Author Topic: Best small 4x4 car and small trailer combo? (Read 7956 times)

Harebell · « **on:** March 25, 2014, 07:17:44 pm »

I’m interested in people’s opinions on what are the the best small 4x4 and small livestock (sheep) trailer combinations.

My parents have decided to no longer keep cattle on the farm (it’s mostly arable and they never kept many beef cattle anyway), and their aged cattle cart needs a lot of work to be road worthy, so we are looking to buy a sheep trailer for my small sheep flock. I currently have 12 ewes but hope to increase the flock size to about 40-50 ewes over the next 5 years or so. I need a trailer to take lambs to slaughter, pick up small numbers of bought-in sheep, drop off small numbers of sold sheep and maybe in the future move parts of the flock to parts of the farm where I can’t walk the sheep to. I therefore don’t think I need a very big sheep trailer? There is a trailer centre very nearby that sells Bateson trailers (but doesn’t keep livestock trailer in stock – you have to order them in) and somewhere that sells Ifor Williams not too far anyway either. We could buy new or second hand.

I could borrow my father’s Discovery 3 to tow the sheep but am thinking of trading in my Ford Fiesta for a small 4x4 anyway, as it would be useful to have a car that has more storage room and could handle winter country roads better and do some gentle 4x4 driving across fields and farm tracks. The car would mostly be used to take me to and from work (10 mile round trip, 5 days a week) but it would be good to have one that could occasionally, safely and legally tow my sheep and a small(ish) trailer). I was thinking of something like Nissan X-Trail, Honda C-RV, Kia Sportage etc…

I have driven big 4x4s like the Discovery, Defender, Ford Ranger, Nissan Nevada, Mitsubishi L200…I know these are good 4x4s and could pull a heavy load but I don’t want or need such big, powerful car. I want something I can park easily in town basically!

smallflockshearing · « **Reply #1 on:** March 25, 2014, 07:25:30 pm »

I've got a mesh-side Indespension 6x4 trailer - like a cheap ifor Williams - I cover the top with 2 hurdles and can fit 7 in it. Ok for short journeys.
A Defender fan, I'm afraid - no use to you!

devonlad · « **Reply #2 on:** March 25, 2014, 07:48:19 pm »

one of those threads where personal experience comes to the fore i'm sure. best small 4x4 in my opinion is easy- Rav 4. used to have one that pulled the sheep to market on a Monday and took me to work for rest of the week. i'm one of those who love old "proper" landrovers- now called "defenders" but reckon all the more recent versions are over priced and pander to 4x4 snobs. we now have a Hyundai santa fe dubbed a poor mans landrover- love it and never ever let us down. but for a small one its rav 4 every time

mowhaugh · « **Reply #3 on:** March 25, 2014, 09:18:01 pm »

I love my Nissan XTrail.
I also have a small trailer from CLH trailers which takes about ten sheep, or two shetland ponies, and I think it is an excellent trailer and good value for money compared to other makes.

We do also have a Ford Ranger and a big IW stock box, but the smaller rig is very handy, and I use the XTrail as my everyday car too.

stufe35 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 25, 2014, 10:26:44 pm »

We have a skoda yeti, 4x4. 140 bhp version. It is put a smile on your face quick, corners like it is on rails, yet long term average is 46 mpg, can easily exceed 50mpg if driven less enthusiastically. It can tow 2tons legally. The 4x4 system you don't touch it's just there when you need it. And it's all vw engineering.
I have an 8x5 ft trailer I tow with it regularly, and for larger loads borrow a friends full size cattle trailer, pulls then both with ease.
We've had it from new almost 3 years now nearly 70k miles and all it has done is start when you turn the key.

moony · « **Reply #5 on:** March 25, 2014, 11:08:54 pm »

We have had a fair few different ones over the years. Some good and some awful. For the sort of thing it sounds like you want a Forester would be my choice. They are excellent and capable 4x4s, very tough, good ground clearance and the size of a normal estate car. Fourtraks while old are brilliant towing vehicles and not too big but finding one thats not rotten is hard. We have had a Jimny which is the easiest thing to park and drive around towns, also the best unmodified offroad I have ever driven mainly due to its size but towing wise would be dubious for anything more than a tent.

sabrina · « **Reply #6 on:** March 25, 2014, 11:55:48 pm »

We have a Dacia Duster to pull our pony trailer. I find it easy to drive and very comfortable.

Foobar · « **Reply #7 on:** March 26, 2014, 07:51:13 am »

I have a Subaru Forester and that is rough and tough and sounds like it will do what you need.

You might find some useful info on this subject on this recent thread: http://www.accidentalsmallholder.net/forum/index.php?topic=42268.0

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #8 on:** March 26, 2014, 04:29:51 pm »

Diahatsu FourTrak is brilliant - small, tough and turns on a sixpence. Wheel arches tend to rust and no automatic windows or air conditioning, but it tows our 8 x 5ft Ifor Williams with no trouble at all. Use semi-off road tyres all year round for grip on rough ground. Ours has an internal vertical divider which is handy for splitting ewes and rams when transporting a mixed bunch or for taking poultry boxes in one section and livestock in the other. Wouldn't go for an old one - regulations have been updated and you really need to watch the brakes and lighting.