What Retro/different £3k dog wagon?

[AceKid]

Bit random I know, but getting out of the Saab ttid Aero estate as dont do the mileage, so looking for a petrol estate / 4x4 / anything that can do my 6 mile commute to work and is good for taking my 2 dogs out into the New Forest on a daily basis, with some thought to chucking the bikes and kids in for days out too.
Current ideas are Jeep Grand Cherokee ZJ or WJ, mk1 Rav4, e53 X5...

I just fancy something old school and different, not massively keen on a Volvo 850 or old V70 though. Fuel consumption amd tax not an issue either

[Philibuster]

3 litre Subaru Outback/Forester?

I don't believe that engine has the head gasket worries that the 2.5 has.

[AceKid]

Philibuster said:

3 litre Subaru Outback/Forester?

I don't believe that engine has the head gasket worries that the 2.5 has.

Hadnt thought about the outback.. .good call!, had a forester previously and they are too small, rattly and well just not a nice place to be!

[Philibuster]

Yep Forester is a bit more agricultural.

If fuel economy really doesn't matter, what about a V8 Grand Cherokee? Prob not available in budget though.

When I was looking last year at that budget I went round and round RAV4/CRV/BMW/Subaru/Audi/Volvo looking for a 4x4, but I wanted an auto so that counted out the RAV/CRV. Didn't look at Jeep as unknown to me and have heard horror stories about reliability. I wanted a petrol really, but ended up with a diesel as the car I found is rare. I bought a MY06 55 plate Euro3 V70 AWD (not an XC70, but an AWD V70). I didn't even know they made those, and How Many Left says only 22 were ever registered with that engine - I'm a sucker for something unusual!

Dogs and bikes says to me estate, as those mid size 4x4s don't have the biggest boot. X5 probably has a decent boot, but that's a step up in size. Mind you, a friend of mine had a similar vintage CRV and with the seats down you could fit loads in.

Good luck with the hunt!

[ZX10R NIN]

X3 3.0i:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202207248...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202206156...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202204024...

Murano:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202206247...

Outback:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202205165...

Grand Cherokee:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208078...

R500:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208038...

X5:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202207218...

[Philibuster]

ZX10R NIN said:

Grand Cherokee:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208078...

I stand corrected!

[CanoeSniffer]

You seemed to have picked out 4x4s mostly, but you *did* mention petrol estate, so I’m just going to throw Alfa 159 and Subaru Legacy out there as the two coolest dog carriers available for £3k. Caveat being that the 159 will have to be non-Ti for any hard work, mine takes on lots of rutted tracks for work purposes but not exactly comfortably and that isn’t a TI so I imagine that the slightly lower suspension would scupper you for forest work. Also, the Subie would get you a far more interesting petrol engine- don’t know if a Spec B is do-able for £3k but the GM V6 available in the Alfa is no Busso and the Twinsparks aren’t exactly grunty- TBi not doable in budget I imagine. I’m basically recommending then immediately talking you out of the Alfa, but in its defence it is really rather lovely to look at! The Subaru doesn’t have the nicest interior, but an H6 would be awesome and I think it’s a pretty cool thing all round. Supposedly hewn from granite too!

[CanoeSniffer]

ETA: if you want something VERY out there, I have seen Nissan Stageas (later ones not the RB engines ones) and Mitsubishi Legnums VR4s around for your budget- can’t go cooler than that!

[biggbn]

Volvo 900 or 200 series, whatever you spend will be like banking the money, the Turbo 940 can be made to go quickly easily, they feel properly old, properly comfy and properly cavernous, absolutely classless too!! I know you said no 850 but an 850 2.5 or a t5 would be in budget and both are really retro, well made and surprisingly modern to drive. Another properly retro option would be a n/a Saab c900 hatch, not an estate but not much they can't carry and again, safe money

[nobrakes]

2008 Chrysler 300C estate 165k miles

Black 3.5 petrol

£3k

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202206036...

[Davie]

I've been mulling over Legacy Spec B's for about 5yrs but as much as I think they're a cracking looking car that seemingly drives well, for various reasons I never have and latterly I was debating one again but decided that £3k would need a lot of luck to get a good one as most have liked in price or are a bit rough.

I ended up going back to my roots with an 850 T-5 for a variety of reasons ranging from it being pretty unburstable to it being quite wuick and fun to being retro and also still a bit of a bargain compared to the mentalness of some 90's icon values...

You must have some sort of inclination towards something?

[AceKid]

Ideally has to be pre 2005...older the better, no turbos (had too many bad experiences), my top choice is an old cherokee XJ in 4.0 straight six flavour.
If a p38 range rover wasn't so shockingly unreliable I wouldnt have minded a v8 one of those!

[DodgyGeezer]

would you get a 2nd gen Mondeo ST of some flavour at that price point?

[nobrakes]

1998 C200 https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1485477

1998 2.3 ford scorpio
https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1480761

Sierra 1.8
https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1485382

I guess my point is you might try carandclassic to through up something a bit more old school?


I’d stretch the budget for this though
£3750 230TE looks very genuine
https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1458715

[AceKid]

nobrakes said:

1998 C200 https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1485477

1998 2.3 ford scorpio
https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1480761

Sierra 1.8
https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1485382

I guess my point is you might try carandclassic to through up something a bit more old school?

Thank you!...had completely forgotton about Car and Classic....thats my work days wasted for the foreseeable future

I’d stretch the budget for this though
£3750 230TE looks very genuine
https://www.carandclassic.com/car/C1458715

I had completely forgotten about CarandClassic....good shout, although that now means no work is getting done today! lol

Edited by AceKid on Monday 8th August 07:43

[Belle427]

Pm me some details on the Ttid if you don't mind as I have been looking for one.

[eleveneleven]

How about a Lexus RX300? Has an old school look and feel to it but drives just as good as any modern SUV. You'd be looking at a 2001\02 for your budget.

[ChattingWham]

I’d struggle to see past a Cherokee XJ here to be honest. It does that retro thing, and they’re quite cool and agreeably classless these days.

[AceKid]

ChattingWham said:

I’d struggle to see past a Cherokee XJ here to be honest. It does that retro thing, and they’re quite cool and agreeably classless these days.

Thats where i'm at.......

[nobrakes]

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111109...