cheap family 4x4/suv/mpv ..Have a laugh at my expense
Discussion
Our old family 4x4 xtrail has bit the dust so here goes..
this is my wish list and I am looking for advice
- Two or three times a year will take 4 adults , luggage and 2 medium dogs in the boot to Cornwall and back ( 600miles round trip )
- Two or three times a week my 22 yr old daughter can drive it to manchester and back to uni ( 60 miles round trip )
- Practically indestrucitble or at least wont break down every 5 minutes and can get us where we want to go without a fuss
- We wouldnt want a mortage just to keep the car on the road
- Automatic
- less than 8k miles a year
- tax <£400, mpg 25+
- here's where the laughing starts.,.. preferably less than £5k
ok...lets see what laughs I get,,
this is my wish list and I am looking for advice
- Two or three times a year will take 4 adults , luggage and 2 medium dogs in the boot to Cornwall and back ( 600miles round trip )
- Two or three times a week my 22 yr old daughter can drive it to manchester and back to uni ( 60 miles round trip )
- Practically indestrucitble or at least wont break down every 5 minutes and can get us where we want to go without a fuss
- We wouldnt want a mortage just to keep the car on the road
- Automatic
- less than 8k miles a year
- tax <£400, mpg 25+
- here's where the laughing starts.,.. preferably less than £5k
ok...lets see what laughs I get,,
smallzoo said:
Our old family 4x4 xtrail has bit the dust so here goes..
this is my wish list and I am looking for advice
- Two or three times a year will take 4 adults , luggage and 2 medium dogs in the boot to Cornwall and back ( 600miles round trip )
- Two or three times a week my 22 yr old daughter can drive it to manchester and back to uni ( 60 miles round trip )
- Practically indestrucitble or at least wont break down every 5 minutes and can get us where we want to go without a fuss
- We wouldnt want a mortage just to keep the car on the road
- Automatic
- less than 8k miles a year
- tax <£400, mpg 25+
- here's where the laughing starts.,.. preferably less than £5k
ok...lets see what laughs I get,,
With that budget you're into luck territory. this is my wish list and I am looking for advice
- Two or three times a year will take 4 adults , luggage and 2 medium dogs in the boot to Cornwall and back ( 600miles round trip )
- Two or three times a week my 22 yr old daughter can drive it to manchester and back to uni ( 60 miles round trip )
- Practically indestrucitble or at least wont break down every 5 minutes and can get us where we want to go without a fuss
- We wouldnt want a mortage just to keep the car on the road
- Automatic
- less than 8k miles a year
- tax <£400, mpg 25+
- here's where the laughing starts.,.. preferably less than £5k
ok...lets see what laughs I get,,
Pick the least rusty Japanese 4x4 you can find.
Think I'd be looking at the Lexus RX400h but I bet most have been neglected at the age/pricepoint.
Pre march 2006 Jeep GC?
Cheaper tax, will manage 30 mpg on the motorway, but generally about 25 mpg.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023081307...
Cheaper tax, will manage 30 mpg on the motorway, but generally about 25 mpg.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023081307...
Tidied this up for a friend recently, 110k miles, 2.0 petrol, auto (well, CVT). Not the most refined thing in the world but hasn't had been much trouble in the 10 years he's had it. Not 4 x 4 but meets all the other criteria I think.

He then advertised it on AT for a touch over £3k and ended up with just a load of timewasters and/or being ghosted so not sure what's happening with it at the moment.
He then advertised it on AT for a touch over £3k and ended up with just a load of timewasters and/or being ghosted so not sure what's happening with it at the moment.
Edited by James76G on Thursday 24th August 16:44
If it doesn't actually have to be 4x4 - and the OP doesn't say it does - then surely something like an S-Max or C4 Grand Picasso is the answer. They'll be better at carting people + dogs + stuff than the sort of smallish 4x4s that are being suggested. It's a pity that estates seem to be ruled out as that would bring things like Mondeos or Superbs into play, which will also do the job required.
Buy a Subaru legacy 3.0 estate for £3k with plenty left over for petrol if you can’t keep it to >25mpg.
