Best 4x4 for rural / remote living - UK

[Paul_B]

I was just thinking with some mates about daft things - like you sometimes do after alcohol - and the lottery question came up. I said I'd go and live somewhere remote in probably Scotland. I got a few comments about access in winter and all that which led me to wondering about vehicles. If you did live in more remote parts of Scotland but needed access by vehicle what standard 4x4 would be best? If I still had to do the odd motorway and A road journey to see relatives and the like I'm guessing the defender is not really that good.

My criteria I guess would be best in driving say in winter conditions and possibly on dodgy roads / tracks at other times. However a good on-road drive would also be needed. I've been in a defender struggling at 50mph before now so would want something better.

I met a guy who lived down the road that turns off at the Bridge of Orchy hotel who had a barbarian or other large 4x4 pickup and the winter before last (I met him before last winter so this was only a few months before I'd met him) he has 2 weeks stuck in with that vehicle. I reckon in those conditions nothing would have gotten out but in all but the worst what is a good all round 4x4.

Sorry if you think this a trivial and pointless question. I've always wondered if there is such a thing as a good offroader that is good on road too. I guess this pointless (and possibly alcohol induced) scenario is my way of getting that question answered.

Over to you!!

 

[spandit]

Range Rover or G-Wagen

 

[luckylee]

if you speak to turbo girl on here, she is in the trade with these type's of vehicles, and could proberbly give you some advice, i will secong the g wagon, they are awsome.

 

[markphelan]

You need something with lots of clearance, and if a Mitsu pickup can't get through then most other vehicles will also struggle. The Defender would probably be best bet, but as you say not ideal for road use.

Probably better off with a cheap and cheerful 4x4 (Mitsubishi Pickup/Pajero/Pinin or old Discovery), and a normal car for the rest of the year.

 

[tiger stacker]

Am sure Clarkson, derided the latest G wagon a few weeks ago in the Sunday Times.

 

[Gill]

These do what it says on the tin and very cheap ,i still regret selling mine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eprmfvQfEDs

 

[Miyagi]

Mitsubishi Pajero was my fave.

Liam

 

[Gill]

some more here very capable scooby doo wagon.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JtKUv65MZo&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WJB7Xqft588&feature=related
The white one was the same as the one i had.

 

[jeffz]

Depends on your financial circumstances. If you don't want to pay much for a car, (say £2-3k), believe that most modern cars are pretty well made, and don't mind high-milers (if it's a big-engine with high-miles, it ain't a problem), don't discount the following 10 year-old motors:

- 4.0 V8 Range Rovers (the 1st gen Ford ones) - these are shockingly cheap.
- 4.0 V8 Landy Discovery (slow, but comfier than a Defender)
- Subaru Forester - basic, but good to drive on and off-road. I like the way these drive, especially with the petrol boxer-engines.
- Audi A6 Quattro - the estates are handy, and they're well made and well-specced. The later Allroads may be expensive to maintain, though, as they have a really sophisticated suspension-system.

All are capable on snow and mud. The Scooby and Audis are great drives, by car-standards. The Range Rover V8's thirsty. But it's luxurious and has proper off-road chops.

Would avoid imports, and anything that's obviously had a hard life (worn tow-bars are a good sign). Small engined Japanese 4x4s tend to be a bit fragile, and the interiors are nasty...

Hope that's useful. It's just an opinion - I've driven all the cars I mentioned.

 

[forestwalker]

If you win the lottery and want to say "snow? what snow?" then I suggest a BV206 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bandvagn_206). Not as a daily driver unless you are insane, but also handy for getting where no other vehicles will go in the non-snow season. it is, probably, on my win-the-lottery list.

 

[nickliv]

How about a Hagglund? Oops. Forestwalker beat me to it with a genuine model number.

 

[TurboGirl]

if you speak to turbo girl on here, she is in the trade with these type's of vehicles......i will secong the g wagon, they are awsome.

Paul, us midlanders are completely blown away by the exMoD G wagon one of the local guys had from Norway... absolutely FABULOUS equipment levels, buy one immediately- in fact, buy two, and sell us one.... XD

Seriously, Discoveries are brill on and off road and with the spares availability, they'd be my choice every time- try to get the TD5 as the 300TDI/ Disco 1 models have an awful rust trap in the rear door sills which ships water and rots out into the boot too. The early 3 doors avoided it but theres not many around now (I think some were the earlier 200TDI engine).

In the same size market, I'd agree that older rangerovers can be good buys but they went through a really unreliable stage with the P38 body electrics and the engines were a disaster- the old Buick block was bored out to 4.6 and the top hat cylinder liners often break loose, knackering the engine, overheating and the body electrics... entertaining isn't the word when it decides to lock you out and you have to stand by it in the precipitations while waiting for it to unlock for a nanosecond so you can hopefully grab the door kwik We're very prejudiced against the diesel 2.5 too, having had 2, both of which were complete engine disasters.

