Yet another what car?

[CompoSimmonite]

X5 3.0d..7 seats, fantastic engines that can see 500,000 and a true 4x4 with luxury. 10K could buy you a nice one with the later LCI trim.

Mate has 2018 X5 and had just waited 5 months for a part as none anywhere in the world ! Luckily BMW paid for him to have a hire car. He's had numerous problems despite it having done less than 40,000 miles and every time bills have been £1000+. Needless to say he's looking at a non BMW replacements !

 

[octo0072000]

Remember all the road tax change this year
will be a lot motors after March when new reg hits

 

[CompoSimmonite]

Mate has 2018 X5 and had just waited 5 months for a part as none anywhere in the world ! Luckily BMW paid for him to have a hire car. He's had numerous problems despite it having done less than 40,000 miles and every time bills have been £1000+. Needless to say he's looking at a non BMW replacements !

FWIW the part was the Ad Blue sender.

 

[dobbslc]

Remember all the road tax change this year
will be a lot motors after March when new reg hits

Do you know what they are changing that would affect older cars, pre 2001?

 

[Rannsachair]

I didn't realise the RX 450h had a CVT gearbox, I am thinking about one to replace the Surf (if or when the day comes) I assume the RX400h is similar?
My wife's Honda HRV has one of those boxes and it's horrific!
Sounds like a huge moped whining away.
We should have test drove it on some faster roads.

with the bigger engine you do not notice it, worth taking one a test drive and accelerating hard.

 

[dobbslc]

Thanks!
I bet they're pretty nippy!

 

[Migmac]

I’ve an old RAV4, 08, it’s diesel and 4wd. I use it like a van, back seats down and loads of room. I’m only doing short trips and no issues yet. In for a MoT tomorrow, they might tell me different

It failed, on a blooming suspension arm. The one we replaced last year with one from autodoc! We have a spare one, autodoc were their usual slow delivery and we were running out of time so we ordered another one from a localish supplier.

 

[qwakers]

Did you tighten the bolts with the suspension hanging? Quickest way to destroy bushes.

 

[AdamR92t]

Ford Kuga 2wd
My parents have one and even with the lack of maintenance its still running well, they had an issue early on with a vaporizer but once sorted its been fine ever since.
Can be had in nice specs with leather etc. fairly economical and a large boot space. however, the 4x4 version has a bad reputation for going wrong if not looked after.
if i had to buy another car its something id be looking at

 

[Beanwood]

Ford Kuga 2wd
My parents have one and even with the lack of maintenance its still running well, they had an issue early on with a vaporizer but once sorted its been fine ever since.
Can be had in nice specs with leather etc. fairly economical and a large boot space. however, the 4x4 version has a bad reputation for going wrong if not looked after.
if i had to buy another car its something id be looking at

Wife had one in 4wd brand new in 2013. Diesel 2.0 IIRC - and only 27mpg - absolutely shocking!!!

 

[Bornfree]

Did you tighten the bolts with the suspension hanging? Quickest way to destroy bushes.

I've seen so many people do this. Even in large trade garages/workshops.

 

[Rannsachair]

Ford Kuga 2wd
My parents have one and even with the lack of maintenance its still running well, they had an issue early on with a vaporizer but once sorted its been fine ever since.
Can be had in nice specs with leather etc. fairly economical and a large boot space. however, the 4x4 version has a bad reputation for going wrong if not looked after.
if i had to buy another car its something id be looking at

I fell out with Ford many years ago when a 3 year old Mk6 Escort suffered gearbox failure at 11,000 miles and Ford would only pay half the repair cost on it and within a year it started jumping out of gear again! Will never buy another.

 

[Rannsachair]

I visited a friend yesterday who stays down a farm road, I took the Jag and when turning to park at their drive I got one rear wheel on the grass, just sank into mud and would not come out I tried rolling back and ended up stuck and had to get 2 friends to push me out and the car covered in mud! I have been visiting them for almost 20 years and first time, though I always took my Defender. Reminded me why I want 4WD.

I have been looking at a few of the cars suggested.

@sako243 I looked at L322's they are beautiful interiors, not many petrols unfortunately and looking at MOT histories of a couple for sale near the 100k mile mark their mot histories seem really poor - lots of brake, suspension and steering failures. As you say a lot of car for the money - though my wife hates them - a bit too flash for her and ideally I want something she can drive too.

@roofman X5's do seem great cars - not many in Scotland with under 100k in my price range.

I do keep looking at Volvo XC90's, After many years with almost every model of Saab I have a soft spot for Volvo, I like a car with a good heater/demister and plenty room - again very few for sale in Scotland with under 150k miles in my price range - will keep looking.

 

[sako243]

a bit too flash for her and ideally I want something she can drive too.

Mine doesn't like driving the 110 because it used to have a 130HD clutch in it however she loved driving the L322. The power is slightly addictive . She went to overtake someone coming up a hill into the local town when it went to two lanes, overtook everyone on the hill before realising she'd gone into triple digits onto the speedo up a steep old hill.

With the L322s and most LRs it's about finding one that's been looked after.

 

[Bullet2012]

X5 front propshaft have been known to suddenly fail and then destroy the sump, or worse.

