Which medium-sized 4WD would you buy ?

Beano

Beano

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I'm posting this in the Technical Forum because it doesn't really fit in with the Toad Pond-type posts.
I need technical info.


I want to buy a 4WD. My budget is not big at all (perhaps $3,500), and I have decided to get a medium-sized one....neither big not small. In fact my budget is so small that I may have to get one with up to 200,000 Ks on it and fix it up.....at least I will then know that work has been done and new parts installed. I don't trust people selling cars as much as I used to....many Aussies seem to keep cars till they reach 200Ks and flog em off, expecting big bucks. Luckily there are also some more affluent people out there who have more realistic expectations.

I don't really know which ones have a good reputation, and am hoping people here might have some experience.

At the moment I am thinking about an old Toyota RAV4 or a Nissan X-Trail (or Pathfinder).

And I have found Mitsubishi Tributes have problems. And I'm not considering Daihatsu Terios (too small), wouldn't consider any Ford, and I think Hiluxes are too popular to get a good one.

Perhaps the best bang for my buck may be to buy a damaged one from Pickles or Mannhein auctions and fix up the panel damage ? At least then it will be relatively low Ks.

Any feedback appreciated.
 
Mazda make the Tribute and Ford make the Escape badge engineered vehicles, but neither are serious 4wd . And the Tributes are heavy on petrol. We used to own one.

In my opinion if you are looking for transport with 4wd the best bang for buck are the Japanese Import people movers.

My choice would be , at your budget would be a 2002 -2005 MCR30 Estima G (all the fruit) , with the 1MZFE V6 and either six or seven seats depending on the trim options.

I've seen these as low as $5k at private sales.

Most service parts are the same as the contemporary Camry's. And are very cheap.

They are very comfortable and sliding doors both sides at the rear are convenient. Depending on fitted options you can get electric self opening/ self closing sliding doors and tailgate.

I realize it's a bit to the left of you request, but it's just a suggestion. And they are pretty competent off road (but not down mine shafts)

Under no circumstances buy a vehicle that has been imported by Edward Lees, AKA Edward the wizzer.
Sydney car dealerships raided by NSW Police, uncovering odometer tampering of used cars
 
If it needs to be a 4wd ... as you intend to ... .you know ... actually use it as an offroad machine .... ( Wow, who'd ever do that with one :clown: )

Land rover discovery v8 .. manual ... costs shitloads in fuel to run .. .ugly as sin. cheap as chips ... buy 3 so you have two parts cars. I'm driving an $800 Range Rover around at the moment towing a block of flats.... It just keep chugging along drinking vast amounts of fuel pretty much always.

Your wasting your time looking at "popular makes" if your spending that sort of money. If your talking hilux .. you'd be looking at an ancient cart spring thing with 1million kms on it ... and a hideously wheezy 4 cylinder motor.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Land-Rov...id=100005&rk=3&rkt=6&mehot=pp&sd=322571513177

checkout parts prices on ebay and gumtree.... parts are very cheap, even after market new for the disco 1's (gee's there ugly though

seeya,
Shane L.
 
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The question that I would ask first is, why do you think you need a a four wheel drive?
 
an rx4 could be ok ... it depends what he wants the 4wd for. The rx4 will have as much axle articulation at a golf buggy ... so not a lot of use offroad. Didn't the rav 4's used to be ok offroad ? And had a low range transfer case (like any decent 4wd needs).
 
I was just looking under "4wd" on ebay .... what about a jeep ? The modern'ish jeeps seem to be worth nothing (ie: the 2000'ish era jeeps). Surely the old mechanicals in them would be 60years old in design and go forever. If your milage is low, it would probably be cheap running for a 4wd ( fuel would be expensive to feed it ... parts you'd buy from ebay.com ... ie: the USA where they are very cheap).

seeya,
Shane L.
 
DoubleChevron said:
an rx4 could be ok ... it depends what he wants the 4wd for. The rx4 will have as much axle articulation at a golf buggy ... so not a lot of use offroad. Didn't the rav 4's used to be ok offroad ? And had a low range transfer case (like any decent 4wd needs).
Click to expand...