We've sold a few mitsubishi shoguns- avoid the pajero unless you have a freind with an exactly similar shogun cos you'll need their details to get any help from Mitsubishi on parts etc. They stand the test of time well, (EDIT- as does the Isuzu Trooper, although...) the injectors are like hens teeth and priced accordingly.

I'd avoid the double cab pick ups- they're a disaster handling on slippy roads, particulary when unladen. (actually it can be fun but you need good throttle control and a crash course in drifting ) The Mitso L200 has a weak gearbox for heavy work and beware running the tank dry- it blows the fuel pump and they like to charge in kidneys!! Nissan Navaras before the engine change in 06 have a bad habit of chucking the third conrod with no warning so we don't touch them either. If you MUST have a double cab, Ford Ranger, although ours used to eat injectors too, but they're cheap There's a lot of thin panelling on them and we've seen some tatty examples but hey, if the price is right, huh?!

On a smaller scale, lots of folk LOVE their Suzukis, we've only traded a couple but they've been no prob apart from silly plastic bits breaking (they've not been offroaded much tho)- the freelanders are great too but avoid the petrols- 1.8 is the notorious K series engine and the 2.5 V6 is very prone to inlet manifold probs which can't be accessed and will set you back a good £500... and when the cambelts need changing, you're looking at a hefty £7-800+ bill... IF you can find someone willing to do it The diesels are fine tho, considering how many are sold, they're very reliable.

Sorry fer the 'War N Peace' reply but I loooovvvvves my work and hey, good luck with getting to live up there!! Invite us all up to admire your pad, wontcha!!!

 

[dasy2k1]

Toyota hilux 4wd unless you have a problem with parking space.

Sent from my GT-I9100 using Tapatalk

 

[Wayne]

Unimog would be my choice if I had the pennies.

 

[santaman2000]

Well your scenario was "if I won the lottery) so it's a given that expense isn't any kind of barrier (neither in buying, fueling, nor maintaining/repairing) With that in mind I'd forego most of the mini trucks and only consider full size UNLESS your remote access property includes very narrow tracks.

1st choice = Humvee H1 (obviously as their now off the civilian market, you'd have to get an older one and either rebuild it or have it done but so what?)

2nd choice = Full size Ford F150 or 250 (if hauling a family you'll need the twin cab. Yes there's a learning curve to drive one with an empty bed but TBH that's true of ANY pick-up; including the all but obsolete singe cab)

3rd choice = either an older Jeep CJ7, CJ8, or a new or older Defender (again with the older models they'd have to be rebuilt but so what; after all, money's not an object)

IF narrow tracks ARE a probability then eliminate the full size pick-ups and go with choice 1 or 3.

In any case kit out the vehicle for strict off road use cause in your scenario on road use really isn't that important; they'll all do well enough on road for short trips. If said on road trip is any real distance then you'd want to either take the train or hire an on road vehicle (if you didn't already own a separate one) An alternative would be a second set of road tires for the primary vehicle.

Again, this choice reflects a complete disregard for costs as that wasn't part of your scenario.

 

[Ex-member PaganBushcraft]

There is only one. That is The Landrover Defender no other vehicle has its pedigree. It has prooven it's self all over the world in all conditions other 4x4 try to match it's performance off road and have a comfy inside If you want a modern comfy car with heated seats and a coffee maker for your latta then buy a Toyota or a Honda and if you get stuck you can always get a Landrover Defender to come along and pull you out.

 

[santaman2000]

There is only one. That is The Landrover Defender no other vehicle has its pedigree. It has prooven it's self all over the world in all conditions other 4x4 try to match it's performance off road...

Actually when the Jeep was designed (in the 1930s) the requirements had nothing to do with the Defender (which wouldn't be designed for about another 2 decades) Rather the requirements were based on the horse; it had to go anywhere a horse could go and carry 2 soldiers and their gear. The final design carry FOUR soldiers and their gear and could be made amphibious with a canvas tarp.

And about 2 decades later the whole Land Rover line was based on copying a Jeep owned by the founder of the Land Rover company.

 

[sandbender]

If your plan would be to live in some remote part of the highlands then a Defender should be your choice, if you have won the lottery then several Defenders, including an older one then you can take apart and fix yourself. And a really big shed with a workshop and lots of spares.

You can buy an E-Type for the road trip to visit relatives and keep it with a friend/neighbour/employee at your nearest decent road.

 

[johnboy]

70 Series Landcruiser... Job done....

 

[Mick w.]

If I'd won the lottery, I'd go for a Defender conversion with that campervan pod thing on the back! Can't remember the name, it pops in and out of my head, begins with an 'N' I think...
for now, I'll be sticking with my old '97 Disco (the rusty one, but it's ok now!)