So I am looking at getting a 4x4 for my first car, primary uses include:

- Offroading on a shoot, which includes going over wet, boggy fields and woodland tracks
- Beach Launching a small boat over hard to medium sand
- towing a small boat (gross unbraked trailer weight= 350-400kg)
- Commuting 10 or so miles per day as well as motorway use relatively regularly.

Obviously insurance plays a big part in this as I am only 17.

I have looked at the following with a budget capped at £1500:

- Freelander TD4
- Suzuki Jimny
- Suzuki SJ410
- Nissan X-Trail
- Series 2 defender
- 300 tdi disco

(I am aware this is a landy forum, so excuse the suzukis and nissan )

At the moment the freelander is taking the lead.

Also any opinions on the best insurance company to go to would be great

Cheers, Henry

Interesting thread and I'll be interested in people's responses. Here's my 2 peneth...

Of that list the Freelander and x-Trail are AWD as opposed to 4WD - ie they don't have a center diff, they use a coupling to provide torque to the rear when the front slips. The 4WDs have a center diff - so if the front slips, no drive goes to the rear, unless you engage diff lock. I drive a lot on sandy beaches for fishing - with the Disco, I had to stop and engage diff lock, then disengage after - with the Freelander, it just takes it in its stride - just drive on!

Same is true for slippery and muddy fields - AWD is at its best. Here though is where Traction Control really helps as well, and of the list the Freellander's the only one with it (don't think x-Trail has it). The Freelander is awesome in this environment.

If the tracks you're going to be driving though are deeply rutted, then you need ground clearance. For this, you're into Defender and Disco territory. You can get lift kits for the Suzukis and Freelander, but that's expense and still won't give you the same clearance as the others.

What you want to tow isn't much weight, so all of the cars should cope with that. When it comes to beach launching though, you would really do with a low-range transfer box provided by the 4WDs. My Freelander launches our boat, which is a bit heavier than that, on concrete ramps without any issues. It would probably do beach launches fine as well, but I would probably want to be in a Disco the first time I try it. Suggestions on the forum have been that an auto box in the Freelander helps where low-range would be useful.

For a commute and regular long journeys, the SJ would soon lose its fun factor! The Defender would probably follow on soon after (but wait for the animated responses). I don't think your mates would want to squash into a Jimny - so your down to the Freelander, x-Trail or Disco. I've never driven an x-Trail - but I've owned Freelander & Disco for many years and both are great for this - rear comfort is better in the Disco - as is the view.

So my suggestion would be a Freelander. I'd qualify that by saying diesel for reliability, economy and torque, and further qualify by saying probably an auto so you're talking TD4 not L Series (unfortunately!).

You could all ways go left field and pick up a cheap Terrano 2 for next to nothing, will go anywhere and all most bullet proof.

We had a Jimny a few years back and soon got sick of it, to small and felt unsafe. I would say Freelander or X Trail.

I have a series 3 aswell, you will not want one as your only vehicle