Thread: 4x4 buying advice

For my hunting a 4x4 bike is alot more useful than a 4x4 ute & a bike is alot cheap to maintain than a ute just some thing else to think bot

Originally Posted by mudgripz

Good comments from Scott1975 above.

The 92-97 4JG2 Bighorn has alot of strong points. Have had a 96 for 2-3 years and apart from an odd electrical problem it is a good vehicle - now set with lift/tuning/32s etc for moderate club offroading which it does competently. Also very smooth on road. Have also had a 96 Prado. This model drives nicely, has more pep than Bighorn, and has useful initial height. Problems though are high fuel use with the diesel - very bad for mine. Also the 1KZ is not a good motor - regularly cracks head and sometimes water gets down into the block which means an expensive rebuild. Many friends and clubmates have had these issues. Final point with them is the drivetrain is not so strong - discussions at 4x4 club on how to improve breakage rate when offroading. And the LSD is not much good. From experience with the two - 3.1 Bighorn and 96 Prado - if both are in front of me with similar ks - I'd take the Bighorn. Its also as Scott points out bigger inside and alot cheaper. Next Isuzu 4JX1 model is to be avoided - they got that one wrong.

What are the Wizards like? They must have similar running gear?

Gotta be a van, if you are patient you will find one that is not stuffed.
My Hiace will close the door on 3.0m sheets of gib easily. I can even get 4.0m planks inside and close the door properly if the planks sit on the dash.
Then as for camping etc.... Ute, blah.

If I were working farming etc or moving big heavy/ dirty as things often then a ute would be ideal.

I reckon the only two bad things about a van is the loss of legs in a proper frontal, and where to chuck that bloody animal's carcass?

Hi/lo 4wd Hiace.
get the 2.8L diesel (engine code=3L)
I reckon mine is gonna catch up to @7mmwsm's Rodeo shortly (only if his stops clocking up Km/s....)

Originally Posted by Mohawk .308

If you don’t need a Ute, I’d be looking for a 97-98 diesel prado. You’d get a good low km one for 20k.

I've got a 99 I could be selling soon for a lot less than that.

Originally Posted by paremata

What are the Wizards like? They must have similar running gear?

The earlier ones up to 97 do but once again the latter model have the nasty 4JX1 engine.

My Mu had the 4JG2 and was a great wagon. Everything but the alternator went well, had to replace that twice...

Whatever models you end up narrowing your seach down to, just go for the ones with the least modifications done to it(grandpa spec), hopefully still on road tyres (H/T) . Sure its not cheap to build them up if you want, but sounds like you're not too worried about that either and your budget has plenty of room in my opinion. Less chance of it having being abused off road by previous owners.