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Manual V6 Midsize wagon

Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 12:38

splatter

Hi All,

Haven't posted for a very long time, but need your collective thoughts.

We've recently sold a TD Prado after completing a 3 month trip through WA/NT last year and would like to replace it with a mid-size manual V6 that is more suitable for the 80% city driving I do now. I also need to be able to get to beach based fishing sites, camping trips in Flinders and High Country for afew weeks, and maybe even tow a small tinnie around, all with a couple of kids.

I've narrowed it down to a Jackaroo SE or a Challenger but haven't found any posts in the archive that directly compare the two.

I've already ruled out another Prado as too expensive, a Pathfinder because no manual or snorkel, or a Pajero because I just don't like the look of them.

My budget is about $25k and for this sort of money I can get into a 2-4 year old version of either of these with around 50,000kms on the clock. For my money, that's not bad buying.

I'm leaning towards the Jackaroo at the moment because of the number of manuals available, slightly larger size, and there seems to be a greater availability of accessories (snorkel, long range tanks etc.), but the Challenger is a tidy little unit that has its fans (and it's still in production!).

Any thoughts?
Rohan.
ThreadID: 19060 Replies: 7
Views: 699 FollowUps: 9
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AnswerID: 91276   Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 12:57

Member - Crazie (VIC) replied:

Hi Rohan

I am going to be totally independant here, buy a Jackaroo hahaha. Brought ours new early 2002 manual 3.5 v6 and has been fantastic. We did drive a challenger but were disapointed, may be due to the one we drove being auto. Anyway the Jack is great, very comphy and plently of get up and go. We regularly tow our 14ft tinnie to queensland (Fraser island) and across to kangaroo island, easily passes people whilst towing, don't know the boats there. Never had a drama on the beach and we are always loaded up. We have recently started going into the high country and no probs, last 2 time we had 6 people and a bbq in the Jack. The Jackaroo is stil in production, just not brought in OZ, new model was just released overseas.
cheers
Adam
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Reply 1 of 7
AnswerID: 91281   Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 13:49

Member - Jeff M (WA) replied:

I have not driven a challenger but can only assume it's the same 3.0V6 used in the earlier 90's pajero's, and magnas as well as the current Tritons. If so than it's not the strongest motor in the world, either in power terms or reliability terms. You'll probally get 200k out of it then need a some pretty serious work.
I've got a mate with a 91 V6 short wheelbase pajero and it goes really well, he's spent a fair bit on it as it's now down just over 200k. However my 3.0TD surf (with 50L water, fuel, recovery gear, passengers auto(not manual) etc etc can almost keep up with him on the road when he's giving it curry. Just to give you some idea of power my Surf has the same motor as your TD prado did, but without the intercooler giving me substantially less power than you would have had.
So in short I'm saying that your diesel Prado would possible whip the challanger power wise and use more fuel.

As far as the jack goes, they've been there done that, pretty well proven vehicle, would guzzel I would imagine and there have been some issues brought up recently on this forum regarding water ingestion into diffes, gearbox, bell housing etc etc.

I reckon they'd both do alright for what you want and both be pretty comfy, however the extra size would be handy in the Jack, and I would be thinkin that for a V6 the challenger might be a little on the slow side. (unjustifide comment of course).

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Reply 2 of 7
AnswerID: 91283   Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 14:00

Truckster (Vic) replied:

Go and drive both.. see what you think

Also remember they dont make the jackaroo anymore, dont know if that will affect resale in yrs to come.
Reply 3 of 7
FollowupID: 349882   Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 19:53

splatter posted:

Yeah, I was trying to think of another 4wd in a similar situation (e.g. components still being used in Rodeo) that had been discontinued to get an idea of resale values later in life.

The only one I could come up with was the 4runner and that doesn't seem to have suffered too badly. Still appears to be plenty of support out there from owners and afermarket.

I don't know. Maybe there's no comparison between the two.

The 3.5 v6 is the same as the current Rodeo isn't it?
FollowUp 1 of 5
FollowupID: 349892   Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 20:48

Moz posted:

splatter,
No, the engines look similar and similar capacity, they even
have the same engine designation but the Rodeo has different
bore/stroke dimensions and different engine management.

Moz
FollowUp 2 of 5
FollowupID: 350084   Submitted: Wednesday, Jan 05, 2005 at 21:57

Truckster (Vic) posted:

they even have the same engine designation

Find that hard to believe. How could you order parts? Hi I want a set of rings for a ABCXYZ.. which one sir??
FollowUp 3 of 5
FollowupID: 350091   Submitted: Wednesday, Jan 05, 2005 at 23:21

Moz posted:

Sorry ..... to clarify.
When the 98 TF Rodeo came in with the 3.2l V6 it was
referred to as a 6VD1 engine which was the same designation
as the then recently superceded engine in the Jackaroo.
However they were different engines despite both being 3.2l V6.
Since then both Rodeo and Jackaroo have moved to 3.5l V6
and they are still different from each other but I'm not sure of the
current designations......maybe 6VE1 but not sure.

