Buying a cheap 4x4

ahoudet

ahoudet

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Hi everyone. We are looking at buying a cheap 4x4 that we can use to drive to Botswana every now and then. It will most probably be used initially by my brother in Bots for around 3 months while he waits to buy himself a car. If any off-roading, it will be soft. The main thing would be to have strong suspension for the uneven roads where we will be staying and the odd camping trips where a standard car would struggle a bit... So the 4x4 is more for the car to take less strain.

Requirements for the car will be:
- Should be safe
- Average of 10 000km a year at most
- Fairly spacious (will need to carry 3-5 people and luggage without a trailer)
- As reliable as possible
- Under R60k (preferably between R40k and R50k - the cheaper the better)

What I've come across so far:
- '05 Jeep Cherokee 2.4 - 190 000km - R35k
- '95 to '98 Land Rover Discovery 3.9 V8 - 190 000km to 210 000km - Around R40k
- '00 Honda CR-V 2.0 - 190 000km - R50k
- '96 to '00 Mitsubishi Pajero 3.5 V6 - 210 000km to 250 000km - R50k to R60k
- '99 Jeep Cherokee XJ - 130 000km - R52k
- '99 Range Rover HSE - 200 000km - R60k (Suspension has been changed to coils rather)

Is there anything else I should have a look at? Anything to stay away from? What's the best option?

Thanks for the help in this matter :)
 
IMO its best to steer clear from Jeeps and Rovers, they are expensive to fix when something goes wrong and something does go wrong quite often, I would go with the Pajero but one of the mid 2000's model.
 
Aren't those Cherokee running ancient & repurposed chasis? (not my field...thought I heard something like that)

I'd be looking at the Honda first...
 
Rickster said:
IMO its best to steer clear from Jeeps and Rovers, they are expensive to fix when something goes wrong and something does go wrong quite often, I would go with the Pajero but one of the mid 2000's model.
Click to expand...

Mid 2000s aren't in my budget... Seems like something around '96 to '98 would be. Thing is, the car won't be used often. My estimate is 10 000km but that's a worst case scenario - more like half of that :)

So in that case, since it's a "weekend" car, I'd rather not spend much... I've read up a lot on both the Pajero and the Disco and the petrol engines seem to be bullet-proof but I have read more good things about the Pajero.

I like the Disco slightly more but that Pajero is what the head is going for. The Honda may be less strong IMO but I'll still consider it.

Also, a Land Rover Defender? Something like a '95 model... Just that those aren't so refined
 
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ahoudet said:
Mid 2000s aren't in my budget... Seems like something around '96 to '98 would be. Thing is, the car won't be used often. My estimate is 10 000km but that's a worst case scenario - more like half of that :)

So in that case, since it's a "weekend" car, I'd rather not spend much... I've read up a lot on both the Pajero and the Disco and the petrol engines seem to be bullet-proof but I have read more good things about the Pajero.

I like the Disco slightly more but that Pajero is what the head is going for. The Honda may be less strong IMO but I'll still consider it.

Also, a Land Rover Defender? Something like a '95 model... Just that those aren't so refined
Click to expand...


A heavy 3.9L V8? Your wallet is going to cry.


PS: LR's leak from everywhere.
 
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Try looking for a Toyota. I am not a fan but parts are easy to come by and very reliable expecially out in the sticks.
Probably not in your price range though.
 
Your budget is going to be problematic.... At that price range you're going to probably find a lot of rubbish. You may also want to look at 4x4 double cabs...
 
Rickster said:
IMO its best to steer clear from Jeeps and Rovers, they are expensive to fix when something goes wrong and something does go wrong quite often, I would go with the Pajero but one of the mid 2000's model.
Click to expand...

This.

Have a look at those first generation Mahindras as well.
 
I know budget is low. What I'm doing is replacing a spare car with another spare car. I'm gonna do probably around 5 000km a year so maintenance and fuel won't kill the wallet. I can afford a much better car, it just doesn't make sense to spend more if it's not justified
 
The problem is that you will be buying an old car with lots of miles on it, which invariably means you will be inheriting somebody elses problems. And when something goes on a 4x4, its a lot more expensive to fix than on a Toyota Corolla.

Just be careful - you could end up spending R60k to buy the car and then R60k fixing it.
 
Ancalagon said:
The problem is that you will be buying an old car with lots of miles on it, which invariably means you will be inheriting somebody elses problems. And when something goes on a 4x4, its a lot more expensive to fix than on a Toyota Corolla.

Just be careful - you could end up spending R60k to buy the car and then R60k fixing it.
Click to expand...

Yes I completely agree with that. My plan is to look around and hopefully find something good in the price range. As I said, it's not a necessity but rather something that would be nice and would take less strain. At this stage, we have a few spare cars but the one I want to replace is a '00 Renault Megane with 285000km on the clock. It managed the trip but came back with a few rattles and the shocks are in more need of replacement than they were before. Total mileage for the trip was less than 3 000km. This will possibly be done two or three more times this year and then move to something more like once a year.

So the thing is, I don't need the car. It will be doing little mileage and due to this, I can't justify spending much money on one even though I could afford a much more expensive car
 
ahoudet said:
Yes I completely agree with that. My plan is to look around and hopefully find something good in the price range. As I said, it's not a necessity but rather something that would be nice and would take less strain. At this stage, we have a few spare cars but the one I want to replace is a '00 Renault Megane with 285000km on the clock. It managed the trip but came back with a few rattles and the shocks are in more need of replacement than they were before. Total mileage for the trip was less than 3 000km. This will possibly be done two or three more times this year and then move to something more like once a year.

So the thing is, I don't need the car. It will be doing little mileage and due to this, I can't justify spending much money on one even though I could afford a much more expensive car
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Your logic is correct. i have a new ranger parked in my garage. 1 year old with 6500km's on the clock. costing me an arm and a leg to stand. I have seen a Pajero go for years and years, with heavy mileage doing the northern zululand roads. If you can find an older toyota, that would be great, but try steer clear of the land rover V8's. awesome engines, but the gearboxes tend to give troubles.
 
Pajeros from the era also tend to have over-heating issues over long treks at this age (anecdotal evidence). So keep that in mind.
 
Wasp_21 said:
Your logic is correct. i have a new ranger parked in my garage. 1 year old with 6500km's on the clock. costing me an arm and a leg to stand. I have seen a Pajero go for years and years, with heavy mileage doing the northern zululand roads. If you can find an older toyota, that would be great, but try steer clear of the land rover V8's. awesome engines, but the gearboxes tend to give troubles.
Click to expand...

Toyota pricing seems to be a bit high. The Land Rover V8s I'm looking at all seem to be manuals - do those cause issues as well?

Garson007 said:
Pajeros from the era also tend to have over-heating issues over long treks at this age (anecdotal evidence). So keep that in mind.
Click to expand...

My long treks will be 1500km max one way and same back, is that still potentially going to cause issues?
 
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