Advice on what to buy - no laughing please!

[sparkwoodand21]

Hi,

This is my first post to the forum so hello everyone. I'm also completely new to offroading too.

My question is this:

I'm looking to purchase a vehicle to give me access to paddocks in all weather. We have cattle and need to transport hay across the grass. Mostly level with some slight hills. Also want to clean up the paddocks, loading cut gorse, trees and general green rubbish. The catch is that during the week I'll be using the vehicle to drive to work.

We have seen three vehicles we like but don't know how practical they are for what we want to do. Plus they are all over our budget (max was set at $30k)!

Vehicle 1) 3 year old Navarro Ventura double cab 3.0 diesel - low km's but up around mid $30's
Vehicle 2) 5 year old Hilux double cab 3.0 diesel - 80,000km - but also up around mid $30's
Vehicle 3) 7 year old Prado TX 3.0 diesel - 100,000 km - late $20's

The dilema is the Prado seems to suit the road better, but I have no idea regarding it's off road ability (hence the no laughing bit!). It seems least likely to be able to cope - big, heavy, top heavy too, plus we may trash the inside. The Navarro felt the best but seems expensive given a new one is only around $40k this month! But also now is pushing our upper budget limit out of all proportion. But more practical given the easy wash out Ute back. The Hilux felt unnaturally raised on it's suspension and bounced somewhat driving along the road and had no aircon which made the driving feel oppresive compared to what we are used to.

Also had a look at a Defender but this again seemed expensive for what felt like an older vehicle plus it seemed like it would need maintenance I wouldn't be able to perform or even have the interest to learn. A weekend offroader afterall.

Are we completely off track with our thoughts? Any other suggestions? If we can limit our budget to $20k then even better.

Thanks in advance for any advice and looking forward to chatting with people in the future as we develop our offroading skills.

S.

[Petemcc]

with a decent set of tyres the prado will cope great off road. better than the two utes i would suspect. My old man had a 97 prado and man it went some places for a standard truck, would definately not hesitate in buying one.

[padero]

just look at what other farmers use.. they've mostly got toyota hilux utes and a flat deck would proberly be great for the farm. doesnt have to be a nice one and get them for under 20k might have more km but there engines are soild and will go for ever

just my 2 cents worth
ad

[DaveM]

Although I am a Nissan fan, be wary of the earlier 2000 model Navara's.
We have had the wheel bearings go on them, rear diffs, and axles.

They have since gone back to race bearings in the rear apparently, but I'm not sure when.

Then work ones have under 50k on the clock.

I've heard good things about the Mitsi utes........

[muddy]

How about an old deregistered landcruiser flatdeck for a farm hack - around $3k for a decent runner with an unbreakable 2F petrol or 3B diesel motor. Never have to wash it either! Then spend your $20k a comfortable car. Best of both worlds..

[DaveM]

Have to agree with Muddy there, I sure wouldn't want to spend 30k on a ute just to throw rubbish etc all over it.
No matter how careful you are, if you use it round the farm for maintanence, you'll end up damaging it.

[pouw]

I would go the Prado of the ones you mentioned. The 3.0 Diesel is a great engine, touring, paddocks, whatever you throw at it.

Even in standard form those vehicles can take a pounding.

If its maintained you should see years worth of usage out of it.

I say that being an Isuzu owner, but an Ex 3.0 Diesel Surf owner.

I think you only have to see the volumes of farmers that own toyotas of some description to realise there must be something to be said about them.

[NJV6]

You mention about carting green rubbish and so on and so forth so would the ute not make more of a practical idea? - save having a trailer all the time and a ute will go a lot further than anything towing a trailer.

You can pick up Ford Courier/Mazda Bounty for a good price, last year my last one sold for 15k with 150000km, (3 years old) immaculate and full service history. Heaps of grunt on the road. The Mitsi utes are very comfortable to ride in but I think a little more pricely for the diesels, there are plenty of petrols but they can sure drink.

Now I realise I have gone waaay off topic....

[DaveM]

You mention about carting green rubbish and so on and so forth so would the ute not make more of a practical idea? - save having a trailer all the time and a ute will go a lot further than anything towing a trailer.

I 2nd that

[fweddy]

If you need the inside space and are doing a lot on road I'd consider the prado, as mentioned above they are hard to beat for your type of purpose. then for the rough carting round the farm just hook a trailer on the back. (Prado plus trailer = less than the two ute options)

If you are needing better traction in soft paddocks the prado will struggle a little as it has open diffs (had our prado bogged in the paddocks a couple of times) The utes may well have limited slip which will help to some degree, but consider putting some sort of locker in the Prado

Or for more serious use on the farm and for good deck space go for a cruiser like so:
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/Toyota/photos/a-88465842/p-36312200/k-294266.htm

Very capable truck but still suitable on road!

Want more space?
http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=64182679&key=295620
looks a bit tacky but very practical

[muddy]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motor ... 379147.htm

Do everything you want around the farm - around $1000

[4wdnuts]

if i was you then id spend 5k on a single cab hilux and put it on farm registration. then spend what ever else on a car. that way your not going to destroy a mint vehicle.

[tallsam66]

I buy something real cheap...maybe 2-3K for farm use only..dont bother registering it etc..then spend the rest of the money on something nicer to drive around for your day to day use...why wreck a nice truck by using it as a wheel barrow on the farm.

[Petemcc]

for the money that cruiser that fweddy posted would run circles round any other ute and would have the comfort on road.

also i think you wil find that the 2nd gen prados 96ish to 2000 and something have an lsd in the rear and just asmuch traction as a ute
pete

[nuts]

well i live in an area where we r prone to flooding so the highlux is a lighter vehicle and goes just abt aywhere but my prference is slightly older safari or patrol for stability and on plus offroad comfort to drive most come with either a slip diff or factory rear locker so all u need is a winch bullbars and go anywhere at,s

[gomulletgo]

I know it has already been said but......my two cents worth:

You'd have to be a good keen man (crazy) to spend that sort of coin on a truck and then use it like that on the farm.

I'd go a cheap old (easy to find about $800-$1000) flatdeck patrol/landcruiser/hilux for farm duties.

Then you've got all that extra $$$BLING$$$ laying around to buy a hotted batman RX7 or classic V8 if your not into 4WDin.

[fweddy]

I don't know that sparkwoodand21 is really saying he's going to be thrashing it - Green rubbish and hay is not really that hard on a vehicle, Sure you don't want it inside a prado, but a deck with a liner or a flat deck will cope no problem without damaging the vehicle.

Still that's where a trailer behind the likes of a prado would be ideal so the load can be chucked on and off at will but the vehicle can still cope with the country he's talking of as well as the road.

[wjw]

Is the prado Beam Axle? or IFS?

[coxsy]

all are IFS now