What Fourbe?

[MoparKevUk]

I'm in the market for a 4X4, hopefully to tow a boat!

I'm looking around the $12K range. It will be my commuting tool, so gas is not a worry as it's paid.

I had a '98 Jeep Grand Cherokee back in the UK and it was the juice, not sure if the Oz spec is as high......

I seem to be up for a 2000 Patrol (petrol 6 non turbo), 2002 Grand Cherokee (petrol V8) or 98 LandCruiser (petrol 6 non turbo). Prefer auto.

What's the opinions? Will I be raped on parts for the GC? (I am mechanically wizard-like ) Will all the jap stuff be flogged at that age and 200k+ km? Not really interested in offroading or beach driving, but they are things I've not done and should, as I've been here 2yrs now......Fraser sounds the goods at some point. (Also need a small auto roundaround for the missus )

[Keen-as-fisho]

You can have my GU Patrol ($23000, has all the bolt ons and then some ).

12 grand would get you a decent Hilux. If your looking at getting an unleaded 4by stay away from anything thats got 200+ks on the clock, chances are its due for a rebuild. Better off with a diesel, if well looked after there good for 500000ks.

[faulked]

if it doesnt say land rover on the badge its just a cheap copy

[Keechie]

Hilux all the Way XD haha

[dhess]

Agree with what Keenas fisho said about the diesel.

In my experience jeeps aren't bad although most people reckon they have attrocious build quality. I used to have a 2004 TD cherokee and was a very capable tow car with good economy and a pretty decent drive. Like you say though you will get absolutely raped on parts so stick with japanese. You will probably find best bang for buck in a pajero or challenger or even a pathfinder.

[MoparKevUk]

Nice replies, will give yer $23K GU a miss mate! Hadn't really factored an oil burner...Interesting. Keep 'em coming! Like a Challenger but they are at the top of my range for the cheapest.....

[fishingnut]

patrol 4.8 if fuel is no drama, pulls harder than a teenager on prom night

[Davo_Dinkum]

your either a Nissan Patrol or a TOYOTA LANDCRUISER guy ..............its like FORD and Holden .

GO the landcruiser

[Hunter]

I have owned a Tritons for 4 years and a Pajero now for 18months. Apart from regular services and wear and tear items like brakes and tyres I have never had a problem or situation the vehicle couldn't handle. The new Tritons have an excellent tow capacity and now have best turning circle in class. Just another opton anyway... Mitsubishi.

I do appreciate Land Cruisers - Had a 1979 troopie which took me around Australia. There is no denying Land Rovers as a great vehicle either if you can afford the parts and services.

[chonna]

wouldnt bother with the patrol unless it was a turbo diesel!! they have some serious torque on the beach and just chew the sand up no worries!!

[MoparKevUk]

Davo_Dinkum wrote:

your either a Nissan Patrol or a TOYOTA LANDCRUISER guy ..............its like FORD and Holden .

GO the landcruiser

I'm a Mopar guy, so it should be JEEP or Challenger......(Mitzi bought out AusChrsyler in the 70's, just in case you were confused ) Only Jap stuff I've had is murdersickles, always good Keep up the ideas, Fellas!

[Davo_Dinkum]

MoparKevUk wrote:

Davo_Dinkum wrote:

your either a Nissan Patrol or a TOYOTA LANDCRUISER guy ..............its like FORD and Holden .

GO the landcruiser

I'm a Mopar guy, so it should be JEEP or Challenger......(Mitzi bought out AusChrsyler in the 70's, just in case you were confused ) Only Jap stuff I've had is murdersickles, always good Keep up the ideas, Fellas!

figured that kev .

valiant guy = jeep.

i tell u to buy the nissan patrol before a jeep .

[Davo_Dinkum]

Pajero,s are ok too ,just remember to keep them maintained .

services and making sure fluids and oils are always right or u end up like Scotty with a blown up motor .

the v6 and modern motors are just not like the old motors were low oil or water she ok just keep driving and fill it up later .

i'm not real keep on any v6 motor they always seam to have complaints about them .

heads ,bottom end ,they just a bit to soft ,can't take crap and brake .

[dhess]

Just doing the brakes on all four corners on my 2004 KJ cherokee cost over $1000 and that wasn't a jeep dealership but a mechanic my family have used for years who charges a very reasonable rate for labour. The cheapest we could get the rear pads in Australia was $360. What a joke. Otherwise was very happy with the vehicle.

[MoparKevUk]

Bring all the Jeep stuff in from my UK Chrysler Buddies!
/>http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CERAMIC-REAR-BRAKE-PADS-JEEP-CHEROKEE-KJ-2002-2007-/330364862863?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item4ceb47c18f

[crazywalrus]

mate I have a rodeo dual cab petrol which I love. You can probably pick up a 5 year old one at the auctions for around 12grand. The Hilux are a bit more. They are so cheap because there are so many coming of lease all the time. Will be some low Ks amongst them.