 

[Bobupndown]

Tom, glad you're enjoying retirement and keeping busy. The issue of transporting lawnmowers etc, any car with a towbar and small trailer?

I was amazed you got rid of the Defender, it was the perfect all round car and IIRC was on a galvanised chassis? So future proofed with the work you'd done on it. I would definitely have held onto it.

I had a Discovery 2 with the same Td5 and it needed a lot of constant maintenance to keep on top of it and that was buying it at 3 years old with low miles and no chassis issues which they all will have now, youngest being 21 years old now.

My replacement for it was my current car, 2014 Sd4 Freelander 2. I've had it 8 years now, taken it from 17 > 142k miles. It has been fantastic, a great all round family car and superb tow car. Recent heavy snow here it tackled with total ease. Very reliable too in all those miles, only significant issue was an egr valve and cooler replacement last year. If I could buy a newer lower mileage one id be very happy to keep running one for years to come. All the toys including heated leather seats make them like a mini Range Rover.

I am thinking of changing to something a bit newer in the near future but im not sure a Euro 6 diesel is the way to go, they have taken a very simple reliable diesel engine and made them finicky and fragile with all the emissions nonsense to please the Downing St snowflakes.

I still need 4wd and decent towing ability so my choice is very much limited if i discount modern diesels.
I've been leaning towards a Subaru Outback lately, na 2.5 petrol. Not driven one yet but reviews appear good. Downside seems to be cvt gearbox, not sure how id get on with that. Think ill try and get an extended test drive to see if I could gel with it.

Keep us posted with whatever you end up with

 

[addjunkie]

Outside the box

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202601038907570?sort=price-asc&twcs=true&searchId=13aa635a-1017-4459-a18c-b382a70b63f8&aggregatedTrim=&body-type=&colour=&fuel-type=&make=SsangYong&model=Rexton&page=1&postcode=Ne48+1ag&transmission=&advertising-location=at_cars&fromsra=&backLinkQueryParams=aggregatedTrim%3D%26body-type%3D%26channel%3Dcars%26colour%3D%26distance%3D%26fuel-type%3D%26make%3DSsangYong%26max-year%3D2026%26maxPrice%3D%26minPrice%3D%26model%3DRexton%26postcode%3DNe48%25201ag%26sort%3Dprice-asc%26transmission%3D%26flrfc%3D1&calc-deposit=1065&calc-term=48&calc-mileage=10000&calc-selected-product=HP

 

[octo0072000]

Do you know what they are changing that would affect older cars, pre 2001?

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67d1b940a6d78876a3fb0a67/v149-rates-of-vehicle-tax-for-cars-motorcycles-light-goods-vehicles-and-private-light-goods-vehicles-april-2025.pdf

 

[addjunkie]

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/67d1b940a6d78876a3fb0a67/v149-rates-of-vehicle-tax-for-cars-motorcycles-light-goods-vehicles-and-private-light-goods-vehicles-april-2025.pdf

Yet another over simplified Government system designed to keep paper pushing chair polishers in jobs

 

[Rannsachair]

Tom, glad you're enjoying retirement and keeping busy. The issue of transporting lawnmowers etc, any car with a towbar and small trailer?

I was amazed you got rid of the Defender, it was the perfect all round car and IIRC was on a galvanised chassis? So future proofed with the work you'd done on it. I would definitely have held onto it.

I had a Discovery 2 with the same Td5 and it needed a lot of constant maintenance to keep on top of it and that was buying it at 3 years old with low miles and no chassis issues which they all will have now, youngest being 21 years old now.

My replacement for it was my current car, 2014 Sd4 Freelander 2. I've had it 8 years now, taken it from 17 > 142k miles. It has been fantastic, a great all round family car and superb tow car. Recent heavy snow here it tackled with total ease. Very reliable too in all those miles, only significant issue was an egr valve and cooler replacement last year. If I could buy a newer lower mileage one id be very happy to keep running one for years to come. All the toys including heated leather seats make them like a mini Range Rover.

I am thinking of changing to something a bit newer in the near future but im not sure a Euro 6 diesel is the way to go, they have taken a very simple reliable diesel engine and made them finicky and fragile with all the emissions nonsense to please the Downing St snowflakes.

I still need 4wd and decent towing ability so my choice is very much limited if i discount modern diesels.
I've been leaning towards a Subaru Outback lately, na 2.5 petrol. Not driven one yet but reviews appear good. Downside seems to be cvt gearbox, not sure how id get on with that. Think ill try and get an extended test drive to see if I could gel with it.

Keep us posted with whatever you end up with

I do a lot of single track roads and there are plenty tourists (and some locals) who cannot reverse - so a trailer would be a last resort.

I had done a lot to the Defender: galvanised chassis, bulkhead, doors and even axles. Though I have not offroaded it properly for six years after the local forestry stopped granting access when a new manager arrived a few years before that also I only have a small boat now so not the same towing requirements since I sold my Redbay RIB.

Euro 6 is a definite no for me.

I like the look of the Freelander 2 my dad had a late TD4 Freelander 1 bar the electric window cables failing.