Proper 4x4s: Market Watch
From Niva to Wrangler, here's the rundown on used values for the ultimate 4x4s
And you might just be the kind of PHer who laments those days, when men were men and 4x4s were 4x4s. Or something. Well, if you are, we've got a treat for you.
Yes, we've given old-school off-roaders like these the Market Watch treatment. To this end, we've picked five classic 4x4s, each one representing a different part of the world, and we've combed the classifieds to work out exactly what's going on with each one: where values sit, what the market looks like, and indeed, whether you should buy one.
We had to have a British contender; after all, while we didn't invent the 4x4, we came up with the Land Rover, which in one way or another begat pretty much every modern SUV you'd care to mention. Indeed, it doesn't feel right to pick any other car as our UK representative than the trusty old Defender.
Of course, any 4x4 enthusiast will tell you that while a Defender will get you there, a Land Cruiser will get you there and back again. Toyota's workhorse has become the proper off-roader for those in the know, and the only one many survival experts - not to mention the UN's Blue Helmets - will trust to take them into the harshest of terrains. Which should probably tell you all you need to know.
From Europe, what else could we include but the fabulous G-Wagen, latterly G-Class? This box-on-wheels combined Teutonic efficiency with the strength of an ox, and has the added advantage of being a little less well-known than a Landie. Of course, in recent years, Merc's turned up the chintz, but a good, honest early G-Wagen is one of the most appealing utilitarian buys out there.
We're not the only ones with a claim to having invented the 4x4 as we know it, mind you. The land of bizarre phrases like 'down home' and 'rootin' tootin'' gave us the Willys Jeep, and in its modern form as the Wrangler, it's a tough old thing, and extremely useful off road thanks to its rather diminutive dimensions.
The same can be said of our last candidate, which hails from behind the Iron Curtain. Yes, you've guessed it - it's the Lada Niva. Fast becoming a cult classic, the Niva is renowned for its basic but rugged nature. In fact, you might say it's the spiritual predecessor to our very own Mighty Duster...
Introduction
Land Rover Defender
Toyota Land Cruiser
Mercedes G-Wagen
Jeep Wrangler
Lada Niva
I was in Reigate yesterday (a relatively urban town in Surrey) and spotted this. I am not usually a massive fan of these kinds of vehicles especially when the underside looks like it has never left clean tarmac, but this Spectre edition looked bad ass!
We stood watching an incapable driver mount the kerb in his Zafira and then he wrecked 2 of his wheels scraping them along the kerb, this guy turned up and parked perfectly and the Zafira driver had the cheek to comment saying "not sure why that gets all the attention" I was so tempted to say at least there is no risk of him kerbing those rims.like you did!
Seemingly stopping production of these has done their values the world of good.
(usually a Freelander)
A nice original Land Cruiser: http://lendasvivas.pt/index.php/component/rdautos/...
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