RE: Proper 4x4s: Market Watch

[nigelonich]

Ive been Defender free for over three years now after a 200tdi, Td5 and a Puma over twelve years and the move to Toyota Land Cruiser (120 Series) has been a joy! They might look a bit soft but the chassis is heavy duty, the drivetrain is brilliant and the build quality excellent. The only annoying fault so far is the vanity mirror wiring in the sun visor shorted out.

If you are looking for a decent 4x4 then the 120 series LC is a decent option. The only issue compared to the pack is its lack of 3500kg towing.

[911Thrasher]

squirdan said:

caelite said:

oceanview said:

Niva is petrol- all the rest are fked as they tend to be stinky/nox stinking diesels!!

Can't beat a straight piped td5 defender with the A/F mixture turned all the way rich

defender V8. job done

or the real big fat G55/63/65s

Oh and quite good on petrol ⛽️ That's on my last surf trip to Devon

Edited by 911Thrasher on Thursday 20th April 15:35

[MerriDave]

I love my 2015 JK, terrible car but always puts a smile on my face. My favourite feature is the drivers foot bath after a lot of rain.

[300bhp/ton]

nigelonich said:

Ive been Defender free for over three years now after a 200tdi, Td5 and a Puma over twelve years and the move to Toyota Land Cruiser (120 Series) has been a joy! They might look a bit soft but the chassis is heavy duty, the drivetrain is brilliant and the build quality excellent. The only annoying fault so far is the vanity mirror wiring in the sun visor shorted out.

If you are looking for a decent 4x4 then the 120 series LC is a decent option. The only issue compared to the pack is its lack of 3500kg towing.

Also depends what sort of use you have for the vehicle.

Land Rover's are most of the time cheap and easy to fix at home. And in the UK there are a wealth of parts suppliers, new and used.


Lots of vulnerable body panels, bumpers and electronics if you plan on doing stuff like this:

[Some Gump]

What if you had plans more like this?

[snowandrocks]

Yep, the 120 series is probably Toyota's equivalent of the Discovery. Good offroad, built well and very comfortable on the road.

The 70 series is closer in spirit to the Defender but sadly Toyota UK/EU legislation mean it's not sold in the UK.

If my 80 series ever dies, I'm hoping to be in a position to import one.

4.5 V8 diesel, 180 litre fuel tank, indestructible build quality, axle locks all round and enough room for a DIY camper conversion.

[slider2]

AND of course leaf springs! I'll keep my defender

[Zadkiel]

911Thrasher said:

or the real big fat G55/63/65s

Oh and quite good on petrol ?? That's on my last surf trip to Devon

Edited by 911Thrasher on Thursday 20th April 15:35

What do you think of the G55? I am considering one myself if I can find the right one.

[nigelonich]

[Sitoni]

I am in Iceland on holiday and they have some proper off roader such as this.

[911Thrasher]

Zadkiel said:

911Thrasher said:

or the real big fat G55/63/65s

Oh and quite good on petrol ?? That's on my last surf trip to Devon

Edited by 911Thrasher on Thursday 20th April 15:35

What do you think of the G55? I am considering one myself if I can find the right one.

We love ours, racking close to 7kmiles on it as a daily Chelsea mummy's truck but also on the numerous surf trips to Devon and the annual trip to South West of France (33 - Cap Ferret)

Ours is a LHD as much easier to find (and the thousands of km we do on the continent) but I have to say we never have any troubles with it in London: so square it's easy to park, luggage space is crazy big (my wife puts the Bugaboo without even folding it inside)

...she won't let it go, her favorite car by far and we've had previously a restored Classic Range Rover (#2/25 25anniversary) and a supercharged FFRR

Ours is subtle: metallic slate grey, brown interior and importantly de-badge so other than the side exhausts it's rather discrete

[stuckmojo]

911Thrasher said:

We love ours, racking close to 7kmiles on it as a daily Chelsea mummy's truck but also on the numerous surf trips to Devon and the annual trip to South West of France (33 - Cap Ferret)

Ours is a LHD as much easier to find (and the thousands of km we do on the continent) but I have to say we never have any troubles with it in London: so square it's easy to park, luggage space is crazy big (my wife puts the Bugaboo without even folding it inside)

...she won't let it go, her favorite car by far and we've had previously a restored Classic Range Rover (#2/25 25anniversary) and a supercharged FFRR

Ours is subtle: metallic slate grey, brown interior and importantly de-badge so other than the side exhausts it's rather discrete

I've had my G55 for 18 months/15k km and I love it.

Ride is incredibly hard, guzzles fuel like mad (well done for 14.5 MPG there!) and has the most vague steering this side of a lorry but I can't bring myself to sell it. In fact when I leave the UAE I'll bring mine back to the UK. I can't think of any other SUV I'd rather have.

