Practical small 4 x 4 for 18 year old

Practical small 4 x 4 for 18 year old

Author
Discussion

ric p

Original Poster:

607 posts

275 months

Friday 5th November 2021
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Evening all, this is an unfamiliar forum for us so looking forward to a bit of an adventure and advice.

I'm after some practical suggestions for a usable 4x4 for my daughter. She currently has a nice little MoTo Veloce, which I do quite like. However she has now left college and is pursuing an agricultural career. She has her own horse (and that is like running an expensive car except it costs money even when parked up in a stable) and, with her boyfriend, is raising some sheep outside of her job at the stables.

Thus most her mileage is down rough tracks, round yards and into fields with her young farmer mates. And the Mito is not really the vehicle for that. Along with this, lambs, bales, saddles and muddy boots are scattered around any vehicle with a few kilos of mud. But doesn't need to tow.

She is after a small-ish 4x4 with real ability, rather than faux pavement appeal, for £5k or less. And reliable and affordable to run for an 18yo, with a dad who will need to maintain it.

The Jimny is the obvious choice, however probably a bit small for the animal, bale, saddle stuff. Mitsubishi Pinin 5 door is the current favorite despite being 15+ years old. Are there any other better suggestions as it is a bit of an unfamiliar world for me.

All opinions are welcome and no manufacturers are off limits. Thanks in advance.

Mammasaid

4,199 posts

103 months

Friday 5th November 2021
quotequote all
For reliable and 4wd ability, I'd go for Suzuki everything. Won't be the last word on dynamics or soft touch plastics, but will probably outlast everything else and will take all the abuse you can take it.

Choose from (in order of roughness) Jimny, SX4 or Vitara.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-search?advertisin...

Walter Sobchak

5,725 posts

230 months

Friday 5th November 2021
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Jimny or a SWB Shogun if she can get insured as they have quite a big engine compared to a Jimny or Pinin,SWB Landcruiser in the event one is currently for sale and in budget.
The Pinins with the proper super select 4x4 system are very capable btw, just watch out for rust!.

CoreyDog

751 posts

96 months

Friday 5th November 2021
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Bit of a left field choice but stick some half decent off road tyres on it...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110198...

Back seats down, would take a hay bale!

Huntsman

8,161 posts

256 months

Friday 5th November 2021
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Honda CRV?

Trailhead

2,628 posts

153 months

Friday 5th November 2021
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What about a truck such as Navara?

Tyre Smoke

23,018 posts

267 months

Friday 5th November 2021
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Surely the answer here is a Dacia Duster?

Ilovejapcrap

3,292 posts

118 months

Friday 5th November 2021
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Jimmy is king to be honest.

Dacia May surprise you and is bigger.

Massive alternative - proton jump back. Yes I know not 4x4 but I think you may be surprised what a good set of tyres does. My mate has sheep and a muddy field etc and needed something to move hay etc.

He was offered one at a good price stuck some knobbly tyres on and is still using 5 yr later !

V8 Bob

281 posts

131 months

Friday 5th November 2021
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Toyota RAV4, Dacia Duster, Ford Kuga

Try autotrader can specify 4 wheel drive and max price

Oilchange

8,715 posts

266 months

Friday 5th November 2021
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Fiat Panda Cross. Cheap on the insurance too.

ric p

Original Poster:

607 posts

275 months

Friday 5th November 2021
quotequote all
Trailhead said:
What about a truck such as Navara?
Too big, her boyfriend has an L200 for her to hack around in if required for trailer duties etc.

We have a Ranger at work and I'd love something like that but SWMBO would never sign it off for me.

ric p

Original Poster:

607 posts

275 months

Friday 5th November 2021
quotequote all
Ilovejapcrap said:
Jimmy is king to be honest.
See last sentence above. Again love to do a mini G Wagon look. Lots of the old retired boys around here have these and speak very highly of them even when they have come from a LR or Toyota LC working background.

Trailhead

2,628 posts

153 months

Friday 5th November 2021
quotequote all
ric p said:
Trailhead said:
What about a truck such as Navara?
Too big, her boyfriend has an L200 for her to hack around in if required for trailer duties etc.

We have a Ranger at work and I'd love something like that but SWMBO would never sign it off for me.
RAV4 / Freelander / CRV then !

rosejem

185 posts

119 months

Saturday 6th November 2021
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I have 3 door RAV4 1998 bought it four years ago as I did not want fit a tow bar to my main car . Only do about 2 - 3000 miles a year towing a small boat to & from the river & the coast . Only thought it would see me through for a year or two but still goinig strong & should pass its mot this Jan all being well.
When I had new tyres fitted the tyre fitter commented on the original heavy duty springs fitted.
A well engineered Toyota built to last 25 years .

LargeRed

1,654 posts

54 months

Saturday 6th November 2021
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" .... and is pursuing an agricultural career. She has her own horse ..... "


Only one vehicle for this Lady .......... a Landy 90

ric p

Original Poster:

607 posts

275 months

Saturday 6th November 2021
quotequote all
LargeRed said:
" .... and is pursuing an agricultural career. She has her own horse ..... "


Only one vehicle for this Lady .......... a Landy 90
Again, absolutely. I’d love one as a toy but it’s for my daughter not me. So reliable, low maintenance and, economical. Although I think they are iconic, they are a pig to drive or do any distance in. Or certainly the military ones were.

None of the farmers around here use a Landie as a work weapon, all pickups or Landcruisers/Discos/Shogun.

But keep the opinions coming, thanks.

Smint

1,904 posts

41 months

Sunday 7th November 2021
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Nissan Terrano/Ford Maverick of the same shape, still a few about in basically good condition and cheap as chips, the 5 door is more popular and not a massive vehicle.
Kia Sorento/Hyundai Terracan, bit bigger.
Shogun in 3 door form, equivalent Landcruiser too expensive to consider.

The thing with all these is that unless its rotten it will easily cope with towing duties if needed and they all have proper 4WD systems without relying on some jiggery pokery to get power to the rear wheels, JP which probably hasn't seen a service for the last 10 years and will fail spectacularly the first time it has to work, hence why no one has suggested Freelander.

Bit lighter? consider Vitara.
All there will come on sensible sized tyres, so a decent set of AT or even MT tyres won't break the bank.

By the way, what a nice dad, chapeau.

Edited by Smint on Sunday 7th November 10:27

Welshbeef

49,633 posts

204 months

Sunday 7th November 2021
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What about the V6 TDI A6 all road? Cheap to buy and a great car.

Mammasaid

4,199 posts

103 months

Sunday 7th November 2021
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Welshbeef said:
What about the V6 TDI A6 all road? Cheap to buy and a great car.
OP wanted reliable!

Welshbeef

49,633 posts

204 months

Sunday 7th November 2021
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Mammasaid said:
Welshbeef said:
What about the V6 TDI A6 all road? Cheap to buy and a great car.
OP wanted reliable!
Get the 1.9 PD 130 TDI version then. That’s violet proof.