Oh I have many.

I suppose my first one is so they have conventional steel springs or expensive to fix air suspension? Do they have a hill descent control style system?

What are the common faults/weak areas likely to break and repair costs?

Running costs not a huge concern as SA has a weird cheap road license scheme and fuel is about 60p a litre.

 

Standard springs

Hill Descent = Yes

She is unaware of any common faults, apart from routine maintenance/wear & tear parts its had a recon turbo & cat back exhaust

 

As said, she has owned it from new and doesn't have any interest in changing it. Apparently, if you remove the rear seats, you can fit 9 bails of hay in the back!

 

Even though her's is an automatic diesel there is still a low range gearbox.

 

Hope this helps.

Mate of mine has a Disco 3 and I can echo Rustynuts comments.

 

A distant relative had to have a replacement engine in his which was circa 15K fitted as they have to take the whole body off to change it.

Coming from Africa and visited many times, I would suggest Japanese (UN use Landcruisers mainly). VW manufacture there so The new Tiguan/Tourag would be good options. For me are 2 important items. Availability of spares, good dealer servicing, reliability (and anti car jacking lol). Mercs are also very good. However the high end value cars would be susceptible to car jacking

A distant relative had to have a replacement engine in his which was circa 15K fitted as they have to take the whole body off to change it.

 

Apparently that's not all that common and they are made to have the body come off. Needs done for a few jobs. They have special lifts at LR dealers that let them do it. Suppose it makes home maintenance a challenge. My mate's husband is a lorry mechanic so it's maybe a bit more workaday to him.

Coming from Africa and visited many times, I would suggest Japanese (UN use Landcruisers mainly). VW manufacture there so The new Tiguan/Tourag would be good options. For me are 2 important items. Availability of spares, good dealer servicing, reliability (and anti car jacking lol). Mercs are also very good. However the high end value cars would be susceptible to car jacking

+1 on the hijacking.

Accordbig to our contacts out there, VWs are more likely to get get hijacked. Presumably only the high end stuff, as loads of people drive citi golfs (a mk1 golf), or maybe they're easier to jack. Who knows. Reading up on the Touareg, propshafts are an recurring big issue." Along with chest valves and steppers in the auto box.

SWMBO saw a forester in the flesh and instantly rejected it.

Land cruisers are hard to find in budget and under 100k mileage.

What about an early xC90? Again, the internet suggests expensI've angle gear problems are frequent..... but maybe volvomeg is still about and could advise?

Sometimes it's horses for courses re car jacking and yes I've read that VWs appear to be more susceptible but tha'ts maybe because there are more of them. A SA friend has just recently moved here and he had a Golf 1.4TSI. My brother who's retired there drives a Hyundai Santa Fe SUV 4x4 and swears by it. Roads are generally very good so if you are not planning doing much offroad then is a 4x4 necessary?

 

If I go back to the 1960' 1970' my Father had Mercs (not 4x4) and had to contend to a much higher % of dirt roads. They and VW were the only cars that didn't fall apart on dirt roads. 4x4 were only owned by those in very rural areas. I was living in Zimbabwe 1997-2001 and had a VW Caravelle with V6 VW engine as standard factory. Was not 4x4 but did travel through Mocambique, Zambia, Malawi, SA with no problems

Apparently that's not all that common and they are made to have the body come off. Needs done for a few jobs. They have special lifts at LR dealers that let them do it. Suppose it makes home maintenance a challenge. My mate's husband is a lorry mechanic so it's maybe a bit more workaday to him.

You don't need anything special, a 2 post lift will do,

 

And the dreaded X5 has just been suggested.... (2004-6, 3.0D Sport).... And I'm looking at it and thinking....hmmm.nice.... Gulp!