Jap Pick up trucks

[tommer9]

I had a hilux, which althoug quite reliable was not man enough for this Job IMO- I bent the chassis.

I have been fairly impressed with rangers, but they are (like all of what you are looking at) pretty much a car with 4x4, and like all the jap stuff, prohibitively expensive on parts- which are apparently very hard to come by, and woefully poorly built-These problems only become apparent in harsh conditions though.

Basically unless you are going to really really beast your truck then any of them will be ok. If you want to tow alot of weight then forget all of them though, likewise if you want premium off road performance.

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

Tom it must be time LR paid you royalties

[born2trot]

Tom it must be time LR paid you royalties

 

Its true though

[Joe]

I've recently boutgh a new hilux (September 2011) and havent really towed anything of any weight with it yet, I went for the invincible double cab and have used it for moving logs across fields and as a car for myself, it's round town fuel is about 30/31 to the gallon and on the motorway it will cruise nicely doing 38mpg. It's very comfy to drive, and the cup holders are very handy!

[tommer9]

Tom it must be time LR paid you royalties

 

:lol:maybe they do.....

Anyway i never mentioned the green ovalled crap.

[pie eater pete]

Spent an hour last night looking at some superb Land Cruisers on Oz EBay-some good kit that's the only thing I'd swap my Landy for. Think you'd be talking a lot to import one but if you kept it for 15 years?

[NI Tree]

you could speek to tata zinc ore mine in ireland they might be able to help as they are bringing lots of landcruisers 79. as they have stoped using landies lol

[Minotaur]

Thanks for the replies

 

D22 has a well documented engine problem, that to their shame Nissan tried to avoid, deny and denounce - thanks to the chaps at knackered Navara they eventually had to admit to the fault and start to put it right. But NOT before it cost many people alot of money, work, their job, etc. Perhaps a bit old hat.

 

Similiarly Land Rover denied the head gasket fault on the K series petrol engine as fitted to the Freelander. As I know to my cost and disgust.

 

So the older Navara's out

NP300 is a bit old, but hopefully the no more reliability problems

 

D40 Navara, unfortunately has some problems , but none that compare with the D22 Navara. However, I don't like all the electrics and the lack of a proper lower box controlled by a gearstick, rather than a button. Perhaps a bit too lifestyle. Not sure how it would cope in N. Africa, which is somewhere I quite fancy visiting with whatever truck I end up with - if I do end up with a 4x4.

 

L200, old shape, just too old for my liking.

L200, current shape, like the single cab, but really don't like th elook of the club or double cab. There are some comments around about various reliability problems or faults, but none that stands out that would stop me buying.

 

Hilux - old shape, another truck with a great reliability record, but rather underpowered and not the best tow tug. Plus hideously overpriced for such an old vehicle.

New shape Hiluxs, good reliability reputation, one friend has driven his 4 times to West Africa full loaded with no problems. However, they have a very poor recommended tow weight rating at 2250kg, although they are plated at 2800kg, and several reports of them towing that sort of weight without a problem - although I do wonder if thaty s the owners talking 'up' his truck.

 

LR130/110, superb off road ability, against Iron age design and ride, but the only truck witht he benefit of permanent 4wd. Well aware of their ability, as I took a 130 overland to Cape Town. Very expensive but hold their price well - apparently. This is probably the case, until I buy one then they will become the only truck that nobody wants!

Why, oh why, don't LR make a Disco dropside/utility/pick up, etc.

 

Never really fancied an Isuzu, was told they were a bit behind the field in design and ride quality.

 

Ford Ranger/Mazda, old shape performs well as a work truck by reputation but on a very old and underpowered engine.

Ranger/Mazda current shapes - seem to have become very popular, but is that down to price alone? Lots of comments that they struggle to tow anything like their plated load.

 

Land Cruiser 40 series is ancient but almost unstoppable.

60 is a station wagon only

78/79 series have an awesome reputation for longevity, I know someone who owned one with in excess of 500, 000 miles in Africa and despite looking like scrap was still going stong. And the ability of the straight six is just legendary. I have driven quite a few of them and really like them if only they were available over here. But think they would have forced LR hand years ago.

 

The heart says LR but the head says a Toyota, however perhaps pricewise an L200 or Ranger???

 

Still in a damn quandary!

Edited February 9, 2012 by Minotaur
extra info

[Billy]

L200, I tried both semi long term and I now own the L200 the hi lux broke!

 

 

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I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=51.374058,0.481674

[Lee Winger]

After having numerous light 4x4 trucks, my first choice would be the Isuzu