[ivacodon]

I'm looking for a little help with vehicles that are capable with driving up from the gate to the ONAC car park.
I know a defender would breeze it and would hope a disco would cope but would a Freelander make it?
What other makes and models would be suitable with or without modification?
Is the ground clearance on a Mitsubishi shogun pinin too low?

Thanks in advance

Iva

 

[Skodabloke]

Hi Via. As a general guide, the best compromise between quality and price is the X trail. I'm not a member of the ONAC, but a few years ago, my wife was after a 4x4 and that was the best choice. The best thing is that they have little cubby holes with the air con running through it to cool cans of drink! Check underneath for rust and make sure it's 4x4, 'cos some 'ain't! Happy hunting. Skodabloke

 

[bull]

hi there I have been a member for a number of years a freelander is a big no no they do not have enough ground clearance and you would stuggle with an X trail also for the same reason.

I have a defender but there are all sorts of trucks that go up there.
a ford ranger would have no problems (that was the first truck I had)
Suzuki jimmny are great little trucks they get up there easy
a Mitsubishi shogun would be fine quite a few members have 1

 

[codgey]

ground clearance is the most important thing you need. most 4wd do it easy as long as you keep constant speed in the deep shingle ruts the rest is easy.

 

[ivacodon]

Thank you all for your advice.
The most interesting one is the Suzuki Jimny. I have been looking in to these and the ground clearance is only 190mm. Would you need a lift kit?
Xtrail is 210mm and pinin is 200mm but you can't seem to lift these.

 

[codgey]

i personally would not buy a jimny just because they are tiny inside and the engines are not very powerful, however because they are lightweight with bigger wheels they probably would be ok to drive up onto the island. i always fish on the island but i walk up and made a buggy that carries eveything to make life easier.

 

[bull]

Thank you all for your advice.
The most interesting one is the Suzuki Jimny. I have been looking in to these and the ground clearance is only 190mm. Would you need a lift kit?
Xtrail is 210mm and pinin is 200mm but you can't seem to lift these.

believe me a Suzuki jimny flys up there they are so light they skip along the shingle they may not have the ground clearance of an X trail but are so light. Does an X trail have low range 4/4 plenty of them along with a freelander have got stuck going up there in the past. the down side to the jimny is boot space you can`t get a lot of gear in one but quite a few members have a jimny

 

[ivacodon]

X-trails don't have a low range box, they just have a button on the dashboard. Pinins have a low range box.
I went to look at a 300tdi disco today but it had lots of problems and would have been a money pit.
Wife says I can't get a Jimny as I will fill the front of it up on my own!!!! I do like them though.

 

[Short O' The Mark]

Hi
I don't know the area, but have a bit of experience with 4x4's.

Generally (unless you go megabucks computer controlled) you need something with a low range transfer box. This gives more torque & usually locks the center diff, improving traction.

You have to take into account the wheelbase when looking at ground clearance. Shorter trucks like the Suzuki don't need anything like the clearance of a longer vehicle to achieve the same breakover angles.

Beyond that you'd be looking at locking diffs, but that wouldn't be necessary in most scenarios.

I have an old Vitara which is fantastic - light weight & very easy to lift if you want to go a bit more extreme.

We've just got rid of a Terrano2 - very capable with a limited slip rear diff & brilliant engine.

We now have a Shogun sport - can't comment on this one - I've not been allowed to get it muddy yet :-(

Hope this helps

 

[John6500]

Just a thought, I've had quite a few different Land Rovers and currently smoke about in a disco td5 auto, however I did have a Ford Maverick, there's a choice of two, 2 litre zetec manual or a 3 litre v6 auto. Not silly money and very capable off road, I picked my one up for well under a grand and covered 12,000 miles in it over a year with little trouble, did plenty of off roading on the farm and never got caught out. Like I say, just a thought.

 

[shinglehopper]

Modern 4x4 systems will cope with the deep gravel. The critical thing is ground clearance which is why freelanders and X trails get caught out.
Ideally you need 230mm or more clearance to be sure of getting through.
Keeping up a good speed through the soft part of the track is also essential.

 

[Short O' The Mark]

Ford Maverick is basically a Nissan Terrano - good trucks.

We had a 2.7TD auto - used it to tow a trailer with my vitara on it through the mud

 

[big guy]

i don't know the area at all, but everyone is having issues on the sand in norfolk. the best seems to be little jap petrol 4x4. they seem to be the way if you have enough of a run up to get the speed and revs up.

depending on budget the newer 4x4 electronic traction control seems pretty good, almost idiot proof too as the ecu does everything for you.

imo freelander 1's are just far too unreliable. if petrol the head gaskets go regular. on all models the diff, prop and transfer box are all troublesome. plus the the central locking and elecy windows are troublesome. i have also known the rear chassis to rot above the rear axle.

 

[Split-Ring]

Ivacodon Here you go Iva a list of a few 4x4 vehicles which o n a c members use out of 27 4x4s 8 landrovers 7 mitsubishis 5 nissans navaras or pathfinders 3 Toyotas 2 suzukis 1 fordranger 1 fourtrack
most of them are manual the answer must be in there also you need the
right tyres on your vehicle Hope this helps Split

 

[ivacodon]

Brilliant. Thanks Split
Do you know the models of the 4x4s?
Been spending every night on eBay and auto trader.

 

[Split-Ring]

Which ones are you looking at Iva

 

[ivacodon]

300tdi discoverys, Suzuki Jimnys or potentially a terrano 2. Budget is about £1k to £1500
It's not hugely urgent as I can borrow a mates defender until I get one but would like one so I can prep it ready for the season.

 

[jtb]

Who knows whats best . I always walk up , last yr while walking back along the soft part , i did wonder how the hell anything got through there lol

 

[Split-Ring]

Iva just my opinion forget the terrano 2 if its budget the suzuki , but will be a bit tight 2 up and fishing gear . It will still get you up there.
Discovery defender out numbers all , followed by Mitsubishi shogun or sports Split

 

[bull]

Ivacodon Here you go Iva a list of a few 4x4 vehicles which o n a c members use out of 27 4x4s 8 landrovers 7 mitsubishis 5 nissans navaras or pathfinders 3 Toyotas 2 suzukis 1 fordranger 1 fourtrack
most of them are manual the answer must be in there also you need the
right tyres on your vehicle Hope this helps Split

ha ha has somebody been looking at the summer key holder list???