Offroader as a fun 2nd car?
Discussion
300bhp/ton said:
The 4.0 litre is auto only in the UK. But it suits it and goes very very well. 190hp and will do 0-60mph in 8 and a bit seconds. They'll return 17-23mpg pretty easily. They can also run 2wd high range, 4wd high range open diff, 4wd high range locked diff and 4wd low range locked diff. Which is pretty cool.
It certainly is - and mine being a 60th anniversary has the rear LSD which I don't know if any of the other models had from factory, you could probably spec it.I would steer clear of the diesel because it is only 115bhp and woefully slow (I bought one first and almost straight away bought a 4 litre instead). Also as said, 2wd only on the road and being so light there is not much traction at the back in greasy conditions, fun for drifting but I leave mine in 4x4 in the winter.
Timbuktu said:
It certainly is - and mine being a 60th anniversary has the rear LSD which I don't know if any of the other models had from factory, you could probably spec it.
I would steer clear of the diesel because it is only 115bhp and woefully slow (I bought one first and almost straight away bought a 4 litre instead). Also as said, 2wd only on the road and being so light there is not much traction at the back in greasy conditions, fun for drifting but I leave mine in 4x4 in the winter.
My wife had a late model WJ Overland, this had the 168 BHP 2.7 Merc CRD engine, the earlier models were a 3.1 VM engine rated at 138 BHP, not 115.I would steer clear of the diesel because it is only 115bhp and woefully slow (I bought one first and almost straight away bought a 4 litre instead). Also as said, 2wd only on the road and being so light there is not much traction at the back in greasy conditions, fun for drifting but I leave mine in 4x4 in the winter.
KevinCamaroSS said:
Timbuktu said:
It certainly is - and mine being a 60th anniversary has the rear LSD which I don't know if any of the other models had from factory, you could probably spec it.
I would steer clear of the diesel because it is only 115bhp and woefully slow (I bought one first and almost straight away bought a 4 litre instead). Also as said, 2wd only on the road and being so light there is not much traction at the back in greasy conditions, fun for drifting but I leave mine in 4x4 in the winter.
My wife had a late model WJ Overland, this had the 168 BHP 2.7 Merc CRD engine, the earlier models were a 3.1 VM engine rated at 138 BHP, not 115.I would steer clear of the diesel because it is only 115bhp and woefully slow (I bought one first and almost straight away bought a 4 litre instead). Also as said, 2wd only on the road and being so light there is not much traction at the back in greasy conditions, fun for drifting but I leave mine in 4x4 in the winter.
I've been looking around for XJs and ZJs and also Troopers and Landcruisers but haven't come across anything yet. Been a bit busy to look properly with the holiday season. I looked into Discoverys but to be honest was put off by rust issues and the D2 seems to have a lot of problems. Have seen some Pajeros/Shoguns for sale but not sure they are reliable, as LandRoverManiac said.
300bhp/ton said:
The two 2.5's use a different transfer box and only have 4x2 and 4x4 + low. So you can't run them in 4wd on the road (unless snowy). This is the same for most Jap trucks however.
That doesn't sound good - if there's snow or sleet around it can go from dry tarmac to snow and back again along the same road. I'd prefer to use 4wd on the road, not be in rwd or having to constantly change between the two. Apart from those you mentioned how would I know which can do that?300bhp/ton said:
Nothing wrong with a Jimny, engine is plenty for the type of vehicle.
Plenty for moving its own weight, but would it struggle to pull a much heavier vehicle if helping out someone else in a group who's got stuck? They look kind of fun being so small.Language said:
300bhp/ton said:
The two 2.5's use a different transfer box and only have 4x2 and 4x4 + low. So you can't run them in 4wd on the road (unless snowy). This is the same for most Jap trucks however.
That doesn't sound good - if there's snow or sleet around it can go from dry tarmac to snow and back again along the same road. I'd prefer to use 4wd on the road, not be in rwd or having to constantly change between the two. Apart from those you mentioned how would I know which can do that?Most 96-onwards Nissan Terranos/Pathfinders had a RWD/4WD-open/4WD-locked/4WD-low range multi select type system too, but I'm not sure if the 'Terrano II' you got in Europe (aka Mistral) had that system or the older simpler transfer case.
KevinCamaroSS said:
My wife had a late model WJ Overland, this had the 168 BHP 2.7 Merc CRD engine, the earlier models were a 3.1 VM engine rated at 138 BHP, not 115.
