Small 4x4 for under 1k

[ShaneA]

Have been toying with getting a small 4x4 for a while as a second car. Want something for a bit of playing off road, the odd camping trip down south & taking the dog out to the woods on the weekends.

Want something reasonably cheap (under 1k), cheap to run, reliable & alright in the mud/snow without too much modifying.

So far seen the following:
-fourtrak: very good but very agricultural
-rav4 running costs high
-xtrail reliability issues
-freelander diesels are ok avoid petrol
-frontiers sport always break
-SJ/samurai very good but not on long runs
-vitara not bad at all for the money

These are things I've read not my own opinions

Thanks

[deltashad]

Not sure how they are nowadays, but years back a friend had a Vitara. It was great. The roof came off, it was great off road but it was a gutsy little thing on the fuel.

They had a bit of a hair dressers appeal back in the day but certainly underrated 4x4.

[wuckfitracing]

Grand Vitara is a good buy, petrols do about 28 to 30 mpg, diesels are ,I think a renault sourced unit and are not terribly relaible.
As for offroading they have a proper low box. spares are also readily available. Avoid Freelanders as ours was a nightmare at only 2 years old.

[pcn1]

In an age where a set of tyres and full service / MOT can cost a grand on a standard car you have to think beyond the purchase price.
If your handy with the spanners that helps a lot, and buying the best car you can to start with is a must.

Good luck with your search.

[ShaneA]

Yeah looking young vitaras seems to be best bet at the moment, I have a basic understanding of fixing stuff luckily though I have a mechanic friend with a workshop and another who fixes up cars in his spare time who's also into greenlaning so plenty of help if things break. Cheers

[TurboBlue]

Short wheel base Shogun meets those requirements

[thespannerman]

I have a diesel Freelander, not too bad to keep on the road and is plenty decent in the rough stuff! Just make sure you avoid the K-series Petrol!

[pits]

ShaneA said:

Yeah looking young vitaras seems to be best bet at the moment, I have a basic understanding of fixing stuff luckily though I have a mechanic friend with a workshop and another who fixes up cars in his spare time who's also into greenlaning so plenty of help if things break. Cheers

Front and rear body mounts, sills, rear seat belt mounts will more than likely need replacing

[Spare tyre]

I understand that the older 1.9 diesels are the old pug engines and the newer 2.0 dervs are pug hdi

I've had both engines, covered over 300thousand without any probs on the hdi