Off roading in a regular car

[foresthobbit]

I'm on a tight budget and am planning to spend a couple of months wild camping in wales. Looking at a 2litre diesel car, the mpg is great, is there any way I can raise the car to increase ground clearance and use it off road?

Also,I'm planning on wild camping in woods, any resources would be very helpful.

Thanks

 

[Gray]

By raising the suspension of the car, I would have thought this will have a bearing on the way the car handles on the road, could make it unsafe. Apart from that, it will probably be 2 wheel drive which i dont reckon will be any good off road. For what it will cost to buy a car and the mod the suspension, you may be better off buying an old showgun or pajero etc.

 

[Teepee]

Very possible, very expensive.

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

If my experience is anything to go by then buy a vauxhall corsa. Got further up the farm track than my 4wd touareg at white rose wood

Its all in the tyres. even a 4x4 will struggle without a decent set of offroad boots.

 

[Mesquite]

Fiat Panda 4x4... the old models used to be brilliant little off roaders

 

[ally]

the older citreons (bx etc.) could raise or lower, very useful at times

 

[mountainm]

Fiat Panda 4x4... the old models used to be brilliant little off roaders

Fix It Again Tomorrow

Get a scrambler.

 

[santaman2000]

By raising the suspension of the car, I would have thought this will have a bearing on the way the car handles on the road, could make it unsafe. Apart from that, it will probably be 2 wheel drive which i dont reckon will be any good off road.....

The vast majority of off road racers are 2 wheel drive: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIRoS2rrtNE

 

[Gray]

The vast majority of off road racers are 2 wheel drive: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIRoS2rrtNE

really, wow i didnt know that, well there you go

Just watched the video......hardly the same thing as muddy woodland tracks in Wales.

 

[Kepis]

How about a Subaru?

Not an Imprezza, but something like the Outback or Forester?

 

[decorum]

the older citreons (bx etc.) could raise or lower, very useful at times

Fantastic cars and as you say the hydrostatic suspension was very useful at times .
But driving with the suspension pumped to clear an obstacle (rutted lanes etc) always reminded me of Mr Softee ...

[video=youtube;3lL6hkpJveM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpag e&v=3lL6hkpJveM[/video]


Parts were always expensive, much of the bodywork was plastic so UV bleaching / fading was more of an issue than rust.

 

[tartanferret]

Rocks get thrown up at the underside mechanicals, I used to have an old escort that I was building into a rally car. One trip down a bumpy track and I broke the steering rack and a brake caliper.

You can easily crack the sump and say goodbye to using the car again.

I would sooner leave the car somewhere it's not going to get broken into or cause an obstruction to an angry farmer and have a peaceful walk through the woods to the sounds of the birds tweeting and not some old banger that's had its exhaust ripped off trying to go off road.

Have fun and good luck

Oh, And welcome to the forum mate pop along to the introduction section and say hello

 

[bigroomboy]

By the sound of it you don't want to spend a lot of money. Therefore there are two good options, park up your normal car near by and walk to where you want to camp, or park up your normal car where ever, unload a cheap but good sencond hand mountain bike set up with panniers or trailer and ride to where you want to camp.

If you have money to burn then get a second hand 4x4, old Jeep cherokees (petrol) are cheap and good if you are not going to do many miles in it or get some of the other mentioned above but remember fuel and tax etc are going to cost you more, also consider the chances of getting stuck and what you are going to do about it. Most people would go in a pair of vehicles so one can help the other, failing that you may want a winch for some self help.

or get and older small car and just give it a go but if you get stuck or break it you may have big trouble removing it especially if you are somewhere you should not be and get caught.

My vote get a mountain bike and have fun and stay fit!

 

[santaman2000]

..... some old banger that's had its exhaust ripped off trying to go off road.

Have fun and good luck .....

Fond memories indeed!

 

[Big Stu 12]

If my experience is anything to go by then buy a vauxhall corsa. Got further up the farm track than my 4wd touareg at white rose wood

Its all in the tyres. even a 4x4 will struggle without a decent set of offroad boots.

I would agree a small amount with that, once a trye tread is full of mud it will not grip, it acts like a slick. that happens with AT's and MT's as well,

The main thing that stops a 4x4 is the Driver, followed by the car its self, I have driven a 4x4 off road for many years, and have found AT's, MT's have their place,but also have their limitations,

My self I have been off road using road tyres and far out performed lots that have been on All Terrain Tyres let alone Mud tyres on the same off road course on the same day at the same time.... most the time I use AT's,

The Touareg is a Cross Over, like most of them , most don't have low box.. or diff lock..., most of these Cross overs are only really designed to look like an off roader, but have all the ability of any other car, with the benefit of 4 wheel drive.... also being heavier means more to drag/pull through it through the mud.

 

[Chiseller]

Fiat Panda 4x4... the old models used to be brilliant little off roaders

Sought after and can be expensive these days! We used to go lamping in one across the land successfully and I've seen one play with the hard knocks of a disused quarry. Like a whippet.....light and fly from bump to bump, narrow enough to get between ruts.
like someone said, tyres make the difference. If I'd have had some bronco grizzly claws........I wouldn't have finished up like this

Luckily I had the farm jack with me

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

you are correct, i dont have much experience off road, My touareg is the old model and has low range and diff lock. They have a good rep for offroad and ive seen them do some great things on the tube. Very definately operator error in this instance

 

[Binxie]

How about a little Jimny?

Then again, I seriously looked at getting a samarai for a while until I realised that the MPG wasn't much better than a landie. Pretty shocking for a 1L.

 

[Big Stu 12]

Little Jimnys are very much over looked, very good off road, skip over things as they are light, have seen a few do some amazing things on Trials days.

Still not for me tho.. lol

 

[Tank]

I was recently given a rav4, ok a bit of a hair dressers car, but so far its got about ok, hasn't had anything crazy thrown at it, but has got me up very wet and muddy tracks and hills around mine. The previous owner put some beefier tyres on it so a little better off roading than the road ones, but no idea by how much.