Which car 4wd

G/Day Mate, You just took the top off a big can of worms, ..lol.


IMHO, the Pajero 3.2, L , for price, economy, performance, comfort.


BUT! , this is predominately a Toyota bias forum.

The 3.2l pajero is out of production now

so eventually the depreciaton may be a issue

depending on what you pay.

good .luck with your purchase ,

Cheers Axle.

Don't forget the Isuzu MU-X, you see many of the D-Max and MU-X out there towing some of the bigger vans.

Isuzu are renowned for their reliability.

Gidday

I’m a Prado owner, so I’m biased. bought a 2013 in 2016. Never had an issue in 100,000km since other than maintenance items. Things that wear out like brakes and shocks.

Don’t know about other states But in WA you will pay for privilege.
Same model as mine dealers asking near what I paid six years ago. In lockdown everybody wanted a 4wd it seems and prices went up accordingly.

Good luck with your search

Hi Riff,

Whilst not wanting to sound “biased”, members of my family and I have owned Toyotas, Hilux, Landcruiser, 70 Series, 100 Series, and now 200 Series since the mid 70’s. Have also had a Patrol and a Mitsubishi in that time frame as well.

There is a very good reason for the popularity of Toyota, that is their longevity without too many issues, the availability of parts throughout the country, and the ability to have it serviced in most parts of the country. Each vehicle we have owned has/had clocked up more than 200,000 kms, a couple with in excess of 300,000 kms by the time they were upgraded.

Yes, there are the Toyota “knockers”, generally, but not always, they have never owned one, or have had one of the very few “lemons”. These are few and far between.

Do not necessarily be afraid of a secondhand Toyota with more than 100,000 kms on it. If you can confirm it’s history, particularly it’s service history, there are plenty of bargains to be had. Even the ex rentals, as long as they have been regularly serviced, there are some good vehicles out there.

Whatever vehicle you decide on, do your research, and I don’t mean Facebook, look at online reviews from real world people, not just motoring journalists. Good luck with your search.

Macca.

Thanks everyone,
Really appreciate the feedback.

Cheers

I wouldn’t wish a 2015-2018 Toyota 2.8 diesel hilux/fortuner/prado on anybody. There is a good reason that there are class actions for those models. We had an awful run with hiluxs of that age.

Ok, I am a Pajero owner..
But..I was was getting diesel @ Aileron and a NT police patrol car pulled up along side me and started filling up.
We had a chat..the basic crux of the conversation..
After he finished his shift he was heading down to Adelaide for a week to get himself a Pajero..
Why you may ask..
Well the copper was saying apart from the Highway patrol car he was driving..everytime he goes to get the Pajero put out of the police yard to go and do the community road rounds..the Cruisers and the Pajero are gone and all it left is the Prado..
He hasn't any thing against the Prado..but on the dirt..nothing he said in standard trim will beat a Pajero on the dirt at speed.
His speed he was talking about...above 140km on dirt chasing a few ratbags out on the communities..
He mentioned.."you put a Paj in high 4wd and wind it up to 160k+ and it will stick to a gravel road like the proverbial to a baby's blanket..mate, it's a weapon..
Nah, he said...the cruise is nice..but too heavy..handles like a bucket of bolts at high speed on dirt..Prado is a marginally better..but it has a tendency to wobble on the back end over 140kph on dirt..couple of the Boyz had one or two Prado's fall over on their side..but the Paj..all the blokes luv' em..
The Paj is decent on the tarmac..but on the dirt..
He went on..."I kept up to an idiot in a stolen Ford Raptor out of Alice Springs @ 170kph+ out the back of Gemtree..it was priceless, the fool didn't know I was right behind him!!"..
"I'm going to the auctions in Adelaide next week to get my hands on a Paj, there is a couple out of the Katherine fleet".."but I will have to fight a few of my SA cop mates to get one.."
So when I got back into civilisation I checked out the SA and Police 4wd vehicles when I was travelling around..
Cruisers and Pajero's..sprinkled with a few Prado's..
The Pajero is bloody decent tow vehicle..why?..it has a basic 5 speed auto with it's own seperate oil cooler..3.2 ltr 4M41 diesel motor..with both combinations have been around for over 25+years..
I tow a hard floor campertrailer...max weight 1600kg...13ltrs per 100kph %@ 100kph as an average..without..8.5Ltrs per 100km @ 100kph.. with the go peddle down..worst..11 to 12ltrs per100km..but I was at 140kph along the Barkly Highway to into Threeways.
Granted..the Paj is showing its age in the bling department when compared to the other medium 4wds in the market place.
The Paj has a shed load going for it...spare parts are pretty reasonable priced...any decent 4wd mechanic from Darwin down to Launceston know how to work on..you can get after market stuff for your Paj..ie lift kits..etc ...and when compared to the Prado..the Paj is a steal.
The big thing..you can see out of the Paj..there no cramped thick C and B Pilars that you have on the modern 4wds..that seen to have the roof enclosing down on to you.
The Paj's party trick is its' all "Superselect 4wd "system..which means you can drive around in 4H from 2WD with 4wd to all wheels without getting "diff windup". Plus have the benefits of having a complete centre diff lock when needed in 4wd low range..
Where as with other manufacturers, if you did this the vehicle will suffer from "diff windup" and you can stuff the drive train..
I believe it is only now that the 2023 Ford Ranger will have this type of 4wd system...but it maybe an option on the high spec Ranger models.
My Paj was in East Arhemland for 4 years and did not miss a beat..where the 79's and 100 & 200 Cruisers went..my 2" lifted Paj followed with a few wheel lifts..and got to the same places.
Granted like all vehicles..especially with diesel 4wd's..regular maintenance with fuel and oil filters.
Mine nearly 300,000km..and still going.
Yep..between the $20k to $30k price bracket..for a medium full 4wd with complete centre diff low range...you will be hard pressed to go past a Paj.

When we bought our current vehicle we short-listed a Prado, a Montero (= Pajero where we live), and a JK Wrangler. The Prado offered nothing more than the Montero but was DOUBLE the price. We're happy with the Montero, and have driven it 45,000 km around Australia (including the Simpson, GRR, and a lot of other "interesting" places), as well as travelling around Colombia, where Monteros are well-respected.

We've owned an earlier Pajero, a 4Runner, a Gelandewagen, a Patrol, a Pathfinder, two X Trails, a Land Cruiser 80, and four Jeeps.