My current car is a 2004 Focus 1.8 Zetec. It does about 8k a year and, driven only at weekends, has just two purposes. It goes to the supermarket and it takes me fishing.
I've started fishing somewhere new this year and the problem is I'm not too confident the Focus is going to get me off the parking areas. They are just fields which will soon be wet and muddy until Spring. I don't want to be stuck at 11pm on a February night. Snow won't be an issue, there are limits to the weather I will be fishing in!
I'm looking at getting a 4WD but I really don't want a SUV. I don't need an estate, but I'd consider one. So would the likes of a Subaru Legacy or a AWD Audi/Volvo be capable off making sure I don't get stuck? Or should I be looking at a proper 4x4?
I could go up to around 15-20k for the right car, which would preferably be nearly new and low mileage. Prefer petrol and must do 0-60 in around 10 secs or better.
Thanks,
Dave
|
A mate of mine has almost the identical car selection criteria! He has decided to go for the Jag x type 4x4 Estate. He toyed with the idea of a proper SUV but the running costs and normal driving compromises simply didn't justify it. He aslo wants something that can tow a boat on a trailer if needs be.
Our winter project is to buy and customise the perfect pike fishing boat!
I would think a normal 4x4 would be ok unless you need serious ground clearance.
|
Either the audi or the subaru should do you fine. One point to remember is tyre choice. If you look at the suv type 4x4's they usually have M&S (thats mud and snow, not high street shopping) tyres which have a much nobblier pattern which improves traction in mud and snow (surprise). A awd car will usually have high performance tyres which are great on road but wont help get the traction in really rough conditions.
Having said that, I once towed a transit out of a boggy field with an svx, and I towed my wife out of a ditch with a 911C4, both fitted with performance tyres.
|
|
|
|
Or a decent set of mud-clearing tyres for the Focus might be a much cheaper way of getting the traction you need. Depending on the size, there are some decent all-weather tyres to be had and even 'all-year round' winter tyres. I suspect the Jaguar 4x4 comes with low profile, fairly normal road tyres and is not that much different in a muddy field from a front-wheel drive car with 'proper' tyres for the conditions.
If badge snobbery is not important, Skoda have a highly recommended 4x4 estate and a bit of hunting should turn up a Passat syncro of some kind (maybe even a V6 tiptronic).
|
The idea of different tyres sounds interesting. Do they affect fuel-consumption and performance on the road? Is the idea you save your old tyres and switch them back in spring?
Cheers,
Dave
|
Depends on your tyre choice. Modern M + S tyres don't look like the things you used to see in films on Morris Travellers driven by district nurses. They look very like any other non low profile tyre except for the tread perhaps being more open. They will probably be a bit noisier in the dry and if they use a winter compound might not last as long as the harder summer rubber. That said, having run a light Citroen all year round on Pirelli winter tyres, they seemed to last very well and the car was sold after about 15000 miles before they were worn out.
My brother swears by Vredestein and they are very popular in Scotland (see another reply) but I like Nokians from Finland. They do the WR for all year round use but I have not tried it yet although I'm just about to look for a winter tyre for a small 4x4 hatch which came absurdly from new with low profiles.
Try the mytires online site and use Babelfish to translate the comments on the winter tyres there.
I can't believe fuel consumption would be significantly affected by these tyres despite the claims made for alternative rubber mixes by some manufacturers -- at least not compared with someone's driving style. You should keep proper winter tyres on a spare set of wheels so you go back to your originals in the spring but some of the winter tyres do seem fine all year round, especially since a lot of the UK's rain comes outside the winter anyway.
|
|
|
|
I've just had to make a similar decision. I need a vehicle for Mountain Biking, which involves parking in muddy fields. I also have a caravan and like going to more remote sites. I didn't want a large 4*4.
I nearly bought a VW Golf 4motion 2.0tdi, but VW had problems deliverying in time.
In the end I paid the extra a bought a Volvo XC70 AWD D5 geartronic as I wanted the luxury and space as well. I hopefully will take delivery very soon.
I'm sure both vehicles would be more than capable of what you and I are trying to do. Sounds like a 4motion Golf would be ideal for you. I've seen a couple of good deals on them recently.
Remember even the big 4*4's can be overcome by an incline on a steep wet grass field, if they have the wrong tyres!!! As said tyre selection is probably more important.
