Pick up as a main car

Wilf102

Well-Known Member
My current volvo estate is about to die some time soon after 14 years service, so I am looking to replace it. Been doing the rounds of estates, 4x4 etc. Currently really liking the latest Subaru Forester. I went to have a look at the new Outlander, however there was no demo vehicle, but Mitsubishi had a L200 demo so I took it out anyway. It did drive like a truck but tbh my days of thinking the roads are set up for fast sports cars are well over. I did really like it though. It must have appealed to the Inner Teenager.

I have 2 growing boys with bikes, camping stuff, surf board etc. Wife wants a dog. Apart from so so fuel economy a pick up is starting to look like a good idea. I don't need it for work or building renovation etc. However, being salaryman I won't be able to claim any vat back on it. I may need the 4x4 bit for carcas collection/extraction.

I would appreciate some thoughts on living with one as a sole vehicle (apart from the wives mini which would struggle to cart a Muntjac around!). The Tesco shop looks like it would be sliding all over the place in the back!
 
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Unless you really need a 4X4 a smaller estate car or even a van would be much cheaper to run. Although it would mean more walking or a quad to help with extraction. If you can afford it the L200 or a new ranger are comfortable enough to drive all day. You could get a canopy and boxes for storage in the back and a roof box too.
 
If your an NGO member, they are sorting out cracking discounts on ford ranger and focus.
I know someone on here that joined the NGO to get the great deal on a new Ranger and he loves it.
I have a 2010 shogun with all terrain tyres on and it's great at getting across fields and very comfortable to drive on the road, it's noisy engine wise and not very good on diesel but does seat seven when you need to take the family out. mine has a huge sunroof that I use for foxing out of. I was always told that the 200 was not a very good engine.
hope this helps
Tayfix
 
I drive an Isuzu D-Max Utah manual as my work/daily driver/jack of all trades. I would drive it in preference to my wife's X3. It has more room, better more comfortable seats, a lazy torque rich engine that will pull any gear from 3rd to 6th at 60. I replaced a Toyota Landcruiser with the pickup. I thought I might regret it in time but the reverse is true. After 16,000 miles I still look for excuses to go for a drive in the truck. A modern pick-up is a totally different proposition to the old Hilux's of the 80s-90s when it comes to comfort and stress free travel. I've done a few 1000 mile weekends and can't think of anything more comfortable than the big heated seats in my Utah except perhaps a dDisco /Rangie and they cost 3 or 4x as much.
 
my day motor is a 3lt ranger and have no probs with it . heated seats air con happy happy
 
I have had a few pick ups now and although my 03 plate L200 is in the garage I still love and I have used them as the main car for work and family.

If your going for an L200 or any pickup however I do suggest that you go for one with no minimum than the 175 bhp ones,
(finally a subject I can trully help with) The reason for going for this size as the L200's older models are only 113bhp and they are useless on any hills.

Her is my advice and dependant on your budget , If your going for an L200 then it has to be a warrior or a Barbarian post 2010 models purely for the confort factor as if it is going to be the main vehicle then you will need it, Always buy one with the hard top and if your planning on putting dogs in make sure it is one with the side windows that open (this goes for all pickups)

But if you have a reasonable budget and you like your toys here is my list of preferred pickups that really can be a proper family car, best starting first.

Toyota HiLux Invincible - comes with satnav bluetooth the works brilliant allround vehicle and clearly the best on the market,

Mitsu L200 dimonique (auto), Barbarian or warrior- has some great toys and very stylish I prefer the ones with the longer flatbed.

Nissan Navara - Over priced and useless for towing but a great family vehicle and has the the best legroom in the back and really comfortable, major gearbox and transmission issues that they still havent properly fixed think it is to do with the torque, this is also probably the quickest and most powerful of all on the market.

Ford Ranger - brilliant vehicle and heard nothing but good things about the new one but boxy and very hill billy redneckish :) I like em tho

Isuzu Rodeo - good offroad but clumsy around town.

VW Amarok - now I am not sure about this one the price range is roughly along the lines of a top of the range pick up but jury is still out on this one , been told mixed stories had a shot the other week and felt the clutch was way to light and very hard going on the ride of the machine.

The reason why I really like the L200 is out of them all the L200 is the only one that wont mind being driven in 4x4 mode for long distances and can be driven up to 90 mph in 4 wheel drive all the rest really dont like it if there is too much traction. But like I have learned these past few days it is like buying a new rifle go what you feel comfortable with , as for fuel economy well thats easy they are all about the same, however, when towing the HiLux and the Navara use the less fuel but the Ranger is a far better towing machine and work horse but offroad nothing really can beat the HiLux except a trust Landy :)
 
Isuzu have a special edition coming out called Blaze, it's a D max with lots of spec and the price is not mega stupid. If your in BASC you can discount on a new one and 5 yr warranty.
 
I have an l200 ,have had it 4 yrs super truck and have used it daily as main vehicle all I say is MPG !
Norma
 
I have a 2010 L200 Warrior with a hard top with side windows. It is very comfortable and returns 31 mpg measured from fill up to fill up.
I have not done any serious off-road with it as the current tyres are unsuitable. It copes with muddy tracks, stubble fields etc. very well. Good for carrying dogs, kit, carcasses etc.

