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[john.658]

Anyone run a 4 wheel drive? Changing car this year and thinking of going for a 4x4.
3 years on the trot digging and sliding through snow to get to work has got me looking for a change. Never owned one but use a ford ranger at work and it's not the best as a family car/commuter.
What's not too heavy on fuel and can carry 5 + big dog, and what too steer well clear off?
Any tips welcome,
Cheers 

[Shongololo]

I had a Mitsubishi L200 back IN South Africa.. loved it  but heavy on petrol, I haven't seen a petrol version in the UK yet. Tyres would coat alota aswell I'm sure.

Double cab so can get 5 in perhaps not teh dog though unless you had a canapy for the back

[HammyUK]

Anything Nissan are the best drivers, chip well  , but none are good on fuel unless you can get one that DEFINATELY disengages the 4wd when you don't need it.
By that I mean the front/rear hubs otherwise even in 2wd you will still be turning the halfshafts, diff and transfer box.
Best bet is something like an XC70 or Allroad A6 - more or less the same load capacity or even better but without the fuel penalty.

[masterofinsanity]

how about one of these? comes with the dog lol

[jamma10566]

Ive got a Mitsubishi Shogun Sport. Goes well, looks good and is a good family car. Go for petrol! Diesel sucks!

[john.658]

Thanks folks,
Was looking at a jap car, Nissan Xtrail to be precise. Would like a Land Rover but they seem a bit pricey. All the japjeeps look ok so it will be down to  the missus and her choice of colour I reckon. Why not diesel though, last car 406 and current scenic were/are diesel and are bulletproof? Slower than a week in jail mind you but not looking for speed,it's only to cart the clan around in. 
As for the fiat, I'll bet that won't get stuck in the snow much, lad's 106 ploughed through the worst of it this year with wee skinny tyres! Found a jap import dealer local, deals mostly in used performance cars but has a fair few 4x4 too so will try to sort some test drives. Any known issues with Jap imports?
Cheers 

[Wheeltrax]

Thought about a Subaru John?
All the benefits of 4x4 (on-road at least) and probably easier on the wallet too.
The Legacy is a nice looking estate or theres the Forester if you wanted something a bit more utilitarian.

[jamma10566]

I say go for petrol rather than diesel because a/ You can get more car for your money due to everyones wrong assumption that diesels are cheaper to run therefore are more popular and b/ why run around in a noisy, smelly, slow thing when you can have a nice quiet smooth powerful v6 petrol motor!

[nuddy]

I've got a L200 Warrior twin cab 2.5 Diesel and its been superb over the winter period and mpg is not that bad as long as you haven't a heavy right foot, you can pick up second hand ones for good money

[blackbarra]

Just a word of warning in case it has been missed....jap imports seem to attract a premium with the insurance companies or at least all the ones I tried which were plenty.  My Pulsar gtir was double the price of the uk Sunny gtir to insure even the though the specs are exactly the same.  They only cared about the import bit so got it onto a classic policy instead     Nice 4x4 but no good for clan moving   The oldie has a 2001 plate Legacy Outback H6 auto and didnt get stuck anywhere and isnt too jap plastic looking on the inside with all the usual jap gadgets and clever 4x4 system to boot.

[john.658]

Good shout Kev, looked at a forester last year but the a legacy estate would do the job. Won't be used off road unless camping or trying to get out of Knockhill after this years BSB Tsunami! Haven't driven a petrol for a while either so that would be a welcome change from the price of diesel. Jeep cherokee, any good? Have heard they might suffer from soft engines. 

[ZXphil10r]

We had a 2L petrol, Honda CRV for 7 years. No faults, 35 mpg, brilliant all year round and in the snow

[roy]

land rover defender 110 td5 got 9 seats and your dog would have plenty of room in the back . you can get it chipped but I've not done mine as the td5 goes well enough for me its not like the old land rover's . had it 6 years now a only ever changed the pads . and normal service stuff ..never missed a beat ...and the only thing i regret is not getting one sooner  i love it ...and don't matter were you go in the wold you will find parts ...and as there like big tonka toys ther a peace of piss to fix .

[jamma10566]

9 seats? Oh you mean the thinly padded shelves in the back!

[roy]

9 seats? Oh you mean the thinly padded shelves in the back!

all depends what seat layout you get ?  four occasional rear seat's or four will padded fold up rear seat's ...or even two long well padded bench seat's ..and then it will seat 11 people .. and you can Evan put one more seat up by the driver if you want and then seat 12