Dont like the vitara since its leaf spring suspention. i want somthing with coil spring and good road manners. Looking down the Frontera 2.0i Sport route at present.
Cheapest 4x4 on a budget?
- Thread starter Grendel
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Forgive me if you already have, but have a drive of a Vitara Grendel, they are better on road than you might think just from reading the suspension specs.
Sadly I have which is why I know about the bumpy suspension. My father had one for years and I found you ended up feeling near any bump in the road which was a pity since as a small 4x4 they are quite nice but I already have an MR2 Mk1 with stiffened suspension so I’m after a more comfy ride theses days.
Delica is a bit too big for me so havent looked down that route since only want a small 3 door 4x4 since it's only me and the wife. Also keep hearing more and more stories about the Delica and Pajeros failing mechanics.
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No worries Grendel, sounds like you could do worse than look at a Pinin then.
They're petrol, pretty frugal and coil sprung all round. 3 doors ones have the same wheelbase as a Clio, so you can park them anywhere. Also, pretty cheap, which is never a bad thing.
Might suit you?
They're petrol, pretty frugal and coil sprung all round. 3 doors ones have the same wheelbase as a Clio, so you can park them anywhere. Also, pretty cheap, which is never a bad thing.
Might suit you?
The 2.8 TD are also in the Pajero / Shogun as well as the Delica, and are to be avoided in my opinion. The heads can not be skimmed, so are basically a 100k mile service item which you'll be lucky to get change of grand out of once all fitted. Cheap heads fail, so you have to spend the dollars.
Apparently the Mitsubishi 2.5 litre non-turbo engines run at lower compression and last much better, but I've never owned one myself.
I looked at the Pinin but sadly yet again heard bad things about there mechanics.
The price on the 4x4 depends on which sells first my MR2 worth £2k or the Transalp worth £1k.
The price on the 4x4 depends on which sells first my MR2 worth £2k or the Transalp worth £1k.
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Interesting. Mine has 120k on it, wasn't exactly coddled before I got it, and never misses a beat.
It's the 1.8 3 door. I got it seriously cheap as it had very little maintenence done on it in by its previous owner, and was about 3 years overdue for a service. It was owned by a doctor who didn't understand that an MOT is not actually a service.
Despite all that, it started/drove/ran well. So I took a chance on it, gave it a service and its been perfect ever since. Just flew through another MOT as well.
Despite all that, it started/drove/ran well. So I took a chance on it, gave it a service and its been perfect ever since. Just flew through another MOT as well.
Had a quick look. Apparently it is the GDi version of the engine on the Pinin that has a VERY bad reputation
The rav is as capable as the pinin of road, we pulled a Mercedes ML out the mud with a Rav at the weekend and use one around our shoot all the time, great wee motors!!
They are all GDi engined. Also found in a lot of Volvos as well. That 4G93 engine got around a bit!
Anyways, not had a bit of bother with it in mine. Nothing else I can say really.
Good luck on whatever you settle on.
Consider a Jimny:
Much, much better on road than the SJ it replaced.
Older ones are cheap tax
Very reliable. I bought a 3 year old one, and kept it for 8 years, spending only on servicing and consumables. At 11 years old it failed MOT for brake pipes which is a cheap fix in materials, but more than it was worth in labour, so I sold it. But there was nothing else wrong with it. I replaced it with another Jimny.
Very, very capable off road and in snow.
Ignore the dire reviews. Owners love them.
Much, much better on road than the SJ it replaced.
Older ones are cheap tax
Very reliable. I bought a 3 year old one, and kept it for 8 years, spending only on servicing and consumables. At 11 years old it failed MOT for brake pipes which is a cheap fix in materials, but more than it was worth in labour, so I sold it. But there was nothing else wrong with it. I replaced it with another Jimny.
Very, very capable off road and in snow.
Ignore the dire reviews. Owners love them.
Been a garage for 38 years and there is only one true on-offroader ,good all round easy to work on bit off a "guzzler" got to be a jeep
stay away from frontera they give nothing but grief try to obtain mitsubishi spares before taking the plunge!
stay away from frontera they give nothing but grief try to obtain mitsubishi spares before taking the plunge!
I'm biting the bullet and buying a landie. I'm looking for a 110, hopefully already converted to a 200TDi - can't afford a Defender and I can't be doing with Series leaf springs. Might not be the cheapest 4x4 to buy. But I figure it will work out cheaper in the long term because they're just so damn easy to work on.
There seem to be only a couple of votes for Jimny. Why is that. The few people I have spoken to with them reckon they are the bees knees. Not got the room of a Landie or a Surf. But I only want one for shooting and winter use.
I really miss my Suzuki Samurai!
Small 4x4, so no familycar, no nonsense, just very basic.
Great offroad performance, acceptable onroad, even did motorways with it, but had to limit it to 100 km/h. Above that it becomes uncomfortable.
Major issues were the rusting and carburettor....
If it weren't for the family, i'd get one a.s.a.p. again!
Small 4x4, so no familycar, no nonsense, just very basic.
Great offroad performance, acceptable onroad, even did motorways with it, but had to limit it to 100 km/h. Above that it becomes uncomfortable.
Major issues were the rusting and carburettor....
If it weren't for the family, i'd get one a.s.a.p. again!
