Outer Limits 4x4 Board

Hey, im looking at getting a suzuki sierra as my first 4wd and i just wanted to know of any common probs they have or what to look for when buying one (other than rust )....... any help would be great

Thanks

so did you read the bible like suggested in your other thread as all your answers will be in there

im looking at it now but its not really giving me the info i was after ...... i just want to know what to look for when buying on so if you could tell me from stuff you have learned about them or point me the right way that would b great

the buying guide bit isnt in the bible anymore it seems!

look for rust under the door sills (behind the plastic, it just lifts off), under the floor mats and just around the body in general.

check 4wd works, check low range works, hubs easy to engage, check all electrics, check under oil cap for water (milky) and under rad cap for oil (and in overflow tank), check for blue smoke out the exhaust, look at springs/shocks, check chassis and fuel tank for dents - a good sign its been abused off road (like everyone on here does to theirs).

note years of manufacture to differences in builds:
- pre 1988 are narrow track, possible 1L engine.
- including and post 88 are widetrack, 1.3L engine.
- post 96 (i think) went coil sprung and if you plan on modifying theyre harder to do.

other than that search this section for "buying" in the subject line - its been done many many times.

these cars are over and in some cases well over 10 years old.
same as with any older cars there will be good and bad examples but they will all have minor issues which will require regular matainance.
My advice find a low km (around 100,000) vehicle with a good regular service history and look at the owner also. A mid 50's bloke that has had the car for 15yrs is going to have lavished the car a bit more than a
p-plater if you know what i mean.

aaron001au wrote:Hey, im looking at getting a suzuki sierra as my first 4wd and i just wanted to know of any common probs they have

They Fall over a bit.

Drive one.

They are slow, fairly uncomfortable, draughty, noisy and not overly practical.

That said, they are also pretty cheap, very capable and a shit load of fun.

Rust is definately the first thing to carefully check for.

Also keep in mind, like every other, car the service history and overall condition is probably a good indication of the car's history.

Be careful with modified vehicles as you may have trouble registering it in your name.

Death wobbles are also a problem which costed me a fair bit to fix

How many kays are sierra's supposed to last? My 94 softy is in pretty bad shape and has done a tad over 200,000kms but I just bought an 85 drover that has done 365,000kms and the body and chassis looks pretty perfect compared to the softy!

^^ how long does a block of chocolate last in your fridge?

...Depends on the owner.

best thing i ever bought, spent bare minimum on mine and it goes some unbelievable places (did before i broke a piston ring and decided i wanted to turn it into a ute), all depends on what you want to do, if you are handy with ur tools and reckon you could rebuild a 1.3 id go for a nice clean one with a few kms and rebuild it when it gets smokey, buy something fairly stock, dont look at the big rubber and lifts as geting a rwc will be a pita, besides you will get more satisfaction building your own weapon, and do it properly. stick with leaf as coilys are more effort to get working properly. i drive a shorty patrol aswell but fark i miss my zook, best first 4x4 ever

Kitika wrote:How many kays are sierra's supposed to last? My 94 softy is in pretty bad shape and has done a tad over 200,000kms but I just bought an 85 drover that has done 365,000kms and the body and chassis looks pretty perfect compared to the softy!

yea i just got a 85 drover today with 325,000 ish for memory. Still goes great but has no brakes currently lol. Chassis is super clean and hardly any rust. 2 tiny bits behind headlights and somethings up with the windscreen wiper but other than that its a decent little thing...except high top is not the most attractive thing lol.

Nah the two sun roof windows make it irresistible to women