Deer stalking vehicles!!!!!

[Midlandstalker2024]

Depends on your ground and farmer. I’ve had an l200, Dmax and currently have a Land Cruiser and a berlingo van. If the ground is solid enough to drive I nearly perfect the van as the lift is much less than the jeeps ever were. If the ground is really bad and need the 4x4 my farmers prefer to just give me the lend of the tractor.

 

[Mike1979]

Depends on your ground and farmer. I’ve had an l200, Dmax and currently have a Land Cruiser and a berlingo van. If the ground is solid enough to drive I nearly perfect the van as the lift is much less than the jeeps ever were. If the ground is really bad and need the 4x4 my farmers prefer to just give me the lend of the tractor.

Nice when it works out that way. One farm I shoot I text the farmer and he brings the telehandler ...love it

I have had a few 4x4s through work:

L200- 2 year old blew the head gasket
Navara - persistent DPF fault then lost 5th gear
Amarok - no issues
Ranger - no issues so far but its only 2 and 40k miles so lets see what happens with the wet belt...

 

[starr shot]

Best pickup I’ve had was the D-Max had all the rest put over a 100,000 miles on all of them the D-Max never missed a beat.The worst was the Nissan Np 300 couldn’t get that to 60,000 as it was constantly broken down in the dealership.

 

[Essexsussex]

Late model freelander 2 with a heck pack to chuck deer on? Pleased with mine so far. The heck pack gives you a mini-pick-up capability and the engines don’t go bang like a disco might.

 

[ABL]

Late model freelander 2 with a heck pack to chuck deer on? Pleased with mine so far. The heck pack gives you a mini-pick-up capability and the engines don’t go bang like a disco might.

That’s the package I’m looking at too.

 

[Essexsussex]

That’s the package I’m looking at too.

Had a duster before which was really great and I don’t believe would ever go wrong. But the freelander is a better family vehicle and I like the gadgets

 

[Birdshot]

Ha! He’s the biggest crook in the country!! Good luck!!!

Biggest crook in the country? Aye maybe with someone spinless who has no back bone but after some negotiation I got it for a great price.......And why would I need luck? I bought the vehicle 3 years ago and have never had a problem........I'd happily buy from him again.

 

[HonestJohn]

Biggest crook in the country? Aye maybe with someone spinless who has no back bone but after some negotiation I got it for a great price.......And why would I need luck? I bought the vehicle 3 years ago and have never had a problem........I'd happily buy from him again.

That’s good to hear! Have to say, I’d rather walk a thousand miles naked in a hailstorm than ever turn up his driveway again.

Just goes to show how experiences can differ

 

[Birdshot]

That’s good to hear! Have to say, I’d rather walk a thousand miles naked in a hailstorm than ever turn up his driveway again.

Just goes to show how experiences can differ

Care to elaborate?

 

[caorach]

I went with the L200 but haven't had the others and so can make no valid comparison. What I can tell you is why I went L200:

Almost all of them (there were a few older and very basic versions that couldn't do this) you can drive in 4WD on the road whereas this will damage most other makes of pickup and so they are only RWD on the road and this is a disadvantage especially if you want to run AT type tyres that don't have the best grip on the road to start with. It also saves shifting in and out of 4WD when the grip levels are varying as you go along. The VW can also run in 4WD on tarmac or other surfaces with decent grip but it's 4WD system is a bit of a cheat compared to other pickups.

The L200 was a bit narrower and, perhaps, more agile than the others and on small tracks or tight spots this is a plus point as I think it will turn in tighter spots. Also if you ever have to drive it in town (a pretty miserable experience in any pickup) being slightly narrower (about 6 inches) makes a difference when it comes to getting into, and out of, parking spaces. If this is going to be an everyday driver for you do give some consideration to the practical and boring stuff like parking in town etc.

 

[HonestJohn]

Care to elaborate?

Too long of a story, no pun intended

 

[Birdshot]

I went with the L200 but haven't had the others and so can make no valid comparison. What I can tell you is why I went L200:

Almost all of them (there were a few older and very basic versions that couldn't do this) you can drive in 4WD on the road whereas this will damage most other makes of pickup and so they are only RWD on the road and this is a disadvantage especially if you want to run AT type tyres that don't have the best grip on the road to start with. It also saves shifting in and out of 4WD when the grip levels are varying as you go along. The VW can also run in 4WD on tarmac or other surfaces with decent grip but it's 4WD system is a bit of a cheat compared to other pickups.

The L200 was a bit narrower and, perhaps, more agile than the others and on small tracks or tight spots this is a plus point as I think it will turn in tighter spots. Also if you ever have to drive it in town (a pretty miserable experience in any pickup) being slightly narrower (about 6 inches) makes a difference when it comes to getting into, and out of, parking spaces. If this is going to be an everyday driver for you do give some consideration to the practical and boring stuff like parking in town etc.

You get a reversing camera If you buy the warrior or barbarian spec 2015 onwards......I've got the barbarian........I put in seat covers within days of buying it......you don't want leather seats covered in **** and **** and blood.....**** that

 

[jb1]

Between L200/dmax/Hilux what's going to survive the Scottish Highlands and the forestry tracks that rattle the vehicles to death snow can be a pain in the but. I want to install drawers and a winch. Would definitely make life easier but that's a project for another day.

Look at lowering your tyre pressure for the rough slate tracks this will help cushion your vehicle and give you a quieter smoother ride and help alleviate the pain your shockers will be going through. But obviously make sure you have a decent compressor to pump them back up to normal.

 

[ammcknockiter]

After spending all my budget on a pick up I will have to make the rear boxes out of ply too keep the wife happy.

 

[CAVHUNT]

Mitsubishi has an exemplary reputation for reliability in OZ. The ability to run in AWD mode on hard surfaces is a winner.

 

[homer]

I’m Hilux now, was Nissan before. My mechanic told me avoid L200’s at all costs he described them as complete

Its funny how different people have very different opinions.
My mechanic told me to avoid navaras and rangers, and also the new hilux, and he was always a hilux fan. I've had an l200 for 12yrs and its been absolutely spot on, never given any trouble, but I do look after it.
I suppose you get good and bad, of everything.

 

[homer]

If you're looking for it to last 10years, then a 2nd hand Hilux is going to be worth the money spent after a few years.

I hear the hilux of around the 17/18/19 plate, are having real problems with the chassis rotting out, think toyota are replacing some of them under warranty.

 

[Birdshot]

I hear the hilux of around the 17/18/19 plate, are having real problems with the chassis rotting out, think toyota are replacing some of them under warranty.

Exactly the same as the navaras the chassis are sh1t, they also use similar clutches that you'd find in a regular car..........no wonder they stopped making them

 

[tackb]

I saw a thing a few days ago where a place was importing landcruiser pickups

No idea on cost though

seen that , being a massive landcruiser fan i investigated , OMG !

make sure you are sitting down if you look up the prices!

and a lot of the newer ones have the 2.8 engine rather than the older and better in my opinion 4.5l V8 (i hate eco mentalists that have done this to us!)

i honestly think toyota massively dropped the ball here , when the defender was stopped in 2015 without a replacement toyota should have been bringing in ship loads of the 79series , once the old defender drivers tried something that was reliable and comfortable but still a great UV they'd never look back!

 

[Rory]

Exactly the same as the navaras the chassis are sh1t, they also use similar clutches that you'd find in a regular car..........no wonder they stopped making them

Ha ha, it's nowhere near as bad as the Navara debacle, but there are issues. I've not heard much about clutch issues tbh.