Were the 2.7 WJ's any good? How did you find it KevinCamaroSS? Reliable? I've seen this one is for sale http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...Are they a bit complicated compared to the older ZJ and XJ, maybe too much to go wrong?
Language said:
Were the 2.7 WJ's any good? How did you find it KevinCamaroSS? Reliable? I've seen this one is for sale http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...
Are they a bit complicated compared to the older ZJ and XJ, maybe too much to go wrong?
We only had one problem with it, a sensor on the gearbox played up which forced it into limp mode. Changed that and fine. I am considering another WJ as a fun car, but will be going for the 4.7 petrol because the mileage will be low. The 2.7 is just about enough for the weight, the earlier engines were not. My wife loved it, it was her car.Are they a bit complicated compared to the older ZJ and XJ, maybe too much to go wrong?
Language said:
300bhp/ton said:
Nothing wrong with a Jimny, engine is plenty for the type of vehicle.
Plenty for moving its own weight, but would it struggle to pull a much heavier vehicle if helping out someone else in a group who's got stuck? They look kind of fun being so small.I've had a Jimny now for about 4 years. Primarily for offroading but also useful for dump runs and a second car when something breaks on the main car.
It's been absolutely perfect this whole time. Mud tyres on it, a bash plate to protect the transfer box and that's been the height of it in 4 years. It's not needed any repairs aside from normal servicing stuff and the time I didn't have the bash plate on and pulled the transfer box out from underneath it. Never fails to start, always breezes MOT's and much to the annoyance to bearded types in Defenders, goes pretty much anywhere they can. Great fun.
Never really had issue with it's inability to recover anyone. I just let the bigger 4x4's do the recovery work.
They are horrible on the road though. Even with normal tyres and standard suspension, 60mph is about as fast as you would want to go. If I'm going any distance I tend to just stick it on the transporter and tow it there!
Apart from that great fun and can be had cheap. I think I paid in the region of £6/700 for mine with 50k miles and a full MOT.
Also had a 4.0 XJ - it was great but it dissolved from the bottom upwards. Even the galvanized facelift ones rust. Great engine and auto box in the 4.0's. LSD too which was quite good fun.
Had a 4.0 ZJ and the transfer box on it was awful. Uses a viscous coupling which wore out, locked up and grenaded a couple of differentials, which were almost impossible to find. Ended up putting a XJ transfer box into it and two second hand axles. Major operation. After that it was pretty good though.
It's been absolutely perfect this whole time. Mud tyres on it, a bash plate to protect the transfer box and that's been the height of it in 4 years. It's not needed any repairs aside from normal servicing stuff and the time I didn't have the bash plate on and pulled the transfer box out from underneath it. Never fails to start, always breezes MOT's and much to the annoyance to bearded types in Defenders, goes pretty much anywhere they can. Great fun.
Never really had issue with it's inability to recover anyone. I just let the bigger 4x4's do the recovery work.
They are horrible on the road though. Even with normal tyres and standard suspension, 60mph is about as fast as you would want to go. If I'm going any distance I tend to just stick it on the transporter and tow it there!
Apart from that great fun and can be had cheap. I think I paid in the region of £6/700 for mine with 50k miles and a full MOT.
Also had a 4.0 XJ - it was great but it dissolved from the bottom upwards. Even the galvanized facelift ones rust. Great engine and auto box in the 4.0's. LSD too which was quite good fun.
Had a 4.0 ZJ and the transfer box on it was awful. Uses a viscous coupling which wore out, locked up and grenaded a couple of differentials, which were almost impossible to find. Ended up putting a XJ transfer box into it and two second hand axles. Major operation. After that it was pretty good though.
KevinCamaroSS said:
We only had one problem with it, a sensor on the gearbox played up which forced it into limp mode. Changed that and fine. I am considering another WJ as a fun car, but will be going for the 4.7 petrol because the mileage will be low. The 2.7 is just about enough for the weight, the earlier engines were not. My wife loved it, it was her car.
Had my 2004 2.7crd for 5 years now. Id rate it as one of the best vehicles I've owned, along side my old Saab 9000.In terms of what you pay for what you get, its a great all round package. It works for me as I do most spanner work myself, keeping it too a high standard. To pay a garage would be expensive. Maybe I've been lucky not to suffer any serious faults.
I guess they are at "weekend toy" money now, but mines a daily drive as the average 27mpg is acceptable for the 7K miles I do a year in it.
Gassing Station | Off Road | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff