mart360

I,m thinking about a possible change to a pick up type diesel if the current soot burner doesn't get through its next mot

at the mo, i,m getting around 40-50 mpg (V-large 4 door hatchback)

iv'e been looking at some diesel pickup/ off road stuff, but most are 4wd & auto boxes so the mpg is low ish

ive tried the usual suspects, pajero, shogun, isuzu trooper, but are really too big to be justifiable for round town use.

i had looked at a Toyota hilux surf, but cant find any mpg data or tech specs switchable 2/4wd etc

dont want to go discovery if i can help it.

any other makes/ models out there that i may have missed?


not looking for new, and would prolly be in the 2K bracket


Mart

CrisPDuk

Do you want a pick-up or a 4x4

I only ask because no of the options you list are either pick-ups or pick-up based (surf excepted)

If you're after a pick-up, the Hilux is without question the best, accept no substitute

If you're after a 4x4 you need to be looking for either a Landcruiser or a Shogun I would suggest

Brendan Hughes

Mart, what do you want to do with it? Do you need the 4x4 system? Do you need a big engine for towing/speed, or do you prefer a smaller one for economy? Do you really mean pickup (open back) ie to transport crap/motorbikes around?

If you just want an urban warrior but want it to be cheap to run, you might manage to scrape an old Rav4 for that money. Ignore the girly comments, particularly if you get a 2-door they are pretty nimble. Some have permanent 4wd (cheapies have 2wd). Not sure about a Mitsi Pinin also.

BTW hope your job's safe after recent news

stilover

What car do you currently have?

Reason I ask is that I'm thinking of getting a Diesel to use for getting to work & back. I'm wanting 40-50mpg.

Thinking of VW Golf, Audi A3 or A4.

mart360

Hi Brendan, thanks for your comments

Its a bit of a mish mash what i need it for, day to day, its a hack to and from work, with the other half and 2 kids to factor in at weekends etc.

Then need to hook the plaything on the back and take it around the country this is where 4x4 could come in handy, (lots of potentially muddy venues) but saying that its not essential.

I just need somthing i can if needs be "kip in" if the weather is cack, and can take a load of spares & tools, jerry cans etc when i have my race weekends.

re the job, thats the aero division, Were no longer owned by them, B*W are our parent company now. Were just having a massive expansion programme at the mo, thats why i,m still on holiday , we start back next week, 3 models to build now

Mart

mart360

Hi,

At the moment i have a Seat Toledo (late Mk1) its got all the toys, aircon, electric pack etc. Its the low spec engine, 90bhp but will cruise happily at 80 all day, fuel economy is good, at about 480+ miles to a tank on the straight work/ home run, rising to anywhere between 500-600 if i,m doing some long runs in there as well.

mechanically it fine, its just starting to have some underbody probs now, with £350 worth of welding needed last mot. If the other side needs doing this time it could be financially impracticable, as thats the side with all the fuel lines


so i,m just hedging my bets at the mo.

realistically any of the VW diesels are the benchmark for economy these days


Mart

billythekid

We have a Nivara at work, does about 18 - 19mpg in town and 30's on the motorway. Very heavy.

Brendan Hughes

So you need something with 4/5 seats not two/three, and something with a minimum towing weight of (how much?). Sounds like you should almost forget a pick-up at that price, go for a 4x4, you really need a closed body or at least closed back seats. Question is, which one. I know nothing about towing weights, others will be able to advise on that. Good luck

CrisPDuk

have you looked at Merc E Class estates?

I used to have a 2.5 Diesel W124 on an E plate, easily the best car I've ever owned



Obviously you don't need to be looking at ones that are quite as battered as my particular example, but the newer ones follow the same basic pattern.

The load bay is cavernous, with the rear seats folded flat you can literally get a double airbed in them

Mine had 187k miles under it's belt, did anything between 35-50mpg depending on how I used it, at MOT time it consistently had better emissions than the vast majority of new diesels. It was only 2WD but never let me down in muddy or snowy conditions, and best of all it in my two years of ownership it got well into double figures in terms of people running into it, without a mark to show for it

mart360

Yes thought of the Estate car route,

Bit like the current hatchback, - if you have loads of fuel and garden crap in the back, the smell lingers!!


thought a pickup may be a better option

not sure now hmmm

mart

mart360

Towing wise, a small box trailer or a simple "A" frame with a hovercraft on the back it gets pulled behind the smog monster ok


mart

CrisPDuk

That's where a good estate (Volvos are worth a look too) beats a hatchback, the load area is flat, and the tailgate opens to the floor, it's the easiest thing in the world to sweep them out.
I used that particular Benz as a van for most of it's life with me, I made a ply load liner for the boot to fit my stuff in and stopp it sliding around, and just threw a sheet of polythene over the ply if I was ever going to load it up with stinking crap. It was then just a case of taking the polysheet out and hosing it down, hey presto, no lingering smells