[Euan Innes]

Ahh, much jeepness, Efendi!!
I didn't like the 500X much - looks a bit big arsed to me, like it was designed by Kim Kardashian. Mine was much nearer £13k and is way better.

 

[Mike Barrio]

I like the idea of a new Jimny, or perhaps a Panda, but I like my old Freelander too much to consider it seriously

[Derek Roxborough]

my Dacia had a blow out and put us into a crash barrier, no one hurt ,so now I have a Punto, it does over 60mpg and it's zero road tax, so it will do me, I can walk still where I cant take the car,  I have friends who had a Jeep in the US and had nothing but trouble from day one, now they have a Subaru, the best all terrrain car I ever had was a Renault 4 it was so light it would get to places landies wouldn't get, I never had to dig it out and it was only Front wheel drive,with the back seats down it would carry 6 boxes of lobsters when I was at the fishing, Derek Roxborough

[Mike Barrio]

The Renault 4 ( Cuatro Latas ) was good fun to drive, the wrist action of the mid dash board gear stick took a bit of getting used to.
A bit like the Citroen 2CV ..... they would go anywhere and were 'interesting' when cornering

[Terry Coging]

Yes, the Renault 4! I had one and it was quite amazing what it could do for a two wheel drive.  Snow, deep mud, rocks, narrow gaps.... It was quite roomy for the dog and tackle too. Unfortunately the floor rotted very badly and it was plated/welded many times. I used to joke that the cornering ability was helped due to all the floor plating helping lower the centre of gravity. 
I currently run an old XTrail for fishing. Cheap as chips and quite capable.

[Steven Sinclair]

I quite fancy the van variant as a retro micro camper / fishing wagon 








 

Steven

[Terry Coging]

If you don't really need a 4x4  the Citroen Berlingo and Pergy Partner are worth considering. Stacks of room and better ground clearance than a normal car - but most importantly - for me anyway, is the large rear door that lifts giving plenty of shelter and a low floor for sitting comfortably. I had a Disco3 and hated the boot arrangement.

[Hamish Young]

I recently sold my late Father in Laws Peugeot Partner.
A fantastic fishing car it would have made if we'd kept it but it brought back too many memories for she who must be obeyed so I sold it off 

I found the ground clearance a little wanting to be honest, but it is nevertheless substantially better on the rough stuff than your average family car.

I know where there was a Renault 4 sitting..... must go see if it's still there, it had an Alfa 33 Sportwagon 4x4 for company.....

[Derek Roxborough]

there was a French Film called Traffic with the gangling French Comedian Jacque Tatie, taking a camper to an exhibition wonderful fishing wagon, Very funny,Derek Roxborough

[James Laraway]

we have a couple of 4x4s.

a 2008 plate Rav4 ( permanent 4 wheel drive) which we have all-season Vredistein tyres on - solid as a rock

then the XC60 - lovely car but a bit too posh to go fishing in and to get smelly 

[Terry Coging]

Catastrophe! My X Trail fishing wagon needs a new fuel pump. Unfortunately I am at the cottage here in Brittany and due to return home tomorrow. The local diesel specialist want 1716 Euro to replace the pump - that is just about as much as the car is worth!
May leave it here as a 'gate guardian' and replace it with something newer? So what will my next fishing wagon be?  Maybe another X Trail because I like them and and the current car has a set of new AT's fitted - which will be useful. I need a 4x4 for this place, 5 acres on a slope in the boondocks. Might even consider another pick up truck - useful for my other hobby of cidre making and restoration of associated equipment.

[Hamish Young]

Hmmm seems a smidgen expensive to me. I'd have though you should be able to pick up a reconditioned unit in the UK for about £500 depending on engine spec. Fitting Well shouldn't cost too much....
But is it really shot
Not that long ago I spotted an X trail at a garage and because we were thinking about an X trail I was inquisitive as the fuel system had been stripped out. The mechanic said the fuel pressure regulator was a regular culprit on Nissan diesels and that it was possible to change that and a couple of valves on the pump - so couple hundred quid and not thousands.
He said that most folk (folk=fitters) would just bolt on a new part rather than try and fix what's already there.

[Terry Coging]

Thanks for that Hamish - pretty much what I was thinking. Unfortunately the truck is in France. I have several contacts locally in the UK that could do as you say but no options in France.  The 262 mile trip + ferry back home would cost a bomb and at 79 my days of going underneath and fixing cars are over.  Looking at an other X-Trail at the mo.

[Terry Coging]

Bought another old X Trail. Petrol this time    Hardly a scratch or dent on it - a couple of fishing trips will soon put that right 

[Terry Coging]

Something missing from my fishing wagon. It's got an Orvis and a 'Flymasters of Indianapolis' sticker on the back but I've never bought anything from Orvis and only a pair of trousers from Flymasters. I have however, bought several Barrio fly lines and introduced them to several mates............

[Mike Barrio]

Hi Terry,

I haven't got any at the moment sorry ........ I'll order some more oval ones

Cheers
Mike

[Steven Sinclair]

Mike,

I'd be interested in buying two from you also (one for each side of the truck canopy) I'd completely forgotten that I was supposed to nip in past ages ago .

 

Steven.

[Mike Barrio]

Nice to see my wee fishing wagon in the top 50 photos in this month's Land Rover Owner magazine

[Mike Barrio]

Terry & Steven ......... the batch of oval stickers arrived today, I have popped a couple in envelopes for you and will post them on Monday

Best wishes
Mike

[Steven Sinclair]

Awesome cheers Mike 

With any luck i'll be representing your lines with this. (just waiting on a mate giving it a once over as i'm in Brunei atm)




 

Steven

[Terry Coging]

Thanks Mike  Fishing the club fly championships on Friday and several members use your lines. I must try posting some scenic pics of my fishing wagon  complete with Barrio sticker.

[Steven Sinclair]

Gents,

Say hello to the newest Fishing Wagon 




A last minute change of plans had me sending a mate up to Aberlour to pick her up this morning.




 A few cosmetic bits to tidy up namely lacquer peel on the bonnet and a small patch of rust above the windscreen  but other than that it appears clean and straight for it's age 

Plenty of plans already but decent tyres and a DIY camper fit out inside are the priority.

 

Steven.

[Mike Barrio]

Great stuff Steven ....... nice wagon

Is it auto or manual, the manual ones can be harder to find?

Cheers
Mike

[Steven Sinclair]

 Mike,

It's an Auto. You are right the manuals appear to be like hen's teeth. Luckily for me I have always preferred Auto's for off-roading anyway.

 It comes with some seriously quirky features  The electrically operated blinds for the Crystalite Roof are cool and the fold out footrests for the middle row captains chairs are funky but i'm gutted that it didn't come with the factory option Karaoke Machine (I am not kidding  )the Japanese are a strange bunch at times.

 

Steven

[Mike Barrio]

Pity about the Karaoke ..... but I'm sure you'll manage to improvise