Opinions on a 4WD please

[altair]

Hi all, hope I'm posting this in the right area.

Looking for a 4WD for occasional towing. Currently have a 4WD Nissan Vanette, but am getting bigger trailer so a diesel 4WD I feel will be safer to tow with, plus the petrol Vanette will struggle too much, so will sell that.

So, budget around 5-7K. Looking at Terrano/Surf/Mu/Wizard/Bighorn. MUST be diesel, won't have petrol.

Used for towing 3 cube of wet firewood rings occasionally, otherwise 90% of the time it will just be an everyday driver for the two of us, reasonable amount of hot trips.

Surfs seem expensive

Terranos look okay

Wizards are good value (and I like the look of them) but have read horror stories about the later 3 litre engines. But apparently the 3050cc ones are bulletproof?

So guys, appreciate hearing known facts, or from owners of the above. Plus most of them have done 2-300kms, are they shagged, or still have a few good years left at this point?

I'm really good with maintenance myself, but don't want something which will drop its trans etc, so which is the "stronger" vehicle mechanically?

Thanks for ideas, will hopefully make my search a little less confusing.

[ChurchurDan]

I would look at an R50 terrano (1995 on) in that price range as you will probably get a nicer vehicle than the other options.
If you can get a 3.2 diesel as it is better for towing but he 2.7 will do the job. we use these as work vehicles and they have between 250,000 and 560,000 k's across the fleet.
The down side to an R50 is the car like front end which makes them unsuitable for proper off roading and they are a bit thirsty.
After 99 they went to the 3 liter diesel do not buy one of them.

[Crash bandicoot]

96 onwards diesels are starting to fall into the expensive to fix category...just Google eti injector pump for example.. Best bet is last of the mechanical injected diesels for reliability etc.
....this I picked up for 1500 in need of a new waterpump. Granted its petrol but its fully optioned including factory rear diff lock.

Plenty of diesel ones around too.
Also I wouldn't go towing 3 cord of wet rings on a monocoque terrano. Panel steel doesn't like that sort of rectum stretching.

[lax2wlg]

R50 Terrano unibody is really beefy, thats why they weigh so damn much. Towing is not a problem.
Good candidate for an SAS in my opinion.

Imagine an SAS'd VG33 R50. That would be cool.

[Mattman]

Look at the mid 90s Isuzu's and Pajeros. Very good strong reliable vehicles and a re well priced.

[lax2wlg]

Too right. Specially the Isuzu and pre Super-Select Mitsu.

IMO, its quite possible that the generation 2.5 Pajero is the best production off road race vehicle ever made. But no doubt its a complicated system, mainly due to the highly innovative (at the time) super-select transmission.

Independent suspension is also complicated. It seems that the Pajero has proved itself in the expedition world for sustained long distance travel in remote, life/death environments, expedition driving.

Conventional wisdom says if you want the most basic, reliable solution with the lowest maintenance, you get an early Land Rover or Land Cruiser. Engine will run on dirt, everything is gear driven, floating axles, the only piece of electronics is the windscreen wiper relay.

But don't look past first generation Isuzu Trooper/Bighorn. Worked on them quite a bit, had mates that own them but have never personally owned. They have truck DNA all the way through, the chassis is semi-boxed (Nissan WD21), the gearboxes and diffs (including the IFS diff) are all really strong. As a multipurpose vehicle with good on road handling, its built like a brick shithouse. Just get an early one, ie a JDM one

This was our fun adventure

[cornflake]

we have a surf for sale pm and ill send u sum pics