4WDs - Are you happy with yours?

The last few days of rain has highlighted to SOH and I we need a 4wd simply for getting around on the farm. getting E to school was a challenge one morning this week, fortunately the fab carpenter and his 4wd has been available to pull out the majority of us out[]....

So, being a previous toyota owner and not entirely happy with those, and not happy with the plastic junk interiors of the new dual cab mitsi's, I thought I would open the debate as to what you have and are you really happy with it and do you give it a good workout to earn its keep?

I was going for a comfy carpeted interior on the next purchase, but both the Ford and Honda are looking so worse for wear covered in mud, gravel, jumper leads, rope, gum boots, tools.....

What about the Diesel V. petrol debate? do you still feel you are in front with Diesel?

I have a 1995 Nissan Pathfinder and it's great.
Looks like a heap of shyte and is bascially, but it's reliable and I love it - and it tows my float, slowly, but surely which is the most important thing.
It's also come into it's own on our farm with various mis adventures!!
It's an oldie but a goodie and is my "farm hack"...
Sundays

Ours are older mitzys 1 petrol (ours)1 diesel (sons) 1990 and 94 both good but petrol faster more comfy just as cheap to run seems to pull as well both light in back end when empty

To be honest if your not happy with the Toyota's, your probably not going to be happy with anything...

Are you talking landcruisers or hilux's?

FencerMan;250593 wrote: To be honest if your not happy with the Toyota's, your probably not going to be happy with anything...

Are you talking landcruisers or hilux's?

both. have owned both at the same time from brand new in the 1990's. I had a four runner (aka surf here which is a version of hilux) and former Hubby had a cab chassis series 55 ? landcruiser.

He being the country boy wasn't happy with it either and we had it rebuilt (having owned it since new) a few times and it was relatively crap compared to a turbo daihatsu (sp?) diesel that his Father had at the time....and we did serious stuff with all vehicles....

My Western aussie Uncle, a die hard Land rover fanatic, was so p..... off with them when his just out of warranty new piece broke down and had to be transported back (at his cost) to Perth for fixing got rid of his LR vehicles and is driving a Prado..... a big come down for him, but as he says they can be fixed by the local bloke in aussie, as opposed to the landrover.
his preference is still landrover, but its the servicing and fixing issue that holds him back, and he IS the premium off road bloke.

so what is the local go?

How much money do you have?

Nissan Navara STX. Awesome 4WD.

Hyundai tuson, I love it.

Just in case anybody's feeling lonely out there ... we have a 2WD ute. I went looking at the shiny ones at the fieldays when last there and they all had carpet inside. Crazy, I thought, knowing how dirty everything naturally gets. Have tractor for emergencies and gumboots, for getting around the farm. []

keep your car for normal use, and get an old 1987-1990 2.8 turbo diesel Isuzu Bighorn.

Go anywhere, carry anything that fits inside (2 FULL wool sacks + spare space) and tow whatever you need.

cheap too for a third car, about $2K for a reasonable one. Their motor will clock up over the half million with simple maintenance.

Kiwi have to say we love Isuzu diesel motors go for ever and pull like crazy

Kiwi303;250612 wrote: keep your car for normal use, and get an old 1987-1990 2.8 turbo diesel Isuzu Bighorn.

Go anywhere, carry anything that fits inside (2 FULL wool sacks + spare space) and tow whatever you need.

cheap too for a third car, about $2K for a reasonable one. Their motor will clock up over the half million with simple maintenance.

this is useful info, it doesn't have to be new and I suspect I would be happier if it wasn't, knowing the current treatment of our vehicles....

I've got a jeep - I know they get guff reviews in the dog and lemon, but I've had 2 now, one here and one in the Uk.
My one here is a 1997 and I've had it for 4 years. It's bullet proof. It gets through its WOF every time. I haven't spent a penny on it other than new tyres.
I like that its 2 wheel drive ( so less for petrol) and you put it into 4 wheel drive when you need it. Mine has been all over the farm, through rivers, down the beach, it tows anything we've thrown at it - oh and it opens gates!
The 2 I've had have been 100% reliable.

Ah swaggie...surfs arent 'real' hiluxes....They ALWAYS have problems.... Im not so familier with the landcruisers.

If you stick with an early 90's 2 or 4 door, 4wd Hilux, you won't go wrong... Even the topgear guys couldnt destroy one! They are a tad more expensive, but there is a reason for that!

Swaggie, there was a repo auction 2 days ago for trucks, diggers, and tractors in Mt Wellington. They had some 4WD's there that went for EXCEPTIONAL prices! (actually, EVERYTHING went cheaps as chips, it was unbelievable)

There is another one coming up in a couple of months, and there could possible be some really good bargains there again, i will let you know when i do if you are interested...

If you are wanting transport as such go for a 90s Terrano. We have a 91 diesel done 240 000 odd kms, we keep it serviced and it goes great. Engine doesn't smoke, body is pretty good, it tows everything, goes hunting gets hosed off then goes to get the groceries. The main thing has been to service regularly. Daughter now has it has her vehicle to use as not a boy racer mobile, she can fit all her horse gear etc inside and it tractors along from A to B with no issues. It is never going to set a land speed record but it is a great vehicle