Cheers
Moz
FollowUp 4 of 5
FollowupID: 350117   Submitted: Thursday, Jan 06, 2005 at 07:45

splatter posted:

So can anyone confirm what Holden's commitment to spares is given no current vehicle will be using the same components (given their current level of interest appears pretty low)?

Do others out there deal with ISUZU directly, or the aftermarket shops?

Thanks,
Rohan.
FollowUp 5 of 5
AnswerID: 91296   Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 15:55

Member - Bradley replied:

sheez, holden didnt even know they sold jackaroos for the last ten years !!!!!!!!!!!

Go the jack, v5 man is a weapon, very easy for anyone to drive, for $25000 you will find a real tidy unit that probably hasnt seen a dirt road, if you are going to tow with it then the jack has huge ventilated disks front and rear with big pads, have a look at the rear calipers and pads on a challenger, they are the smallest things i have seen on a 4x4. Plenty of room for kids too.

re the jack probs recently, there is a post where he admits it had a hell of a mud bathing and was grading the clay rut tops heavily with it, so i dont blame the vehicle. Yes its not as tough as a 75 series cruiser, but it is a hell of a lot more comfy. There was also a post regarding a mitsu rusting at 2 years old , with no backup..

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Reply 4 of 7
FollowupID: 349883   Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 19:57

splatter posted:

I was having a read of the problem entries with interest too.

But after reading a couple of years of posts on afew forums there doesn't seem to be any inherent probs with the v6. Just a matter of finding a good one.

Good to hear about the brakes. Hadn't seen that posted anywhere before.
FollowUp 1 of 2
FollowupID: 349906   Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 21:43

Member - Bradley posted:

Only real 'problem' with the v6 is the cost of the 100,000k service, about $1200 from a dealer. And if you want to go a bit better off road, just lift the suspension an inch and a half and throw on some bigger rubber.

RE- scratching it up, yep thats why i've got a white one, a mate was looking at it yesterday and couldn't believe the amount of scratches on the rear window vent trims, as i told him, 'i'm not scared of giving it to her'. I particularly love going down tracks that are overgrown or squeezing between trees where cruiser/patrols fear to tread.. I reckon its a great sized vehicle. And if you dont have the 3rd row seats fitted, it takes a fair bit of gear in the back.

A lot of the later models were fully kitted up as nullabore packs etc. but these are probably still out of your range, but they would be nice.

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On the lookout for 98 onwards v6 auto jack.
FollowUp 2 of 2
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AnswerID: 91302   Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 16:18

GaryInOz (Vic) replied:

Hyundai Terracan, Kia Sorento both use the same drivetrain as the 3.5 litre Pajeros, may be worth a look (both about $35K).
Reply 5 of 7
FollowupID: 349879   Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 19:45

splatter posted:

Yeah, have to admit I did look at these options, but realistically wanted to get a decent exchange from the Prado sale and spending $35K may as well have kept the TD.

That, and the fact that I want to get a used one so it doesn't feel so 'precious'!! Don't want to be afraid of going down narrow tracks for fear of scratching the paintwork!
FollowUp 1 of 2
FollowupID: 350684   Submitted: Saturday, Jan 08, 2005 at 00:14

TerraA1 posted:

If the Terracan uses the same drivetrain as the Pajero does that mean you can install Pajero diff lockers to a Terracan??
FollowUp 2 of 2
AnswerID: 91331   Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 20:15

jackablue replied:

Another jack opinion, handles stuff pretty well. I've taken mine to Fraser Island & a couple of weeks a go to the Victorian High Country. Later this year doing a 2 month stint in the centre with camper trailer.

look here for some pics
link text

Cheers

Jackablue
Reply 6 of 7
AnswerID: 91863   Submitted: Friday, Jan 07, 2005 at 21:18

godden1 replied:

Hi my first time...I have just recently bought suzuki xl-7
for reasons of fuel economy.. every day use...weekends on the beach
I weighed up options of prado. explorer. pajero. surf wanting h/l range
suzuki appealed for its well documented 4wd capabilities.

I have had it out once since purchase 31/12/04 port kennedy beach rockingham
super impressed with its capabilities it is 2003 current spec auto with the lot
looking forward to more experience
godden1
Reply 7 of 7

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