4x4 dilema

[BrokenBiker]

as you may know from my previous post, im looking for a workhorse 4x4 as I do a lot of work on farms and would like to able to drive into the fields in bad weather.

now the criteria has changed slightly and the 4x4 now has to be fairly good in snow and on ice, and needs to be capable of tackling some off road tracks and green lanes too as I seem to have fallen in with the off roaders in work.

I have been looking for a long time at a 110 with a 2,5 turbo or a a v8 on lpg, however I keep being told that the L200's are just as good off road.

I am stuggling to believe this as when I was a kid my father had a hilux. road tyres, normall suspension and totally standard at this point. it would carry 3 moto x bikes up a mountain, through the mud and over the rocks with ease. his mates l200 was baffled by a muddy puddle and ended up spinning all 4 wheels in a patch that had just been driven through by a Toyota celica with no issue.

are the L200's capable of doing what I want them too, as they would make a good alterantive to my work van for use on the farm, and the lwb will carry the missus and son too.

 

[dan.taylor.1]

Hilux is a car better beast in my experience, l200 just have too much engine trouble. Are you needing a pickup? Our old Isuzu trooper 3.0 never let us down, dad was sorry to see it go!

Dan

 

[AndyStobbs]

Get a hilux then. Simples

 

[CompoSimmonite]

Friend has a L200. He says despite decent tyres too light at rear end so poor off road and on snow. If you intend keeping fully loaded then it might be viable.
I like Land Rovers (had 5 x Series, Defender, Disco and 3 x Range Rover) but am reluctant to recommend them to others - especially older vehicles. They always seem to need attention and serious rot and corrosion normal. I suppose it depends on what you are considering. If new / nearly new Land Rover then a possibility but anything over, say, 8-10 years old and be prepared to regularly get your hands dirty. Might sound like fun at first but I assure you it quickly gets boring !

Paul H

 

[gordon stephenson]

Just sold a true workhorse. An 80 series Land Cruiser,I had it for 10 years,never put a foot wrong(apart from a leaking steering box) 4.2 straight 6 diesel. dual batteries for 12v running and 24v starting.27 mpg average always. Any temperature the engine was running before you had finished turning the key.Go anywhere,pull anything, Centre diff lock,rear diff lock, front diff lock.8 seats forward facing, 3rd row of seats fold up or remove in seconds,

 

[BrokenBiker]

that rules the l200 out then. it wont be carrying massive weights in the back to keep traction in the snow. at most a tool bag, conduit bender and a few rolls of cable. not full capacity.

lets start looking at hilux's then. the indestructible vehicle as top gear would put it. mind you my fathers stood up to some abuse. his bike was nicked just after buying the hilux. we were informed that it was being hidden in a garage so he reversed the hilux through the garage door, loaded the bike onto the back and left. didn't even scratch the hilux. and it demolished a 206cc without leaving a mark and ended up being rolled in a flooded field and still passed the mot a few months later.

thinking about it, its the only vehicle I should be considering lol. apart from the head gasket being blown when he bought it it didn't need anything doing apart form a bit of paint

 

[BrokenBiker]

what about ford ranger? anyone got anything good to say about them or as they as useless as everyone keeps telling me?

 

[madkayaker]

hilux are more expensive than others that are basically the same due to the top gear effect.

 

[blenkie1]

L200 steer well clear. Engine trouble, underpowered and one of the worst cars for steering lock I've known. I would buy a Isuzu Rodeo, 3.5t of towing not many vehicles can match that. Someone told the hi-lux is only rated to 2.2t?

 

[BrokenBiker]

have just noticed that hilux's are going for more money.

my missus uncle has a navara that he uses on his farm but he has a lot of trouble with the engine. has blown 2 up, bought a reconditioned one and that needs constant fettleing and fiddling to keep it going

 

[madkayaker]

my mates rodeo is only rate to 2.6T ton? i had a ford ranger and that as rated to 2.6T. the new one is rated to 3.5T

 

[BrokenBiker]

L200 steer well clear. Engine trouble, underpowered and one of the worst cars for steering lock I've known. I would buy a Isuzu Rodeo, 3.5t of towing not many vehicles can match that. Someone told the hi-lux is only rated to 2.2t?

what engine is best in the Isuzu? I once had a corsa with a 1700 Isuzu diesel in it and that pulled like a train. more torque than you can shake a stick at.

3.5T of towing is a lot more than most others. not that I can legally tow with it due to needing to take the test

 

[dan.taylor.1]

The 3.1 Isuzu engine is pretty bomb proof, the v6 petrol is nice, the 3.0 is a good engine its the injectors and glow plugs that let it down as it was never meant to be a car engine, it was meant to sit at 1800rpm all day long stuck on a genny and hyd pump for big big dumpers so the constant rev changes in the trooper/rodeo werent good for it and they leaked causing smokey starts etc, but they did recall them all twice!

We loved ours, would go anywhere with decent tyres, pulled the cattle trailer better than our new disco, had heated seats, leccy mirrors the works!

Dan

 

[BrokenBiker]

have just been looking at some rodeo's and they seem pretty expensive compared to others.

the ford ranger is one of the cheaper options, 2007 models are going for about 3k but I all I know about them is they supposedly have a very bad engine

 

[gulf]

Ive owned many,,from my own personal experiences,(not reading online).Pre 05 rangers have a weak 5th gear , up to 2005 l200s have over heating issues and gearbox issues,up to 05 navaras have engine bottom end issues.Navara is bland inside,l200 is nice if warrior/animal but these pickups are very light on the rear,even on a wet roundabout the backend steps out.Landrover defender crude and slow and thirsty,but still the best off-road ,(had quite afew) Discos good off road with decent tyres and nice to drive.Never had a trooper,had a vauxhall Brava/ and Frontera with Isuzu engines and are great engines,never had a 3.0+ size ,but many 2.8/2.4/2.5 non turbo/turbo d ones the,turbo ones can split the liners if overheated.Hi-lux,had 3 of the old shape ones,(top gear shape)loved them all,no idea what the new ones are like,looks nice though.

 

[BrokenBiker]

I had read about the weak 5th in the ranger but I think that was sorted for the 06 model with the 6 speed? gearbox. and the auto doesn't suffer with that issue however it does suffer when changing between high and low range 4wd.

I quite like the look of the ranger and the l200, and am aware that the ranger is cheaper and I cant find an MPG for the 2.5TD engine. the petrol is coming up at around 26MPG which isn't the best

 

[gulf]

Derv or petrol,4x4's,theyre all thirsty

 

[madkayaker]

the fuel ecomeny on my ranger is why i got shot 22mpg was about normal that was with the 2.5D mostly empty and driven carefully. it had 112K on clock though

 

[gulf]

the fuel ecomeny on my ranger is why i got shot 22mpg was about normal that was with the 2.5D mostly empty and driven carefully. it had 112K on clock though

Mine was a 53 reg,had under 55k and was the same.

 

[BrokenBiker]

hmmm back to the L200 it seems then.

looks like I will not find the perfect vehicle that is comfortable, powerful, good off road and economical.

out of the lot I prefer the L200 for the way it looks and the interior, so if it isn't the best in the snow or off road I will just have to put up with it. it will never be used in extreme off road situations and the only snow it will encounter is the small back roads and lanes that don't get cleared. plus whichever I buy I will be putting some decent all terrain tyres on it