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Can't Stop looking at 'Winter' 4x4's!

If you buy one for £4k, be prepared to get your hands dirty or have another £4k set aside for repairs.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using MBClub UK
 
V12 said:
If only land cruisers weren't so expensive.
They just don't seem to depreciate at all!
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The big ones (80/100 series) are still a good chunk of money. I paid 3.5k for a Colorado (90series) earlier this year, it's got provenance to the hilt and everything works, it just keeps on going and going with just routine servicing.
 
sinewave said:
Yeah, tell me about it!




They can't be that bad or they'd never make big mileages or win awards for best Off Roaders would they ?
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My wifes Uncle has just got shot of a 2003 Range Rover 4.4V8 after 4 years of ownership.

In that time he has replaced:

radiators x 3, main gearbox, numerous parking sensors, sat nav, dead dash pixels, 2 x xenon headlamps due to seized levelling motors, exhaust, various electrical components and the final straw was when it failed it's mot due to severe rust on subframes.

He reckoned it cost him 4k per year on maintenance, he drove around 14k a year.

He's replaced it with a supercharged one which is sublime, but is playing up already.
 
And that year would be an L322 as well, which is supposedly light years ahead of the p38 in reliability. I came very close to buying an L322, but saw the light and realised the s class was the one for me!

Sent from my GT-I9300 using MBClub UK
 
I've recently been looking at SWB Shoguns circa 2005/6 just finding it really hard to take the plunge and go for it.
 
The ONLY way to have a RR is to have a new one. When -and it will- breakdown, you will have a replacement delivered to your door, so hopefully not too inconvenient. The modern top spec ones drive wonderfully. It will depreciate a bomb, it will breakdown (normally air suspension or electronics), but when it runs it will bring a smile to your face if not your wallet. For your own sanity do not buy an old one.
 
Might have to leave it this year and up my budget a bit.

LWB Shogun or X5 are the front runners now!
 
LWB Shogun is a pretty serious 4x4. My old man had one. I remember borrowing it and whacking a bird at 60mph that flew accross its path. The car was fine but getting all the feathers out the grille was a bit challenging. A lesser car would have cracked.

The X5s are miles better to drive on road and are way nicer inside. BUT for heavy duty stuff and going to the tip, Shogun wins. Oh and the Shogun will be reliable.
 
sinewave said:
Might have to leave it this year and up my budget a bit.

LWB Shogun or X5 are the front runners now!
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looked at and drove both before settling on the ML270. Best of both worlds. German prestige (without the chav style of the BMW) and proper 4x4 low range capability. Not just for show. I've just driven 600 miles in the last 30 hours and at the end of the 300 mile return leg, I felt fresh enough to play a few hands of Poker and won the cost of my fuel, the cost of dinner and the cost of the cash in my twins birthday cards. Basically the trip cost me 10 quid because I was so fresh arriving back in leeds at 1:40am from Taunton.

This is a car I really have time for. tomorrow I drop it in for its MOT on Monday and have a look at the leak ( manifold I suspect)

Hoping I get a little more torque with the manifold fixed. Its good a low speed but laggy higher up.

Still well chuffed with 34.3mpg on the motorway though!
 
Is the general consensus that circa £8k could buy a reliable ML or would they be in "money-pit" territory?
 
If you're concerned I'd buy from a dealer and pay/negotiate for a comprehensive 12 month warranty.
 
Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ (99-04 I think) with a V8, get it now for £2K and drives as well as any other big 4x4 in reality. I had one for a number of years and although the interior isn't modern Mercedes standars it's not that bad, yes there is plastic but then again my 02 plate C class has as much plastic as a toy shop in it!
 
Palfrem said:
I've recently put a deposit down on a 2007 Landcruiser

Used Toyota Cars :: Used Toyota Land Cruiser 3.0 D-4D LC4 5-Dr 3.0 D-4D LC4 602692498 - Birmingham :: usedcars.toyota.co.uk

It's truly filthy inside and out and stinks of farmyard & dogs

I'm waiting for the call to go and view it post valet.

Landcruisers certainly seem to hold their price
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They do and are very reliable but be careful of any 4x4 that smells of farmyard and has a towbar. May have been dragging a horse trailer etc around and that puts a lot of strain on the entire drivetrain. Listen out for "clunks" on taking up drive and stopping.

Make sure that the centre diff lock engages and disengages properly. It is made by Torsen, a semi automatic unit and has to work in order to get into and out of low range.

Brakes: if you got a bit of wobble through the steering wheel when slowing down, almost certainly an inner pot (or two) has siezed. Very common problem with the calipers but not a disaster as they can be source for about £100 each. (not from Toyota, who want stupid money) and it is an easy job.

Tyres: Dunlop AT20's come as standard and they are a waste of space: OK for the Supermarket car park but terrible off road as they have thin sidewalls. BF Goodrich or General Grabber All Terrains are accepted as the ones to go for in 265/70, not 265/65.

Good luck!
 
Mblinko said:
Why? Older pre-computerised discos and defenders are great on road and supreme off road, ie pre 98.
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They are horrific on road.

There is no car I hate more than a defender. I cannot stand the things. Its irrational thing, I just hate them.
 
Satch said:
They do and are very reliable but be careful of any 4x4 that smells of farmyard and has a towbar. May have been dragging a horse trailer etc around and that puts a lot of strain on the entire drivetrain. Listen out for "clunks" on taking up drive and stopping.

Make sure that the centre diff lock engages and disengages properly. It is made by Torsen, a semi automatic unit and has to work in order to get into and out of low range.

Brakes: if you got a bit of wobble through the steering wheel when slowing down, almost certainly an inner pot (or two) has siezed. Very common problem with the calipers but not a disaster as they can be source for about £100 each. (not from Toyota, who want stupid money) and it is an easy job.

Tyres: Dunlop AT20's come as standard and they are a waste of space: OK for the Supermarket car park but terrible off road as they have thin sidewalls. BF Goodrich or General Grabber All Terrains are accepted as the ones to go for in 265/70, not 265/65.

Good luck!
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Thanks for all that Satch. Appreciated. Never had one of these before so a bit green on a lot of things.

I have agreed that if they haven't killed the smells and it's spotlessly clean - I walk away andd get my deposit back.

I have got a 12 month Toyota warranty so anything wrong will be fixed. It's getting a proper service too.

A number of people have spoken about the Dunlop tyres - there's loads of tread left on them though, too much to just bin.


I'll let you know how the test drive goes when it's ready
 
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