Manual V6 Midsize wagon
Submitted: Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 13:38
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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.
Reply By: Member - Crazie (VIC) - Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 13:57
Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 13:57
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
AnswerID:
91276
Reply By: Member - Jeff M (WA) - Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 14:49
Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 14:49
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).
AnswerID:
91281
Reply By: Member - Bradley- Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 16:55
Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 16:55
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..
AnswerID:
91296
Follow Up By: splatter - Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 20:57
Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 20:57
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.
FollowupID:
349883
Follow Up By: Member - Bradley- Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 22:43
Tuesday, Jan 04, 2005 at 22:43
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.
FollowupID:
349906
Reply By: godden1 - Friday, Jan 07, 2005 at 22:18
Friday, Jan 07, 2005 at 22:18
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
AnswerID:
91863