Excellent for family weekends away as it will carry all the gear. Mind you a good clean out and new piece of carpet in the back is always necessary before the approval of the Chief Fairy is granted. Two weeks ago we even took an assembled cot away for the weekend.

A bigger vehicle than I would ideally have but I will not be changing it anytime soon.
 
I have the VW Amarok Highline 180 manual as my daily driver. Typical VW build quality, drives like a car, and doesn't feel as big as it is. It's quiet, and very comfortable, with the seats being by far the best of all the pickups I sat in. Personally I find the ride is fine, but my tire pressures are set for light loads. The rear space is vast, and I just have roller shutter.

It's very capable off road, and really surprised my when I went green laning, with the off road features coming into their own.

The only gripe would be fuel consumption, but a heavy truck, and heavy right foot don't help.

I would avoid the earlier 163 version, they have been troublesome, and I found it noisy, and harsh, compared to the later 180, which is German built.


Best advice I have, is don't test drive one, unless it falls within your budget :D
 
The Isuzu D-max is a good truck. Friend has one and much prefers it to his older Mitsubishi l200. He has driven North Scotland to Southern Spain a couple of times, good high 30's mpg and still pulls a full 3 tonnes of logs without really feeling it. When I go this route that's what I am getting, or an older Ford Ranger.
 
Wilf, it sounds we are in a very similar situation and I have done the rounds and made my mind up. I also have some experience of the different pick-ups off road (except the isuzu) and I pretty much came to the same conclusions as Tulloch's post and am looking for a Hilux, Invincible 3.0 with most of the gadgets and windows in the rear cover.
Don't get a forester - no room in the back seats. In fact I should think it'll be smaller than your volvo. Not saying they're not good cars but just I would suggest innappropriate given the family circumstances you describe.
Other advice is test drive as many as you can and you'll be suprised how this helps make your mind up. I did this and have arranged for the wife to test drive the hilux shortly.
 
I've just got rid of my 2001 L200; I loved having it for use when stalking, It meant I never had to carry any deer more than about 100 metres and all my shooting gear lived permanently in a carcass tray in the load bed with enough room left over for the dog and/ or luggage. However and it's a big however, it was crippling me on fuel. Absolutely the best it ever managed was 34mpg on a long run. Normal consumption was about 30-31mpg but you have to drive it like an old woman to get that (max speed 60mph, no more than 2500rpm while cruising and max of 2000rpm between gears). Drive it anything like a normal car and the mpg drops to around 27-28.
If that's not a problem for you then buy one, like I said, I loved mine, but I love having money to spare even more.
 
I have a 2011 Toyota Hilux I use as a main car. It's auto and lovely to drive but around town I only get 24 to the gallon and its bloody long so parking in town is sometimes an issue. I used to have a car for work and a LR for play nut decided on one vehicle to cut costs. I'm not sure I have but will know for definate in April.
 
I had a Ford Ranger for 2 years as my only vehicle and enjoyed the freedom of 4x4. Unfortunately, the fuel prices kept going up and it became unaffordable. Only other issue for me was road noise on long journeys with a/t tyres.
 
My l200 is a 61plate 4Life crew cab with back and I love it. Air con and eleccy windows but still feels rugged enough to use like a truck. It has not had a penny spent on it so far and gets worked hard on a muddy, wet shoot. It is going in soon for a couple of uj's and a broken leaf spring though.

I love driving it on the motorway as it smooths out nicely at just over 70. I drove it non stop to Loch Ness last month and even fully loaded with three blokes etc it was a nice quiet ride.

Fuel economy was anything from average to crap- one right foot heavy fuel stop on the way back saw 23mpg!!! That was 300 odd miles at <cough> mph though ;)
 
I have owed a 2007 L200 Warrior since new.
It's a great truck and used for everything. I live and work on a farm so is used off road daily. The four wheel system is the best of any truck.
It's comfortable with enough gadgets.
I use it for everything including this;

As already said the only downside is the fuel consumption, mine wears AT tyres so it's down to an average of 26 mpg but it does get driven hard.
I won't be selling the truck any time soon.
 
What's all this talk about MPG? You guys lose several thousand quid a year in value deprecation and bitch about few miles per gallon difference?

Even going for different wheel size (tyres are much cheaper in certain sizes) or steel over alloy, replacing integrated stuff with aftermarket accessories (like navigator) or some such method has equal influence on yearly costs than a difference of 27 or 34 MPG (which is seen as extreme).
 
A friend of mine has a 58 plate l200 and recently did a bit of journey work in it ie motorways and dual carriageway on a 250 mile round trip and struggled to get 30mpg, most pick up trucks are all about the same mpg wise as they dont really manufacture them with economy in mind. You may find theres a few that might do 35mpg on a long haul at a steady 60mph but a pick up thats on road off road and doing short journeys will be struggling to get 25mpg. We have 2003 Ranger and im glad i dont pay for the fuel, all these tales of high 30s and 40 odd to the gallon should be taken with a pinch of salt .
 
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