What 4x4
 

Hi Guys
I'm planning a trip to Marroco in the near future and am now thinking about what 4x4 to get,I have a disco TD5 and have done a lot of trips in it all over Europe including the easten block and it I can honestly say it didn't miss a beat fully loaded up towing a converted sankey trailer with 2 adults 3 kids and 2 dogs,not just road driving some very hard going mountain tracks and green lanes,But I am going alone on this trip so am looking for somthing smaller but still good off road.I've been looking at

Mitsubishi Pinn?

Mitsubishi pajero short wheel base (I know these engines)

Land rover freelander (not sure if it will cope)

Nissan patrol short wheel base

Lada Niva (had one of these years ago for messing around on salisbury plan (good off road crap on)

3 seires land rover short wheel base (Again I know these well)

Can you think of any other to look at and what would you go for and why?

From your level of satisfaction with your TD5, I would go with that.
It's a vehicle that you already own, and you know it well presumably.

Your post is mildly interesting; it's nature is as per:-

"Which Bike? (228 Viewing)

Comments and Questions on what is the best bike for YOU, for YOUR trip. Note that we believe that ANY bike will do, so please remember that it's all down to PERSONAL OPINION." --- abstracted from the sub-forum within here.

But such a subbie forum doesn't appear herein; it's mildly of interest to me because I asked a quite similar series of questions perhaps a couple of years ago but without naming such a range of specific vehicles.
Somewhere in here, probably in the new subbie for "light vehicles", there is discussion of the Freelander for instance.
A search of that key word should find that if it is of interest.

Yeah why not just take your TD5? You are familiar with it and seem pretty content with it's abilities and performance.

If I was doing that journey I'd go with a Patrol 3.0Di or a Landcruiser 4.2TD, but since you mentioned a smaller vehicle, I'd probably go with (nobody laugh) the Suzuki Vitara, had a three door V6 one years ago, was a proper dog of a car that I basically used as a pub/train station car, was great offroad and in the snow, I didn't really look after it properly and nothing ever broke.

My experiences with Pajero might be sort of relevant as I've used them here in the UAE and they are pretty woeful in the desert, the gearing seems wrong for sand driving and the engine isn't responsive enough or have enough torque for the job but that may be down to the crap engines they import them with here, I guess in Europe you'd get a decent modern turbo diesel.

I see your point about my td5 but the problem is my wife needs it we now have 4 kids and 2 dogs so she needs it when I'm away,Plus it's just me so I don't need such a big battle bus.

Ah yes! That is very different and your points about the TD5 become irrelevant -------- you want, or need, a second vehicle.
Perhaps a people carrier/SUV type road-goer for the wife, kids and dogs while you retain hold of the TD5?

I know your conumdrum quite well and it does come down to having a baseline of vehicles (in my case both 2 and 4 wheels) for various purposes.
Defining the range of purposes can be a tad problematical though.

Exactly, The thing is we all love Overlandingand the td5 is great with the 7 forward facing seats of wich we use 6 so still have some load space So we will be keeping it I just want somthing small for lone adventures.
I have been looking at pick ups as well we used them in Namibia for two months it was a Nissan it was O.K a bit under powered but it did the job.

Bear with me, I've done the search and here is what was said, all of 3 years ago, about the Freelander:-
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...eelander-61321

I also found another thread, in the plural, about the same vehicle.
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...elanders-56643

As ever, "can they cope" is answered by "what do you want to do?"

The first thing Id be thinking is 'Which vehicle do I NOT want to drive across Europe twice - 1500 miles each way'

From that Id discount the Series Land Rover and the Lada Niva

As for the Freelander, not bad, ok on the motorways, but the lack of ground clearance will limit where you can get to, after that, the rest are not too different, Id figure out which cruises on the motorways the quietest and returns the best fuel consumption, Id say the Pajero or Patrol would be the nicest to drive across Europe out of your list, but as the guys mention the Patrol is a bit of a dog in sand, but the majority of Morocco pistes are gravel/rocky, unless you head South.

A Vitara would be a lot of fun and cheap to do the trip and with a set of mud terrains surprisingly capable, how about a Hilux too ? as later model as you can afford with a 5 speed box......

How about a landcruiser 90 Prado SWB? Hilux Surf? go pretty cheap now

Unless you are looking to go seriously "off road" , by which i mean "off track" which in almost any country is not the usual means of going anywhere , it is more akin to trialling or camel trophy special sections, then
a TD4 Freelander , or even Honda CRV would be a good possible . Most of your mileage is going to be motorway getting there. When you are there it will be a mix of bitumen and tracks , which most locals will not be using 4wd . I have used a vitara 2ltr swb across Australia pulling a lightweight camping trailer . They work quite well on sand /beach especially if you air down the tyres , but leave the aircon off as they ( as well as most 4wd) will overheat
with aircon and soft sand at same time.
Niva would handle anything in Morroco but you have to get there , and they aren't the most comfortable long distance tourer , and have owned one in the past . Series landrover much the same as a Niva. In the end its what your personal preferences are . HTSLH

I see a few people talking about Vitaras and it may well be a good option I will look in to them a bit more.
Thanks

Suzi Vitara gets my vote...cheap and good enough for most things

Then again, it has been pointed out that Hilux Surf's are cheap..and they are even more capable in 3ltr guise. Its what i trust for my RTW trip.

In general terms 4x4s are inherently expensive to buy, insure, maintain and fuel so why not use the disco for your trip and get a 'normal' car for the missus (and you when the need arises) to scoot about in with the kids, or maybe a people carrier like a galaxy or one of them VW things, Sharran or something is it? My mates got one and I was highly impressed. very versatile, has loads of seats and luggage room, and one day we needed the space so he took all the seats out and turned it into a van, took him about a minute!! fantastic motor.

The most important thing with any overlander isn't what type, make or model it is, it's that you know the vehicle and have history in it, and from that point of view, the disco fits the bill (and as regulars on here will know, I am not a fan of the TD5 disco). I've overlanded on my own in a landcruiser so a disco is definitely not too big!! Take a vehicle you know and trust, not something new and untested.

I'm in talks withe the boss now but I think she agrees that you guys are right and I should just stick with what I know and go with my DISCO will just have to fit some under body potection and away I shall go.

Why? That's not a facetious question, if you drive with sympathy I don't see a D2 needing any for Morocco tracks. The locals don't have any on their Peugeot 205's or MB308 vans:smartass: