SECOND-HAND SALLYS
WORDS BY JOHN ROOTH PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROBB COX, PHIL COOPER AND JOHN ROOTH
Buying a preloved 4WD can be an exercise in serious savings. Our man about the mudflats gives us a wrap-up of his best second-hand buys
ROOTH'S RULES
Rooth’s Rule 1: The older the vehicle you’re thinking about buying, the more money you’ll need to keep aside to fix it!
Rooth’s Rule 2: Look for the vehicle that’s nearest to stock condition whenever possible.
Rooth’s Rule 3: Work out the vehicle’s history by looking for clues and asking direct questions : like, ‘was this on fleet at Saltwater Phlegm Collection and Haulage?’
Rooth’s Rule 4: When considering a vehicle you’re not personally experienced with, take along someone who knows them well.
Rooth’s Rule 5: As soon as you can, get all the oils and filters changed and the engine tuned properly. |
Buying a used four-wheel drive can offer the serious off-roader a much better run for his money. Depending on what you’re looking for, there are plenty of fourbies that have lived their lives as pampered run-arounds on sealed roads with their dirt capacity rarely utilised. Factor in that modern vehicles are superbly reliable and come with built-in longevity of the 250,000km-plus type, yet resale values tend to drop faster than a politician’s promise, and suddenly a bloke would have to be a goose to consider new. Especially if he’s one of us and intends taking his ‘new’ fourby straight up ‘The Widowmaker’ as soon as he’s let the air out of those stock tyres!
The fact is that serious off-roading, even the gentle, wimpy stuff, is guaranteed to scratch panel and paint, and spatter the underbody with rock chips and dents. Before long : better still, before you even go off-road : you’ll be thinking ‘protective gear’ and big-time improvements like suspension and locking diffs. No worries, but that all costs money, and herein lies the rub : it’s unlikely you’ll get that money back. In fact, chances are, by the time you’ve had a few years of fun and the truck’s starting to look nicely flogged, it’ll be worth a whole lot less in dressed-up-for-war state than a shopping trolley built the same year. Consider all the above and suddenly buying second-hand makes all the sense in the world.
Some of the money saved by not splurging on new can be spent on building up a tougher truck and the rest on fuel and beer as you gallop around the bush. In 40 years of travelling, I’ve never owned a new truck, even during the few times I might have been able to afford one. Why? Because I reckon the thought of paying so much dough for something that’s too new to really enjoy until it’s been banged around a bit doesn’t make sense. Anyway, the Handbrake wouldn’t allow it unless it was something she could drive instead of her old Morry Minor. Given she can barely see over the dash as it is and she’s allergic to power, I reckon that cuts our choice down to a new Terios with a couple of plug leads removed…
TOYOTA LANDCRUISER 100 SERIES
 |
How many times has the mighty 100 Series won 4WD of the Year? For good reason too : they’re a tough truck with terrific off-roadability from standard and a reputation for reliability and comfort. That means they’re more expensive than most but tend to hang on to their resale value, too. Are they better than a good 80 Series? Only because they’re newer. Bargains for off-roaders include the standard RV models with manual-locking hubs and a rigid front axle. The trap here is that many 100 Series RVs were flogged senseless by mining firms and hire companies, and you need to be fairly certain you know what you’re looking at to take on something that’s been driven by every flatfoot in town. Still, if the price is right you can get almost new for a genuine second-hand price. The next cab off the off-road rank would have to be the GXL diesels with the mighty 1HZ motor and five-speed manual transmission. Like the RVs, the diesel GXL comes with a rigid front axle : getting rarer given the petrols, V8s and GXVs all have wishy-washy wishbones. While in non-turbo form they’re slower than lunch at the pub, there should be enough shekels left in the pot to bung on an aftermarket turbo or at least play with the air filter and exhaust.
 |
OFF-ROAD MODIFICATIONS
Everybody makes kits for the 100 Series, so parts won’t be a problem. Snorkels are top of the list, followed by a suspension upgrade : two or 3in won’t upset their excellent steering : and shifting the spare to a rear mount makes them slide off the rocks a lot easier, too. Big rubber is mandatory for the skinny-wheel models, but at least it’ll fit given that wide body. The rear diff is a limited-slip jobbie, which is only bettered by a good locker.
COMMON PROBLEMS
The front diffs are the same as those fitted to the HiLux, with a reverse-cut high pinion. That means they’re a time bomb if driven hard in reverse, and a reverse snatch recovery is almost guaranteed to see teeth-spitting action. The same goes if you fit a locker up front and use it hard. Look for signs of corrugated-road use. They’ve got the best dust sealing on the planet, but bang anything up enough tracks and there’ll be signs of dust under the instruments and some red stains around the exhaust and engine block no matter who did the detailing. Check the bonnet support rubbers : a sure sign of dirt work if they’re pounded to cracking point : and the hinges on the rear doors. And if you’re the softie who bought the GVX with everything, I’d be keeping an eye on the front CV boots, too. The Toyota independents have a habit of splitting boots and chewing out CVs, even around town.
