After missing services for a few years due to tight money, our current T30 X-Trail (2006? Over 220k km) is ready to be taken out to the back paddock and shot.
The car overheated a year ago after the radiator busted open and dropped all it's coolant at once. We got a new radiator but it still wasn't right, and ended up getting a new/reconditioned head put on. After that it still wasn't great (incl. a mystery oil leak), and we ended up with the replacement radiator springing a leak (turned out that at some point we'd mixed two types of coolant, which turned to gel inside the radiator). I got it replaced again, but shortly after it started making horrible noises which I've been told are the valves (or was it the cyclinders? I'm not a car guy) topping out and hitting the head. On top of that, we've also got a wheel bearing on it's way out, and somehow the exhaust manifold on the head is leaking, not sure if it wasn't put back on properly after the head was done).
Initially I was looking at replacing the engine with a reconditioned one, but after speaking to a mechanic today it's sounding like that might not be the best option.
So I find myself now looking at options for another second hand SUV, with a budget of $10-15k (which will by covered by a loan). A little bit of research has me thinking that an X-Trail with low k's is the best way to go, but would like to hear from others.
Note, I live in the country, where 5 days a week the car is only being driven for 20 minutes a day, but can end up doing 100-300k in a weekend on trips. I'd prefer to stick with a SUV for size, and to make it easier on dirt roads (getting to local camping and swimming spots, but no real 4WDing).
Hyundai i30 GD wagon
https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/hyundai/i30/gd-series/wagon…
fits 4 plus dog easily, very economical, huge boot, and if you need more space you can use a roof pod