An efficient 4x4?

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 06 Feb 2008, 03:37

My N reg Disco regularly pulls 3.5t of trailer and contents at about 20 to the gallon of diesel. I've run it on 20% veggie oil in the summer. Unladen it still seems to do about 20mpg but perhaps I should drive it a bit slower. I only do about 4000 miles per year as we use my wife's Focus diesel (45 -50 mpg) when possible.

The Disco goes off road reasonably well on chunky but not full off road tyres, even pulling the trailer. I buy a retread which seems to last a decent time. It is a bit more civilised on longer trips and a bit more economical than a Defender. The window winders seem to break easily though along with the central locking.

It only cost ?3500.

Norm · Post by **Norm** » 06 Feb 2008, 12:48

I am waiting to change my Mitsubishi Galloper for the yet to be released Volvo XC60. Hopefully good for limited off roading whilst still a reasonable economical all rounder and able to tow a fair amount too.

Kentucky Fried Panda · Post by **Kentucky Fried Panda** » 06 Feb 2008, 20:12

I miss my Hilux, it was unstoppable.
I never bothered giving it a name.

Post by **mikepepler** » 07 Feb 2008, 08:10

I appreciate that a Land Rover is the best 4x4.

However, I don't need to drive over endless miles of difficult terrain, I need to go 300m up a muddy but solid track, and a short distance through the wood on tracks which are a bit rutted but I'm hoping to improve in the summer. And I want to tow about 1-1.5 tonnes

At the same time, Tracy needs a vehicle to get to supply teaching work, and we would like to be able to drive the 500mile round trip to Manchester, as long as fuel costs less than two train tickets (?160!).

For these reasons a Defender is probably out of the question, and 2-seat trucks don't have the inside luggage space, and can't be used to take friends up to the wood.

Having looked around now, I've found that the following diesels all have pretty good fuel economy:
Toyota RAV-4
Nissan X-trail
Hyundai Tuscon

The Freelander is not far behind.

The problem is that apart from the Freelander, they're all ?6-7k, and I'm not keen to spend that much on a capital asset that depreciates quickly and may become to expensive to use in the near future...

Tracy P · Post by **Tracy P** » 07 Feb 2008, 13:15

Mike doesn't want much does he?!
He sadly has a wife who can't park very well, so a large car is out.... I am trying to get him to agree to a helicopter. Strangely enough Mike is not convinced yet.....!

Adam1 · Post by **Adam1** » 07 Feb 2008, 15:12

Mike/Tracy - have you looked at keeping your existing car and getting an electric vehicle for the forest work?

http://www.gorillavehicles.com/

Google search "electric off road vehicles"

Post by **mikepepler** » 08 Feb 2008, 08:16

Adam1 wrote:Mike/Tracy - have you looked at keeping your existing car and getting an electric vehicle for the forest work?

http://www.gorillavehicles.com/

Google search "electric off road vehicles"

Nice, but how much are they?
However, they wouldn't fulfil the role of pulling a large trailer to collect/deliver logs/firewood to customers, due to range.

The trouble is so much of this is theoretical - we don't yet need to deliver any wood to people, but on the other hand we're not going to start trying to set up a business doing this without the transport - it has to be in place first.

Any comments on the Freelander from people? It seems to strike a balance between price, efficiency and off-road ability, but I've never been in one.

stumuz · Post by **stumuz** » 08 Feb 2008, 08:52

I would like to refute and rebuke some malicious disrespect to the one true vehicle the Land Rover Defender.

First

kenneal wrote: Discovery?..It only cost ?3500.

Nuff said

??Dinor?? wrote: I am waiting to change my Mitsubishi Galloper for the yet to be released Volvo XC60

Snigger,snigger

mikepepler wrote: The Freelander is not far behind.

The freelander is for bored housewives and interior decorators.
Mike, you?re a woodsman. You need a man vehicle. In a few years you will be standing on the galvanised bonnet of the defender screaming
?? come on you wood thieves, I have a chainsaw to cut through the carcass of you?re bodies, I will make soup out of the chewy bits, the defender and I will forward charge at you ten at a time. Go back to your villages and tell them this wood has a DEFENDER!!!!.

They really are quite good.

Post by **mikepepler** » 08 Feb 2008, 10:43

I don't deny they're good. But are they pleasant to drive for 5 hours on motorways? And what's the mpg around town and on the motorway?

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 08 Feb 2008, 14:54

stumuz wrote:First
kenneal wrote: Discovery?..It only cost ?3500.
Nuff said

It works for its living though, not bothered about what it looks like.

Post by **clv101** » 08 Feb 2008, 15:11

mikepepler wrote:At the same time, Tracy needs a vehicle to get to supply teaching work, and we would like to be able to drive the 500mile round trip to Manchester, as long as fuel costs less than two train tickets (?160!).

Surely it doesn't need to cost ?160. For example, it looks like advance tickets from Rye to Manchester are ?17.50 each way so two people return would be ?70.

Even an efficient 4x4 getting 40mpg will use 57 litres ~?60 of diesel. Add in ware and tear, tyres, 5% of an annual service etc an that's likely more than the train. Maybe drop the requirement of the 500 miles drive?

stumuz · Post by **stumuz** » 08 Feb 2008, 15:28

kenneal wrote: It works for its living though, not bothered about what it looks like.

But it won't be there in 10 years time, it will be in little bits which will have been recycled into Sky dishes or a patio heater. The defender will still be working.
My mate has a 1962 landy still going strong and he has been abusing it for 20 years!!

No more disrespecting defenders. They make everything else look a bit, well, average

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 08 Feb 2008, 15:32

stumuz wrote:
kenneal wrote: It works for its living though, not bothered about what it looks like.
But it won't be there in 10 years time, it will be in little bits which will have been recycled into Sky dishes or a patio heater. The defender will still be working.
My mate has a 1962 landy still going strong and he has been abusing it for 20 years!!

No more disrespecting defenders. They make everything else look a bit, well, average

Aren't they the ones where, 75% of the individuals ever made are still on the road??

stumuz · Post by **stumuz** » 08 Feb 2008, 15:36

mikepepler wrote:I don't deny they're good.

Good this is more like it, if we can start replacing the 'good' with the 'chuffing fantastic' it would make a better superlative.

To be honest they are not the most comfortable things, but I have done 8 hr drives.

If you keep it at 50-55mph you get 30-35mpg, however, at 80mph 15-18mpg.

stumuz · Post by **stumuz** » 08 Feb 2008, 15:41

RenewableCandy wrote:Aren't they the ones where, 75% of the individuals ever made are still on the road??

Yes, large parts of them are made of aliminium so no rust, this is because when they were first built after the war steel was in short supply, but aliminium which made aircraft was not rationed.

Stop ,do not get me started!!