WipeOut
|
Snow chains can be used effectively in a muddy field with a mere 2wd car. Particularly effective are SpikeSpiders, although they cost a couple of hundred quid, they really are a doddle to fit and provide excellent traction in some really rather nasty situations.
$$
|
|
|
|
I doubt a golf would be big enough to contain all the clobber that the serious angler takes with him to the riverbank. Rod bags will be at least 6 feet long.
|
|
Manage fine in my Focus, but I take as little gear as possible anyway. Rod bag goes on folded-down front seat. There's a Lawman on BFW. Not you by any chance?
|
Oh, ok if you go on your own. When i go with at least one other, the car always seems to be loaded to the roof!
I'm not the Lawman on BFW.
|
|
|
|
A set of chains sounds a hell of alot cheaper than buying a whole new car. But that does not involve lots of test drives/brochures/chats with mates down the pub about your new wheels...
|
|
Not sure I want to mess with chains - it's 30 miles on the motorway to get where I go, so don't want chains on for that. And you're right, not half as much fun as choosing a new car.
|
Well no, but you just put the chains on when you need them....
Good idea, imho.
|
Well no, but you just put the chains on when you need them.... Good idea, imho.
>>
If you are thinking of going for snow chains do check that they can be fitted to the vehicle you choose.
According to the manual it is not possible to fit snow chains on my standard 98 Mondeo Ghia X. I assume it is due to lack of clearance with the standard larger wheels.
I was a little surprised by this info.
|
There are quite a few cars that normal chains can't be fitted to, and my 156 is one of them. This is due to the limited clearance between the inner shoulder of the tyre and the suspension arm.
Normal chains wrap around the tyre and pass over the inner shoulder onto the inner sidewall. The "throw" of the chain will cause it to wallop the suspension arm.
For cars like this, there are two solutions. One is the Rudd Centrax system, the other is the SpikeSpiders. Neither of these pass behind the wheel as they are held in place by tensioned arms or a hub plate. The SpikeSpiders fit a wider range of cars than the Centrax system as they only cover approx 60% of the tyre surface, giving even greater clearance from the suspension arm.
I've used SpikeSpiders on my 156 on a number of occassions and they've been great. Particularly grateful when I got back to my car after a day on the slopes to find a partial thaw and refreeze had turned the car park at the telecabine had turned the car park into a skating rink. Whilst 4x4s on performance tyres were struggling I just drove off in my fwd estate car.
:o)
$$
|
|
|
|
eeeek! You put the chains on when you have a problem getting out of the field! You shouldn't use them above 30kmh in most cases.
There's a tale that does the rounds in the ski forums (and may have been mentioned in here?) of a chap who put his chains on at Calais and proceeded down the autoroutes at pace. By the time he got to Reims he'd destroyed his tyres, wheels, suspension and marriage. Probably apocryphal, but amusing nonetheless.
$$
|
Dave A - Myself and another backroomer from the Highlands have recommended Vredestein Quatrac 2. They are all year round tyres so you do not need to take them off. They are said to have better grip in low temperatures, mud, snow etc- I certainly was impressed in snow. No problems with extra ,noise poor wet grip or running at high speed on Autoroutes in 30C plus.
--
I wasna fu but just had plenty.
|
Tyres are an important factor, but you may find a good alrounder in the new Subaru Forester 2.0 with 163bhp or the Turbo with well over 210bhp. Focus size, small estate, but with 4WD and a raised height by about 2" which is very effective.
We went to an outdoor concert in Manchester a few weeks ago in Heaton Park and it rained, heavily - it had done for days. The cars were parked on grass. Most RWD cars were stuck and plenty of FWD ones as well. Only the 4WD on any tyre got out with ease.
--
Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I know you don't want a SUV, but you might want to consider a Subaru Forester. Although it is an estate and a 4x4, it is much lower to the ground than your average 4x4. Consider it to be a slightly high estate. It is very car like to drive and the non turbo 2.0litre does 0-60 in around 10secs. The flat 4 boxer engine is a peach and its low slung nature means very little body roll if you want to sling it around a bit.
|
It's as well to bear in mind that a 4x4 might still get stuck in the muddy field at 11pm on a cold, wet February night. Even a Land Rover Defender can get stuck in mud, even with its centre diff-lock engaged, if one front and one rear wheel start spinning - I know, it's happened to me!
Cheers, Sofa Spud
|
That's where a rear locker comes in handy.....
$$
|
|
|
|
