What car? Green Laning or mud-plugging for £1k

[eltax91]

Hi all

I have recently sent off an application form for some car storage space, and before I buy that life-long kit-car dream I thought i'd have a year of challenging green-laning and mud-plugging around rural Leicestershire. So, requirements:-

• Budget £1k
• As much Tax/ Test as possible
• Capable off-road (and the more you spend, the more off-road ready it needs to be)
• Very reliable (I can't be forever fixing it, the Mrs would go spare)

So, what's the MOST capable off road for my budget? A british bulldog or a hunk of Jap metal?

[Rawhide]

Jeep Cherokee I would imagine

[CraigW]

Rawhide said:

Jeep Cherokee I would imagine

+1

[DickyC]

Series 1 Discovery? They're giving them away.

[eltax91]

CraigW said:

Rawhide said:

Jeep Cherokee I would imagine

+1

Like this one? With some haggling to have some cash to buy parts with.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1998-JEEP-CHEROKEE-TD-Possib...

[edo]

DickyC said:

Series 1 Discovery? They're giving them away.

he said reliable.

I'd say Defender, but you are going to struggle to get much that is reliable for £1k.

[CraigW]

I'd only get a 4.0SE

[DickyC]

edo said:

DickyC said:

Series 1 Discovery? They're giving them away.

he said reliable.

Touche

[edo]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1446569.htm

[plasticpig]

eltax91 said:

CraigW said:

Rawhide said:

Jeep Cherokee I would imagine

+1

Like this one? With some haggling to have some cash to buy parts with.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1998-JEEP-CHEROKEE-TD-Possib...

That's overpriced. The only Cherokee worth having is the 4 ltr petrol auto. The diseasel is a piece of filth by comparison.

[OnTheOverrun]

Nothing can be guaranteed to be really reliable if you do a few serious green lanes as bits tend to get broken and knocked off. I'd go for simplicity if I were you on that budget - Series II or III Land Rover or an old Suzuki SJ 410.

[Graebob]

Discos are very capable but do tend to break (so I've heard). Old Nissan Patrols go forever but are probably over your budget. Cherokees are good but the petrol ones are hilarious on fuel. The advantage with Cherokees is that there's a huge aftermarket for them in the States so it's relatively cheap to get upgrade parts compared to a Landy. Sisters boyfriend has just sold his, I'll post a picture later.

Pro tip: Grand Cherokees can be upgraded even easier due to coil rather than leaf springs all round.

[Pothole]

OnTheOverrun said:

Nothing can be guaranteed to be really reliable if you do a few serious green lanes as bits tend to get broken and knocked off. I'd go for simplicity if I were you on that budget - Series II or III Land Rover or an old Suzuki SJ 410.

SJs are getting pricey now

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2009...

[edo]

OnTheOverrun said:

Nothing can be guaranteed to be really reliable if you do a few serious green lanes as bits tend to get broken and knocked off. I'd go for simplicity if I were you on that budget - Series II or III Land Rover or an old Suzuki SJ 410.

good call

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1442784.htm

[V8mate]

Daihatsu Fourtrak

[Chris71]

DickyC said:

Series 1 Discovery? They're giving them away.

There's a reason for that. Great cars when they're sound, but the tin worm rapidly consumes them.

[DickyC]

Chris71 said:

DickyC said:

Series 1 Discovery? They're giving them away.

There's a reason for that. Great cars when they're sound, but the tin worm rapidly consumes them.

Tin worm aside, my thinking was that a Range Rover in a party frock would be worth a look.

[davebem]

eltax91 said:

I thought i'd have a year of challenging green-laning and mud-plugging around rural Leicestershire.

Where abouts if you dont mind me asking?

[Chris71]

DickyC said:

Chris71 said:

DickyC said:

Series 1 Discovery? They're giving them away.

There's a reason for that. Great cars when they're sound, but the tin worm rapidly consumes them.

Tin worm aside, my thinking was that a Range Rover in a party frock would be worth a look.

Agreed. There's only so far wrong you can go if it comes with 12 months MOT for £1,000 (I have no idea if that's realistic, just going on the above...) Surprisingly amusing things to drive on the road too - once you've let the suspension settle on its end stops they handle remarkably well.

[eltax91]

davebem said:

eltax91 said:

I thought i'd have a year of challenging green-laning and mud-plugging around rural Leicestershire.

Where abouts if you dont mind me asking?

That's a good question! I don't know yet. The guy over the road has a fully rebuilt and off-road prepared Defender that's set him back about £5k. I plan to go and talk to him about it once I have a car!

Nice idea on the SJ, how capable are htey off-road? Disco was on my radar buy I worry i'll get a rotter!

What about the SWB Pajero?