Outer Limits 4x4 Board

hi all, going to start looking for a proper 4x4 to replace my l3004x4. got a budget of about $20k. was thinking of a dual cab ute but think the rear seats are a bit of a squeeze. so maybe looking at a patrol, land cruiser, surf or maybe a pajero. going to want to do a few outback trips and maybe tow a boat or caravan in the future. was also thinking TD. what would you recommend, pros/cons etc? cheers, dave.

G'day Dave,

You could pick up an early 90's TD 80 Series Landcruiser for around 20K. Great tourer and tow vehicle but old with quiet a few k's on the clock most probably.

You could get a 2000-2001 TD5 Disco for 20k , Proably with less than 120km on it.

depends what you want to do with it,but if i was after an economical 4wd with ability to do some off road i would buy a diesel surf which i then would use the change to buy a fridge and other things like bullbar etc.
But if i was after a tuff truck i would buy a turbo diesel gq patrol the diffs and driveline are very tough and don't break as easy as the 80 series cruiser, but the 80 series has a higher level of interior comfort so depends on what you want out of it.

Mate for 20k you can get a bad ass 4x4 for sure

You could pick up a slick hilux dual cab diesel for that price id imagine

Or a crusier or patrol too !!

66split wrote:hi all, going to start looking for a proper 4x4 to replace my l3004x4.

If you are looking for something with more offroad ability then I think you would be disappointed with any of the mid sized utes (Rodeo, Hilux etc).
They have similar setups of IFS and leaf rear that you already have.
I'd be looking at Discovery, Patrol or Cruiser. Preferably spending less than $20k so as to have money left over for repairs and mods.

If you are going to buy a surf... get the 3.0l Turbo Diesel... they are less prone to serious engine troubles... should be able to land a good one for $15k, check out the forsale section on www.toyotasurf.asn.au there is always a couple for sale.

NL TD Pajero (last of the solid rear models.) Slightly smaller than 'Cruiser or Patrol, but nicer to drive long distances (I have toured in my brother's 80 Series - definitely truck vs car.) Don't use your L300 as basis for comparison - it's wheelbase is significantly shorter than the LWB Paj, so ride and handling will be different. Don't be too concerned about IFS for touring. I use my shorty for touring, and I've yet to find anywhere that the IFS was a problem.

The Pajero drivetrain strength will be second only to the Patrol, power and torque is better than the Disco, but nowhere near the TD 'Cruiser. I don't know about the other vehicles. The 2.8 is all mechanical, so "chipping" isn't an option, but they can be tweaked up for considerably more power - I don't know what it does to longevity. I expect the Disco TD will be most economical, but there's at least one Paj running around with 200 litres of fuel tanks.

Mitsubishi make an excellent LSD (second only to the Patrol) and Pajeros are more capable offroad than most people will acknowledge. 33" tyres fit easily (use Patrol rims ), you can fit 35s with a 2" bodylift (would you want to, for a "tourer?") With crawler gears and front diff lock you'd need a fairly extreme track to stop it.

If you're keen on a Surf sort out insurance first - I'm not sure if the "grey import" issue is real, but better to know before you're committed. There was a story in 4wd Monthly a few years back, about a bloke who tuned up the 3.0 TD to "V8 like power." It had me thinking...

Cheers,

Scott

In a forum like this you will get 101 different answers and at the end of the day it comes down to what YOU want.

My in laws have a T.D. Prado (I think 2000 model) which performs admirably. Ther have had no mechanical problems. Used occaisionally for towing a tandem trailer and again no probs. It is nice enough to drive around town and they have been touring in it too.

Having said that touring can mean different things to different ppl and the size means that you probably wouldn't want to go on an extended trip where you have to be self sufficient for weeks on end.

My car (lifted & locked series 1 V8 disco) is a day tripper and that is the way I wanted it. With a family it is waaaay too small for anything else and can use more fuel than an F1 when driven properly

Get a Defender.Pure and simple.

thanks all for your responses. quite a lot of choice out there. still very undecided what to go for. i guess i will have to get out there and drive a few and get a feel for them. kinda leaning towards a surf, what are there towing capabilitys like. i guess bigger the better for towing, patrols/cruisers. not too sure as yet how much off roading i will be doing, have to wait and see if get the bug for it! just dont want to end up with a 4x4 and wanting to upgrade straight away as its not upto the job, but also dont want to go over the top! cheers, dave.