Having a bit of a wobble just now. Absolutely love my FL2, but it is costing a fortune in fuel for just short little runs.

I do need a 4x4 - I live in a place that during the winter only 4x4s can get out, but it's a lot of money due to it being a diesel and me only doing very short school runs.

Not sure of my options really. Can't fund a new car so any replacement would have to be of very similar sale cost of the FL2.

Anyone know of anything that could fit the bill? Learned to drive in 2011.
Bought a Micra - great little car
"Upgraded" to Kia Sportage - hated it
Proper upgrade to FL2 TD4 GS 60 reg Facelift - tailgate paint issues, fuel gauge rewire, transfer box failure at 36k miles, clutch at 60k
Reconditioned diff at 70k ish
Sold at 84k and now on a DS. Terribly unreliable.
Sold DS for a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Fingers crossed....
Sold Outlander for a 2014 SD4 SE Tech because I’m mental

I think you’ll have the same problem with most 4X4's doing short trips. Would it not be worth getting a £300 petrol engined small car for the days you don’t need 4X4? Past: FL2 TD4 HSE Auto
Evoque SD4 Dynamic Lux Auto
Present: Audi A3 S Line.

I had considered something like that but insurance/tax etc and still needing to service the FL2, which ain't cheap, makes it not a very cost effective option.

In reality I only need the 4x4 bit for a couple of months in the winter, but without it it is proper stranded type stuff. Learned to drive in 2011.
Bought a Micra - great little car
"Upgraded" to Kia Sportage - hated it
Proper upgrade to FL2 TD4 GS 60 reg Facelift - tailgate paint issues, fuel gauge rewire, transfer box failure at 36k miles, clutch at 60k
Reconditioned diff at 70k ish
Sold at 84k and now on a DS. Terribly unreliable.
Sold DS for a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Fingers crossed....
Sold Outlander for a 2014 SD4 SE Tech because I’m mental

A 4x4 Fiat Panda? Like this one:https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ad...odel=PANDA

That's a nice wee car but too costly. As I say I can't put anything towards the cost and my FL2 is a 60 plate with 57k on the clock. Autotrader reckon about £8.5k max.

Could just be me being unrealistic, but just realised how much fuel I'm using and seems daft for 90% of what I use it for. Learned to drive in 2011.
Bought a Micra - great little car
"Upgraded" to Kia Sportage - hated it
Proper upgrade to FL2 TD4 GS 60 reg Facelift - tailgate paint issues, fuel gauge rewire, transfer box failure at 36k miles, clutch at 60k
Reconditioned diff at 70k ish
Sold at 84k and now on a DS. Terribly unreliable.
Sold DS for a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Fingers crossed....
Sold Outlander for a 2014 SD4 SE Tech because I’m mental

I imagine buying am FL1 as a winter run around would work out a costly exercise in the long run. Always fancied one though  Learned to drive in 2011.
Bought a Micra - great little car
"Upgraded" to Kia Sportage - hated it
Proper upgrade to FL2 TD4 GS 60 reg Facelift - tailgate paint issues, fuel gauge rewire, transfer box failure at 36k miles, clutch at 60k
Reconditioned diff at 70k ish
Sold at 84k and now on a DS. Terribly unreliable.
Sold DS for a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Fingers crossed....
Sold Outlander for a 2014 SD4 SE Tech because I’m mental

You can find them cheaper: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/ad...odel=PANDA
On a holiday in Tuscany I saw them a lot. Used as workhorses over there. It is the smallest 4x4 car I know.

It is a cute wee car, certainly. Will need to do some serious thinking. I always remember Jeremy Clarkson asking why people bought big cars for towing when they only went on holiday with the caravan once a year. Sort of the same thing for me, although technically whatever I got would still need to be big enough for a family car. Learned to drive in 2011.
Bought a Micra - great little car
"Upgraded" to Kia Sportage - hated it
Proper upgrade to FL2 TD4 GS 60 reg Facelift - tailgate paint issues, fuel gauge rewire, transfer box failure at 36k miles, clutch at 60k
Reconditioned diff at 70k ish
Sold at 84k and now on a DS. Terribly unreliable.
Sold DS for a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Fingers crossed....
Sold Outlander for a 2014 SD4 SE Tech because I’m mental

The money you would lose on buying and selling would probably pay for a years fuel.

