OT: Elderly 4x4's for the poor elderly.

[Bill]

Sorry about this, but for reasons mentioned in passing in other posts, I'm possibly going to have to start searching tomorrow for a replacement for a big Jeep.

I need 3-ton tow capability, low ratio that doesn't lock diffs/transfer boxes and not too long a wheelbase. Must be automatic, and diesel for occasional start + long-stop OAP transport that's the killer with petrol costs. (3 miles with 8 long, long stops in the old petrol Omega = permanent "full choke", 7mpg, heaven knows what V8 would do, whereas my old 300tdi did about 22mpg over same route).

SWMBO wants it to be comfy and respectable.

I'd love, but can't find, a non-rusty good Disco 300tdi within range of going for a look.

On the LR front, is it correct that td5's have problems with wiring in the hot oil at the top of the engine? Are all the engine components (injectors, turbo etc.) readily accessible for maintenance on the later ones (td5's and tdv6's)?

Do Range Rovers come with any sort of roof rack like the Disco?

I've been told that tdv6's are more likely to be reliable than td5's. Is this right?

Are the electronics and suspension parts as unreliable as seems to be implied?

The Jeep goes like a rocket, is comfy and looks good so ought to be desired by someone who wants that sort of 4x4, but it's not tractor-like enough for me.

What Jap and other 4x4's are likely to meet my requirements? No reviews ever seem to say whether the low-range is locked or not, which is one problem with the Jeep.

Is there any really simple model I should look out for that any competent garage should be able to repair?

Did I mention that age/ mileage is not a barrier, but lack of funds is?

[The Natural Philosopher]

Will a freelander have the oomph?

It fits all the other criteria if you pick up a good HSE Freelander 1. TD4 auto

Expect to spend a fair bit fixing plenty of niggles on a 100K vehicle though

Id say pick up one 2k cheaper than your budget, and spend that in whatever the reason for its sale was...

[Tim+]

Can't help I'm afraid but curious about what you mean when you say "low-range is locked or not". Not come across the term.

Tim

[tabbypurr]

Maybe a Willam Fourgonette?

NT

[Bill]

In message , Tim+ writes

On the Jeep, when I go into low range, there is no differential between the front 2 wheels and the back two. I spent part of this morning on a heavily pot-holed tarmac and occasional grass area testing this. This is just like the area in boatyards and elsewhere that our boat and fishing boats are stored.

On juggling back and forwards, with alternate lock and generally trying to simulate putting the tow hitch (and trailer if attached) to a very awkward spot, I could hear the suspension winding up and then one tyre would spin to release the tension.

The Disco would leave all 4 wheels driven via differentials.

I think I want the opposite of what off-roaders are after.

AIUI, Freelanders don't have the 3500kg towing capacity that I need.

[Bill]

In message , [e-mail] writes

Nah, the steering wheel's on the wrong side now we're out of the EU.

[The Natural Philosopher]

No. 2500kg on a hippo :-(

Was there ever an auto defender?

'Tomb raider' edition no less!

[Davey]

I like the deliberate mistake:

"VERY GOOF CONDITION THROUGHOUT".

[tabbypurr]

I think you'd encounter bigger issues than that

NT

[Dave Liquorice]

Oil can get into the loom and find it's way the ECU, it's the latter bit that is not nice rather than oil in the loom.

TD5's are common rail so the injectors are a little buried. But they last as long as the engine... Donno if this applies to other engines but if you change a TD5 injector you also need to tell the ECU the new injectors code. I think this is so it knows how that particular injector performs. The TD5 turbo is easy to get at.

Disco III's are a nightmare as far as the electronics is concerned. The air suspension on a DII can be a bit of a liabilty, bags only last 60,000 miles, but not overly difficult to replace. The ride height sensors are also a bit unreliable but cheap and easy to replace.

DII's have traction control so may or may not have the center diff lock present. If it does have the centre diff lock bits ISTR that it's possible to fit the hi/lo/difflock shift lever and cables from a Disco I. If you do that you also need to switch off the traction control, when engaging the diff lock which I think means the ABS and HDC are also switched off and the dashboard lights up like a christmas tree with all the warning lights. B-)

[MrCheerful]

I was quite impressed with the nissan navara, very comfy, auto diesel,

3000kg towing capacity, easy to work on and very reliable, spares seem cheap too. As you don't have unlimited funds I say you should steer clear of land rovers.

