Buying a used 4 x 4

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Wed 5 Oct 2011 12:25
Buying a used 4 x 4 - Stuck in Snow

I am looking to purchase a used 4 x 4 as a second car mainly due to the fact i live up a very steep half mile lane and thanks to the snow we have had for the last two winters was impossible to get up and down it. Looked at a Freelander but put off by bad reports and the Suzuki Grand Vitara which also can be switched to permanent 4 wheel drive. Not sure about Crossovers like the Rav 4 and Ford Kuga how good they actually are in these sort of conditions. Any suggestions ??? Thanks.

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Wed 5 Oct 2011 13:34
Buying a used 4 x 4 - oldtoffee

Have you discounted fitting winter tyres to your current car? Only ask because a 4x4 with summer tyres will eventually get stuck where a fwd or possibly rwd fitted with winter tyres will likely succeed. Of course a 4x4 with winter tyres will be the best option but an expensive one if it is just for a few weeks of the year you might need it.

Crossovers, some more than others will be less effective in some circumstances than a permanent 4wd vehicle or one with 4wd lock as an option for example getting rolling especially on a slope. The Suzuki would be a decent choice IMO or maybe Kia, Hyundai. Depends a fair bit on your budget as what to recommend.

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Wed 5 Oct 2011 14:17
Buying a used 4 x 4 - NARU

How much are you looking to spend?

You could look at the Nissan Terrano/Ford maverick or Toyota Hilux Surf - both are highly capable but not terribly expensive. I'd recommend a Mk2 Shogun/Pajero, but they're quite thirsty and good ones are getting hard to find

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Wed 5 Oct 2011 15:06
Buying a used 4 x 4 - Stuck in Snow

How much are you looking to spend?

You could look at the Nissan Terrano/Ford maverick or Toyota Hilux Surf - both are highly capable but not terribly expensive. I'd recommend a Mk2 Shogun/Pajero, but they're quite thirsty and good ones are getting hard to find

I would be looking to spend around £5000 or so... not sure if i should sell my 07 Golf with 28k and buy a year old 4 x 4...the thought of tax / insurance two cars is a pain !!!

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Wed 5 Oct 2011 14:56
Buying a used 4 x 4 - Stuck in Snow

Have you discounted fitting winter tyres to your current car? Only ask because a 4x4 with summer tyres will eventually get stuck where a fwd or possibly rwd fitted with winter tyres will likely succeed. Of course a 4x4 with winter tyres will be the best option but an expensive one if it is just for a few weeks of the year you might need it.

Crossovers, some more than others will be less effective in some circumstances than a permanent 4wd vehicle or one with 4wd lock as an option for example getting rolling especially on a slope. The Suzuki would be a decent choice IMO or maybe Kia, Hyundai. Depends a fair bit on your budget as what to recommend.

I'm driving a Golf GT 140 and it's rubbish in the snow, would winter tyres be any good and do you have to inform your insurance company ?

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Wed 5 Oct 2011 15:08
Buying a used 4 x 4 - Stuck in Snow

Have you discounted fitting winter tyres to your current car? Only ask because a 4x4 with summer tyres will eventually get stuck where a fwd or possibly rwd fitted with winter tyres will likely succeed. Of course a 4x4 with winter tyres will be the best option but an expensive one if it is just for a few weeks of the year you might need it.

Crossovers, some more than others will be less effective in some circumstances than a permanent 4wd vehicle or one with 4wd lock as an option for example getting rolling especially on a slope. The Suzuki would be a decent choice IMO or maybe Kia, Hyundai. Depends a fair bit on your budget as what to recommend.

I'm driving a Golf GT 140 and it's rubbish in the snow, would winter tyres be any good and do you have to inform your insurance company ?

My budget is around £5000 or so.....

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Wed 5 Oct 2011 15:12
Buying a used 4 x 4 - dervdave
What about a golf 2.0tdi 4motion ?
I had one, very capable but so should yours on winter tyres.
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Wed 5 Oct 2011 17:54
Buying a used 4 x 4 - Paul G1pdc
Look into a subaru legacy or non-turbo impreza. 2litre
the older pre-2008 will be under 5k.
the estate versions have low range (a lever near the gear sticking giving you 10 forward gears!!!) literally halves the road speed of each standard gear.....
.
when i had my impreza and follwed a vitera....the owner didn;t know how to put it in 4x4 mode.....and the rear of her car was sliding all over the place before she got stuck on a hill.....
i had stop and use my handbrake as she was 45degs across the road....
she reversed out the way. i put the impreza into low range and slowly without any wheel slip went past her and contined up the hill to work...
i was the only car there along with the managers series 2 landie....
as long as you keep the power on (gently) even on the corners 4x4/ awd is great....as soon as you take your foot off the gas you might as well be in a 2 wd car....
paul.
father in law currently owns a 3 litre legacy, and before that owned a 2.5litre version (they also made a 2 litre. but and if your budget is greater than 5k a diesel.)
a impreza new shape hatchback 2008+has better mpg and better road tax than the pre-2008 but the 5k budget will be an issue.
.
or just leave 5 days leave to account for taking days off due to poor road conditions.....thats the cheap option.....
(guess its the only option bmw/merc RWD owners have....)
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Thu 6 Oct 2011 07:05
Buying a used 4 x 4 - oldtoffee

>>>I'm driving a Golf GT 140 and it's rubbish in the snow, would winter tyres be any good and do you have to inform your insurance company ?

A while ago I had a Focus TDCi and with winter tyres on it was very good so I expect you'd see a similar massive improvement as have many others here. In the Focus I went safely up and down many hills that defeated other cars including 4x4s with I assume summer tyres. Even reversing up the slight slope of our drive used to defeat the car with summer tyres on but zero problems with winters. I ended up a taxi driver for several neighbours who couldn't get their cars out. Having driven 2wd and 4wd cars with winter tyres on in snow I'd go for a 4wd as IMO the extra traction and clearance is worth having but the difference is nowhere near as much as the difference between summer and winter tyres on a 2wd car.

Re your insurance company, it would make sense to inform them as you may end up buying a slightly different spec tyre to the car's standard summer tyres - narrower, taller, lower speed rating. Some companies have tried to load an extra premium but that got widely reported and scoffed at and most now don't bother as well they shouldn't!


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Thu 6 Oct 2011 11:34
Buying a used 4 x 4 - Ethan Edwards

Last year during the worst of the snow I havd to drive to and from work. 75 mile round trip.

I recall one icy winter's day down a untreated B road I passed a lovely dark blue newish Rav4 on very low profile wheels shod with expensive looking rubber. It was on a sharp bend and the Rav 4 was on it's side in a ditch at the time.

My old Nissan Xtrail on a mix of Goodyear Wranglers and Dunlop GrandTreks. All season tyres and diff locked into four wheel drive. I had no problems whatsoever.

In fact the only hold ups I had were people dreadfully unprepared for winter slithering about in front of me holding me up. Some in BMW X5's again with lovely low profile wheels and very low profile summer tyres. Muppets.

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