Offroad-Express

Pajeros are a good all round 4wd but The diesels usually have reliability problems and the petrols are expensive to run so if its your daily driver it may cost you a bit. Other than that they are fairly easy to modify and get 33's under. Find one with a factory diff lock and you have a fairly capable truck in standard form.

If you can go for the 3.5l quad cam, heaps more power and the body sits 40mm higher than the 3.0 model making larger tyre fitment easy. I ran a set of 33's with out any lift and did not have any scrubbing on mine. The only problems with the 3.5 is that aftermarket rear lockers are not avilable for them.

Dick wrote:What about a '92 - '95 Mitsi Pajero or a 1990-'92 Toyota Landcruiser?

If you can get one of those cruisers in your price range that would be the way to go. Don't stress too much about the diesels.

Other option is a Surf. Capable truck for the money. The 2.4 Diesels are known for their head trouble but they still go fine, keep your extra thousand in the bank for the chance that the head goes and you'll most likely have it there for a while if the maintenance is up and a few preventive measures taken.

OK, Lada's.....

I had one, and yes, for what they are they're bloody amazing!! It would climb damn near anything, awesome traction, and that was on 215/15 adventurers!! They do articulate bloody well, and comparitivly good ride offroad cos of the coils.

But..... (and yes, it's a big but)

They are bloody horrible on road. Uncomfortable unless you're 5 foot tall.
Dont take them near water, whatever you do!!!
They have a multitude of common problems. (things like rear axles falling out while you're driving them!!)
the 5 speeds were weak, the 5th gear thing on that trade me sale is common. The 4 speeds were good, but 100k's was screaming her lungs out!!
Noisy as hell at speed.
I had guard rub with the 215's, and that was after a bit of guard mods!!

Although it was great fun, I dont think I'd have another one.
http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/modules ... _photo.php

Sweet. Thanks. Yes i was talking to my neighbour bout them yesterday and he has one, and thinks its a pain in the ass cause its allways breaking down, but when it does go good, its great, but thats not that often. He thought a zook is much more comfortable and reliable. But thanks. [this is the lada]

doddzee wrote:Pajeros are a good all round 4wd but The diesels usually have reliability problems .....

Early Paj diesels ...pre 79????? (somebody else will confirm the bad years, cos I cant remember) had a wonderful habit of kicking off the anti-vibration wheight from the front of the crankshaft.

Were ok if you didnt stall them, but who can gaurantee they aint gonna stall from sometimes highish revs?

Seems to come down to an early Toyota so far, dont it? Or a reworked Landrover.

Having said that, I f you can get a G-Wagen Merc grab it. Mortgage your parents house if neccesary.....

Im talking about the 2.5Td's Gen1 and Gen2 they have a reputation for cracking heads as well as other things.

I have also heard that the bigger trucks are sometimes more prone to getting stuck and for a learner not the most ideal vehicle????

I am quite keen on a Suzuki SJ413 that is an '87 1300cc, with 250,000kms on the clock. Does anyone here know if having 250,000kms on a standard 1300 413 engine is a big deal to worry about?

Cheers.

go the suzuki way, cheap to run ,mod ,fix/ either the 413 or vitara, vitara has power steer, both nice and light for when you get stuck. the 413 is more capable off road standard but vitara can be made very good very cheaply. ps i have a suzuki 1300 motor here if you go that way.
vaughan

spanky wrote:go the suzuki way, cheap to run ,mod ,fix/ either the 413 or vitara, vitara has power steer, both nice and light for when you get stuck. the 413 is more capable off road standard but vitara can be made very good very cheaply. ps i have a suzuki 1300 motor here if you go that way.
vaughan

Thanks for that. Would you say that the vitara without having a solid beam front axle is disadvantaged against the 413 because the 413 does have a beam alxe? And would you think that this is a good place to start with a 413? http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=95854070

Cheers

Dick wrote:I have also heard that the bigger trucks are sometimes more prone to getting stuck and for a learner not the most ideal vehicle????

Cheers.

It aint the truck's fault!!

Learners with bigger trucks are like ANYBODY else with a BIG thing, they reckon that size compensates for ability.!! :pale:

better to have a smaller truck-thing and drive it well, than have a big truck-thing and drive it bad!!

mind you, having a big truck-thing and being stuck is not all bad!! especially if the thing is stuck and the truck is in the shed......

Just a bit off the topic of Suzuki's, but what about a Daihatsu. Moriarty will be happy cause its diesel, and there is one on trade me at the mo all set up.