IN BRIEF
Daily driver: 3 stars
Off-road potential stock: 4 stars
Potential to modify: 4 stars
Long-distance capability: 5 stars
Value for money: 2 stars
Towing ability: 5 stars
Stock sex appeal: 2 stars
Price Range: 1998 and up : $20,000 to $75,000 |
|
NISSAN GU PATROL
 |
Introduced in 1997 to replace the aging GQ, the new GU was an off-road rocket right from day one. With coil suspension all around and rigid axles both ends, a stock GU was capable of mixing it with most mildly modified trucks while still giving one of the best rides around. With a new price averaging $10K cheaper than the 100 Series, GUs tend to be popular second-hand because that price difference gets reflected right down the line. They’ve got one of the toughest drivelines in the business : tougher than a Toyota : as the number of GUs running trouble-free in competitions testifies. The big question is motors : do we go petrol or diesel? For long distances, the economy of a diesel is definitely the go, but note that you’ll pay more for one initially, and it’ll cost more to service along the way. The 2.8L turbo models are cheap as chips to run, but they come with a lightweight drivetrain compared to big brother and aren’t recommended for big towing jobs. That said, they’re definitely quicker than the big-lump 4.2L diesel in naturally aspirated form, which has a reputation for power right up there with Briggs & Stratton. I like the 4.2L though, it’s a fair-dinkum truck motor, and while the later turbo models with stock mild boost aren’t overly exciting either, they’re practical and solid. Consider the 4.5L petrols, though. Cheaper to start with, they’re easily converted to LPG (they don’t need cylinder headwork), smooth and, err, powerful: compared to the oil burners anyway!
 |
OFF-ROAD MODIFICATIONS
Right, well we’re starting with one of the best chassis/running-gear combinations in the history of off-roading, so anything you add : and there’s plenty to choose from for these popular trucks : will make a useable difference. Snorkels first, especially for the diesels, and then a suspension upgrade and some decent rubber are the first steps to off-road nirvana. A 5in lift : with castor correction and adjustable Panhard rods please! : makes room for 35in rubber. Yum! GUs come with a good limited-slip rear diff : Ti models even get an automatic locker : and their robust front diff means a locker up the sharp end is definitely the all-tracks ticket.
COMMON PROBLEMS
Whining gearboxes (in the lower gears, especially second) and ‘notchy’ changing were commonplace in the early GUs, but given the sheer strength of the components, it’s more a question of putting up with the noise rather than fixing it. Check clutch operation; that’s all it is sometimes. However, check to make sure the truck doesn’t jump out of gear (by jerking the accelerator on and off in each gear). Steering wobbles caused by big-lift suspension kits put in by people who don’t fully understand the importance of radius rod lengths and angles, and castor correction plates, are a common GU drama. Current thinking has rubber bushes winning out over the less-flexible urethane styles, but check with your expert. Check the fan blades : they go brittle, crack and shoot through the radiator on older units. And run a close eye over the fuel pumps on diesels to make sure they’re not leaking thanks to the rubbish they call fuel over here.
IN BRIEF
Daily driver: 3 stars
Off-road potential stock: 4 stars
Potential to modify: 5 stars
Long-distance capability: 5 stars
Value for money: 4 stars
Towing ability: 4 stars
Stock sex appeal: 2 stars, add one for every inch of lift...
Price range: 1997 and up : $16,000 to $55,000 |
|
JEEP CHEROKEE XJ SERIES
 |
Out of the ‘common stuff’ and in to the enthusiast’s machinery! XJs were first imported in 1995 and the model run lasted here until 2001. Because they were never understood (or bought for that matter), except by the Jeep faithful, there are some superb examples around, and prices are pretty low for the standard of equipment on offer. Even the base-model Sports Wagon - aptly named thanks to a tiny rear seat - comes with airbags, electric windows and central locking. Limiteds do the full-leather number with the lot, and while there weren’t as many sold, they often represent the best value on the second-hand lot. Like all Jeeps, the Cherokees were built to handle the rough stuff straight from the factory. A rugged, fully galvanised body means rust isn’t such a big issue, though it’s harder to spot serious damage too, so a careful inspection is a must: especially around the gutters. Engine-wise, most of the units you’ll see feature the magnificent straight-six 4L Chrysler motor that, while a tad tough on petrol, hauls with 131kW. Backed by an all clutch (no bands) four-speed electric auto and Jeep’s Select-Trac (a type of central diff lock), the big six is capable of smoking it up at the lights and pounding the hills hard. Coil front suspension and leaf at the rear is super-flexible, though most will need the Bilstein shockies swapped by now. One in 20 Cherokees came with the little 2.5L turbo-diesel backed with a manual five-speed. Great economy corresponds with lousy power, but they’re a package renowned for longevity.
 |
OFF-ROAD MODIFICATIONS
Protective gear, suspension and tyres pretty much rounds up the requirements for turning an XJ into a decent weapon. Possibly because they’re so good standard, it’s almost as rare to find a radically modified Cherokee as it is to find one that’s done serious off-road work. With an easily obtainable 3in lift, some 31in tyres and the swaybars disconnected, you’ll probably only need an Air Locker to turn your Chucky into a super-sized chunky! Radical types can access not only the local product but also an amazing array of American-crafted bits, too.
COMMON PROBLEMS
Given the strength of the Cherokee, most ‘inherent’ problems are more the result of off-road abuse - easy enough with all that stomp underfoot - rather than anything else. Check the rear Dana 44 differential and bearings, especially if the unit shows signs of big tyres, big loads or heavy towing miles, because they are known to chop out under stress. Similarly, the front wheel bearings are the sealed-for-life type, which means plenty of sand or mud swimming tends to clog them up badly. The big six often springs an oil leak around the rear main seal, but if it’s only a ‘tiddle’, don’t worry too much - rope-style seals are known to tinkle for years before taking a good piss. Look for cracks in the fancier styles of alloy wheels - more a result of too much throttle than anything else. Engine-wise, they’re virtually bulletproof, though more than a few owners of older models have had problems with the electronic-ignition sending unit. When this baby plays up, it can be hard to pick - until the day you trailer it home anyway.
IN BREIF
Daily driver: 4 stars
Off-road potential stock: 4 stars
Potential to modify: 3 stars
Long-distance capability: 2 stars
Value for money: 5 stars
Towing ability: 5 stars
Sex appeal: 5 stars, in skimpy leather
Price Range: 1995 to 2001 : $8000 to $30,000 |
|
|
|
