Manatee’s Mitsubishi thread prompted this... I’m nearing the end of my extended Spanish trip, ten weeks in total. During that time I’ve been out walking & scrambling, with various groups and friends, a minimum of 4 days a week, often into more ‘remote’ locations. Today really was the back of the back of beyond. Off a narrow twisty steep uphill road onto an even steeper rougher narrower mountain track until it finished on top of a col. I was car sharing in a friends Peugeot 2008, and on occasion we got out as he feared it bottoming out with passengers onboard. We literally abandoned the cars amongst rocks...a Hyundai i35, Mitsubishi ASX, Volvo XC60 & a Suzuki Vitara.
Hardly surprising that so many of my fellow walkers drive sitty uppy cars. Or that the local farmers living in their remote fincas drive battered old French combi vans.
You never see any fancy 4x4s up these tracks...too wide, and you’d be a bit upset at creasing the sills on roadside rocks!
Just another day when I’m so glad I didn’t have the Barbie mobile..passing a farmer on such narrow mountain tracks would have been a nightmare.
I need to reassess its replacement as I’m heading back this way for extended periods in the foreseeable...and ripping the sump off my rental would not have improved the day.
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Quite. A Jimmy would be perfect...a tight squeeze car sharing with 4 passengers and gear.
Downside. Not the best vehicle for a long drive from N Yorkshire...walking in France with friends who live there, followed by a week + walking & scrambling in the Picos en route.
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Panda 4x4. Cheap, cheerful, narrow and fun. I'd have one in a heartbeat if my circs allowed. Go anywhere in one of those.
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Panda 4x4. Cheap, bullet proof and goes anywhere.
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That's a good idea...
;-)
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Yes, heard it somewhere. Don't remember where.
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Slightly more comfy: a Suzuki Vitara 1.4 turbo? Or a Kia: loads of Sportages on the road, they can't be bad?!
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The Vitara is nice. The Kia will be too, but it's quite a large car so will have difficulties on narrow passes.
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Or there’s the Suzuki Ignis...
tinyurl.com/yc7e9q8c
4x4 only on the top trim at £1,000 extra...
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My father in law has an Ignis. Loves it. He's 84 and wanted a small car but with enough room for his golf clubs. Clever sliding seats allow for the boot space to be enlarged.
I've driven it a couple of times and it is fun, in that small nippy car way.
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It does seem a popular car in that age bracket.. Though, round here, that could just be because the dealer is a small, family run affair that’s been there for years and so I imagine has a loyal and growing customer base that won’t travel to the likes of Brighton or Portsmouth with their out of town retail parks estates with large, new, glass box showrooms!
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I'd still rather have a Panda though. I have a thing about Pandas!
Yes, I know it's not normal, but I'm at peace with it.
;-)
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How about a Jeep Renegade?
We have one (its only the FWD but 4wd available)
Its not too big, it has brilliant off road ability (according to reports). Ours is the Limited and it has literally every piece of kit as standard. At ex demo / nearly new they are cheap.
Its good at long distance cruising, we've done several long journeys.
Also the diesel is the Fiat Alfa 1.6 and it is strong.
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The Jeep Renegade IIRC is a very similar car to, and comes out of the same Fiat factory as, the Fiat 500X.
Whether it's fair to say they are essentially the same I don't know, but they are certainly built on the same platform with am overlapping engine choice. Something to bear in mind when looking at prices,
I've driven the 500X - seemed OK from that point of view but felt a bit cramped inside.
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It is indeed. The Renegade is certainly more roomy inside due to its boxy nature.
We looked at the 500x aswell but thought the Renegade was better
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I disconnected Barbie from my CTEK charger and took her out for a spin yesterday evening. I even got in on the correct side and only tried to change gear once. Not bad after daily drives for 10 weeks in a manual.
Still seems to go ok, rather we’ll in fact, despite all that time neglected in my garage....return flight to Spain now rebooked early February through mid April.
I haven’t told Barbie yet ( assuming I still have her). Don’t want a Christmas sulk.
Last edited by: legacylad on Fri 25 Dec 20 at 10:39
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Soft roaders - Zero
