Tow car challenge

[mondeoman]

I'm in the market for a new "works" tow car, as the 550 has bitten the dust.

Current contenders are

2005 Shogun Warrior 3.2Di-d, £4.5k, 120k
2011 Discovery, 188k mile, 3.0 TDV6, £7k
2008 RR TDV8, 115k, £8.5k
2008 Discovery TDV6, 124k, £5k

Duties include towing up to 3.5t, general tool carrying (outdoors stuff, spades, rakes, and so on), most trips are 1-2 miles, 7 days a week, total weekly mileage about 100 miles

Need something pretty reliable and robust to get me through the next 4-6 months

[mrnikko]

We had a Shogun Sport and used it to tow our caravan and a mates rally car,coped with them easily in all weathers and especially off road when rally car needed retreiving from various forests. mechanicals bomb proof nuff said its the Shogun I think from that list

[ZX10R NIN]

Grand Cherokee robust reliable & you can get one with sensible miles

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202009224...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011276...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011276...

ML420cdi the extra torque will make towing a breeze, whilst also putting less strain on the drivetrain & they can be bought with sensible miles on them.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202010225...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202009294...

320cdi

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202010285...

Discovery 4

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202010245...

Touareg

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011286...

Q7

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011186...

X5 SE

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011216...

[Desiderata]

I'd go for the Shogun too, the only one in your list that's pre 2006 so reasonable road tax.
But any used 4x4 can vary enormously from one example to the next. History and previous use is a far bigger issue than in a 'normal' car. Any one of these cars might be absolutely brilliant or it might be not much better than scrap. More than anything else, buy on condition rather than make or model.

[mondeoman]

Forgot to say it has to be something that will go over rough ground as well, so "proper" 4x4 probably required.

[ZX10R NIN]

Grand Cherokee it is then or discovery it is then.

[alfabeat]

My vote is for the Disco. We love our disco 4 (exactly the same as one linked above). My mechanic keeps saying sell it now though at 125k. It has been good as gold for the 5 years we have owned it. He keeps mentioning split manifolds, EGR issues, turbo issues. We have had no problems to date bar normal servicing and consumables. I'll keep her running. The cost of any of the above will be less than or equal to the depreciation on a newer one - that's my theory anyway.

[mondeoman]

No votes for the ffrr then

[sparkythecat]

The Achilles heel of the 2000-2006 Shogun is the fuel pump.
The fuel filler and breather pipes inthe rear offside weelarch rust through ad drop into the fuel tank. The rust particles are then sucked into the injection pump knackering it. A recon pump is £1500
Check that the pipes are in good order or have been replaced by loking underthe plastic coVer in the wheelarch.
The Shogun engine is fairly bombproof, but the rust protection on these cars is poor. Check everywhere obvious and i particular the rear wheel arches and sills.

[Summit_Detailing]

Out of your list the older Disco3 would be my preference given the usage criteria & no DPF. The Range Rover would seem overkill (although lovely) for what you are going to use it for.

I had a D3 a couple of years ago with 100k on to Odo, sold it to my brother-in-law who still has it, now with 160k on it and very much used and abused on the farm - other than a couple of front suspension arms and a wheel bearing it hasn't needed anything over and above routine servicing.

As always, buy on condition and provenance.

Cheers,

Chris

[mondeoman]

550 went on ebay this morning, sold for more than expected within 30 mins, so the search is real...

[mondeoman]

Found these FFRRs (I know, not a Discovery ) - is it better to go for newer (££££) or older (££) and put the extra in the bank and just "ignore" mileage?

£10k, 2010, 109k miles

£10k, 2010, 156k miles (Disco)

£8.5k, 2008, 115k miles

£8k, 2008, 95k miles, ex-JLR management car

£5k, 2007, 146k miles

Edited by mondeoman on Friday 4th December 09:13

[gman88667733]

You seem to be leaning towards the RR, which I think most of us could understand, given the chance i'd love one.
Reliability though? Not something that is a given one these I'd say! Unless it has been very well looked after.
Personally I'd have the Jeep.

Or, just take the chance and get a RR

Can't say I'd be spending that much on a disco at 188k miles, that seems both expensive now and for future reliability!

Best of luck

[sparkythecat]

This was posted on a Shogun owners Facebook group this morning. It's reportedly ex police but I can't verify that.
It's a few years younger than some of the previous suggestions.

Edited by sparkythecat on Friday 4th December 12:58