Spotlighting vehicle advice

Four wheel driving. Vehicle modifications. Off road driving and recovery techniques. Towing and miscellaneous vehicle topics.

Re: Spotlighting vehicle advice

Post by Altay » 02 Apr 2019, 7:34 pm

Have a look at a Pajero. Very underrated and quite capable. Some of the petrol versions can be picked up in your budget with plenty of life left in them.

https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/detail ... D-17000232
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Re: Spotlighting vehicle advice

Post by Bruiser64 » 02 Apr 2019, 8:43 pm

Altay wrote:Have a look at a Pajero. Very underrated and quite capable. Some of the petrol versions can be picked up in your budget with plenty of life left in them.

https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/detail ... D-17000232


I owned a 1998 model V6 petrol Pajero for about 10 years and it was very reliable. An issue with the petrol engine is the heads can go at around 220,000 to 250,000km. That will be an expensive fix. They are a capable off-road vehicle and would be a great shooting bus. I currently use my Pajero Sport as my shooting rig. It fills that role well.
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Re: Spotlighting vehicle advice

Post by magnum012 » 03 Apr 2019, 12:20 am

I had a 2003 Mitsubishi challenger and so far it was the best shooting/ family bus I’ve had. The shooting position from the driver’s seat was perfect compared to the two Hiluxes I’ve used since and it was so quiet that at idle no fox could hear it.
It was a manual so I could just sneak it around without having to rev it up, usually taking off at idle.
Something to consider, low maintenance and they made that model up to 2008.
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Re: Spotlighting vehicle advice

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Re: Spotlighting vehicle advice

Post by Steve-0 » 03 Apr 2019, 6:09 pm

Altay wrote:Have a look at a Pajero. Very underrated and quite capable. Some of the petrol versions can be picked up in your budget with plenty of life left in them.

https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/detail ... D-17000232

Will give them a look. They definitely fall within the budget. Hoping to get something in the next few months, just trying to gather as much info I can in the meantime.
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Re: Spotlighting vehicle advice

Post by Steve-0 » 03 Apr 2019, 6:13 pm

Early 2000 Pathfinders seem to fall within my budget too, some I've seen with for 4-4500 private. Others at dealerships around the 6500-7000 range, most with some type of extended warranty.
Anyone know much about these Nissan's? Reliability? They look like they have half decent ground clearance, and obviously 4x4.
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Re: Spotlighting vehicle advice

Post by Bruiser64 » 03 Apr 2019, 9:29 pm

An option you could consider is something like this:

http://www.cfmoto.com.au/u550

It is not a road vehicle but could be towed to your shooting destination. I have done spotlighting out of my mates Canam side by side and it was pretty good. For $10k you are getting a brand new vehicle with a warranty.
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Re: Spotlighting vehicle advice

Post by Steve-0 » 05 Apr 2019, 7:14 pm

Possibly looking at an 05 courier dual cab 4x4, its a petrol v6 with 197,000km. 5k neg needs tyres for rwc.
Anyone have any knowledge of these Utes?
I would expect it to be fairly thirsty.
Cheers
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Re: Spotlighting vehicle advice

Post by Bruiser64 » 06 Apr 2019, 9:26 am

Steve-0 wrote:Possibly looking at an 05 courier dual cab 4x4, its a petrol v6 with 197,000km. 5k neg needs tyres for rwc.
Anyone have any knowledge of these Utes?
I would expect it to be fairly thirsty.
Cheers


I don’t know that “fairly thirsty” will adequately describe how much love the 4 litre v6 engine will have for drinking petrol. At 200,000 km it presents significant risk of expensive repairs and maintenance. I strongly recommended paying for a comprehensive pre-purchase inspection. At that mileage service and maintenance history are the most relevant factors rather than “reputation for reliability” in my experience.
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Re: Spotlighting vehicle advice

Post by Bent Arrow » 06 Apr 2019, 1:15 pm

No experience with that model, but the petrol v6 pajero I had a few years back was a thirsty beast. Factory specs were 13 L per 100km. Suffice to say I never got even close to that level of "economy". Towing my 15 foot boat used to go well into the 20's. Might be cheap to buy, but I doubt it will be cheap to run.
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Re: Spotlighting vehicle advice

