Offroad-Express

Hi all

Ive recently become interested in going more offroad to explore areas I couldnt generally get to from normal roads.
Im interested in areas that are visually interesting for photography etc.

Rocks, Coast, natural environments etc. Beach for kayak etc.

I currently have a Toyota Lucida that I will soon be retiring as its past its used by! Im looking at getting a 4x4, that can be both large (7 seat) family vehicle primary use , and 4x4 to get to slightly remote locations for hobby use.

My search has taken me to an opportunity for perhaps a Toyota Highlander 4wd V6 2012.

It seems like a good drive (test drove today) but I havent got any offroad experience.

Im thinking my main (offroad) uses would be like dirt bumpy roads, farm land, coastal etc.
Would this vehicle be suitable for Red Rocks road?

Im not intending to go crazy off road like deep water, crazy terrain, rough bush.
Does any one have experience with the Highlander??

If in future I do decide to go a bit more crazy/adventurous I think that would be a second purchase, cheaper and more 4x4 specialised, mainly so I dont get in trouble with wife for banging up the family car!!

Thanks heaps!!

-P

if it doesn't have select-able low range you not going to get far before the gearbox is fried even the main 4wd club ccvc will refuse you on their trips

The 4L petrol will use all the gas! Do the mileage sums so you know what its going to cost to run

Matt.

If you are wanting to do "shiny" trips in it get something with a low range transfercase, 7 seater? look at a prado, patrol/safari, pajero, Surf

For that sort of money you could get the latest model Pajero (2008), 7 seats and probably leather interior. Diesel will be far cheaper to run, the sums on mine came to $700 saving every 10000km, that includes RUC and servicing.

Well's(the meter readers) offloaded a heap of those suzuki's recently. i notice there are three on a car yard in levin for sale alone. Work mate just brought one and it is immaculate...even came with MT's on it.

They have been know to put some patrols and crusiers to shame as they tend to skip through the mud puddle's

Zuki on silverstones went a few places land cruisers couldn't yesterday. Was impressive.

how do you get 7 seats in that

Roof rack

Ha

Thanks all for the replies...tho not sure I have understood fully, it sounds Highlander is def not a "offroad 4x4".

Im fairly confident the Highlander will handle "Shiny" (is that the word you use) trips. For example a bit more off road than a standard car (farm, beach, mild river gravel)
Anything more I prob need a more serious 4x4.

Im specifically asking bout highlander as I may have one available (but have to decide fast) for reasonable price, and was quite nice to drive tho I only had a short drive around mild roads.
Is there any negatives I should know about for it?

In terms of locations..what would RedRocks costal road be rated? To much for the highlander? (prob thinking that devil gate piece)

Are Pajero's rated quite a bit higher 4x4 ability?

Thanks!!

-P

As I posted above the 4L v6 is quite thirsty. That may or may not be an issue for you.

A highlander could go over devils gate but I wouldn't take one I owned over it.

Matt.

Mattman wrote:As I posted above the 4L v6 is quite thirsty. That may or may not be an issue for you.

A highlander could go over devils gate but I wouldn't take one I owned over it.

Matt.

Good info thank you!
-P

from my point of view I wouldn't got for the highlander just as it is such a plactic fantastic car made for the soccer mum that may need to park on the odd grass paddock im my view


as for the pajeros I would go petrol if u do go for a pajero as they seem to crap out ( mitsi technician ) the diesels block up the diesel exhaust filter and cause big head aches $ wise

look into a prado or land cruiser as they are a tad older 7 seater and reliable as hell! will serve you well for ever the prados have the 1kz motor the same as surfs so they are common easy to get bits for and the $ u pay for the highlander will be more than you pay for a excellent condition prado ect


Greg

1kz_surf wrote:from my point of view I wouldn't got for the highlander just as it is such a plactic fantastic car made for the soccer mum that may need to park on the odd grass paddock im my view


as for the pajeros I would go petrol if u do go for a pajero as they seem to crap out ( mitsi technician ) the diesels block up the diesel exhaust filter and cause big head aches $ wise

look into a prado or land cruiser as they are a tad older 7 seater and reliable as hell! will serve you well for ever the prados have the 1kz motor the same as surfs so they are common easy to get bits for and the $ u pay for the highlander will be more than you pay for a excellent condition prado ect


Greg

Excellent thanks!

