Why should i Fero?

[-Nemesis-]

Hey guys,

I'm forever trying to decide what to do car wise, but my latest thought process is to sell my 94 4Runner and get a cheap weekend bush basher. My daily driver will be some overpowered sports car.
My question here is why should i get a Feroza? If you guys could sum up the pro's and con's... I've found a nice 91 Feroza ELIII F300GE3 for example, has lots of accessories but no apparent mods. What sort of suspension is in these little dudes? And how rewarding are they off road? The car doesn't seem to have much standard clearance like my current ride.
The reason i looked at these was because of an old 4WD Buyers Guide i have which rates them off road.
Cheers
Bryan

[HeathGQ]

My daily driver will be some overpowered sports car.

My question here is why should i get a Feroza? If you guys could sum up the pro's and con's...

-Feroza is a cool little car.
-Reasonably capable off-road after a few easy mods and tyres.
-reasonably zippy and economical.

What sort of suspension is in these little dudes?

Leaf sprung rear with torsion bar Independant Front Suspension.

And how rewarding are they off road? The car doesn't seem to have much standard clearance like my current ride.

We had a lot of fun in ours on beach runs, and the 'easier' tracks. Loves the mud!!! But the IFS limits what you can do. No locker available except for weld front.

Consider the wheel base and have a look at ramp-over angles. Approach and departure angle are pretty good also without a bull bar.

Personally, if all you want is a cheap weekend basher, go zook, hilux, MQ patrol SWB, etc.

But we would get another one for town and light 4wd duties.

[-Mick-]

Dude if you want a weekend basher buy a spook. A feroza has bugger all available aftermarket and the IFS is a pain which costs $$$ to get around.

I sold my feroza to my girlfriend but still drive it around most of the time and bought a zook for play Zook goes ten times better in the rough stuff

If it were a daily driver it might be different, MIGHT

[DeVooluff]

It's a fun little car. More comfortable than a zook, but IMHO not as capable off-road. Spare parts are a b$99@^ to get hold of and cost the earth. The sunroof and removable resintop are great in summer (can you tell I used to drive a moke? )

I drive mine every day and rarely take it off road in any serious way. If it's not going to be your daily driver... you gotta go the zook, especially if your thinking of heavier mods.

Having said that... i wouldn't trade Roza for Suzi!

[Goatse.AJ]

Firstly, where are you?

If you've gotta do a lot of driving to get to where you're wheelin', then go the Feroza.....it's a much more solid vehicle, and much nicer on the open road than a Zook.....similarly if it gets cold where you live.

In stock trim, the Zook and the Feroza are pretty well identical offroad, and the Feroza can be made much better offroad with some cheap and simple mods, namely: wind up the front end (really simple), take off the anti-sway bar, whack some extended shackles on the rear, and put some decent muddies on it (which you'd have to do on the Zook anyway).

While a lot of people crap on about the limitations of IFS, the truth is that MOST people will rarely, or never, find themselves in a position where they'd really notice the difference!!!

To really get the benefits of the live axle front end of the Zook you need to spend money and do some work on it. I've seen way too many Zooks with several inches of suspension lift which have not much more front axle articulation than their mum's Honda Civic. Similar story with the rear end.

Again, it depends on where you live and what you'll be using it for, but for my money, the Feroza is a decent on road vehicle, usually very reliable, and a very capable offroad truck if your driving ability is up to it, especially if you weld the front diff.

Cheers,

[murcod]

Well said AJ.

Ferozas have galvanised body panels too- how many Sierras do you see around with rust...... Reliable engines, no real common faults (unless you cane the crappers out of one- then your gearbox and front diff may cause problems).

I don't know if parts are really any dearer than Suzuki- eg, genuine timing belt for under $60, ~ same for genuine distributor cap.

Ferozas handle really well on road and have got some nice features if you like a bit of luxury.

Things like extractors, dual battery cradles, long range tanks, performance shocks, raised rear leaf springs and performance air filters are readily available. Lockers and snorkels aren't, but there were factory rear LSDs (that are very hard to find.....)

I've been in a Sierra and the ride just doesn't compare (if that matters to you?)

[haasa]

I've both.

I perfer to drive with the Zook where no other cars can go (extrem axle articulation and lockright in the rear).

I do'nt go with the Suzuki further then 20km from home - otherwise I will need a doctor.
Therefore I use the Feroza...

Before the Feroza I had a Pajero. The offroad ability is nearly the same. The Pajero is more softly, more comfortably. The Feroza has a very very good turning circle which makes it agilely like the Suzuki.

Best choice: Feroza with 150PS, 33 tires and locker in the rear

[SimplyPV]

ferozas are not as capible as zooks? such bs! i've outdone some zooks myself.. some of them with 4 inchs of lift! of course, they didnt get much flex since the leafs were too stiff. zooks tip over more easily than rozas. not to mention they are more solid. when i first bought my roza, i liked how she looked stock. then i found out how capable they are off-road.... i've been addicted since. modding and wheelin. this little rig surprises me every time! yes parts are pita to locate sometimes, as well as after market accessories... but i think that makes it alot more fun. because you gotta be creative in order to make what you want. thus a roza aint no cookie cutter... another reason why i love my roza. she is a beast and mods will always be coming to her.... i like the ifs... a pain because we cant lift it.. but thats my only complaint. a year or 2 down the road, i'll look into doing a s.a.s. new engine, and driveline. but for right now.. the look on a yoda owner's face when roza wheels past him... oh what a feeling....... the look on a jeep owner's face when he sees roza right behind him, and often times passing him, flinging mud everywhere..... yep... its a jeep thing....

