Thinking about a pick up or 4x4

Heym SR20

Well-Known Member
Thoughts please gentlemen. Thinking about changing our town runabout for a truck of some sort. Primary reAson is to tow a trailer with boat and need a 2.5 tonne or 3 tonne capacity and to be able to tow for a reasonable distance. Don't want to spend a lot of money so thinking of something reasonably long in the tooth. It will double duty as a weekend shooting / camping / sailing with a bit of school runs thrown. I suppose the default is a Landrover station wagon or Disco Series 2 but their must be better more reliable options out their. Pick up truck has big attraction in that both road tax and parking permits are a lot cheaper, than a Chelsea tractor 4x4. What should I start looking for, and at what stage do they become a waste of money.
 
For a pickup, you can't go wrong with a Toyota. Any age and incarnation tend to be essentially reliable. The Land Rover Defender might not be ideal if you want to do long hauls in it comfort-wise. A Discovery 2 is a possibility and can be reliable, but you've got to find a late, well looked after example.

In fact, if you're looking for something a bit long in the tooth, it's condition and history become more important than the actual model. If I were you, I'd draw up a list of possible vehicles and then look for a well preserved example.
 
If you don't NEED a pickup, a KIA Sorento (or the hyundai version) are real nice, cheaper than them ugly LR's:rolleyes:, and cheap to drive (diesel). KIA has a 7 year warrenty on new I believe. If you go used, the Sorento's prior to 2009 (?) are rated at 3.5 ton pull for auto trans and I believe 3t for manual....
 
I knew of a Daihatsu Fourtrack for sale from a friend a couple of weeks back. Had only been used as a family car, one owner since new. Apparently in very good condition. I can't remember exactly what the mileage was but it was low to average for its year, the price was good as well because I passed the details on to another mate.

They have a 3500kg towing capacity....

two friends of mine had these vehicles and I travelled a lot in them, shooting and stalking. If I was looking for an older motor I wouldn't hesitate. The guy that's selling it is a mechanic and has gone over the vehicle...

if you want to find out more I'll get details for you.
 
If you're going to be launching a heavy ( 2-3 tonne) boat I wouldn't go for a pick up, insufficient weight on the back. They can be hell on earth just getting a trailer up a slippery slipway.
 
If you're going to be launching a heavy ( 2-3 tonne) boat I wouldn't go for a pick up, insufficient weight on the back. They can be hell on earth just getting a trailer up a slippery slipway.

Get a tow hitch on the front as well?

David.
 
Absolutely no contest - Toyata hilux.

If they were available in this country, and you could stomach the fuel consumption, I'd say a Lancruiser 70 series. But having driven hiluxes throughout my field career in some very unkind places, and abused them mightily, I'd swear by them.

If you want a rough assessment of how prized they are, go look on the South African Gumtree. Compare hiluxes of the same age and mileage with any of the other makes - they go for anything up to 75% more. All the projects I've ever been involved in have them as the primary vehicle.

I will have one one day.

Oh - and towing is not a problem. I've towed 3 tonnes of roofing sheets on soft sand without a hassle.
 
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The only struggle with the Hilux in the UK is that they are only plated for a 2.2 Tonne towing capacity and given that the boat is 2 tonne plus the trailer it's below the legal limit. The likes of the Izuzu and Ford Ranger all have a 3.5 tonne limit.
 
The only struggle with the Hilux in the UK is that they are only plated for a 2.2 Tonne towing capacity and given that the boat is 2 tonne plus the trailer it's below the legal limit. The likes of the Izuzu and Ford Ranger all have a 3.5 tonne limit.

My hilux is rated for 2.8 tonnes......great truck too.
 
I would look for an older model Isuzu Rodeo with the 3.0 or 2.5 Engine, the build quality is not that far behind the Toyota Hilux and reliability is pretty much on par, prices are cheaper and they are "generally" less abused,the Hilux as people have said are the ones to have but as has been said already the towing weight lets it down, agree about the 70's series Landcruiser though they are a serious vehicle, you wont buy better than one of those.
Pick ups tend to have a hard life so be prepared to have a good look round and take you time - "Not a lot of money" and "pick up" normally means lots of miles and worn out.
 
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