Offroad-Express

Hi,

A few weekend ago I went 4x4'ing in a mates Land-cruiser - and what can I say - I loved it !!!

Combined with my love of shooting it it became obvious that I needed to buy a 4x4 - Using the wifes Legacy just wasn't going to cut it.

Im totally new - and have no idea what I should be looking to buy - and any advise would be appreciated.

My needs (as I think they are):

• - Needs to go off-road in around some bush tracks - some of them look bloody difficult to me - but I'm sure with tuition that they arnt that bad.
  
• - Be road legal. I dont do huge mileages but want to be able to get to work on days its raining heavy and I dont want to bike
  
• - Be able to tow a boat - its not a 50ft launch - but a 6mtr tinnie without a hard top.
  
• - Hopefully have all the necessary bits added for off road work (although I dont actually know what the 'essentials' are.
  
• - Be ugly enough that my wife goes 'ugh - You arnt getting me in that thing'

Thanks for reading and I appreciate any feedback.

- Chris

HI NEWBIE

biggest question is how much folding do you wish to part with?

Im guessing say 5k?

So I guess I'm not going to end up with a brand new Landcruiser.

I have been reading the Suzuki pages and they look a awesome little beast - Im hoping I could get one with that budget?

Or for that limited $$$ should I be looking elsewhere?

newbie wrote:Im guessing say 5k?

So I guess I'm not going to end up with a brand new Landcruiser.

I have been reading the Suzuki pages and they look a awesome little beast - Im hoping I could get one with that budget?

Or for that limited $$$ should I be looking elsewhere?

I don't think a Suzuki would tow a alloy 6 meter boat to well though, I would recommend a MWB 70 series Cruiser with a 13bt which is a 4 cylinder 3.4 turbo diesel engine, they are a strong rig that will handle bashing around the bush and hunting etc, the engines were made by Hino and were also used to power refrigeration units so they had to be bullet proof eh

Or you might find a good y60 GQ patrol/safari if you look around but you wont get a factory Turbo diesel version for that sort of money.

haydgq wrote:Or you might find a good y60 GQ patrol/safari if you look around but you wont get a factory Turbo diesel version for that sort of money.

I have used mine
<<<<<<<<
for towing a 26ft boat all over NZ. Non turbo but will be getting one fitted at some stage. Otherwise it tows ok, just don't expect to get much faster than 60km on the Bombays

ya get a nissan thay will take ya boat , and thay are good off road as well.

my 2.4 prado tows my 6m fibreglass boat alright but a suzi would roll over and die

there was about 5,or 6 on the coastguard run lasted weekend so maybe you need to look for one.

I should point out (dugh - sorry) - that I live in town 2 blocks from the beach - never take the boat any further than that to launch - so Im not taking it too far - and I only need to get to 50kph.

newbie wrote:Hi,

[*]- Be ugly enough that my wife goes 'ugh - You arnt getting me in that thing'[/list]

Thanks for reading and I appreciate any feedback.

- Chris

easy nuff be sure its covered in mud and lifted as too wipe the mud onto woman's clothing as they climb up to get in and out ..... be sure to point this out.....be the last time she ever gets in it or it could backfire and she maybe addicted to 4x4 too

newbie wrote:I should point out (dugh - sorry) - that I live in town 2 blocks from the beach - never take the boat any further than that to launch - so Im not taking it too far - and I only need to get to 50kph.

If you're not using it to tow distance a 'zuk will do fine. A local here a few years ago used to pull about five ton of boat on a haul-out trailer about 300 yards to his property with a little SJ.

If you won't be needing to do a lot of towing on the road then a Suzuki is a way to get a lot of capability for minimal cost. If you are going to tow the boat on the road then take the advice above and get something that has a lot more weight in it, and a lot more torque under the bonnet.

Whatever you get, don't go 'pretty' 'cause then you wont mind having fun, and bouncing off the odd rock or tree won't make you cringe.

Towing a tinnie short distances will be no probs in a zuk. Mate tows a 1500kg skid trailer regularly up to ~40ks with his samurai and it does just fine with an extra leaf added in the rear and some common sense behind the wheel.
They're reasonable to buy modded at the money you have and cheap to repair if you bust something.
You can also drive a tidy 4x4 offroad and receive none or little damage if your just sensible and maintain them. I personally don't find it much fun breaking stuff so I just don't drive like an animal.