[Davo_Dinkum]

why do i like Toyota's and Toyota's landcruisers ,well other than my dad owned 6 from new over the past 40 years and never had any real problems .

i have had 2 toyota's .

a 1985 tarago van ,flogged the crap out of it for 5 years no problems .best 1800$ i ever spent .

and the 1884 ,60 series landcruiser I got now ,6 year of flogging the crap out of it and its still going .it won't die ,rust is what is going to kill it and make me retire it .

i got it in 2004 ,second time on the clock 60 thou km on it .20 years old and who knows how many motors /rebuilds etc it has had and what it been through .

i have done 80 thou kms over 6 years and heaps of beach /salt water work .and do stuff like in the video all the time ,its still going .

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HyWe065aic

the last year she has had a rest just towing the tinny or used for camping ,towing the van or trailer about .but before that i used to go out and flog it like in the vid for 1/2 or a full day at least once a month for 5 years .

taco off the clock reving the guts out of her and bald tyres but didn't stop me trying lol.

[katfish]

this is always going to be a holden v ford, nissan v toyota, nikon v canon, daiwa v shimano kind of topic.

My first 4b was a 1996 suzuki sierra. had that 10 years with no dramas. now have 2006 nissan navara str 3.0ltr td & hope I get the same out of that + more.

modern jap diesel motors dont compare to their euro counterparts. they tend to clag, & need to be engine flushed when oil changing.

hilux/landcruisers have better overall finish, more modern interiors than navara/patrol, but expect to pay a shed load more just for the sake of brand.

yes I own a nissan, but the equivalent in a toyota would have cost be the good part of 10 gorrillas for the privilege.

I just dont like jeeps, they have been known to randomly catch fire, oh great! & build quality, dont start me up.

talk to a mechanic and ask him/her what they get the most of in for repairs, this should be a good guide for a fwd purchase.

Im not saying my navara is perfect, it wears tyres out afer 40 000+ kms, but after driving around Aust on some of the worst roads, which include the tanami, this vehicle performed without fault. cheers.

[Davo_Dinkum]

the old suzuki is ok.

so are a rodeo 4 cyc ,bro got one been flogging it for years still going .did need a new motor at 250 thou but other than that its been ok.

[woody1]

Everyone has their own opinions on different makes, I drive a pajero, and it's much nicer on road than any of the Toyota or Nissan you can get for the same price. you could probably find something post 2000 with leather seats and all the creature comforts.

I do have a couple of cliché stories about me getting through stuff the hilux's and cruisers couldn't but the truth is, my pajero seems to break waaaayyy more parts off-road than mates Toyotas and Nissans.

If you think you will get right into offroad stuff, stick with the big boys, but as you say it will mostly be on road... have a drive of one of the less hardcore models and see how it compares

[ellicat]

Another opinion -

Get a dual cab with a canopy. You get the benefits of the cabin being separate from the tray. Throw your wet, stinky, muddy or sandy fishing gear in the back - doesn't bother the cabin inhabitants - and then hose it out later. The tray offers twice as much (if not more) room than the back of the wagons. Take the lid off and take your trail bike out or go get a load of dirt from the landscape yard.

You'll lose a p00fteenth of regular 4WD capability, but it'll still get you further than an egghead in a wagon :laugh:

[Davo_Dinkum]

the dual cab with the canopy not a bad call,more versatile.

if i didn't need 10 thousand seats ,i would go a dual cab ute .

[kriso]

mate from my experience being a mechanic i can honestly say if you want reliability and cheaper on going costs stay away from a Jeep, land rover, range rover etc i have worked on them all and they all are a nightmare to fix anything and parts price are simply ridiculous! stick with the jap stuff, toyota, nissan and mitsi. i would also look at a dual cab ute rather then a wagon alot more versatile vehicle. diesel if you can afford it is great but if not no biggie finding a auto in this though will be hard as most utes getting around are manaual in 4x4's. with 12k up your sleeve your bound to find something half decent. if you go a wagon i would be looking at pajero's did my time on them and found them quite good. every vehicle has there good points and bad ones so it just comes down to finding one thats the best for your money at the time.

[tangles]

Kev, throwing out a question on what fourby to buy is akin to asking what footy team to follow. You're always going to get a raft of answers.

But back to the original question....landcruiser, patrol or Jeep under 12k.

In the back of your mind I think you have already decided.

Cruisers and Patrols are highly regarded in Oz and as such, they command a high resale value. Have a look in carsales.com and I think you will find that any cruiser or patrol under $12k will be older than Methuselah or it will have more K's than the Starship Enterprise.

New Jeeps have become quite trendy lately, but that wasn't always the case. Ten years ago they tended to be bought by old farts who were passionate about Jeeps and maintained them accordingly. 10 Year old one owner XJ's with less than 100K on the clock can be had in your price range.

Thats a lot of bang for your buck.

Parts may be slightly dearer, I don't really know. I owned a Jeep Wrangler for 5 years and the only parts I ever bought were the regular service parts such as filters and plugs.

Once a mopar man......