Stainy

My mother needs a new car and couldn't care less how fugly it is nor how much is costs on fuel / insurance / tax etc. How it drives is also unimportant. It just needs to be reliable.

It will do very little mileage, some of which will be rough lanes but no proper off roading. It does need more ground clearance than a 'normal' car and it needs to be an estate or even a 4 seat pickup at a push.

I was thinking Forester but anything could fit the bill...any suggestions?

Daft stuff welcome as she was looking at a Nissan Cabstar the other day

Matteeboy

£3k does make it tricky.

My mum's a community nurse in Cornwall so often needs to be able to access farms and the like - she has a hardtop Jimny. Reliable, goes anywhere, big enough inside with seats folded. Very very easy to park.

Forester will be thirsty and possibly hard to get for £3k. If you can find one, worth getting though!

The Zohan

RAV4 or CRV, both bulletproof if looked after and capable of doing what she wants them to. OK to drive as well.

Stainy

Cheers,

The Jimney is too small, I've already had that conversation with her she lives on a remote island and goes shopping about once every 6 weeks!

The RAV and CRV are stuff I've suggested to her. She hasn't ruled them out but hasn't warmed to them yet. I think she wants something that looks like a tank ......hmmm Cherokee just sprang to mind. That's a orrible car, it'll probably set her on fire!

Keep em coming, ta

Matteeboy

Cherokee will NOT be reliable!

Has to be jap really - Suzuki Grand Vitara is reliable, biggish, decent off road, etc. Not sure if newer shape will dip to £3k but it's a decent car - wife's grandparents have one (and a Landcruiser Amazon) and really rate it.

The Zohan

Best thing to do is get her to drive a couple, none of them look that great but The Rav4 and CRV are capable on and off road and feel more like cars than some small 4x4's

Stainy

The Grand Vitara is a definate option (I have a mate with a contact in a Suzuki garage so a tradein car could be a possibility) thanks.

Paul,
Thanks. I'll have to do the driving though. There's just no way she could realistically get to test drive stuff from her location (getting to Australia is less hassle!)

richs2891

Nissan Terrano - either a 3 door or a 5 door
Got a 3 door at the moment fine on road and v good off road & reliable - its got a diesel engine thats supposdly related to the one in taxis - pretty much bullet proof !

Richard

shaunywrx

I would personally say an older Landcruiser Colarado. Thats built like a tank and if it's been looked after will go on forever, if she dos'nt mind the fuel costs, you'll get a 3.4vx petrol for £3k, it'll have all the modern'ish toys and will go anywhere with the right tyres on it. I had one with 150,000 on the clock and i only changed it because i did'nt really need a proper 4x4 anymore, nothing ever went wrong with it, all it ever needed was a new battery and an exhaust back box, which is just every day wear and tear really, not bad for a car that would tow a 2 tonne horse box one day, plough through 2 foot of mud the next, wade through three feet of swollen river, cross rock strewn moors, and still cruise up the motorway all day long in near silence the next day, i can't recommend them highly enough.

richs2891

Shaunywrx did you have a diesel one or a petrol one, what are the fuel cost like 20 mpg?

Richard

Stainy

Terrano is now on the possible list, ta

I didn't think a Landcruiser would be in the price range without buying one built in the stoneage, but I'll have a look about

EddScott

Of which you obviously have plenty of experience yes?


I've had two Cherokee XJs and both have been perfectly reliable. I've got the 2nd still and highly unlikely to sell it.


I see no reason to look at a Grand Cherokee if as you say fuel isn't a problem. My XJ is doing 16/18 MPG round town but its no bother because I don't do many miles.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1961904.htm

The auto box is highly unlikely to fail, the engine is under no stress whatsoever. The suspension and transmission needs to be checked to make sure its good but other than that for £3K it would be a fine 4X4. First owner 9 years and 27K on the clock - probably a retired couple who used it for shopping and grandkids. I would imagine the history is impeccable too.

shaunywrx

I had the 3.4VX petrol, great for doing everything, but the best mpg i can remember is about 21mpg on a run and about 16 - 18mpg everyday, but you have to bare in mind i live in the middle of nowhere so there was no stop starting town driving, i could get as low as 12mpg when towing!

