Toyota Land Cruiser Amazon - Help ! Advice sought - shamrocker
Hi All,

I need some genuine honest pointers please. I drive an 09 plate CLK and unfortunately every time my missus travels more than 3 miles she gets excruciating pain in her lower back.

As it is a company car I am not due a change for approx another 24 months so my thoughts were to buy a second hand comfortable second car. My budget is 5-6k. It will be used primarily for hacking about down to Tesco with perhaps 2 long distance drives per annum (Ireland).

My main requirementsis comfort so i am aiming at something with a large wheel base without a sports susoension. The follwowing are on mynshortlist. Please feelmfree to add to or comment on those below.

 

98-00 Toyota Landcruiser Amazon

03 Volvo XC90

05 VW Phaeton 

 
SR
Toyota Land Cruiser Amazon - Help ! Advice sought - RT

The Amazon has a live axle, like horse-drawn carts - very good for axle articulation off-road but not wonderful on-road - and their air-suspension is prone to failure at the sort of age you're looking at.

Toyota Land Cruiser Amazon - Help ! Advice sought - SteveLee

Yep the Land Cruiser doesn't ride well.

Rather than the Phaeton I'd look at the Skoda Superb. You'll get more car for your money.

As for large comfy SUVs in your price bracket, the Nissan Murano is hard to beat, reliable, loads of kit and road biased in terms of suspention.

For comfort at that price, I buy a Jag XJ or an oil-suspended Citroën C5 - however the former has quite a low seating position (not great for bad backs) and the latter may not have badge appeal.

Toyota Land Cruiser Amazon - Help ! Advice sought - Collos25

I think it will be easier to have the wives back looked at.

Toyota Land Cruiser Amazon - Help ! Advice sought - gordonbennet

Hailing partly from Co Clare i can understand the OP's question, some seriously bad roads down that way, and Toyota Landcruisers are a common sight, though usually the slightly smaller Colorado, probably the best bet and getting rare now due to the number being exported to Africa...no fools where vehicles are concerned.

Unlike some above i found Amazons to be very comfortable, will take any surface and iron it out, though in the budget mentioned you will struggle to find a 100 series, unless a V8 petrol not yet converted to LPG, an oil well emptying prospect, which is no bad thing if you can find a lowish mileage 80 series, as its the toughest most durable model they brought here, later shape 105's (100 series body) were not officially imported, being live front axled and steel sprung, they are the choice of the UN etc where it simply must not break.

100 series on air suspension does not have a live front axle, and is a very smooth riding vehicle, it does suffer with suspension sensor problems, not cheap, but stripping them, cleaning and waterproofing them will extend their life considerably.

I wouldn't dismiss a Landcruiser or similar out of hand, having suffered the simply dreadful ride of a hired Focus on our last visit to Eire, never again, what anyone sees in that overrated car is a mystery to me, the constant pounding of the concrete suspension left us quite drained.

The best ride of more normal vehicles, Berlingo (worth trying) and same suspensioned Picasso's are very comfortable indeed, new shape Berlingos do not have the electric handbrake as fitted to C4 pic.

Large Volvos renowned for seating too.

Toyota Land Cruiser Amazon - Help ! Advice sought - No FM2R II

I've had all three;

Loved the Amazon. Really comfortable, loads of room to change positions and move around while driving to avoid aches and pains. Prone to back pain myself, never any trouble in the Amazon. Horribly expensive to run, and unltimately it becomes a bit of a pain to drive in confined spaces - small roads, towns, car parks etc.

I had a Phaeton from new. The one with the V10. Stunning vehicle. Best saloon car I have ever had. Comfortable, powerful, quiet, I cannot say too much about it. Two issues; its terribly prone to damaging its tyres in pot holes on country roads and I would not ever ever ever consider owning one without the manufacturer's warranty. Don't care what the trader is going to offer me with warranty insurance, wouldn't touch it.

Volvo XC. Like everything about it. Not the best at anything, perhaps. But overall very satisfied. Would definitely buy another. Just make sure you find a good independant garage, the main dealers are expensive and seem to be fitters rather than mechanics.