Swamped wrote:.................You can also drive a tidy 4x4 offroad and receive none or little damage if your just sensible and maintain them. I personally don't find it much fun breaking stuff so I just don't drive like an animal.

Good point, and I don't want to give you the wrong idea. I spent good coin on nice paintjobs, so try not to hurt them, but don't like to avoid driving challenges just to save the paint. Swamped is dead right, that you shouldn't intentionally be hard on gear, particularly if you're wheeling on a budget! The other point about avoiding 'pretty' is that you tend to get a better built or more capable truck for the dollar if it hasn't got the shiny looks.

Had a bit of a think about this and figure a 5 door vitara would probably be more then adequate for your needs. Has the weight and length to make towing safer (okay not as safe as a 3 tonne patrol but better then a SWB vitara). With some mods they would be great to use and heaps of room for the family / friends when off on a beach /bush run etc. Parts are available for "tuffening" them up a bit (lifts, bars, etc) although I cant guarrantee the missus wont like it (my wife loved hers). Lots of stuff online on how to do stuff too.

Saw one towing a 18ft tinny today and it looked like it was having no worries around town.

Just a thought...

Heath wrote:Had a bit of a think about this and figure a 5 door vitara would probably be more then adequate for your needs. Has the weight and length to make towing safer (okay not as safe as a 3 tonne patrol but better then a SWB vitara). With some mods they would be great to use and heaps of room for the family / friends when off on a beach /bush run etc. Parts are available for "tuffening" them up a bit (lifts, bars, etc) although I cant guarrantee the missus wont like it (my wife loved hers). Lots of stuff online on how to do stuff too.

Saw one towing a 18ft tinny today and it looked like it was having no worries around town.

Just a thought...

Yeah as Heath said the vitaras are good and pretty easy to come across em for sale. However if an SJ came up Id jump at that well before a vitara. Just hunt around on here and you'll see why people like each and just get what will fit the bill.

Swamped wrote:However if an SJ came up Id jump at that well before a vitara.

Sorry Swamped - which one is the SJ? (sorry I did say I knew nothing

SJ 413 or samurai. Solid front diff. Later models are coil sprung. Usually a bit harder to find but in my mind better offroad. Not as comfortable on road as a vitara. Has a smaller engine than the vitaras also but I never found this to be a negative.

ahh - like this -

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motor ... 635574.htm



I will read thru the Suzuki forums this weekend - having said that - I want to read the Mitsi and Nissan ones as well.

So much to learn ....

try reading toyota, you wont look back

basics wrote:try reading toyota, you wont look back

I heard funny stories about those fellas

newbie wrote:ahh - like this -

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motor ... 635574.htm



I will read thru the Suzuki forums this weekend - having said that - I want to read the Mitsi and Nissan ones as well.

So much to learn ....

Yeah thats the one. They come in different configurations like the soft top in the pic.
Yeah theres a lot to weigh up and some trade-offs to be made but get something that suits your requirements. My nissan is great offroad but the mods weren't nearly as cheap as the zuk. including truck purchase I think I'll be completed staying between 4-5 grand which was the goal.

newbie wrote:ahh - like this -

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motor ... 635574.htm



I will read thru the Suzuki forums this weekend - having said that - I want to read the Mitsi and Nissan ones as well.

So much to learn ....

For $500 less you could get Bubbles Pajero

PR wrote:For $500 less you could get Bubbles Pajero

Sadly - we have a top limit to the budget of 5k - and by the time I got it to Auckland I would be well over that Pity - it looks like a great truck and it was interesting reading your build up thread.

one more vote for a pajero here.

had mine for 6 or 7 years now and it has surived remarkably well.
its a soft top 3ltr v6.

on road- nice and comfy and has a decent amont of power, definatly not a power house, but gets along fine and and doesnt struggle on hills. very comfortable with the coil spings and torsion bars (i have been in sj413s that bounce around then you have to rev the crap out of them uphills).
it does drink the gas though.