Post by flutch » 06 Apr 2019, 1:36 pm

Steve-0 wrote:Possibly looking at an 05 courier dual cab 4x4, its a petrol v6 with 197,000km. 5k neg needs tyres for rwc.
Anyone have any knowledge of these Utes?
I would expect it to be fairly thirsty.
Cheers



wouldn't touch the petrol myself, they are significantly underwhelming on performance and are thirsty as hell, also at that KMS I would be thinking that CV's and Clutch and Diff/Bearings, Shocks, Steering and rear Leaf suspension could all be in bad shape. also these things love to rust if left out in weather or chipped/scratched... the diesels are easy to fix and cheap, my one i used to have needed the head doing. cost me 750 bucks to do... and only 450 for a brand new turbo. heaps more torque than the petrol and could carry so much stuff and still rock along at 110kmh, fairly thirsty for a 2.5l however, but was great to shoot out from both the driver/passenger position and the back was really high up and great for spotlighting too. getting out and stress testing is a must before buying... that 5k could turn into a 12k car pretty quick with all the aforementioned issues, the petrol engine isnt as easy to fix either being a V6 and well, being a ford v6
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Re: Spotlighting vehicle advice

Post by Bruiser64 » 07 Apr 2019, 3:31 pm

Have you considered a Kia Sportage? A mate of min owns a 2007 diesel and he is stoked with it. It has been reliable and economical. They are a four wheel drive with low range. Here is one that looks interesting.

https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/detail ... AD-6009861
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Re: Spotlighting vehicle advice

Post by Steve-0 » 07 Apr 2019, 6:04 pm

Bruiser64 wrote:Have you considered a Kia Sportage? A mate of min owns a 2007 diesel and he is stoked with it. It has been reliable and economical. They are a four wheel drive with low range. Here is one that looks interesting.

https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/detail ... AD-6009861

Cheers for that. Definitely worth a look. Could very well fit the bill. We currently in a Kia Sorento and it's unreal, and had a Kia Rio before that, over 200k kms without skipping a beat.
I like the fact it has the low range.
Cheers
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Re: Spotlighting vehicle advice

Post by Bruiser64 » 07 Apr 2019, 11:36 pm

Steve-0 wrote:
Bruiser64 wrote:Have you considered a Kia Sportage? A mate of min owns a 2007 diesel and he is stoked with it. It has been reliable and economical. They are a four wheel drive with low range. Here is one that looks interesting.

https://www.carsales.com.au/cars/detail ... AD-6009861

Cheers for that. Definitely worth a look. Could very well fit the bill. We currently in a Kia Sorento and it's unreal, and had a Kia Rio before that, over 200k kms without skipping a beat.
I like the fact it has the low range.
Cheers


No problems. My mate loves his. He has a caravan and a trailer sailer that he tows at different times with it. He said it tows those well. So that would be a bonus.
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Re: Spotlighting vehicle advice

Post by Steve-0 » 01 May 2019, 5:37 pm

So, I still haven't come to any decision on a vehicle to purchase. Thinking of possibly saving for a bit longer and extending the budget to allow for something decent.
One vehicle that has come up in the radar, was a Subaru Forester. Relatively inside the budget, can put decent rubber and has the ability for a little bit of lift.
Anyone on here have any experience with these vehicles? They aren't a "true" 4wd but have a low range in them.
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Re: Spotlighting vehicle advice

Post by duncan61 » 01 May 2019, 10:34 pm

They are a flat 4 and make a unique sound.Could be an issue.All the early holden rodeos which are izuzu fasters are a good rig I had an 86 petrol that just started and ran for years and it was left at the farm over winter and it still started and ran every time
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Re: Spotlighting vehicle advice

Post by Jon79 » 01 May 2019, 10:45 pm

Steve-0 wrote:Possibly looking at an 05 courier dual cab 4x4, its a petrol v6 with 197,000km. 5k neg needs tyres for rwc.
Anyone have any knowledge of these Utes?
I would expect it to be fairly thirsty.
Cheers


Had one blew the engine the other side of Narromine, also the 4x4 is chain driven and they are really bad for the chain stretching and jumping cogs, mine also had that issue
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Re: Spotlighting vehicle advice

Post by Member-Deleted » 01 May 2019, 11:26 pm

Try and pick up a cheap Hi Lux mate can't kill them unless you break a timing belt make sure they have changed it every 100,000 the new ones are 150,000 parts are fairly cheap now I've had Hi Luxs for25yrs and land cruisers for 45yrs all good so far
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Re: Spotlighting vehicle advice

Post by duncan61 » 01 May 2019, 11:33 pm

+1 for any 80-90s 4 cylinder holden or Toyota utes they were built well and can be got for around $1000
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Re: Spotlighting vehicle advice

Post by FNQ » 11 May 2019, 10:36 pm

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