Are there any big problems with them, or will they do me good as a starter truck for the money?

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=96890663&permanent=0

LOL thats my Daihatsu .... did you ask the question on my auction??

I can put the details you wanted here if you want.......only problem is that without serious mods you are limited to 31" tyres, changing the diffs to ie Hilux/Prado etc is a common mod as these put out the power better. Its a fairly solid wee truck and has handled the knocks I have thrown at it so far.

The motor is good, the only real thing that needs doing is to change the vacuum switches that engage 4wd, but I can get hold of 2nd hand cruiser ones and change them over,

Ha what a laugh. Yes i asked the question (cool_bond007). Im just looking to get into 4wd'n and looking at different options.

But even with 31's its still a capable truck aye? Better than a s1 landie i can imagine? Im only after something to get me going for a bit, thats low cost, and thats not going cause me to fork out a few grand down the line to fix it.

So the 4wd engages by vaccum not manually? Does this cause problems?

And are there any other problems that i could run into in a few months? Cheers

Yes it is a capable truck (ive driven it, and its cool fun), but im not sure you can really compare it to an s1 landy. They are 2 very different machines.

turoa wrote:Yes it is a capable truck (ive driven it, and its cool fun), but im not sure you can really compare it to an s1 landy. They are 2 very different machines.

Ha, but i bet it is better than the landie i had. You needed big muscles (which i somewhat lack) to handle that thing.

Yeah I thought it was the transfer case, but its the 2 vacuum switches, It disengages all drive under hard work, but this can be fixed, I can source some cruiser ones and retro fit these, or get a manual vacuum switch fitted,

Only other faults are it gets a bit hot on the hills sometime, was looking at adding a couple of fans to the front, could even be a slightly faulty guage, anyway it doesn't seem to affect it ... head etc is ok,

The front hooks are held on by captive nuts and would need modifying slightly (the way they are mounted)

Rust? theres the odd but of surface rust that needs keeping in check round the door frames, and a couple of rust holes on the back floor but apart from that the chassis etc is fine and the WOF guy is ok with it.

Cheap to run on trips, with the 28" biscuit wheels 500k to a $45-$50 fill, offroad $200-400 depending on the trip, its never let me down and always got me home.

I think Turoa and Mr O really want to swop their landrovers for it as they keep stealing it

Turoa "borrowed" it to drive thru here and went thru in 5 seconds, when I tried here I got a different result.....maybe its all those pies I ate

Jerry in the mud 1 http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/images/ ... _mud_1.wmv

Jerry in the mud 2 http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/images/ ... _mud_2.wmv

Its better than a landrover as its got a roof and a heater, the roof unbolts and the front roof comes out (handy for when you are cruising for chicks and want a targa top )

Ha lol. By offroad $200 - $400 is that in gas? must be a long trip??

How worn are the tyres, and has is been thrashed off road?

Doh that was 200-400k, tyres are Hankook MT's, still got 10-12mm of tread on them, thrashed, not really, everyone will tell you that its only really done shinyish trips,

Ok, so the only thing that i would have to keep under tabs is the odd bit of minor rust, possibly fit a fan or two, and change the tow hooks.

The vaccum switch, going the manual way, would that allow you to engage/dissengage 4wd when you want?

As for an offer, would you consider $3000?

that things definately one lady owner :thumright:

Sadam_Husain wrote:that things definately one lady owner :thumright:

Oh really - would you say its a good capable truck and would be ideal for me starting out?

What Saddam doesn't know that it was doing it then in 2wd

And also, why are you selling it?

I'll give it a clean, then email you some pics and list everything I've done to it etc I want to be honest about it and not hide anything...I'll have a think...how bout 3500? and I'll supply 2 used vacuum switches.....will just need the wires changing and the rubber pipe extending ... can even change them over if you want.

why am I selling ? Picking up a 91 prado in a week.......

Ok, cheers. For that $3500, does it still includes all the features and spares as listed on trade me ?

I go back to tek on mon, so will chat to the old man tonite, and have a look at your pics, and if he's happy, would there be a possibly to view tomorow? I live at taupo, so i think it takes 5 hours driving to get down your way from here.

Yep.....I'll clean all the mud off it now and then take some email you some pics....wots your email addr again?, I'll confirm I can get hold of the 2 vacuum switches

txt me tonight and I'll call you back 027 479 2417

cool_bond007@hotmail.com

027 331 9442

Me or the old man can give you a ring tonite. Cheers