TOYOTA LANDCRUISER 80 SERIES

Stronger than a 100 Series but a whole lot cheaper, yet they've got the rounded shape that'll have most people thinking it's a more current model - especially once you've plastered barwork all over it! A good 80 is my personal pick of the second-hand market - not the least because I'm trying to buy one!
Pick of the bunch for distance touring would have to be a GXL diesel - not much power but very reliable, and cheaper on fuel. The petrols aren't cheap to run, but cheaper service costs and more power make them attractive regardless. You do see the 24-valve turbo-diesel motor appearing in the 80 range, but it's rare and usually expensive.

OFF-ROAD MODIFICATIONS

A snorkel to get rid of the under-guard air intake and a suspension upgrade - they like a 50mm lift - are the two things you should consider first. There's plenty of room for a dual-battery conversion, and for family camping and a fridge, that'll be high on the list.
The 80 has a real diff up front, so consider diff locks both ends for the tough stuff. Fuel range on the dual-tank models is superb for a standard vehicle, but a lot of people shift the spare from underneath (to get better clearance) and then use some of that space for a bigger tank.

COMMON PROBLEMS

Check the wheel bearings and inner hub seals on constant four-wheel-drive models (all except the base model), and look for signs of excessive tyre wear in weird patterns, indicating at the least that an alignment is needed. Make sure the engine cam belt has been changed at the 100K intervals - there should be a sticker visible. The four-speed automatics (most of the petrol GXLs ran them) are superb but do like regular servicing, so unless there's a service record, it's a good investment to get them checked. The five-speed manuals get a bit crunchy going into second when they've done some hard work, so make sure you check for the next level - jumping out of gear - if that's the case. Look for signs of fresh paint around the rear window sills and roofline. The 80s aren't bad for rust but they're worth enough in good condition for dodgy operators to dolly them up for the yard.

SUZUKI SIERRA

Suzuki's Sierra has lit more off-roading flames than alomost any other truck. Often bought because of it's inherently cool 'no-frills' soft-top shape, the fact is a good Sierra is a tough and versatile little off-roader that can perform some amazing feats in the real dirty world. Sierras are virtually indestructible, very cheap to run, easy to maintain and can be built into killer trucks for competition use. The other side of the coin is that they're small - two kids, two adults and a six-pack at most - and have a choppy, short wheel base ride that when combined with a small, high-revving motor; doesn't make them the best choice for long distances. The best ones would have to be those built between 1988 and 1996 with the wider body but a rigid axle. Look for low kilometres - they're a bit suspect after 150,000km.

OFF-ROAD MODIFICATIONS

Suzi's seem capable of slip sliding over alomost anything in standard form with the right nut behind the wheel, but a few inches of lift sure does help. It'll also help fitting some bigger rubber too, lifting both the gearing and the car. Consider disconnecting the swaybars and fitting some long-travel shocks at the very least. This is so you can take full advantage of their naturally decent articulation. One of the most popular Sierra mods is to dump the 1300cc motor in favor of a 1600cc Vitara unit. Although some engineering is required on the Vitara block, the benefits both on-and off-road are suburb. Consider lockers, too. The Sierra's diffs and CV's are strong enough to take them!

COMMON PROBLEMS

The biggest problem you'll have is finding a Sierra with a rust-free body, because every man and his girlfriend love hanging around the beach in their soft-top! Check the underbody thoroughly. They came out lightly painted from the factory, so make sure a heavy coat of black 'goop' is there for protection and not to block up the holes. Check around the plastic flares if it's got them, too. Make sure the transfer case shifts in and out of low-range easily. The problem's usually a small bush worth $20, but if it's gone its worth checking for signs of jumping out of gear and listening for loud whining noises, too. No dear, I'm talking about Suzukis...

TOYOTA HILUX

Unbreakable, eh? Not really, despite what the ads say. The fact is the HiLux is a lighter and smaller truck, so it’s built lighter to start with. The whole trick to buying a used HiLux is to discern the sort of life it has had. If it’s never had an oil change and the bump stops on the rear axel are worn off from hauling concrete blend all day, then a HiLux can be the saddest buy on the block. Little engines need regular oil changes – especially the dirty little 2.8L diesel – because without them they will wear out twice as fast as a big lump. Having said all that, there are still some monster reasons for buying a HiLux. They are tough – the front diffs were strong enough to run in the new 100 Series – and that combination of economical running costs and suburb reliability, it’s no wonder the HiLux has such a terrific reputation. In the real world, not much is better for sheer versatility than a dual-cab HiLux.
My pick would be a rust-free, pre-1997 vehicle, because they were still underpowered before the release of the 2.7L EFI and 3L diesels, so there’s less chance of running-gear wear, and they’re a whole lot cheaper. Then you can spend the money saved on hotting it up, and the sky’s the limit here!

OFF-ROAD MODIFICATIONS

The trick to modifying HiLuxes is to keep them as light as possible! Long-range tanks and steel bullbars should be avoided unless really necessary – the best feature about your new ‘Lux off-road is that it’s light enough to scrabble out of trouble, so don’t stuff that up! Leaf-sprung HiLuxes are easily lifted and really benefit from more clearance. Don’t go more than 3inches unless you have to, because they have a habit of falling over as it is. The IFS-equipped ‘Luxes can be tweaked a couple of inches without steering traumas. Maximise the articulation of the suspension by fitting long-travel shocks, and unless you need all those load-bearing springs at the rear consider dropping a few to get some flex. Other than that, you might consider fitting Air Lockers front and back and bung a Commodore V6 under the bonnet to make the thing totally unstoppable!

