What you need to know before you buy a new 4x4 vehicle

Do you need a 4x4 or SUV? I guess this is the first question you have to ask yourself. There are many vehicles that may suit your purpose without paying the extra for the additional drive axle. Initial cost may seem the same as a 2 wheel drive vehicle, but, running costs will be more. When in four wheel drive, more fuel is used to drive the vehicle, so more expensive to run.

Also, there is more to service and maintain, again additional expense.

So, you have decided that four wheel drive is a must? your next decision must be, what do i want the vehicle to do. There is a whole range of vehicles with four wheel drive, from what are really cars, with the additional drive axle, to monster off road machines. Don't just decide for the moment, but decide for the life of this vehicle ownership. Is the family expanding, so, how many seats do you need? Are you going to need to tow something, such as a horsebox? in this case make sure the vehicle is suitable for towing, and what would the cost be for a towbar to be fitted, sometimes this is more cheaply done at the time of vehicle purchase.

What sort of terrain are you going to drive over? mainly road? some dirt track? mud? Snow? by answering these questions, you will be guided to what sort of tyres you need. For most, all terrain will be sufficient as they give a balance of about 50/50 % on and off road suggested use. If more mud, sand, snow etc. will be driven, then you may want to look towards mud tyres that are more 20/80% on road/off road. It may be that you decide to buy spare wheels with different types of tyres fitted, as this is the easiest way to facilitate different road needs.

In some cases, dealerships for 4x4 vehicles are further apart, perhaps find out which dealerships are nearest to you, as you will want to maintain your warranty, and visits too far afield are a pain. Also, it may be difficult to get a damaged or not working vehicle to the dealership if its very far away.

I would suggest test drives, taking into account your needs are important. Say you found what you think you needed and then discovered that it was actually not pleasant to drive?

I would also suggest that the best route would be to purchase a cheaper, second hand vehicle first. This so that you can learn to drive a 4x4 without potentially damaging a brand new vehicle. Particularly off road, driving skills need to be acquired, as there is a very real potential for danger if these skills are not learnt.