4WD around oz tips and hints!

[crumpet1313]

haha arrhhh this is gunna be a headache !!

if i find a car, ill cut n paste the link, you can tell me what use think !!!
thanks everyone

sue n ash

[mike-s]

^^ Turbo diesels are also more economical than either NA diesel and defo petrol!!.

To add my two cents to this, my missuses work car (Ford Ranger) is less economical than her 06 Hilux (4.0l v6) ever was, this is ignoring the fact that the Ranger is a bucket of shit anyway.

[Jonno]

2000 era Prado 3.0 TD if you can get one under $16K. These things pull like a train for a 4cyl.
I had a 2002 V6 version and it was a good enough for me to consider another one soon.
Not sure with the Diesel model but mine had 90litre main & 70 litre sub tanks, with 5 kids, 2 adults 1 dog and a camper trailer fully loaded it was getting around 1200km's to the empty light Hwy use and 1500kms a fill around town.

Anyway, it won Diesel of the year for a few years, pull the extra 36 seats out of it and you have a brilliant wagon.
Dont go the sludge-box (auto) and if you can get one with a rear diff lock fitted go for it!

[crumpet1313]

If I have the money to spend, is this something to look for?
http://www.carsales.com.au/all-cars/pri ... &silo=1011

if im being a tight arse, is this one alright??
http://www.carsales.com.au/all-cars/dea ... &silo=1011


I'm aware that the factors come into play such as service records etc etc .. condition of motor blah blahhh.. BUT are these ok models to be looking at ?

Cheers guys - Thanks for everyones input so far

Ashley and Sue

[Nelso]

How many people giving advice here actually take these cars off road at all, much less out to the middle of Australia? The reason for suggesting the two models I have are because they are simple. There is no electronic fuel management system to go wrong when you are crossing rivers and driving for countless hours in bulldust etc. It also means if they do stuff up they are usually easy for the average bush mechanic to get them going again and they are extremely popular vehicles in the outback so you are more likely to get parts in a hurry. They are both coil sprung which makes them a shit-load more comfortable than any hilux, troop-carrier cab chassis etc, or even any of the newer leaf rear/independent front duel-cabs currently on the market and they still have a live front axle which makes them more capable and far stronger than the IFS soccer mum 4WDs. The bigger diesels are also designed to be way underpowered for their size so they will last forever if they are well maintained, if you only get 400,000km out of one of these 4.2 diesels you have mistreated it as they should be good for double that. The hardest thing about these models is going to be finding a diesel for that price range, as Dave suggested. It would be easy finding a petrol or gas one fully set up for that type of money but the diesels usually get $4-6000 more than the petrol or gas models and are far less abundant.

Yes you can take plenty of other vehicles out there, but for the money we are talking here, I can't think of a better model than either of these two, especially since there are so many already set up for this sort of thing. And just for the record, yes I do go 4WDing and know a bit about 4WDing and touring. Here is mine being used as it was intended.

[Nelso]

If I have the money to spend, is this something to look for?
http://www.carsales.com.au/all-cars/pri ... &silo=1011

if im being a tight arse, is this one alright??
http://www.carsales.com.au/all-cars/dea ... &silo=1011


I'm aware that the factors come into play such as service records etc etc .. condition of motor blah blahhh.. BUT are these ok models to be looking at ?

Cheers guys - Thanks for everyones input so far

Ashley and Sue

At a quick glance I'd say the first one is definitely what you are looking for and would avoid the Pajero for the reasons above.

[Gosling1]

Great pics there Rob !!! I wondered if that rig of yours ever got up to some nice rock climbing ....

but for the planned uses of the 4WD that have been identified.......

....Hey, Im not planning on going hardcore 4WDing, I'm only planning on taking it onto beaches and maybe through a few well known national parks. We want to follow the coast, and only go in, when we get to NT, to see the big red rock ....

