Can you recommend a pickup/4x4?

[bvl]

I've owned numerous 4x4 models over the years, this is what I figured out:

Landy 110 - Pros:Great workhorse, great off-road, great at towing, strong as hell, will tolerate abuse.

Cons:Rubbish fuel economy, can't use your phone in the cab cos you can't hear it, crap turning circle, possibly the most uncomfortable vehicle ever made, not much room in the cab for kit bag / personal stuff.

 

Landy 90 - As above but more manoeverable cos of the shorter wheel base.

 

Mazda B2500 - Pros: Comfy

Cons: Crap fuel economy, leaf springs failed within 40k miles, instruments prone to failure.

 

Navara - Pros:Comfy, well equipped, nice looking, good fuel economy, good low-end power for towing.

Cons: The engine will blow-up between 40k - 100k miles.

 

Mitsubishi L200 - Pros: Well equipped, nice looking.

Cons: Crap fuel economy, not much power, turbo prone to failure (very expensive).

 

Hilux - Pros:Comfy, well equipped, nice looking, good fuel economy, good low-end power for towing.

Cons:Haven't found any yet, we've had 3 for a couple of years now and they're out working with no problems.

 

In summary, if you're not too bothered about comfort, I have to say that there is no substitute for a 90 Landy. If you're up for a bit more comfort, then IMO the Hilux will take some beating.

 

PS Although I haven't tried them, I've heard the new Ranger & Isuzu are also pretty good.

Edited January 5, 2011 by bvl
Forgot the L200

[White Noise]

i drove through there again 3days ago, forgot about the speedbump halfway through and nearly lost the toolbox and chainsaws out of the back of the truck, nearly lost me dinner too, with the 110 doing its best icebreaker impression through the 4inch ice on top of the mud:thumbup:

 

Gotta love em . Lost ya dinner that,ll teach ya

[tommer9]

The 300 / 200 disco easier to work on we had 5 or 6 over 10 years good vehicles but now very very dated and agricultral . None of them were as reliable as the td5 or as powerful especially towing at 70 mph. I remember endless cambelt changes and head gasket failures, P gasket, cheap nasty water pumps.

 

I find this astonishing, and can only assume you bought abused models, or were unlucky.

I have yet to meet anyone who deals with landrovers all the time who has a single good thing to say about the Td5.

However, in the world of hard working defenders (imerys clay pits in st austell- almost certainly the most punishing environment in the world for vehicles) the 200tdi is seen as king of reliability. I run a 300tdi and it will pull my rig at 70+ all day long, with a roofrack and oversize mud terrains, loaded with chip a towing an 9" vermeer chipper!. I test drove a Td5 hicap a few years ago, and when empty it pulled very well, with an empty 12' ifor behind it it was a gutless P.O.S.

[gensetsteve]

I find this astonishing, and can only assume you bought abused models, or were unlucky.

I have yet to meet anyone who deals with landrovers all the time who has a single good thing to say about the Td5.

However, in the world of hard working defenders (imerys clay pits in st austell- almost certainly the most punishing environment in the world for vehicles) the 200tdi is seen as king of reliability. I run a 300tdi and it will pull my rig at 70+ all day long, with a roofrack and oversize mud terrains, loaded with chip a towing an 9" vermeer chipper!. I test drove a Td5 hicap a few years ago, and when empty it pulled very well, with an empty 12' ifor behind it it was a gutless P.O.S.

 

All models were under 40,000 miles when bought and problems occured over 100k of hard road towing. We very rarely ever roll around in the mud for work or fun. You need to try a TD5 with a rev counter if you go from a 300 to a TD5 you will be bogging it out at 1200rpm they sound like they are revving higher than they are. Also they had alot of faulty air mass meters and badly set up throttle pots. The Td5 needs at least 2500 rpm to make any progress with a trailer the fuel is very accurately metered and this is what makes them economical even when revved a bit harder. Nothing wrong with a 300 great vehicle in 1993. If you buy a bad Td5 absolute nightmare. Pays your money takes your chance.

[volvo]

If you want a truck buy a hilux but if you want a van buy a defender,preferably a high top 130.

[Kat1e]

Thank you all so much, some really useful info and detailed answers there, very helpful! Now to read it again, try and make sense of it all and choose one- I'll update on what I end up with!

Thanks again!

[gensetsteve]

I forgot to mention we currently have a 12 year old Hilux. And unless you need to carry 1.5 tonne in the boot I think its one of the best vehicles I have had in 20 years. We wont be buying more Landrovers anytime soon.

[Lyndon]

my experience exactly! what mt's have you got? are they insa? or general grabber? i've got at's at the moment and was looking at getting a set of mt's. I was just looking at the pick of your defender on the arb truck thred very nice. reason im asking is what kind of milage do you get out of them towing on road?

Edited January 6, 2011 by Lyndon
sbeling

[evergreen]

Ive had a landrover tdi 200 and now a ford ranger. The landrover was expensive to buy, excellent off road, noisy, and leaked like a seive. The ranger was cheap, comfortable tows well but a bit sketchy off road. Prefer the ranger overall but im still in love with the landy!! I miss her!

[Dts trees]

Get a ranger can't go wrong, landys are rubbish!