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If someone suggests a 4wd to you and tells you how awsem it is the give away will be how shiney it is if its really shiney chances are its just a posers 4wd
BTW is there anything wrong with Nissan Mistrals? I know they don't look cool but they do have a TD27 motor or what ever it's called don't they?
Share the same frame as a WD21/D21 Terrano, front steering can be a bit weak if abused, manual gearboxes in the terranos had issues with a low oil level, the fill bung was cast too low in the housing so a top up was required to 'overfill' them to keep them quiet. Most run the TD27 motor, which is a TD42 with two cylinders chopped off. shares the same internals.
I have a bighorn, been a reasonable 4x4, but they are getting long in the tooth now and harder to get parts, I had to put a bit of money and lots of time, into both my 4x4 cars in the last few years, a Suzuki vitara, (96), and bighorn (98). Suzuki parts are expensive,
You will get more bang for you buck, with a car biased 4x4 or AWD, the likes of a Subaru, legacy/outback, and they are quite capable of road, and with boat and trailer, few others makes around now, highlander, ford excape, territory etc.
i have a 3.0 legacy, goes great. wont touch a new one though as they have gone CVT. pure evil
Ive been down this road recently.
I had an isuzu bighorn. Didnt really like it. Wasnt the grunty and felt like a big whale to drive. Had a petrol v6 pajero, couldnt afford to fill ut with petrol was super hungry.
Ended up with a 1997 1kz surf. Love it. Heaps of bottom end power from the bighorns etc.
They are alot more expensive but you will find and older 1994 one for around 5k.
My 2 cents anyway
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I have a R50 Terrano. Nice and comfortable family wagon. Tows the race car perfectly fine and gets me up to my hunting spots as well.
Wouldn't call it a real 4wd as it is a monocoque chassis. But does alright offroad.
Not as powerful as a 1KZ Surf but uses heaps less fuel. 1KZ's drink like a alcoholic at closing time.
It's a 2.7 turbo diesel intercooled and efi. Good cast iron pushrod reliable engine.
As with anything mechanical, if it's been looked after properly it will last.
1993 0r earlier 4wd hiace. iv got one and it climbs up trees. iv also got some snorkels to fit. they have hilux running gear so are pretty capable. also you get the benefit of a van! so much better than a ute for most things.Attachment 69996Attachment 69997
the orange one is not mine, has had hilux live axle and leaf installed in the front to allow the lift height (so im told)
pretty cool... (except the paint)
The old man's go a hi ace, loves it. Only problem is finding one with low kms. Ski fields used to love them, long wheel base, hi roof and 4wd but Toyota has stopped making hem :pissed off:
I do like the van BUT to be honest I am not even sure it will fit under the car-port.
Sad question I know but can you put a child's car seat in the back? Some of the old ones had basic seating in the back. I almost purchased the nissan version a few years ago but it turned out the motor was on the way out.
ATM I am looking at Nissan Mistral as they don't seem to leak/rust as bad as the Terranos. They also don't seem to attract such a premium for low k ones.
Also it seems to be hard to get Bighorns that haven't been thrashed but still looking.
Yee gods! expensive/very high KM! If I ever see a realistically priced one I might grab it but got to stick to the budget for now.
Definitely a Bighorn is still in my list which looks like this at the moment:
Bighorn/Older Mu (non poo motor)
Terrano/Mistral
Surff (less likely)
Hilux Van (not likely)
BTW I know Tommy likes the older TD27 - TD27Ti/TD27ETi Nissan Motor common in the Terrano/Mistral but are the ZD30DDTi or QD32ETi 3 or 3.2 liter ones common in some later ones any any good?
ZD30 is a Renault design and is about as useful and reliable as soggy biscuit
The QD32 is just a stroked out version of the td27 to 3.2L. Bit more grunt. They are known for breaking engine mounts.
Avoid the ZD motor like it was your ex girlfriends father. QD32 is a good motor, if breaking an engine mount concerns you, add a few links of chain to stop it flexing too much. QD motor is a good improvement on the TD27. But it still needs to be looked after and kept cool.
Stick with the Isuzu's just look for one that's got the external fuel (diesel) injectors on the motor as the motor with the internal fuel injectors have a habit of going awol... the Isuzu has to be one of the Safest 4x4's around me or those close to me have had 4 of them plus a Toyota 4x4 & a Terrano 4x4, some guy cut the corner and headon'd us @ over a 100ks concertina buckled the chassis over the wheel arch of the 1st 96 Isuzu x & I walked away with not a scratch on us he was in an old 56 Plymouth Vaxhall so a Solid car 26 broken bones in his face alone.. Isuzu 4x4's are Great Family Wagons..
The Isuzu Wizard is a 5 dr 4x4 . More economical then the Bighorn though & Will go Anywhere they also have a Bigger Radiator or atleast my last one did compared to the Bighorn.
There's a few for sale @ the moment on the Auto Trader site.
Used Isuzu for Sale
Good Luck.
Depends on the Isuzu Wizard I had a 1997 Auto Diesel 5 door with the external jets in the outside if the motor .. Best Wagon I ever owned, it's the ones with the internal injectors that play up . Mine did 200'000 ks in the time I had it and it never missed a beat not even towing a car trailer with a Toyota surf 4x4 on behind & pulled more cars off Castlecliff beach out of the sand then any other vehicle around the area... I'd have another one the same tomorrow and Gladly.
I'm still looking for a sound Bighorn, have one under cover (2.8 4JBIT) in the back yard which i'll use for spare parts. Chassis has the Jackson Bay cancer, other than that, running gear is ok. Just keeping my fingers x'd (been close to 12 mths)
I had the ZD30 motor in my navara from 90,000 through to 210,000. never missed a beat and was a strong performer. just look after them and change the oil etc.
the problem is most manufacturers make hundreds of thousands of engines and a few are bound to bugger up and its usually these cases that everyone hears about.
(I also had a 2000 Isuzu Wizard that they were talking about. That to was a great wagon and went really well. it was my 4x4/family wagon for about 3 years and we travelled all over the country with it without it missing a beat.)