Good stories

Well good point you raise there Cookie, everyone is entitled to their own ideas and to the ideal vehicle. I guess most people buy a vehicle on price other wise we would see only Toyotas on the road, no thats not fair is it, but this is the sort of things that forum users try to ram down the throats of the people just starting out or have bought a vehicle for the first time.

My first 4WD was a FJ40 in 1976, and when sold in 89 had been far and wide, ended up with diff lock in the rear and V8 and winch up front.

Next up was a HJ47 Troopie and had to be one of the best set up around, (Photos on the Troopie forum), and after 400,000 trouble free motoring a GU 4.2TD came along, and this is where the price comes into it. A 100 series was just to much to hack when trying to run a farm during the drought and the time to up grade was now or never.

So far happy with the patrol, no problems and a great vehicle on the highway.

So lets see a few more success stories with your old 4WD's.

Good comment cookie.
Bought my 80 series cruiser originally to tow a boat in & out of all over the coast- line in SA. Now pulling a pop-top off roader around and about as well. Never had a prob. Touch wood. Mind you I have been known to say BUGGAR a few times!"Happy" :)>

Had an old 81, 2 door Range Rover 4 speed V8 with no air con I belted around the Kimberley in and had no dramas at all with it! Windows down sucking the dust! Excellent stuff!!

Starwagon 4x4 "92 Had it 8 years--Memories of Gib River,Gunnbarrel,Tanami,Strezlecki,Oodnadtta,gary highway,gary junction,david carnegie,eagle,holland track,isralite bay,connie sue ,Anne beadell,Tallawana,Ruddall river -(no flats)

still purring for more -- Gary

Canning in July

Cookie, what a great idea. In the late 60's I had a Morris 1100 and wasn't even old enough to vote but there wasn't anywhere I couldn't go in western Queensland, particularly around Quilpie area. The road from Charleville to Quilpie was dirt in those days and we would be bogged on every sandy creek crossing so someone would push and someone would steer. What great memories. Then I went upmarket to a Torana Xu-1. Whahoo. But not as good in the sand.

Cookie,
As other have mentioned time for some good stuff, I've now been in Oz for 13 years and loving it, never had a fourby until I got here, my first venture was a petrol FJ 40 76 of origin, absolutely bomb proof, towed my boat up hill and down dale, never let me down, like fuel and lots of it but that was it, Noddy by name, I then ventured to an 85 Jilleroo, 2dr 2.2 turbo diesel, great fuel economy still used for towing the boat, air con, power steer, luxury at it's best, daughter arrived and I went to a $9000 MQ patrol 3.3 diesel my first intro into a bigger fourby market, great bus, boat got sold, clutch was the only mechaical bit I had to replace, plus a better streo with really big speakers to overcome the noise of the Khumo mud terrain tyres, separated went and bought a sedan, lasted six months and I then bought an FJ40 soft top with a 302 Windsor in it, wow what fun, got into real fourby driving now in a big way, second childhood, this bus was great, liked the fuel again as I've now come to associate this with petrol fourbys, got down to a litre a K on one beach run, never let me down, just the occasional service, went anywhere, no lockers nothing, met my now wife and she also loves all the things associated with 4W Driving, camping touring off road stuff, bought my '92 Nissan GQ and it's got all the extras I need, well set up at least I like to think so, very reliable, parts are relatively cheap, easy to find. there is a lot to discuss with others, different gadgets the good times and couple of tales of woe you like to laugh at. I also a Rangie now as a bush hack and what an awsome tool that is took it out at the weekend for a bit of a work out, what fun, it rained all day, I rolled two tyres, got completely soaked changing one of them I might add, but it was great.
Cookie is that what you were looking for?

I'm happy with my Suzuki - I bought it with almost 200,000kms on the clock and while I've just broken the motor it isn't the car's fault. Sure I've had some minor problems with it:- a front wheel bearing needing replacement, and alternator cloggings and now the engine, but with mates and club members breaking Tojo's and similar all around me I've been very happy with it.

I don't think the little Vitara was designed for the abuse I've handed to it and when it's been able to outlast Hiluxes, Landcruisers, Wranglers etc in the same conditions you can't ask for much more out of the wee little beastie. Even my mate's Rodeo which didn't blow an engine but cost more for the rear main seal to be fixed than a new engine for me. Not that his motor is gonna last long now he's finally got his muddies and is starting to see the joys in caning into mudpits the way I've hammered mine...... first time out and he's akready seeing the repair bills come in.....

Honestly for a carby 1.6 it's done well - at least 100 crossings of 4 foot deep river and mud without a snorkel while I've owned it - and it's just sad that it took this long for the owner to realise at some point why a snorkel was important.........

Really what I'm trying to say here is while it's great to hear that someone has owned and loved their 4wd for 5 years, 10 years or whatever, reliability has different meanings depending on how it's used. Sure I haven't got 10 years out of my Suzi which I'd want out of a 90's model Crusher or a Patrol as a long distance 4wd tourer, but I've pushed it time and again into situations which have broken bigger cars and it's come out fine.

When I've had to I've done a 4000km trip in the Zuk no problem either.

Ahhh well I can afford 3 engines to each one my mate blows in his Landcrusher - I might even buy a spare for next time.......

So if you've had no breakages you're just not going hard enough!

Cookie, I'v had nothing but good experiences (no, not THAT kind) with the dealer from whom I purchased my Pathfinder. I've only owned it since late November but its been in for its 3rd scheduled service, arranged totally at my convenience, and at any one of their 3 local service centres. The vehicle is returned, cleaned inside and out, with no additional kms on the clock (well, no more than you'd expect with an around-the-block, on-the-road post-tune check). I receive follow-up calls after every service to ensure I'm totally satisfied with the service and, in the 7 months I've owned it, I've received 3 other calls from the dealer. The first was to make sure I was happy with my purchase experience with them and the other 2 were to find out if I was happy with the vehicle and that there were no problems, so far. I received an extended warraranty (now have 6 years) on the vehicle (conditions apply) as part of the deal.

Obviously I paid for all this, one way or another, but the "after sales care" has meant that I've felt good about paying for it. Smart bugger, this dealer.Smile, you're on ExplorOz
Rohan (Sydney - on the QLD side of the Harbour Bridge)