Pre Apr 2006 to get cheaper tax rate.
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/15093031
Pre Apr 2006 to get cheaper tax rate.
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/15093031
Edited by Stuckinthe80s on Thursday 24th August 18:45
Terzo123 said:
Pre march 2006 Jeep GC?
Cheaper tax, will manage 30 mpg on the motorway, but generally about 25 mpg.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023081307...
I was just about to say the same thing.Cheaper tax, will manage 30 mpg on the motorway, but generally about 25 mpg.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023081307...
My Wife is on her second WJ Grand Cherokee. The first was with the indestructible 4.0 straight six. Her second is a 4.7 V8. Both return similar fuel economy figures. Parts are dirt cheap.
Both are built like tanks. So much so that even my Wife hasn’t been able to kill them.
smallzoo said:
Our old family 4x4 xtrail has bit the dust so here goes..
this is my wish list and I am looking for advice
- Two or three times a year will take 4 adults , luggage and 2 medium dogs in the boot to Cornwall and back ( 600miles round trip )
- Two or three times a week my 22 yr old daughter can drive it to manchester and back to uni ( 60 miles round trip )
- Practically indestrucitble or at least wont break down every 5 minutes and can get us where we want to go without a fuss
- We wouldnt want a mortage just to keep the car on the road
- Automatic
- less than 8k miles a year
- tax <£400, mpg 25+
- here's where the laughing starts.,.. preferably less than £5k
ok...lets see what laughs I get,,
Mazda5 TS2:this is my wish list and I am looking for advice
- Two or three times a year will take 4 adults , luggage and 2 medium dogs in the boot to Cornwall and back ( 600miles round trip )
- Two or three times a week my 22 yr old daughter can drive it to manchester and back to uni ( 60 miles round trip )
- Practically indestrucitble or at least wont break down every 5 minutes and can get us where we want to go without a fuss
- We wouldnt want a mortage just to keep the car on the road
- Automatic
- less than 8k miles a year
- tax <£400, mpg 25+
- here's where the laughing starts.,.. preferably less than £5k
ok...lets see what laughs I get,,
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202308150...
Laguna Dynamique TomTom 175, these are very reliable & would serve you well:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202307119...
Terzo123 said:
Pre march 2006 Jeep GC?
Cheaper tax, will manage 30 mpg on the motorway, but generally about 25 mpg.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023081307...
I presume you mean the petrol not the diesel models ?Cheaper tax, will manage 30 mpg on the motorway, but generally about 25 mpg.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2023081307...
Roger Irrelevant said:
If it doesn't actually have to be 4x4 - and the OP doesn't say it does - then surely something like an S-Max or C4 Grand Picasso is the answer. They'll be better at carting people + dogs + stuff than the sort of smallish 4x4s that are being suggested. It's a pity that estates seem to be ruled out as that would bring things like Mondeos or Superbs into play, which will also do the job required.
I did wonder about MPV's. like the s-max or touran but not sure if at £5k they will have been abusedStuckinthe80s said:
Buy a Subaru legacy 3.0 estate for £3k with plenty left over for petrol if you can’t keep it to >25mpg.
Pre Apr 2006 to get cheaper tax rate.
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/15093031
Aren't subarus money pits if things go wrong ?Pre Apr 2006 to get cheaper tax rate.
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/15093031
Edited by Stuckinthe80s on Thursday 24th August 18:45
105.4 said:
I was just about to say the same thing.
My Wife is on her second WJ Grand Cherokee. The first was with the indestructible 4.0 straight six. Her second is a 4.7 V8. Both return similar fuel economy figures. Parts are dirt cheap.
Both are built like tanks. So much so that even my Wife hasn’t been able to kill them.
Just checked autotrader its say the 4.7 avg is 17 to the gallon !My Wife is on her second WJ Grand Cherokee. The first was with the indestructible 4.0 straight six. Her second is a 4.7 V8. Both return similar fuel economy figures. Parts are dirt cheap.
Both are built like tanks. So much so that even my Wife hasn’t been able to kill them.
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