[stumped]

go the zook
mine, with minor mods (slightly lifted springs, extended shackles, 2" bodylift and 31" muds) drove stuff the roza's wouldn't attempt on the diahatsu trip to the watagans. and all for less than the price of a standard roza

cheaper to buy, easier to mod, hell more capable offroad with a little work. for less than $10K you could have a zook u can do comps in

having said that, if u do most of ur driving on the road or on firetrails, then the roza is heaps better... more power, more comfy. if driven well, the roza can go most places the average 4x4 will go, they are pretty underrated. but if u wanna get hardcore, they lack potential for mods

my 2c

[-Mick-]

zooks tip over more easily than rozas. that is an odd thing to say are you referring to width or do suzukis just tip over in the wind. Maybe my zook needs to be parked against a wallso it doesn't fall over

.... i like the ifs... I couldn't stand it, no articulation so you have to charge everything which is fun sometimes but downright dangerous and easy to bust stuff other times

a year or 2 down the road, i'll look into doing a s.a.s. new engine, and driveline. Why not replace the car with something more capable instead of replacing everything bar the shell

Listen to the people who have owned both, concensus says zook If a zook is too rough for you it is probably in your best interest to make sure your retirement home allows 4wd's to park on site Seriously though my zook is comfy enough. People will tell you to by different things because of different biases If they love toyota they;ll say that, daihatsu they'll say that and so on.

I love my feroza but pound 4 pound the zook will outshine it in the bush everytime + cheaper parts + easier mods + more aftermarket + more knowledge...... For a weekend basher a roza doesn't make sense to me

my 2c

[r0ck_m0nkey]

drove stuff the roza's wouldn't attempt on the diahatsu trip to the watagans. and all for less than the price of a standard roza

The Ferozas wouldn't attempt, or the owners wouldn't attempt? Big difference between the two. How far a person is willing to push a vehicle plays a major part into how capable a vehicle really is.

If it is a dedicated weekend vehicle and nothing more, i personally would not (and don't) have a Feroza. If you need it for other purposes aswell, i would recommend one. If i was to ever go to a smaller 4wd again for a weekend toy, it would be a SWB Soft Top Rocky with Spring over Hilux axle swap, and 2.8L Turbo Diesel.

[murcod]

The off-road ability of a vehicle is often inversely proportional to it's monetary value....... My quote of wisdom for the day.

I wouldn't attempt a lot of things in my Feroza as I don't want panel damage. But if you've got an old bashed up Zook, who cares?

[-Nemesis-]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. Now there's another equation to add.
I've been sourcing some quotes in doing up my 4runner for an everyday use and weekend basher. Like a Lexus quad cam V8 conversion
I'll keep summing up the pro's and cons of each.
How do each vehicle go on the beaches like Stockton?

[lay80n]

Have ya thought about the rocky at all, ya get live front axle, and can get ac and ps as well. The turbo diesel don't go too bad iether, and good on the juice. I recently got a zook, and although i had a fair amount of stuff on my rocky, it was runnin out of potential cause there wasnt much aftermarket for it. But if ya not going crazy, then a rocky isnt that bad a choice, not as good on road, but in my opinion much better off road. Mines for sale too, see link at bottom of post if interested and as for the beach, i never had any trouble with it, even pulling cruisers out. But i didnt drive beach much, not my thing.
layto....

[stumped]

drove stuff the roza's wouldn't attempt on the diahatsu trip to the watagans. and all for less than the price of a standard roza

The Ferozas wouldn't attempt, or the owners wouldn't attempt? Big difference between the two. How far a person is willing to push a vehicle plays a major part into how capable a vehicle really is.

well the roza's wouldn't do it without the drivers, they need to work on their self-confidence a bit before trying it solo
em was on the trip, and i've driven with her since... she goes hard in the roza, but will admit the zook has it when it comes to more "hardcore" (for a lil car) stuff



dave, that quote rocks!!!! i'm gonna steal it

[ferog]

You cant beat the sweet sound of the feroza 1.6 fitted with extractors, nicer air intake and sports exhaust belting along a firetrail ...but for the harder stuff... you'd be wasting your money, you cant get the same suspension set up as any good 4by without spending a packet.

Probably best to get a zook, they are cheap as chips and easily modified, and it wont matter that it doesn't have any guts seeing as you will be taking that out on your 'overpowered' daily driver

[Dangerous Dave]

Ahhh, what is a zook?

I'm going crazy. Can someone post a picture or provide a link?

Cheers

Dave

[HeathGQ]

Ahhh, what is a zook?

I'm going crazy. Can someone post a picture or provide a link?

Cheers

Dave

WTF???? Suz(oo)uki - you freak.

[stumped]

go look thru the suzuki forum

[-Mick-]

go look thru the suzuki forum

What's a forum

[ferog]

yeah what is a suzuki ?




and make sure you look at sierra's and nothing else

[Croz]

and make sure you look at sierra's and nothing else

Emma, It's not like you to mislead people....


The real offroaders are the Vitara's. Don't listen to Ferog.

[ferog]

SL-7 is supposed to be tops as well, better in the hard stuff than a vitara

[stumped]

the x-90 is even better than the the SL-7

wtf is an SL-7???

[Croz]

wtf is an SL-7???

I"m with Stumped??!!??

WTF?

[murcod]

SL-7 is supposed to be tops as well, better in the hard stuff than a vitara

What the hell is an SL-7!?!

Now you're just making models up...

Face facts the Holden Cruze is the best 4WD made by Suzuki.

[SimplyPV]

who fawkin cares?!?!?!?!? were in a daihatsu forum and i dont want to hear about any damn zook pos.. ok that said.. moving on!

[lay80n]

daihatsu with not working motor, or running zook???????????????????????????
take ya choice.

[SimplyPV]

daihatsu with non working engine any time! its called loyality.. somethin you might want to learn layto....