I think the range of vehicles that are capable of doing this sort of trip *in comfort* are a bit wider than just a carbie Landie !! If these guys were doing 'The Track' or Great Sandy, or anywhere like that, then yes, a diesel Landie with no frills would be really the only choice.

But for keeping to the main highways, a bit of beach work, and the odd trip down a good graded road ?? A diesel Prado could do this in its sleep, and be a shitload more comfortable than any live front-axle troop carrier .... yeh I know they get slagged by the hardcore as a soccer-mum 4WD, but we have taken our 3.4 Prado into the local mountains/ goat tracks, and also down the coast a few times - with just the stock LSD it has gotten us into plenty of great spots and all done without spilling a drop of the decaffinated latte with soy !!!

[Nelso]

Fair point Gos. I just skimmed over that post about intended use and mainly sticking to the coast and assumed they would be taking the inland roads/tracks. I just get paranoid about some of the cars people take outback after some of the horror stories I have heard. There are that many abandoned trailers (due to falling apart from the rough roads) on some of the well used tracks they are considering banning them from being towed in at all! Because of the poor condition of the roads many of the smaller computer controlled pretend 4WDs end up with electrical issues after they rattle apart. You also hear of so many tourists getting stuck because of their lack of knowledge of 4WDing. An eg. is a German couple who hired a 4WD and got it bogged out in the middle of nowhere back when my in-laws were touring Aus; the bloke got the shits with waiting and walked off looking for help and died from dehydration while the woman was found a day later by the ranger who simply let the tyres down and locked the hubs to drive it straight out of the bog-hole! I for one would prefer a reasonably capable 4WD if I was relying on it for my survival.

So in short, if you are not going inland to the dirt roads I have to agree that a Prado or something similar would suffice.

[crumpet1313]

Hey Nelso

When you say a 80 series Landcruiser, are you referring to a 1980's model ?? haha god i must sound so dump.. i can see this trip being a easy one!!

Thanks for the info you gave as well !!!

Crum and sue

[Cath]

Hey Nelso

When you say a 80 series Landcruiser, are you referring to a 1980's model ?? haha god i must sound so dump.. i can see this trip being a easy one!!

Thanks for the info you gave as well !!!

Crum and sue

Crumpet: scroll down about 2/3rds of the way for info on 80 series - it's not referring to the year model.

And you don't sound "dump" at all

[Gosling1]

heh Crumpet - what you should do, is hit the local newsagent and see if you can find a copy of a 4WD 'Buyers Guide'. This will have all the info you need about different models, different styles of motors and accessories, and generally a whole lot of good info on 4WD'ing. These are released by 4WD Monthly every now and then.

You need to familiarise yourself with the different models, so you don't get ripped off when buying one.

Last tip ? - avoid early-model Pajero's like the plague. Later ones are better if you must get one - but out the back, Landcruisers or Patrols rule the roost.

[esie]

A friend has recently come back from a wee drive across the country to the Kimberley's and back. He had a Landrover Discovery, and had no end of trouble with it, and with getting parts. His recommendation to anyone going outback is to take a Toyota Diesel, both for availability of parts and diesel.

[Nelso]

Hey Nelso

When you say a 80 series Landcruiser, are you referring to a 1980's model ?? haha god i must sound so dump.. i can see this trip being a easy one!!

Thanks for the info you gave as well !!!

Crum and sue

80 series is the model which is the coil sprung wagon made in the 90's. It was the 60 series wagon in the 80's which was leaf sprung (rough ride) and very prone to rust. As a Nissan (Ford Maverick) driver I have to admit that the 80 series cruiser is the pick of the 4WD wagons from the 90's.

[aardvark]

As a Nissan (Ford Maverick) driver I have to admit that the 80 series cruiser is the pick of the 4WD wagons from the 90's.

Everyone knows the Maverick is better than the Pooh-Troll....

[Wardy]

This is what you want.

But you can't have it coz it's mine.

good luck with the planning and definately get it early and learn how to service/fix it. long wait for the nrma out there.