Outer Limits 4x4 Board

hey all.

just bought a house so with our change we are gunna get the cook her 1st car.
she is on her L plates, 24yr old, been driving an '85 4x4 lux around out the bush when she can so she knows the basics etc
HOWEVER she is a bit dodgy on the whole manual thing, she is ok but she isnt confident enough to drive one in town yet.
also she needs to get her P's ASAP for transport too and from work as our new house is a bit out of the way, therefore we are just gunna get an auto for the time being so she can get her P's quicker.

now heres the problem, our budget is $8000 AT THE MOST, and dont want to take out anymore money.
we dont want a full size wagon but dont want a piss ant rav4,vitara etc

so im drawn between a few...
4runner
surf
pathfinder
jackaroo
or maybe a disco

all aged early to mid '90s

what are your thoughts/preferances/experiances and advice on them?
or anything i should know about each particular model?
or any other car i may have overlooked. (not cherokees though, i think theyre ugly as sin!)

remember it MUST be an auto, petrol or diesel doesnt matter but if diesel would prefer turbo being an auto.
its not gunna be a serious offroader, just a daily driver to work, shops etc and to take on trips with the odd bit of offroad, bush tracks, beach etc, just light duty stuff.

so give me your advice, any help will be greatly appreciated

i have voted for none...though the tojo auto is very good. if she is good at fixing cars and wants to keep busy doing so buy a disco. if you want to drive rather than fix buy one of the tojos.

joeblow wrote:i have voted for none...though the tojo auto is very good. if she is good at fixing cars and wants to keep busy doing so buy a disco. if you want to drive rather than fix buy one of the tojos.

Here we go again...



IMO the best option would be a disco V8 auto on LPG. They are cheap as chips, comfy, and despite what the sheeple say, reliable (if you get one that has been looked after).

If you aren't fussed about offroad ability, a terrano 1 (import pathfinder) is not too bad. They come with a TD27 engine, which is basically a truck motor. The auto is a slug, but apart from that, they are a good solid beast, and you can get one for <4k in good nick. They lack ground clearance offroad but otherwise they go ok. Some friends in a Terrano 1 managed to tag along behind my landie on a trip from Brisbane-Perth earlier this year (7000km).

For blowie's benefit - the terrano needed a CV boot, a bump stop, and 3 staked tyres repaired/replaced along the way. My 1967 landie needed a clutch slave cylinder.

yeah i must admit im leaning slightly toward a surf (only coz of more comforts than a 4runner)

and yes isuzu the terrano was on the same list as the pathfinder i shouldve mentioned.

with the disco thing im a little muddled about the whole v8 and p plate thing. ive gotta suss it out properly.

buy the way im not intending on starting a shitfight between one or the other and dont want one to happen.

GQ PATROL

I'd be going the Jackaroo. they are cheap, they are well built they are easy as to drive and they are very comfortable

InSanE wrote:GQ PATROL

x eleventy7

If you're more into touring than offroading then I'd go the Jackaroo. If you want better offroad ability then I'd go the Disco.

gq????? didnt i say i didnt want a full size wagon?

khany427 wrote:gq????? didnt i say i didnt want a full size wagon?

Ever heard of a 2 door shorty?....

bogged wrote:

khany427 wrote:gq????? didnt i say i didnt want a full size wagon?

Ever heard of a 2 door shorty?....

or if you want missfires, backfires and doors falling off.......

bogged wrote:

khany427 wrote:gq????? didnt i say i didnt want a full size wagon?

Ever heard of a 2 door shorty?....

sorry... shouldve mentioned, want 4 doors

Vitara

Get a big 4 door GQ Wagon.

Challenger?

Reviews

Disco TD5 (twin aribags) good ride quality and decent economy.
I like the jackaroo's they are good buying, decent offroad and like most Isuzu stuff pretty well bomb proof and good quality control.. Supprisingly easy to drive as well.

How much bigger is a lwb gq over a disco????

Craig

GQ PATROL

SWBMQCraig wrote:How much bigger is a lwb gq over a disco????

Craig

A lot. Disco (1) is 100" WB. GQ is 113"??? And it has more rear overhang.

Lada

RockyF75 wrote:Lada

Not a bad suggestion, it is still a better option than a Rocky I guess ..

Why not an auto 3.0L V6 Paj? You can buy a top nick 2nd gen one for 5k.

I didn't vote.

Cant drive a manual transmission???

Practice, practice and practice.

Can't go wrong with a Pajero.

RockyF75 wrote:Lada

it will suit you well khaney, better give the misses the 40

XJ cherokee?

tna racing wrote:

RockyF75 wrote:Lada

it will suit you well khaney, better give the misses the 40

hahaha we fired the chev up the other day an shes like "and you expect me to get in the cruiser when that f#%@ing thing is in it????!!"

so yeah that aint gunna happen lol

and thanks for the opinions and ideas guys, its slowly helping me!

From a females point of view, I say go the disco! I drive a 98tdi auto and it has to be one of the best 4wdrives Ive driven. If you can find one that has been looked after you wont be sorry. Maybe go and test drive a few different cars to give you some better idea. Good luck.

Mrs Rut Rat

hey them challengers look and seem pretty good.

anyone know much about them??

Before buying the Smurf I was looking at Pathfinder/Terrano, Challenger or 4Runner/Surf.

Went Surf cause I felt I got more value for $$'s spent, plenty of support for repairs/bits a pieces if/when needed (over 90% of stuff is exactly the same as aussie 4Runner) plus the missus uses it for her DD so the extra "bells & whistles" are good.

Mine has been a great rig from day 1, tho have seen/heard of some lemons as well, which I suppose can be said for all make/models.
The main reason for them doing heads is most seem to ignore the cooling system and with the drier strapped to the side she will get hot without a cooling system that works properly.
I have completely re-done the cooling system as prevenative maintenace and have had no problems, has done over 200,000 k's and still have the origonal head and gasket.

If you do look at a Surf, have a read on the Aussie Surf web site for stuff to check for.

HTH.