COMMON PROBLEMS

The 22R Toyota petrol motor is prone to timing-chain rattles and when worn out is very expensive to re-build – another good reason to go for a V6! That’s similar for the diesels too, though they’ll pull some incredibly long miles if looked after properly. If not, you might hear some ‘knockety knocks’ from the bottom end – a sure sign you’re in the wrong lot! Toyota’s 2.8L diesel is a dirty motor at best, and without regular oil and filter changes, ash build up in the oil can block the small oil galleries in the crankshaft. On the independent-suspension models, look for signs of sag up front – a sure sign that the truck has been pounded or overloaded too often. Weak springs are a HiLux trait, so you will probably get to replace them with something much better anyway. Watch for signs of hard, corrugated track use, like dust in the instruments, cracked seat mounts and rattling windows. After-all that’s the sort of damage a bloke wants to do to his own truck himself!

DAHATSU ROCKY

Like Stallone himself, Rocky owners would rather punch on than swap their trucks for something ‘boringly mainstream’. It’s no wonder Daihatsu Rocky’s are possibly the most underrated truck on the market. They’re heavy - nearly 2t - and if you hop underneath you can see why. The chassis is super-solid, the Salisbury-style diffs are massive for a vehicle this size, and the gearbox and transfer would be at home on a truck twice the size. Motors - both petrol and diesel - are from the Toyota family, so they come with Toyota trappings, as in great reliability but expensive parts and servicing. Basically, the only thing that’ll stuff a Rocky is lousy servicing. My tip would be to try and buy yours from the last owner so you can get a feel for whether or not he knows where the dipstick is, or whether he’s, in fact, the dipstick himself. And keep an eye out for the superb turbo-diesel Sportswagon - a good one of these can be a bargain buy!

OFF ROAD MODIFICATIONS

Problem number one - not many people have modified Rockys, so the aftermarket suppliers don’t stock much for them, and there’s not a lot of knowledge around either. Having said that, the suspension is simple to work for a few inches of lift, a set of big wheels and tyres are easy to source, and a snorkel is only a trip to the plumbing supply house away. That’s here in Australia, though. Overseas, the Rocky (or Rugger, Feroza, Fourtrack or Taft as they’re known in lesser countries) has been one of the most popular off-roaders ever. There are clubs devoted to them and plenty of enthusiasts and information, too. Borrow someone’s computer and leap on the web for more information.

COMMON PROBLEMS

Body rust isn’t any worse than most Japanese vehicles, but it usually spreads from the top (drip rails) down. So if you find holes in the floor, check to make sure the rest of the car isn’t totally shot. Look for cracks around the resin top, especially that rear door. And check the seat frame for cracks - it built a tough truck, but Daihatsu’s seats are for lightweights... Mechanically, there’s nothing special to check other than making sure the transfer case shifts cleanly and the gearbox is not jumping out of gear. On the diesels, check the radiator for bubbles indicating a cylinder head crack or leak. They are prone to that if owners haven’t kept up the flushing/protection thing, and it’s expensive to fix.

HOLDEN RODEO

Holden’s Rodeo is often a superb bargain second-hand because most people don’t know what they’re looking at. Built by Isuzu, the world’s largest manufacturer of light trucks, the Rodeo is exceptionally tough and comes with the sort of built-in reliability that legends are forged by. However, it’s still more car than truck - witness how low to the ground they are for starters - and given the independent front suspension, a 50mm lift is about all you’ll squeeze. But that comes with other benefits, too. There’s more room in a Rodeo’s cab than a HiLux any day, and they were blessed with stronger motors right from the start. The 2.8L turbo-diesel is a ripper, though not as economical as similar donks, and the V6 petrol introduced in 1998 is a stunner - once you’ve got over the shock of filling the tank too often anyway. Best bets? Depends what you’re looking at, but it’d be hard to beat a five-year-old V6 petrol Rodeo with less than 100,000km in good condition. It’ll probably be quite a few grand less than something similar with a ‘bigger’ name.

OFF ROAD MODIFICATIONS

The thing they really need is clearance, but that’s hard given the independent front suspension and the fact the transfer case sticks down lower than Fat Kevvy’s bum crack. Fortunately, Isuzu has equipped them with some good bash plates, and they’re tough components, too. Your best bet is to go the snorkel and good rubber route. If you’re lucky, you might find a Rodeo with the optional limited-slip rear diff, which isn’t a bad unit. Given the lack of clearance though, the best bet is to invest in an Air Locker for the rear diff. They’ll take it and the difference in real-world traction will make up for a whole lot of missing ground clearance.

COMMON PROBLEMS

Mechanically, the Isuzu-built Rodeos are superb, and it’s rare you’ll hear of anything but user-error-related problems. However, the bodies are susceptible to rust in a big way unless they’ve been thoroughly washed from underneath because they’ve got plenty of pressed panels seams and other sand traps! Check the sills, around the windshield and the back window, and spend a lot of time poking from underneath. Not you, Chooka, go back to sleep... Suspensions do sag with age but they’re easily fixed, and if you buy the right gear, you’ll improve the ride and handling at the same time.