off road- lighter than safaris and crusiers, with a smaller rear diff, so doesnt beach itself as fast as the bigger trucks ( ie a paj on 33s will get a little further than a crusier/patrol on 33s all other factors being equal and a zuki will go further agin tho), surfs have smaller diffs than a paj but the length of the body can be a hinderance in tight trails.
they can have a few issues with gearing for decents as they have a relitivly high low range box.

modding-cheap. i had my pajero lifted high enough to fit 33s for about $300 i think (was a long time ago). just brought some springs for the rear and 6 small bolts for the front. factory lockers are easy to find and go straight into the factory housing.

there are so many here that they have a low buy price, plenty of 2nd hand parts if you do break somthing.

in summary, i like mine as its comfortable with enough power on road and off. parts are cheap and it has gone on alot of trips that im very suprised it did.

but if your new to the sport, i recommed getting a standard vehicle. any vehicle. if you get a standard one, and leave it that way for a few months, you will learn to drive it. then do the mods slowly yourself, you will gradually end up with a very capable truck that you know how to drive and repair.

any of the vehicles has its good points, crusiersand patrols are bullet proof, and heavy. zuks are extreamly capable, light, but have a harsh ride, and need to be reved, some parts are gettinig expensive i think, like cvs, surfs and lwb anything good for towing and hillclimbs, but in the tighter stuff not so good.
i just find the pajero to be a good middle ground with good scope for mods and the petrols are reliable.

hope this novel helps.
welcome aboard now the bug has bitten, get ready for it to get worse.

Sam.

Well, since we're going on about the Mitsis here... Just so happens I'm selling one! Shameless plug.



Rear diff locker, 33" muds, suspension lift, body lift... Hard to find those features at this price.
Oh, and retrofitted with lower ratio diff gear to combat that high gearing and big wheels.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motor ... 002072.htm

WACKO wrote:
....but if your new to the sport, i recommend getting a standard vehicle. any vehicle. if you get a standard one, and leave it that way for a few months, you will learn to drive it. then do the mods slowly yourself, you will gradually end up with a very capable truck that you know how to drive and repair.

Yeah I'd support the standard vehicle thing. Since I don't mind starting with a rough truck I prob wouldn't buy a super tidy truck again. My zuk is on to the closer half of completion now and will still turn out far far cheaper than any other trucks I've worked on or owned.

A lot of times its cheaper to buy a built up truck but other times its not.

I would buy something thats warrantable and all legit for like a grand or abit more and drive it for a bit then you can use the rest of your budget on mods which if its 3.5k would do a helluva lot to increase its capability.

swb trucks never handle like road cars in my experience; cruisers, patrols, pajeros and zuks have all handled like rough bathtubs so just have to be sensible and realise what itl be like. Everything people say is often just their opinions so weigh up your options and what you want from it and make a decision based on that.

pjb wrote:Well, since we're going on about the Mitsis here... Just so happens I'm selling one! Shameless plug.



http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motor ... 002072.htm

SOLD TO THE NEWBIE

Had a VTNA pre purchase inspection done - only very minor item to tide with a seatbelt in the back.

Really happy - So now this newbie is sorted with a nice truck and cannot wait to get to get out there.

Specs from the advert:

1994 Mitsubishi Pajero SWB 3000cc V6 petrol automatic.

Set up for great off-road capability:

Retrofitted with factory rear air diff locker (similar to ARB design).

Awesome for uneven terrain.

50mm suspension lift with increased front suspension travel (ball joint flip + spacer).

40mm body lift to fit larger tyres.

4 x 33x10.5R15 BFGoodrich mud terrain tyres on factory rims 13-14 mm tread (pictured).

5.29:1 diff ratios (adjusts for 33" tyres), fantastic torque and engine braking.

All modifications fully certified.

Mitsubishi super-select 4wd system: 2 high, 4 high (AWD), 4 low (centre diff lock).

Factory adjustable shocks: soft, medium, hard.

Factory hydraulic ride height control.

Electric, heated mirrors

Sunroof

Tinted windows

Bull bars

High / low beam spot lights

CD player

Heads, timing belt, water-pump done recently. Lots of other bits regularly maintained.

BTW - thanks to Swamped who was helping with a Suzuki down in the Waikato - really appreciate all the effort Dude!

All good man. Was no trouble

Nice truck! If i was looking for one id get that!

Newbie, im on the shore too. I can let you know next time i goto Woodhill or somewhere if ya want