[Womble]

I'll be honest, I really don't like cars. They're basically just four wheeled planet destroying money pits. However, these days I find myself running two of the darn things - a wee Fabia estate, which does 95% of my mileage as a work car and runabout, and a Defender 90 which we use for hauling about building materials, sheep, canoes, firewood etc.
Anyway, for various reasons, I'm thinking it might be time to make a change, so the question is, is there anything out there that will do both jobs?  It needs to be:   
 

• Four wheel drive, capable of light use over fields and on snowy tarmac
• Equipped with a decent sized boot, for visits to the feed store etc
• Capable of comfortably towing 1,500kg (i.e. within the 85% weight rule)
• Still reasonably economical for circa 15,000 miles a year

I've been around a few dealers, but everything either seems to be gigantic (and still with a piddly small boot), or just a pretend 4x4 with no more ground clearance than a regular car, and which will likely get stuck the moment it leaves the tarmac.

So, any suggestions? 

[cas]

A pickup?

[Womble]

I don't know?  Can you get pickups that aren't both gigantic and ridiculously thirsty?

[Fleecewife]

2nd hand Scoobie?  I say 2nd hand because we hardly dare use our newer one on the fields, but then we have ancient Series Landies for that.

[fsmnutter]

I have a shogun sport which I like - when the seats are down (default mode as I'm single!) the space in the back is equivalent to a pick up. The 4x4 can be turned on so it's not in action and using extra fuel all the time. As a 13 year old vehicle, I'm reasonably happy with about 28mpg. And it seems to tow reasonably comfortably (I've only been towing about 6 months since passing my trailer test, but it's been easy enough)

[Dans]

We have an old Honda CR-V. It tows the trailer, back seats slide forward as well as folding down, good height inside but I have no idea how economical it is or if it is a true 4x4. Ours is an AU03 reg, the newer ones don't look as suitable for smallholding but they are probably much more economical and eco friendly than ours.

Dans

[ZacB]

when the seats are down (default mode as I'm single!)

Not sure what I find so funny about that comment but it's made me chuckle this morning fsmnutter - thank you.


As for the OP - i use a Navara, good at the off road stuff, very comfortable on Tarmac & good towing abilities but small load area and thirsty on fuel as most 4*4's are.

[Womble]

Now, I knew exactly what fsmnutter meant. You Zac, just have a dirty mind!     

Thanks for the tips so far folks - keep them coming and I'll check them out at the dealers 

[Buttermilk]

I am not single and back seats down are the default position in both our vehicles.

[Foobar]

I have a Subaru Forester estate 4x4 (2003), which I am going to need to replace soon as it's on 185k miles, so I have the same problem.  I cart hay and stuff around in the back, but it can comfortably accommodate 4 people (once vacuumed!) on the very rare occasion that I need to cart 4 people around.


I have come to the conclusion that I will have to get a pickup, probably single cab, or super-cab, not double AND a small car to do the daily commute in when I'm not needing to cart hay etc. But I need the car to be able to tow my small trailer too in the event of an emergency (i.e. the pickup breaks down and I need to retrieve the trailer) - so it's not going to be that small after all.


I have spent months thinking about this and have failed to make any decisions, so every day I just get back in my trusty scooby and pray that it keeps going for just a little bit longer...

[shep53]

Dacia Duster  diesel 4wd  ,seem to be fairly reliable ?? Boot 408 lt     56mpg   1500kg towing  all for less than £15,000 new

[Womble]

[member=24813]Foobar[/member] ,  The Forester is already on my possibles list (we once had one as a hire car for three weeks, and I really liked it).

Can you tell me what the Forester isn't doing for you, that means you'll need to buy a pickup and car, rather than another Forester?

[Foobar]

[member=2128]Womble[/member], my Forester is one of the old rectangular ones (with a low range gear box too).  I don't think the new ones have as much space (of the right shape) - I can fit 6 hay bales (*big* conventional ones) in the back of my car with the seats down, with space for tools etc or some feed bags too.  If I could get another of the same shape that was a lot newer I would, but you can't.  Plus they are expensive to maintain, especially as they get older - parts are ££ and hard to get in some cases.

I LOVE my forester, it drives wonderfully, and I have never been stuck in anything (mud, snow, ice, floods, more mud).  I had to take my partners VW van to work yesterday as my battery was flat, and it was was like driving a blancmange in comparison, lol.

Putting hay in the back of a car makes a right mess, it gets everywhere, so when you do sometimes need to use it as an actual car rather than a wheelbarrow then it becomes a real pain to clean up.  So for me, I think I need a pickup to do the hay in, and timber lengths can go on the back instead of the roof.

If I could afford a pickup AND newer forester, maybe I would, but I don't think my finances will stretch to that.

[cas]

We didn't realise how much we needed a pickup until we got one.  Ours is a one and a half cab, so you can take passengers (provided they've got short legs) or shopping if necessary and still have plenty of room in the back for the hurdles, hay, bags of manure etc that you just don't want inside the car.  Also is tows and has 4WD.  You are asking a lot to get all that plus eco efficiency.

[Backinwellies]

•Four wheel drive, capable of light use over fields and on snowy tarmac
•Equipped with a decent sized boot, for visits to the feed store etc
•Capable of comfortably towing 1,500kg (i.e. within the 85% weight rule)
•Still reasonably economical for circa 15,000 miles a year


Is it called 'The Moon'  Womble?   (as in asking for the ..... )