[Mike Tomlinson]

En el artículo , Bill escribió:

I really don't think you want a Freelander. Don't they have the Rover

1.8 K engine that blows the gasket and warps the head if you so much as look at it funny?

A friend had one in the Canary Islands. After only a few months of the winding, steep roads it was shagged.

Prior to that, he had an open-top Jeep which was great fun but disappeared one day and he wouldn't discuss it no matter how much beer I fed him. I never did find out what happened to it.

[Mike Tomlinson]

En el artículo , Bill escribió:

Is Toyota Hilux pickup an option? Maybe with the roof cover wotsit over the back? Truckman Top or something like that?

[The Natural Philosopher]

The deisel on freelander 1 is the bombproof BMW 2 litre moderately turbo.

Yep, That petrol engine is bad bad news.

[newshound]

Daihatsu fourtrak. Basically a totally reliable Defender without the diff lock. I only had manuals, but I imagine there is an auto? The later version with coil rather than leaf springs rides a bit better, although I hated the huge alloy wheels. (Recognisable by the wheel arch bumps to cover the wider wheel).

[Chris Whelan]

[...]

+1. And certainly Freelanders. They are not nick-named 'Threegranders' for nothing.

Is another Jeep not an option?

Chris

[Chris Bartram]

I've read somewhere that in addition to the fact that the K can be a bit fragile at the best of times, something in particular with the 1.8l K Freelander is the length of a particular bit of pipework from the thermostat, which, when it opens once the engine itself has warmed up, dumps a load of cool coolant into the hot engine.

[Mike Tomlinson]

En el artículo , Chris Bartram escribió:

Yes, I found the same thing when researching a problem with a friend's MG-F cooling system. Because the motor is behind the seats, this has very long runs from the rad to the engine, so when the stat opens, the cold water in the rad plus the long pipes is dumped into the engine. The theory is that the thermo shock from this causes the head/head gasket issues.

This is one of the sites I found while researching:

fs.htm

We sorted out my mate's MGF in the end - it was a simple air lock. Cycling the heater on and off a few times cleared it. But christ, what a money pit that car was.

[Bill]

In message , Mike Tomlinson writes

Pulling together a few notes and to thank everyone...

I think all those pickups - HiLux, Navara etc. have too long a wheelbase to be able to manoeuvre the vehicle + trailer on son's path where we keep the trailer in the summer. It's on a steep slope so without the vehicle we would need to use winches to park it. I have an old towbar electric winch, but would need to wire up a vehicle to provide the high current at the back.

I know of someone with a Nissan Pathfinder, which has a reasonable towing rating, so I might be able to have a look at that. I've been looking at specs online, but there's no mention of low ratio, although specs of anything never seem to mention that.

Another Jeep? No way. The Mercedes 2.7 diesel with one bolt holding each injector down, mounted so that you have to hack the bodywork away to fix it, is one problem. The fact that I was turned away by 6 repair garages before I found someone to take it on was the real killer. I've now had advice from one garage this morning and, as a result it is back being looked at by the people who fitted the insert into the head that is leaking again. That will have to be fixed before selling it. Plus I don't like the 4WD system. We have now spent the 9 months since I bought it driving between garages, using my bus pass to get home etc. etc.

SWMBO is now encouraging me to spend cash we haven't got on something else, which is unheard of, hence my original posting. Depending on what today's situation turns out to involve, the hope is to keep the Jeep in trade-inabble condition until I find something. There's a bit less pressure this year as No 2 son has got his inner-city school to invest in a 45-foot racing yacht and they did brilliantly in last weekend's "Round The Island Race", so he's busy and I may have to just maintain our boat without his driving force, rather than get it in the water.

Diahatsu Fourtrak looks very interesting, but not many advertised and none automatic that I can see. Also all seem to be 3 door, which isn't ideal for transporting OAP's when the main car is off the road.

I've asked locally about the Disco2's traction control and "my man" says that he thinks I'd have no problem with the difflock situation. He maintains a lot of these and has never heard of a problem with the suspension winding up (which is what I can make the Jeep do, and which its user manual warns against).

A son has a Lotus with the 1.8 petrol engine. I know about that. :-(

Sorry to drone on and thanks to all.

[MrCheerful]

A hyundai teracan is another possible, although I don't know about tow capacity, but they should be cheap, it is short and diesel auto.