-P

Later Pajeros suffer from brake master cylinder failuire
Prado etc if 1Kz they have head issues if overheated but cheap to replace

Jerry wrote:Later Pajeros suffer from brake master cylinder failuire
Prado etc if 1Kz they have head issues if overheated but cheap to replace

From the owner of several Prado's

have sold my collection

Jerry wrote:Later Pajeros suffer from brake master cylinder failuire
Prado etc if 1Kz they have head issues if overheated but cheap to replace

To be honest I prob wouldnt buy the Pajero anyway. My Mechanic friend said to stay away from mitsi's .

-P

OK.

After reading this stuff and talking to a 4x4 friend I think I agree with you regarding the highlander.

I think I'll look into a cheap upgrade to replace my Lucida family van and then soo look into a fun off roader.

Thinking something along the lines of a pre 2000 Jeep Cherokee.
I need some enclose room at the back (and/or on top) to store the equipment i need to take, and at least 1-2 passengers.

That would gte me better places than the highlander , and for much cheaper yeah?

Thanks all for info... May have saved me some $$$$ and mistakes

-P

What's your budget?
What's your % offroad time vs onroad?
How severe is your off-roading?
You could get away with the highlander, but thirsty, lower COG and clearance will keep you to mild dirt roads rather than off road unless you wanted to lose some skirting and lip.

Did the waiuru trip last year and found it strange to see a x5, a Subaru outback there on some parts of the trip, did a river crossing with them and saw one or two wheel fenders, rubber guards, and vanity pieces float down the river past me.

For the money, I would buy 2 vehicles, 1 older setup prado and a road car and still have some change left over.

on2it wrote:What's your budget?

Budget?

on2it wrote:What's your % offroad time vs onroad?.

Mainly onroad (95%). The offroad portion is for new business/hobby. Maybe a bit of family weekend fun also (kayak, fishing etc)

on2it wrote:How severe is your off-roading?

Probably quite minimal to start with. But I can imagine offroading is liek one of those things that once hooked you want to go deeper

on2it wrote:....
For the money, I would buy 2 vehicles, 1 older setup prado and a road car and still have some change left over.

I think I agree.

Your not the first to mention prado, and a mate of mine is into Jeep.
Sounds like a lot of people in the clubs go for pre 2000 models of both. I hear better built and much cheaper.

Does that sound correct?

Toyota Prado vs Jeep Cherokee????

Cheers
-P

80 series landcruiser

GU Safari



http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/nissan/safari/auction-688477610.htm

hi mate me again just a heads up that all the jeep lovers will hate me for haha

jeeps are amazing comfy and grunty.... when they are going and I bet you would have herd storys about all types ect but just from my point of view as a mechanic they are not the freindlyest to work on but because they are American heaps off off the shelf accessory's are a available so that's a pro I guess


another factor will be the fuel consumption

most are a 6cyl?? correct me anyone if im wrong

being a larger motor this will effect how thirsty it is compaired to your van u have now

im a Toyota man through and through but I think the surfs , prados are a fairly solid base to start from a efficient 3liter turbo diesel ,either auto or manual the manuals are grunty as ! haha

factor in the servicing into it as well, im not 100% sure on Toyotas servicing schedual but being a mitsi tech I know mitsi turbo diesels are ment to be serviced at 7500 km compaired to the jeep that's going to add up


the prados are a independent front end - unsure on jeeps but this equates to a smoother ride on road compaired to a beam axle

some ones going to say but weaker on here so ill say it too lol ifs (independent front suspention ) is weaker but this wont trouble you for what you will be doing

the 1kz ( surf prado ect ) motors do crap the cylinder heads if they get hot ,as mentioned earler its a well traveled path of cooling them


feel free to pick my brain or any one on here as we are a friendly bunch


Greg

i got a jeep sitting in the drive way 1994 with 109xxx kms going for 3grand if ur intrested thing is a beast for going anywhere and towing

cornflake wrote:i got a jeep sitting in the drive way 1994 with 109xxx kms going for 3grand if ur intrested thing is a beast for going anywhere and towing a fuel tanker

.

Crash bandicoot wrote:

cornflake wrote:i got a jeep sitting in the drive way 1994 with 109xxx kms going for 3grand if ur intrested thing is a beast for going anywhere and towing a fuel tanker

.

catalystracing wrote:

Crash bandicoot wrote:

cornflake wrote:i got a jeep sitting in the drive way 1994 with 109xxx kms going for 3grand if ur intrested thing is a beast for going anywhere and towing a fuel tanker

.

80 bucks got me from upper hutt to marton then back to foxton towing my tuck on the back with are trailer if it i calll that cheap as