Which 4x4 is best-on a small budget
 

Hi all,need some advice i am wanting as a second car a 4wd vehicle to take my dogs in(2 German Shepherds and a malamute) to take them to forest/moors etc and if i go where there is snow can do it with ease.MPG isnt a concern as it wont be used for vast distances.
Budget is £2000.
I have short-listed 3 cars
Vauxhall Frontera 3.2 V6(2000model)
Jeep Grand Cherokee 4.0(1998model)
Mitsubishi Shogun V6(around 1995model)
Anyone had experiences with any of them,ifso how good are they.
Thanks

defenetly not a frontera , others are good tho
id have the jeep, look for an orvis model

The Frontera is better than reviews suggest - wife's grandad had two 3.2s from new and only sold them when they got really tatty. Comfy, pretty good off road, nice engine. And very very cheap to buy.

A Shogun will make you look like a Brummy pikey.
A Jeep is okay but a bit naff inside.

Also look at the Isuzu Trooper - similar to the Frontera and a a decent allrounder.

Yeah i would agree, friend of mine had one there for years (3.1TD) and it was a brilliant vehicle, never gave any trouble and was easy enough on fuel for a large 4x4.

He only gave it up cuz it has very high miles on it and was needing a few things done for MOT and that so he decided to go for something fresher.... Needless to say he has just bought another long whel base one (7 seater) since, 2004 with 75k on the clock....£3800 :eek:

Worth a look IMO :thumb:

Isuzu : Isuzu Trooper 3.0 turbo diesel 53 plate

:)

lol at the brummy pikey comment - I've a V6 3.5 swb shogun for off roading in and it absolutely drinks petrol - even with an lpg conversion I dont get much more than 23 mpg ! Good solid car for offroading in but would have prefered a diesel instead of a petrol.
Trooper is a solid suggestion - just watch for rot on the front members - its a bad mud trap - same goes for the frontera.
Personally I would steer towards the more simpler 4x4 ie the trooper or the slighty softer Nissan Terrano 2 / Ford Maverick - last two still have 4wd with low range etc but no lockable center diff and far less electronic stuff that the shogun / pajero has and when goes wrong cost a fortune to replace , ie the switchable suspension.

richard

If you do look at Isuzu, tread very carefully with the 3.0DOHC diesel (as per above advert). Good engine when it works, but woefully over complicated (three oil pumps, FFS) and a real pain when it does go wrong.

When that happens, make sure it so to a indepedant garage that knows that is well versed in these engines (not the dealer, they'll just keep blaming the injectors). And a list of past invoices is essential. Luck plays a lot with these things; we've had one with zero problems over 120K, yet another identical year model with 90K thats had to have the engine in and out like a yo-yo with ongoing problems and failures (eventually fixed, but the sight of seeing one being towed into the workshop make us run in terror :D:lol1: ).

The Troopers with the 3.1 litre engine are far far far more reliable and less troublesome.


My money is on the Shogun; effective and durable. Only real issues is the V6 spark plugs are a bugger to change and the exhaust manifolds can crack. Keep the oil topped up and fresh and it'll just keep on going.

Cherokee: Solid, but very thirsty. You think a Shogun v6 is bad? This is even worse :D Hence why lots are running on LPG. Shogun is more roomy inside too (assuming LWB).

if you look hard you might find a Toyota landcruiser LC80 -- 3 lockable diffs un-stopable off-road

4.2 TD good for 250k miles

Lada Niva. Significantly under your budget and amazing off road :)

I just picked up a defender 90 for 2.6 which is unstoppable offroad. And thats before i get my detroit lockers on it :)

Also have a disco which was bought for 1.7 which is also very good off road, even as relativly standard.

Mitsubishi Delica Super Exceed 2.8 TD Auto.

I have one and love it, I even CHOOSE to drive it over my other cars/trucks.

Extremely capable machine, similar to a Shogun, but with a different body, it will go anywhere.

Ideal for dogs, as it is huge and airy.

If you get a 7 seater you can get rid of the rear three seats as I have done and it gives you 4 captains seats 2+2, and a huge boot.

I use mine for transporting Motorbikes and Quads, but its also great for green laning, beach work, sleepovers, and carrying my 4 year old son.

It is auto on a column shift, so your passenger can easily walk through to the rear of the truck without getting out.

It has 2WD/4WD/4WD low ratio, and 4WD with difflock, adjustable suspension, OverDrive, sliding side door, bullet proof 4M40 chaindriven engine.

Down side, it looks like a icecream van, and does 23-25 MPG.

Mine is the SuperExceed auto with Crystalite roof, seven seater, I highly recommend them as a second car, for recreational use, work, and fun.

i got a 3.2 v6 fronty gotta say love it ok so it not a range rover but you get what you pays for mine is a 2000 year 48k on it full leather and air con 1 owner from new fvsh cost 1750 never had a problem with it lovely motor which is basicly the honda engine so very reliable avrage mpg is 24 drops alot if you giveing it loads of right boot tho
only got mine to carry the mutt about aswell (i got mal x sib )but finding i am useing alot more than i thought i would as i like driving it yes the old mk1 were crap but do at least try the b model as its really not a bad moter and got plenty of go in it if you need to get there quick and there are cheap

I have just bought a 1999 Jeep Cherokee Limited from a mate its the 2.5 td, its great to be honest, not at all what I was expecting. very much recommended :thumb:

I have to admit I do have an urge for a Jeep Grand Cherokee at the moment, you seem to get a hell of a lot of car for the money.

That's what wife's grandad found - it was a lot better than he expected. Used to tow a decent sized powerboat, trailers full of heavy stuff and all sorts. Totally reliable and comfy too. Had they not stopped making them, he would have got another. But they did so he got a new LC Amazon 4.2TD which has actually (SHOCK!) been less reliable... And he really looks after his motors. The inlaws LC Amazon (the last one) also had battery issues.

the old amazon's were bloody good but not so sure on the new ones

The "landlady" has a Jeep Cherokee, it's six years old and it failed it's MOT on corroded brake pipes :eek:

And it "ate" an ABS sensor earlier this year... o.k. otherwise, except for shabby alloys, that were replaced under warranty at three years.

dunx

im getting 35mpg and as I only pay 88p per litre from work its not bad at all ;)

the interior is ok compared to say an impreza and mine is electric everything. mine has done 117k miles, the leather is a little worn etc. wheels look bad.

Guessing £2k wouldn't get much of a Discovery or Range Rover?