are leagues behind the Toyota.
There is a saying regarding Toyotas here, " A Toyota is like muesli, not very exciting but good for you"!.... sort of sums it up really.

VSS

  • Joined Jan 2009
  • Pen Llyn
    • Viable Self Sufficiency.co.uk
Re: vehicle woes
« Reply #22 on: July 10, 2012, 10:13:46 am »
Good 4 wheel drive UTILITY Vehicles :- Suzuki Jeeps and Vitaras. Dihatsu 4 Tracks. Land Cruisers. Pajeros and early L/Rover 90s with TDI engines and Series Land Rovers. These kind of vehicles wear dints and scratches with pride and tell a story.


Daihatsu 4 tracks were fantastic towing vehicles, powerful and very short bodied - just what you need. Such a shame they don't make them anymore. We had two of these before we had so many children. Sadly you just can't fit five people in them and you can't get them now.
The SHEEP Book for Smallholders
Available from the Good Life Press

www.viableselfsufficiency.co.uk

TheCaptain

  • Joined May 2010
Re: vehicle woes
« Reply #23 on: July 10, 2012, 10:14:18 am »
Simple.
Buy a Landcruiser.
They all have their little problems but Toyota much, much less.
Landcruisers from 2004 onwards have brake caliper issues (seize and need replacement) but are bulletproof in all other aspects.
Here in Ireland they are #1 and it's the one to have, the s/h values reflect this.
Discoverys and the others are leagues behind the Toyota.
There is a saying regarding Toyotas here, " A Toyota is like muesli, not very exciting but good for you"!.... sort of sums it up really.

Plus they're the insurgent 4x4 of choice - now that's an endorsement and a half!!!

Fowgill Farm

  • Joined Feb 2009
Re: vehicle woes
« Reply #24 on: July 10, 2012, 10:39:03 am »
Warriors, Naveros, Rangers are popular with builders and farmers who don't farm (get their hands mucky). Too big for getting in and out of tight fields, push & pulling tackle around, hitting bushes, posts and walls.

Yes, but the mucky handed farmers I see near here use quad bikes and dogs for most of the on-field work like checking or rounding up sheep. If they need to get sheep onto a trailer, they'll do it in a place where they have room to get the Warrior into position. Different tools for different jobs around the farm, that's all.

This mucky handed smallholder :-J  and her OH builder have a double cab ford ranger, it does everything and more and is capable of hauling trailer and two tonne digger along with taking pigs to butchers, shows and although its is thirsty when hauling otherwise its comfortable enough to go touring the lakes in and treking doen country to piggy meetings! so gets my vote!
mandy :pig:

Small Farmer

  • Joined Jan 2012
  • Bedfordshire
Re: vehicle woes
« Reply #25 on: July 10, 2012, 12:01:35 pm »
We're going through this problem too.  We've ended up with too many, too old vehicles that are expensive to maintain.


The current "crossover" vehicles don't haul much over 2t but are comfortable and economical.  They rely on electronics so I can't see longevity if given a hard life.  Which? magazine points to the Disco as being one of the best loved, least reliable vehicles in current production. 


The 3.5t requirement doesn't leave you many choices and they're all expensive.  The biggest of the landcruisers is a lot of money at £63k new!


Our Nissan pulls 3t but it's 9 year life so far has been plagued by electrical gremlins and suspension problems.  There's a nasty graunching coming from the front again....  Nissan dealers think family motorist not business user IMHO.


Converting to springs doesn't sound cheap either - you need to find an experienced and competent landrover bodger who knows how to do this stuff.  Can't see dealers being helpful
Being certain just means you haven't got all the facts

Herdygirl

  • Joined Sep 2011
Re: vehicle woes
« Reply #26 on: July 10, 2012, 10:07:19 pm »



Converting to springs doesn't sound cheap either - you need to find an experienced and competent landrover bodger who knows how to do this stuff.  Can't see dealers being helpful


Odin could do it, he can fix anything  :thumbsup:

robert waddell

  • Guest
Re: vehicle woes
« Reply #27 on: July 12, 2012, 10:19:08 am »
everybody wants a land rover    either an old series1 or the top banana rangie              it is once they have scraped together the deposit      that they find they need more money to run it       and i could never see the logic in wanting a shagged out old 90 or 110 that the bulkhead was rotten and the chassis welded with bean cans an equivalent age disco is less than half the price of these rot boxes and 100% better on the road      i just wish i had a fleet of rotten old junk 90s that i could flog to unsuspecting mugs
and having owned discos rangies and 2 freelanders over the last 25 years  i have seen it all and the scrimped maintenance
changing to coils is not illegal land rover do a kit and it does not or should not affect your insurance
but if you have a good one and like it keep it :farmer:

SteveHants

  • Joined Aug 2011
Re: vehicle woes
« Reply #28 on: July 12, 2012, 04:25:54 pm »
I'm almost certain you can convert it to springs without too much hassle. I find landrover forums very helpful in cases like this.


I have a defender 90 (1991), because it suits me. Its a pain to drive over any distance, but I do have ground thats steep and it fulfuls that go anywhere and yet can still drive it on the road brief. It is also ticketed for 3.5t. They hold value (don't knock the 'enthusiasts') and parts are cheap, with the added bonus you can usually fix it yourself.


I have had lots of smug fun pulling a shiny Nissan Patrol (with trailer full of sheep coupled on) out of relativeley shallow mud that belongs to a mate of mine when moving sheep.... ;D

jaykay

  • Joined Aug 2012
  • Cumbria/N Yorks border
Re: vehicle woes
« Reply #29 on: July 12, 2012, 07:28:14 pm »
Our Nissan Navara was very comfortable to travel in and towed anything you wanted it to, but is too big to take onto the fields, for which I use a big Honda quadbike. We put one of the covered backs on the Navara which made it more practical for animals.

When OH f€$%#d off, taking the Navara, I replaced it with an X-trail which pulls my smaller sheep trailer well, will take a couple of dogs/sheep/goats/hay bales in the back and is pleasant to drive about in, transporting 5 comfortably.

Didn't have Landrovers, much as I love Defenders, because I need reliability as I am miles from anywhere.

Still have the big Honda quad for field work.

 

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