4 x 4 Cars advise me...plz

[unclejonboy]

Hi all... I need a 4WD to tow a boat and trailer total weight 750-800Kgs. I 've had Discos ,and LR and RRs... but where I live motorway tolls are twice the price for yer averij 4x4 ( must be less than 110cms to the bonnet) and I need an estate format as well( now I have an old merc TD and a Nissan Patrol... The merc's great but not 4x4, the patrol does the job but I cant't hack two cars if there's a 4x4estate available, so, my question.... who knows about the Subaru Forester... it seems to fit the bill... what similar alternatives...if any any ideas? about £5K to spend... Diesel would be nice two thirds the price of petrol here.... but not essential. tanx for your attentionUJB

[dave87]

Subaru Forrester?

Or something like a Subaru Impreza?

Oh and Volvo do a V70 AWD, (commonly known as the XC70) Not sure whether they'd be in budget though...

[herulach]

subaru legacy/outback, sierra xr4x4 maybe? Any reason why youre desperate for a 4x4? Most 2l diesels would be pretty competent towing.

[behappier]

Welcome to Hexus!

The Forester is generally well regarded and reliable but it can be heavy on petrol.
You have got quite a few alternatives ;

• Audi Quattro Avant (in diesel)

• VW Passat 4Motion

• BMW 525ix touring

• Volvo Xcountry

• or even Subaru Outback / Legacy Estate

• Skoda octavia Combi 4WD (very cheap)

Hope this helps a bit

[JPreston]

hhmmm the skoda octavia 4x4 is petrol turbo only, isn't it? but otherwise would be a very good choice (and any of the diesel octavias are meant to be very good for towing, I have a vRS myself and post on a skaoda forum and that seems to be the concensus there).

Out of interest, where is it that tolls extra on 4x4s (by 110cm to the bonnet I presume you mean height from the ground to the top of the bonnet)?

[unclejonboy]

Whoosh! impressive response... Portugal. 2 classes for private vehicles most if not all 'cars', some 4x4s, I believe Frontera, perhaps small Suzies are class one about 5 Euros 100Kms, most tranny van types, people transporters and certainly Patrols , Range Rovers etc class 2, twice the price. Also you don't pay more for a trailer behind a class 1 but you do for class 2... it starts to creep up......
It's not the road towing I was concerned about... most 2 litre cars will cope with that I know.. it's the 4wd I need when putting the boat into and out of the water...loose and sandy or shaly surfaces, slipways etc. Thanx again , keep it coming UJB

[herulach]

Might be worth seeing where a jeep wrangler sits, Shy of that im pretty much stuck with the older subarus. Theyre pretty cheap here, dont know whar theyd be like in portugal though.

[5lab]

you get different cars out there - you might get both bimmers and mercs with 4x4 on as well.. as has been suggested before, an audi allroad or v70awd or xc70 (they're quite different, the xc70 or v70 cross country are both duffed up to look like 4x4s and raised a little). the diffs have a habbit of going on the volvo awds though, so get em checked

[unclejonboy]

hi again from sunny Portugal..Thanks again for the info... off to see a Subaru but if they are as thirsty as some think, the advantage for me on the tolls is lost by the price of gas....could do LPG on it I suppose. Its third the price of petrol here but restrictions on underground carparks could be a pain, and losing boot space too....... I'll let you know, as these things could have a bearing on peeps having their hols here with their cars....

[99Flake]

you get different cars out there - you might get both bimmers and mercs with 4x4 on as well.

Yup, in Europe all Mercs (I think the A class and B class are execeptions) are available with 4x4, they call it 4matic. An old TE might be up your street or a newer CDI/ Turbodiesel touring E class.

[Konan555]

Skoda do a 4x4 Diesel estate. They sit a little higher and have lil 15" alloys on. They're just bringing out a 'beefed up' one called the 'Scout' as well.

4x4 estate with a bit of torque? Any good with body filler?

[unclejonboy]

Any good with body filler? !! You should see the Merc... 800000miles( thats eight hundred thousand) and the original space frame car... fine strands of steel linking vast areas of fibreglass...known affectionately as 'the slug' on account of its somewhat unsparkling performance...in a couple of years or so I might celebrate the going round of the clock with a bottle of bolly on the bonnet..at least you cant dent filler. Surprised myself with the Subaru yesterday...quite impressed actually, just don't know if it has the balls for what I need...any more opinions on towing ability welcomed watch this space UJB

[unclejonboy]

and torquing of talk (eh??) my old 1200 sportster is probably up to it... drop the clutch in 2nd and the ol' girl just digs a trench .....maybe if I fit a dumper tyre and a tow bar I dont need a 4x4...

[hitman67]

Only thing with a Scoob would be the fuel economy, they ain't renowned at the best of times, but attach weight to the back and it could quickly become GPM.

[unclejonboy]

Wot's gpm, tho' I get the general drift...

[Butcher]

Gallons per mile (as opposed to the normal miles per gallon).