Cheap off-roader

[JLv3.0]

My ‘free’ purchase will cost £400 plus getting it through an MOT. It also has an issue with the 4wd system but I’ve found a fairly straightforward guide to solving that; it’s not coming out of 4wd mode.

The car is a Shogun Sport, 54 plate, 150k miles. It’s in tidy condition and I’m sure I could sell it on for a grand so it shouldn’t be a stupid thing to have... but I do have a resistant wife who says it’s old and we don’t need a 6th car on the drive. Realistically it’s probably silly to have it. Uncertain currently.

Bin the wife?

That's harsh though isn't it. I'm sure Simon gets right of veto over any shoes or handbag purchase

[Jobbo]

No point in cluttering the driveway up with something which never gets used.

DIW.

It wasn't silver.

We'll be on 6 cars when my stepdaughter turns 17 at the end of this year, and I don't want to do the driveway until the house extension is done...

[Sundayjumper]

We'll be on 6 cars when my stepdaughter turns 17 at the end of this year, and I don't want to do the driveway until the house extension is done...

Seven here plus a 16' trailer, and IIRC harry is into double figures now ?

Try harder !!

[Jobbo]

Harry doesn't count because many of his are 'projects'. Are any of yours SORN?

[Jimmy Choo]

No point in cluttering the driveway up with something which never gets used.

DIW.

It wasn't silver.

We'll be on 6 cars when my stepdaughter turns 17 at the end of this year, and I don't want to do the driveway until the house extension is done...

Mrs Jobbo's cars don't count as they're disposable.

Just park the Shogun in a hedge down the road and you'll be fine.

[Sundayjumper]

Are any of yours SORN?

Only one of them.

[JonMad]

Are any of yours SORN?

Only one of them.

The one with all the bits taken out of it?

[ZedLeg]

At one point when I had the big lock up I had 9 sorned cars and 3 that were running. It's easy to accumulate when you have the space and poor impulse control .

[Jobbo]

Just park the Shogun in a hedge down the road and you'll be fine.

Feasible, as is simply driving it over the borders and parking it in the daffodil patch. Although even I was concerned that might make it look like some sort of travellers' encampment

I have turned it down; if it had been a car I'd wanted then I'd have had it, but I felt a wave of disappointment at seeing it was a Shogun Sport not a proper Shogun when I turned up. It did demonstrate that an old Shogun does not need to be grubby and smelly inside though.

[integrale_evo]

We have 8 at the house, 3 of which are taxed and motd, 4 are technically complete and capable of moving under their own power, plus the camper.

A metro in a lockup round the corner, then 4 elsewhere, two of which are complete, running but sorn, two in bits

[Marv]

I have turned it down; if it had been a car I'd wanted then I'd have had it.

Sound logic

[NotoriousREV]

I have turned it down; if it had been a car I'd wanted then I'd have had it.

Sound logic

IYRWOYWAHO

[nuttinnew]

Perfect Tacoma accompaniment ;

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified ... 500&page=1

[Jobbo]

Since last posting in this thread, I have also turned down a free 240k mile Nissan X-Trail.

However, I am probably going to buy a 2006-14 model Suzuki Grand Vitara. Nobody suggested it, but it's got proper 4wd with a low-range transfer box; it looks quite cool (like a cross between a Rav4 and a Grand Cherokee); Suzukis should be reliable and cheap to run but have proper off-road heritage, and it'll be sufficiently recent and nicely appointed inside that I'll actually want to drive it. Also pretty decent on the road, which is good when you want to get to mid-Wales to find green lanes.

So, the ideal cheap off-roader. As standard they have an inch less ground clearance than my Volvo, though that can be improved with proper tyres and a simple lift kit.

I think I'd prefer the 2.4 petrol over the diesel, and I want to avoid the 2010-2012ish models which didn't have a spare wheel (you're bound to get a puncture at some point).

It'll replace the MX5; it'll also give me much more freedom to choose something smaller and sportier as my daily car next time but frankly I'll probably stick with a barge because I like them.

[Sundayjumper]

JonMad needs your MX5....

[mikeyb]

Since last posting in this thread, I have also turned down a free 240k mile Nissan X-Trail.

However, I am probably going to buy a 2006-14 model Suzuki Grand Vitara. Nobody suggested it, but it's got proper 4wd with a low-range transfer box; it looks quite cool (like a cross between a Rav4 and a Grand Cherokee); Suzukis should be reliable and cheap to run but have proper off-road heritage, and it'll be sufficiently recent and nicely appointed inside that I'll actually want to drive it. Also pretty decent on the road, which is good when you want to get to mid-Wales to find green lanes.

So, the ideal cheap off-roader. As standard they have an inch less ground clearance than my Volvo, though that can be improved with proper tyres and a simple lift kit.

I think I'd prefer the 2.4 petrol over the diesel, and I want to avoid the 2010-2012ish models which didn't have a spare wheel (you're bound to get a puncture at some point).

It'll replace the MX5; it'll also give me much more freedom to choose something smaller and sportier as my daily car next time but frankly I'll probably stick with a barge because I like them.

I'm pretty sure I suggested it in the second reply

It's my first choice too.

Also, check out the Kia Sorento XE. It has a selectable 4wd system - RWD, 4 Hi, 4 Lo.

[Jobbo]

Crikey, you did - I was so Shogun focused at the time, I didn't notice. Perhaps I was thinking of the older model Grand Vitara at the time; the later model was almost completely off my radar because I assumed it was just a Rav4 competitor. Sorrento is an absolute no because they're too agricultural and I don't like the styling.

Steve, Jon is welcome to buy my MX5, though I think the roll bar would hamper him fitting even if he replaced the seat with one of those bendy alloy ones.

[Jobbo]

The ground clearance might not be as bad as I thought either - I think that refers to the earliest models with the smaller wheels and tyres. Here's a 2009ish one:

[JonMad]

Steve, Jon is welcome to buy my MX5, though I think the roll bar would hamper him fitting even if he replaced the seat with one of those bendy alloy ones.

you're both too kind.

Anyway, a change is good. Have had an MX-5. Nearly bought this https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Toyota-Yaris ... 3850498917 but didn't want to pay that much. Also looking at SportKa (all rusty), MGTF (shit engine, all rusty).

This Micra would be interesting https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nissan-Micra ... 3767086926 except probably too slow and all the work done was before they actually drove it 10,000 miles to Mongolia!

Also this has caught my eye https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Peugeot-106- ... 3763569134 but, Steve, iirc you said the car needs to keep its back seats for targa rallying? This would be fun for track days though, and would do autosolos too, but keeping the Megane for an occasional daily seems a waste.

[JonMad]

and back on topic, that looks a decent option Simon, and as you say a pleasant place to sit to actually get to some green lanes.