Cheap 4x4

damian1250

Has anybody experience of either a Isuzu Trooper, Landrover Freelander or a Opel Frontera around the year 2000 as a cheap winter vehicle. Problems what to look for etc.

Alanstrainor

Moved from motors.

Slidey

If it was a pre 98 3.1 Trooper I would have it. Most 98 3.0 I would run a mile, even with the ability to fix them and if someone said I could have all the parts for nothing I still wouldnt run a 3.0l.

The Freelanders give trouble with the drivetrain. I think it is the viscous coupling to the rear drive that gives problems.

I know feck all about the Frontera but they are rare enough on the ground.

colm_mcm

I'd get a 90's Shogun/Pajero over those listed TBH.
You'll get a decent one for £1500 in the UK. VRT €50.

DirtyDiesels

id stick with the trooper, 3.1. im on my second one, and there a great machine, never had a days trouble with either of them, my current one is 95 and its flying.

damian1250

Slidey wrote: »

If it was a pre 98 3.1 Trooper I would have it. Most 98 3.0 I would run a mile, even with the ability to fix them and if someone said I could have all the parts for nothing I still wouldnt run a 3.0l.

The Freelanders give trouble with the drivetrain. I think it is the viscous coupling to the rear drive that gives problems.

I know feck all about the Frontera but they are rare enough on the ground.

I have been told to stay well away from the 3.0 even with a new engine or isuzu injector replacment, was worried about the land rover drive train and the frontera is a grey area.
I just missed a 99 3.1 trooper for €1900 but the guy told me he sold it 1 hour after the autotrader went on sale and had 35 calls that day about the jeep !
I guess its going to be hard to get a good one cheap or expensive !
Looked at a 96 pajero V6 petrol but worried about consumption !
Anyway thanks for the advice and ill keep you posted on the buy.

MrFoxman360

3.1 trooper is bullet proof,if you get a decent one, althoung alot of them have lead a hard life. Frontera is a bit of an odd ball more than anything, but I know a few people who have them and have no problems at all, actually very similar to the trooper mechanics if i'm not mistaken.

Most people on here are aware of my views about landrovers, so I wont go into the reasons why again, but needless to say I wouldn't reccommend a freelander, not really in the same league at all, and they do give some quite serious problems

2.5 or 2.8 diesel pajero won't let you down either, although they have a reputation as being a tad thirsty.

Landcruisers around that year at at a reasonable price now and represent good value, great all rounders, can't say much against them.

damian1250

Going to look at a 99 shogun on sat fresh out of UK for around €2200, Any ideas what to look for or check as not much experence with 4x4s. Was offered a 03 trooper 3.0 for €2500 ! was very tempted but that 3.0 still worries me. What about all the 3.o on the road surely they are not all that bad ?

101sean

Frontera is basically a rebadged Isuzu Mu, petrol versions had Vauxhall/Opel engines AFAIK (Mu = Mysterious Utility in the weird Japanese way of naming vehicles! :rolleyes:).

No knowledge of jap prices but I'd be very wary of an 03 vehicle that cheap, probably thrashed with minimal sevicing.

DarrenGT4

<snip>

If you want to sell something, please use www.adverts.ie and use the 'For Sale' thread at the top of the forum

Fishtits

I borrowed a 3.0 Trooper for a bit, thirsty bitch IMHO. Ten yr old, owner had had injectors replaced by Harris, recall driven, no problems. Rattled like hell but was otherwise OK.

Freelander is a Wench mobile IMHO, doesn't deserve the LR badge. Viscous Coupling problems are well known.

Discovery is worth a look, usual caveats apply, early models were honest, later stuff got complicated & thirsty.

No experience with a Pajero, mate had a late model one & complained about the brakes when pulling a mini digger & trailer.

Toyota... where do you start? damn things are bullet proof in my experience. Probably why they are so expensive...

Cheers

Edit to mention the Nissan Hardbody/Patrol whatever they call it here, nothing but trouble in my experience.

enol

Am in a similar situation to Damian1250 myself, looking for a reliable jeep for around €2000 mark. - Not for full time driving, I have a decent car for that, its just for part time pulling horseboxes, picking up bags of feed, a part time workhorse bascially. Asked my mechanic and his opinion was:
Pajero engines are a bit 'soft', especially the 2.5, the 2.8 is better. You'd have to be careful buying an old one that might have had a hard life.

Landcruisers or Hilux/Surfs are good, but a bit more pricey because of that.

Troopers are good too, as long as its the 3.1, and the older ones can rot around the back end where the towbar is, so if its ok there, the front end should be ok too. But apparently if the engine is ok in a 3.1 trooper, you're safe enough.

Didn't bother ask him about any sort of Landrover, I just wouldn't go there.
Drove a Nissan Terrano once, and once was enough, too 'roll happy'. Mate has a Navara for his farm & said to stay away from them, they lose power as they get older & wouldn't pull you out of bed.

I think I'll probably be going for a 3.1 Trooper...

paddy147

ebest thing to do with a Frontera is soak it in petrol,light a match and run.

They are PURE MUCK.

mossfort

paddy147 wrote: »

ebest thing to do with a Frontera is soak it in petrol,light a match and run.

They are PURE MUCK.

i,ll second that.
them hilux surfs arent great either ,engine trouble and rust.
the old 91 -99 pajeros are a good jeep ,the 2.5 are abetter engine than the 2.8 but them 3.1 troopers
can pull like a train.
why not buy an old hilux pickup and you can throw anything in the back.?
and they are bulletproof.

Viejo Zorro

Would argree with the general consensus thus far, particularly as to the woe that is incurred with the 3.0 4JX1 Trooper engine... why they replaced the 3.1 4JG2 with it never fails to mesmerise me.

Pajeros... thirsty, but good all rounders. I've heard complaints of soft engines and gear boxes, but I drove one about 7 years ago (a V24 jap), and apart from the thirst and having to do the injectors (120 quid mate's rates), absolutely no probs.
Go for a Jap one if at all possible, especially if it has been owned by urbanites over here. The early Irish one's can be woefully tatty.

Toyota's - can't be bought right for love nor money... Solid work horses, but could be susceptible to tin worm and for the love of God look out for head gasket problems on MK1 Surf's, which are one of the few models which can be picked up for a song.

Terrano's - seriously... where else can you get a clean 98 4x4 for 700 stg? Had a jap one two years ago and there was a problem with it... Forget what, I think there was a miss in the engine. Great fun and games sorting it. Woefully thirsty too if I recall...

Land Rover's... I love them... but unless you have a stash of spare parts, copious amounts of time, stay away from them. That said, they are great in soft conditions...

You may pick up a Suzuki Vitara diesel for under a grand. They have a 2.0 Mazda diesel engine, which are bullet proof (the old lad put 450k miles the same engine in a different vehicle). Advantages - cheap road tax if it has seats...

Ssangyoung Musso... hehehehe 2.9 Merc Diesel... can be got for peanuts... but caveat emptor...

Frontera - absolutely no experience.