scrubbedexpat141

BritExpat was in Double Deckers and convinced me to get rid of my car. I think.

It's time for a change, I've had it 2.5 years and just spent another 5,000 getting AC repaired. It's 2010 Explorer with 102,000km on the clock so time for something new.

I keep looking around but keep coming back to another Explorer, but the new shape.

I want something without barrel loads of KM's on the clock, for in-and-around 100,000 and 4x4. I don't want a sports car. I don't want a saloon. I want something big, not sure why, I just do.

Always wanted a Range Rover / LR3/4 / Mercedes ML / X5 / Escalade type but realise I can't afford to buy a decent one (well I can, but I won't). PLus the running costs must be higher?

Anything other than the new Explorer that anyone can think of? I think Pajero's look like horseshit by the way.

Suggestions, piss-taking, usual snipes and silly comments most welcome

shiva

Pajero

Best bang for buck by a mile, running costs are fuel and service I had three and run two pajeros for 10 years with near zero repairs beyond timing belts, rubber and the usual expected, apart from one write off in the desert.

Ask the stealership for a 2013 model and be amazed at the price. 3.8 is way better but 3.0 can be ragged silly with no mechanical complaints.

Do not buy a ford and if you value your money do not buy a ****ing landrover product and yes that's the voice of experience

OriginalSunshine

As much as I loved my LR2, when it went wrong, it got expensive fast.

Toyotas are cheap. As Shiva says, new but last year's model cars have a good 20+% discount on them if you haggle hard. And with warranty etc.

Volvos are great, but buy new, as (with experience) older ones are hard to sell here.

Bahtatboy

FJ Cruiser.

Ignore those who say they're driven by twunts. Even if that's true, so what? Admittedly they're Marmite, but if you do like them they have so much going for them: re-sale value, quality, design, off-road capability, an a/c engineered for demanding conditions, robustness.

You'll never own one outside of the ME. (Yeah, yeah...)

scrubbedexpat141

They're just so ****ing ugly though.

I've got in touch with Ford. They're offering me a 1km on the clock 2014 Explorer with lots of toys for 135,000. Minus my trade in, 100,000 on the nose.

Not negotiated further or pushed it but that puts my monthly payment up by roughly 300 a month and gives me a brand new motor with warranty and service contract....

Struggling to pick holes in it at the moment.

Pongo

F150?

Irishbeekeeper

Someone I know who had a Ford Explorer here in dobuy said that he had a conspiracy theory about these jeeps, that they have a timer inside them and will go bad the second the warranty runs out. Poor bugger had a 35000 aed gearbox whatchamacallit changed one day after the warranty ran out
You can never go wrong with a Jap car for this market mate
I agree with shiv and bahta, a pajero or an FJ
or why not a honda crosstour? not a big car but not too small either u know
2014 Honda Crosstour Overview - Official Site

norsk

You are joking about the crosstour aren't you?

Anyway. Let's be serious for a second.

Ford is okay I suppose. I couldn't bring myself to get one but I did consider the Explorer as a contender when i replaced my Touareg recently. Ended up with an LR4. It's for the wife & kids and one of the requirements was 7 seats. I got it used so not too expensive, but made sure I got warranty as Land Rover have a bit of a reputation (not sure if it is justified on the newer cars to be honest)

Volvo XC90 is a good car if you pick it up new, but the new XC90 is due next year so not sure now is a good time to buy it.

FJ Cruiser is an awesome machine. Rugged looks and good quality.

Wrangler (new only) is cool as well if you can deal with the road noise (which is horrible).

Pajero is not okay. Ugly and boring.
Prado is not okay. Boring and predictable, but good quality and every expatmum thinks she must have one for some reason.

Johnnyboy11

There's the Fortuner as well, which is significantly cheaper than the Prado. The 2.7L starts at AED100k and the 4.0L is about AED120-130k depending on spec.

Bahtatboy

That's what I was expecting till I actually went in one. I like Toyotas (had 2 Previas in UK, one from new for 10 years and another for 5 years, and my daughter had a great little Yaris) but the Prado I drove and travelled in was pretty awful--lower grade plastics, uncomfortable seats, bad driving position and poor dynamics. Real disappointment.

OriginalSunshine

Scamp only needs an XC60, not XC90. No need for a 7 seater. And as you say, new version due in a year, so you would get walloped at resale.

I detest Princess Prados. Mega Yawn. And plastic.

FJ Cruisers have shite rear views.

What about a Hilux?

Bahtatboy

It's Dubai. Who cares what's behind you.

Irishbeekeeper

and no I wasnt joking at all about the crosstour, I like the way it looks, havent driven it though. Is it that bad?

ha!

OriginalSunshine

yeah. ok.

UKCityGent

Jeep or the Evo