I guess you never drove an RX4 then! I popped up in places in my RX4 where "regular" 4x4
drivers said "How did you get here?". I told them I drove.....An RX4 would eat a Rav4 unless the inclines were over 40 degrees....
 
Beano said:
---I need technical info.


I want to buy a 4WD. My budget is not big at all (perhaps $3,500), and I have decided to get a medium-sized one....neither big not small. ---

I don't really know which ones have a good reputation, and am hoping people here might have some experience.

At the moment I am thinking about an old Toyota RAV4 or a Nissan X-Trail (or Pathfinder).
---
Any feedback appreciated.
Click to expand...

Hi Beano :)
The question to ask is what do you want to do with it. Ponce around and look like a ****** going to work, drive it on the beach, cross flooded streams and ford mud holes, tow a 30 ft caravan or what ?? It has some bearing on what style of 4WD you need. Not all are crated equal in performance or reliability and depending on what you do with it the two may not be related IMHO :)

Kms to be travelled, fuel economy tolerated, comfort and seating capacity.
Jaahn
 
Kim Luck said:
I guess you never drove an RX4 then! I popped up in places in my RX4 where "regular" 4x4
drivers said "How did you get here?". I told them I drove.....An RX4 would eat a Rav4 unless the inclines were over 40 degrees....
Click to expand...

I only said that because I've seen youtube videos of RX4's offroad... and they have zero axle articulation .... they lift a wheel almost right away ( if the drive wheel is off the ground, you don't move). This is what I mean driving through terrain where you lift wheels



He might just want it to go to the supermarket though for all we know. The RX4's sure are cheap if it's just to be a run-about. I've just been looking at all the 4wds on ebay ... .Wow there expensive. all the pretend 4wds hold there value really well (unless it has a renault badge of course :clown: ).

seeya,
Shane L.
 
DoubleChevron said:
I only said that because I've seen youtube videos of RX4's offroad... and they have zero axle articulation .... they lift a wheel almost right away ( if the drive wheel is off the ground, you don't move). This is what I mean driving through terrain where you lift wheels
Click to expand...

I have news for you concerning modern vehicles like the Rx4! Wheel articulation doesn't count when a vehicle has traction control, Shane. Wheels in the air lock and all drive is transmitted to the ones in contact with the ground/mud/snow/gravel etc....! You should try one!:wink2:
 
Well...
A tough ask for that price....

Pajero is an OK option so long as it has been kind of looked after....but expect high miles.:(

The LandRover Disco is a great choice for the price...but expect to be hands on as far as ongoing costs and repairs go...easy parts availability via UK Ebay.....but thirstier than a team of brickies on payday Thursday...:eek:


If you are not too serious about the 4WD ability then an older good nick Subaru, (Brumby if you can find one), is a possibility. But remember, a gearbox or engine is a killer if it needs replacing.
 
Shannon's have a nice looking Haflinger at the moment :)

That's for if you want to go up mountains and down mine shafts

Good luck with the search

Andrew
 
If you want a real 4WD ie low range and manual front hubs, buy a Nissan Patrol. They go forever and don't break axles like Discoverys. Parts are dirt cheap. I bought a new water pump recently for $40.
 
PeterT said:
If you want a real 4WD ie low range and manual front hubs, buy a Nissan Patrol. They go forever and don't break axles like Discoverys. Parts are dirt cheap. I bought a new water pump recently for $40.
Click to expand...

worth big $$$ even with millions of kms on them (literally). Disco diffs are very weak compared to the patrols (infact they try to fit patrol diffs to land rovers ...). Unless your fitting 35" mud tires and taking 1st low full throttle runs at bog holes and cliff faces, it's unlikely you will ever break the diffs.

Standard vehicles are pretty sound. Just make sure the engine hasn't been cooked ( though you can buy another running engine for a few hundred),

The biggest issue is the amount of fuel they use. My old rangie is averaging 30L/100kms towing on LPG. Fuel costs are only a small part of running costs though if you include depreciation on a 4wd that is going to have limited use.

An 2000's era jeep seems very cheap compared to other 4wds... Is it just running cost (like the rover v8) that kills there values ?

seeya,
Shane L.
 
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