[Closed] Going from 4x4 to a Van for family and activities

Same

Ay?

Had a discovery 4 for the last 7 years, approaching 100k miles. Been good, was the right choice for a 7 seater when you live a mile down a dirt road.  Use it for holidays with roof box and 5 bikes on back/roof.

Problem is the reliability is starting to freak me out a bit. Things starting to go wrong when you’re half way to the alps is a major buzz killer.

Has anyone gone from a 4x4 suv to a van with 3 rows? I’m predictably looking at a VW.

I can see a bunch of advantages, not least economy and hopefully reliability.  Also family treat the discovery like a bin and I’m tired of cleaning it out. I’d also like a slightly lower key vehicle.

I don’t think the wife would like it as an every day so maybe a disco and a defender get flogged. I get the most all round van possible and get a cheap runabout.

How does a van handle a dirt road year round day in day out?

I bought a 4motion transporter and the Defender has been on a Sorn ever since. Does everything the 110 did, mostly betterer too

Pros:

Comfort. You don't need the radio quite as loud
MPG. Bit better but not as big a difference as you might think. Landie average about 25, VW averaging about 29
More space inside. Easier to carry more stuff and much nicer for sleeping in if that is your thing.

Cons.

Less towing capacity. 2.5 vs 3.5 tonnes (I tow a lot)
Bits are more expensive
Less modular so ongoing maintenance will be increasingly difficult with age.
Not as many people wave to you
<span style="font-size: 0.8rem;">Generally not as tough/durable
</span>Less ground clearance so not as good in real deep snow/mud (though it is pretty impressive where it will go)

In conclusion. The van suits my lifestyle at present and is a great all round compromise. If I was to go back to doing some more serious overland trips or started to keep cattle again so needed bigger trailers, I would happily go back to the 110. But as it is i'll stick with the van for the time being. For your needs I reckon a 2WD VW Combi with a set of All Terrain tyres would be perfect. Plenty good enough to drive gravel tracks with and will return an extra 10 mpg over the 4motion.

Mine

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Thanks welshfarmer.

helpful perspective

alex

yeah 2wd should be fine with some proper tyres like welshfarmer above, if it has silly big alloys sell them and buy some steelies with some nice high profile tyres. Avoid any that have been lowered and worst case get a slight lift but generally the ground clearance is about the same as something like a freelander. We have to be careful on tracks made by defenders and discos but we are talking proper tram tracks in muddy fields.

Only thing that has put me off a T5 is the low tow weight. We need to get a bigger trailer but the change in the rules to actual weight rather than plated weight means I might go for one now and put more than a ton of sheep in the trailer.

Mitsubishi Delicia 4x4...

Mmm delicia the worst of both worlds in one handy package.

Welshfarmer, I’m intrigued that you think the 4motion costs as much as 10mpg! I’ve got these on my long term radar for the next van, tempted by the 4motion as I loved my Octavia 4x4. Is it haldex on the transporter?

had a delica, it was ace, my mate bought it off me, its still ace

thats all

I thought about doing the same as circumstances sound similar. Long story short I went with a Landcruiser Amazon, oddly I wanted a Disco 4 but was put off with the reliability issues. The Landcruiser ticked more boxes than a van.

Yep, Haldex system. I am basing my mpg figures on my type of driving and the differences may not be so great under other conditions. I spend a fair bit of time towing and wherever I drive involves at least 12 miles of single track country lanes. I also have a fairly heavy right foot 🙂 My long term average is 29 ish mpg. My neighbour drives a slightly newer 2WD van and assures me he can get high 30's driving the same roads (but with no towing to pull his average down I guess).

Standard van will be fine, used to boot around forestry tracks in my hiace, only grounded a couple of times due to LWB. Due to it being rear wheel drive it needed some rear weight for wet fields and snow as well as decent tyres .

Edit: Waitrose car park, always something interesting parked in there.

You can't draw too many conclusions from Welshfarmer's MPG based on that usage. I'd probably get the same from my Passat in those circumstances and yet I get 65 on long trips. Ok so you wouldn't get that in a van but don't expect 29 either.

True, but they are real life figures! The best brim to brim figure I have had, driving Miss Daisy, on a long quiet A road cross country trip was around 36 mpg. Likewise, I have seen a brim to brim average on my 110 of 32 mpg. So expect something in the middle for "normal driving."