Matteeboy

Edd - my (late) Aunt and Uncle had a few in a row. All were constantly in the dealership from new.

shaunywrx

It's funny you should say about Cherokee's, because i always had the impression they were unreliable, and have heard all the horror stories, and yet i know someone who had them for years, probably had at least six of them and never had a single problem with any of them, and yet i know others who have had nightmares with them, i think they're a bit like Land Rovers, you either get a really good one that will go on forever, or one that's always giving you trouble.

Matteeboy

Another possible is an Isuzu Trooper - last forever and now old enough to be cheap.

Trout

iTrader: (1)

That Toyota that they had on Top Gear - that seemed pretty reliable.

They are probably selling theirs very cheap

Trout

iTrader: (1)

That Toyota that they had on Top Gear - that seemed pretty reliable.

They are probably selling theirs very cheap

EddScott

I wonder whether it was more to do with the cost of them being quite high at the time, a certain level of quality was expected. The parts were made in the US, shipped to Austria and built there - I don't know why. They are still US designs, very old designs at that so interior quality isn't up there with Audi and BM yet the price tag at the time said otherwise.

With XJs at least the mechanicals are such that there isn't that much that can go wrong. A big issue I believe is the rear leaf springs which sag over time. This changes the angle at which the prop goes into the rear diff and puts pressure on the rear diff. Eventually the rear diff lets go - you may hear of people saying the rear diffs go on XJs - well thats why. Its a £3-400 fix for new heavy duty rear springs. The only other suspect part of the transmission is the 2WD/4WD/PT4WD/LO - the lever can get stuck through lack of use - if I'm honest mines stuck in 2WD but I haven't got round to sorting the lever out

I drove the first XJ from Monmouth to West Wales without any gearbox fluid - only realised it was empty when it stopped changing gear. Filled it up, pop in some stop slip just in case and when I finally sold it, it went to Bulgaria under its own steam. Mechanicals on them is very good. Cosmetics isn't hence why they can look tatty quickly. Its hard to find a good XJ - I had to travel to Glasgow to buy mine.

The grand I linked to looks fantastic is the mileage and history all check out.

Matteeboy

Blimey - just checked that link - 27k miles and just over £3k - depreciation hit and a half!!

richs2891

Indeed blimey ! probably cos its a petrol one - thats a prime candidate for a LPG conversion.

Richard

Matteeboy

The aunt and uncle mentioned always had that engine - it was utterly TRAGIC on fuel! We are talking less than 15mpg on most runs.

Sounded nice though.

ozzreid1964

iTrader: (32)

mitsubishi pajero

fivetide

iTrader: (1)

Of course the jap import versions can be a bit cheaper so Pajero rather than Shogun for example.

Also, if you are looking at the Terano have a look out for Ford Mavericks. Same thing, just a different badge and quite capable.

5t.

EddScott

The depreciation is such that if you find a good one you are buying a great car. Imprezas are proof of this. My XJ is a 1999 3 owners, full history, 56K, Orvis special editon. Everything is electric (and works) leather is soft. Its got a few marks but nothing an 11 year old car shouldn't have and it was £1500.

The OP said fuel wasn't an issue so I linked one that hasn't had the LPG conversion done. Having said that if the purchase was for say a 5 year ownership then adding another £1200 to the bill for LPG would probably pay for itself.

I was going to LPG my XJ but I don't do the miles in to make it worthwhile.


PS - if she gets bored she could always fit an LS1 engine out of a Corvette. Its as hard as fitting an M16 engine into a 205GTi. You did say daft stuff welcome

jonc

A Lada Niva

Bonehead

hodgy0_2

I have a Landcruiser Amazon 4.2TD and really rate them

could maybe just get the earlier LC80 for 3k

Taliban tough, will do 250k easy

scoobyc

iTrader: (2)

Disco

Matteeboy

He said "reliable..."