Not sure what annual mileage you do but if only a few thousand you ain't going to save huge amounts. MY 09 GS manual in Lago Grey, Wood Co arm rest and side bumper strips - now sold.

MY 15 SD4 SE Auto Orkney Grey with colour coded Bumper Door Mouldings

I would say I do about 10k a year, but as I say it is all school run, supermarket type things. Lots of traffic and whatnot.

I generally put in about £30 a week of diesel. Maybe not a lot for you guys but we swapped my wife's diesel A4 for a small VW Up as her commute had changed and now she spends about £30 a month on petrol. Learned to drive in 2011.
Bought a Micra - great little car
"Upgraded" to Kia Sportage - hated it
Proper upgrade to FL2 TD4 GS 60 reg Facelift - tailgate paint issues, fuel gauge rewire, transfer box failure at 36k miles, clutch at 60k
Reconditioned diff at 70k ish
Sold at 84k and now on a DS. Terribly unreliable.
Sold DS for a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Fingers crossed....
Sold Outlander for a 2014 SD4 SE Tech because I’m mental

My mate is driving a 4WD Quashquai a 12 or 13 plate. It's a long wheelbase 7 seater, lots of room as the extra two seats are folded in the boot. It has a 1.6 manual stop /start diesel. It gets twice the MPG of our Freelander on long runs, and 50% more on urban and short runs. It has many similar attributes to the Freelander , quite a high driving position, decent comfort ( it's leather and electric everything ) . It also performs well in bad weather , and soft off road , although the Freelander would leave it for dead in more serious mud. Service costs are similar , reliability is good, insurance and road tax a little better .

Thing is all up , all of those savings would struggle to give you £750 a year saving You'd lose that in a car swap immediately I'd reckon , so you'd need about 3 years to see a gain . 2009 GS Auto Zermatt Silver - Sold June 21 after 10 years of ownership

2016 Subaru Outback SE 2.0 diesel SE Premium Lineartronic Sold 2024 after 8 years and 80k miles . Best Car I ever owned !

2023 Toyota Hilux invincible X 2.8 Auto .

The Nissan is nice too. I'm beginning to think that without adding more money to it, which would defeat the purpose of the exercise, I'm not going to get the right thing.

The Fiat does look good but seems to get shocking reliability ratings. Not unlike another car many of us may own....  Learned to drive in 2011.
Bought a Micra - great little car
"Upgraded" to Kia Sportage - hated it
Proper upgrade to FL2 TD4 GS 60 reg Facelift - tailgate paint issues, fuel gauge rewire, transfer box failure at 36k miles, clutch at 60k
Reconditioned diff at 70k ish
Sold at 84k and now on a DS. Terribly unreliable.
Sold DS for a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Fingers crossed....
Sold Outlander for a 2014 SD4 SE Tech because I’m mental

Pull yourself together man and keep the FL2 !

 FL2 now gone and have a couple of items left for sale:-

Brodit active iPhone holder + Brodit dash clip,
Bluetooth Music Streaming Module.

It may well be that that will be the best choice

Just grudging the fuel consumption. That's all. It is quite a lot of money. But then I think it would balance out if I had a summer and winter car as there would be inevitable additional costs. Learned to drive in 2011.
Bought a Micra - great little car
"Upgraded" to Kia Sportage - hated it
Proper upgrade to FL2 TD4 GS 60 reg Facelift - tailgate paint issues, fuel gauge rewire, transfer box failure at 36k miles, clutch at 60k
Reconditioned diff at 70k ish
Sold at 84k and now on a DS. Terribly unreliable.
Sold DS for a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Fingers crossed....
Sold Outlander for a 2014 SD4 SE Tech because I’m mental

There are a fair few appealing petrol 4x4s out there from looking, but they almost all have a higher tax band than the FL2, which again negates the point. Needs more thought. Learned to drive in 2011.
Bought a Micra - great little car
"Upgraded" to Kia Sportage - hated it
Proper upgrade to FL2 TD4 GS 60 reg Facelift - tailgate paint issues, fuel gauge rewire, transfer box failure at 36k miles, clutch at 60k
Reconditioned diff at 70k ish
Sold at 84k and now on a DS. Terribly unreliable.
Sold DS for a 2021 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Fingers crossed....
Sold Outlander for a 2014 SD4 SE Tech because I’m mental