[Watchman]

stuckmojo said:

911Thrasher said:

We love ours, racking close to 7kmiles on it as a daily Chelsea mummy's truck but also on the numerous surf trips to Devon and the annual trip to South West of France (33 - Cap Ferret)

Ours is a LHD as much easier to find (and the thousands of km we do on the continent) but I have to say we never have any troubles with it in London: so square it's easy to park, luggage space is crazy big (my wife puts the Bugaboo without even folding it inside)

...she won't let it go, her favorite car by far and we've had previously a restored Classic Range Rover (#2/25 25anniversary) and a supercharged FFRR

Ours is subtle: metallic slate grey, brown interior and importantly de-badge so other than the side exhausts it's rather discrete

I've had my G55 for 18 months/15k km and I love it.

Ride is incredibly hard, guzzles fuel like mad (well done for 14.5 MPG there!) and has the most vague steering this side of a lorry but I can't bring myself to sell it. In fact when I leave the UAE I'll bring mine back to the UK. I can't think of any other SUV I'd rather have.

I have a GL350CDI for my daily driver which has decent enough traction off road but I lust after a G55. In fact, I've found one I am particularly enamoured of - near (but not quite) black, RH drive, no spare wheel on the back, minimal front bumper, and not much chrome.

I just need to find the cash. It's a lot of cash so I'm considering cashing-in a pension for it. I may not live long enough to collect on that, and oil-based fuels aren't getting any easier to come by so I may as well enjoy today. I'd keep it for weekends and holidays.

[andy74b]

The Spectre defender earlier in the thread isn't my one. It looks like good car but not one of the actual cars from the film.

This is mine, currently away having small Refresh as the filming took quite a toll on it.



And this is the Twisted it share home with. The Twisted conversion really does make it useable for long distance. Happy to do 500mile run to Scotland in it now.

[caelite]

andy74b said:

The Spectre defender earlier in the thread isn't my one. It looks like good car but not one of the actual cars from the film.

This is mine, currently away having small Refresh as the filming took quite a toll on it.



And this is the Twisted it share home with. The Twisted conversion really does make it useable for long distance. Happy to do 500mile run to Scotland in it now.

I absolutely love these, I'm currently browsing late '80s/90s SWB in the hopes of picking up a <£1500 project for the summer. The prices are nuts at the moment though.

[capttrousers]

4x4's are inherently safer having four tractable wheels all the time. they are a great deal more stable in slippery conditions and better around corners. It's no co-incidence all rally cars are now 4x4. The big problem with most 4x4's is that they are too high and top heavy and too heavy ! Also if you wait six months values of diesel SUV's will drop though the floor as all the Chelsea Tractors are dumped in the face of heavier taxing. And Hybrids are worse. the batteries will only be good for around six years before they need to be all replaced ( at great expense) and the batteries make them very much heavier.
Great 4x4's include the Skyline Gt-R, Subaru Impreza, Mitsubishi Evo and many other really fun cars to drive.
The Land Cruiser did a 70s 80s version called the Troopie, an unstoppable military spec car with truck-like handling and speed. Australians in the middle of nowhere would consider nothing else ! The further into the outback you go and fart away from rescue, the less other 4x4's you see. Newer Toyota's are more luxurious car like and less reliable. Landies are fun but have a tendency to break down in the middle of nowhere... The Anniversary V8 SWB is my fave, auto box and real acceleration perfect for the modern world - and the points on your license ! Very juicy though..

Edited by capttrousers on Saturday 22 April 23:01

[AW111]

andy74b said:

The Spectre defender earlier in the thread isn't my one. It looks like good car but not one of the actual cars from the film.

This is mine, currently away having small Refresh as the filming took quite a toll on it.

You're in Australia?

[Mansells Tash]

capttrousers said:

The Land Cruiser did a 70s 80s version called the Troopie, an unstoppable military spec car with truck-like handling and speed. Australians in the middle of nowhere would consider nothing else !

Edited by capttrousers on Saturday 22 April 23:01

Still available in the form of the Land Cruiser 70 series. You can get them in the Middle East and Ozzie markets, Toyota Gibraltar also sell them in all sorts of weird and wonderful configurations however you can only purchase from them if you're a charity or something.
http://www.toyota.com.au/landcruiser-70/range

[Robert-nszl1]

Mansells Tash said:

Still available in the form of the Land Cruiser 70 series. You can get them in the Middle East and Ozzie markets, Toyota Gibraltar also sell them in all sorts of weird and wonderful configurations however you can only purchase from them if you're a charity or something.
http://www.toyota.com.au/landcruiser-70/range

Wagon Workmate with steel wheels. These would outcool the G wagons in London no doubt! You certainly can't not have a snorkel in London, I mean how will you make it out of the Hurlingham club car park if the Thames barrier fails?

[cj2013]

AW111 said:

You're in Australia?