Economical yet Capable 4wd?
Submitted: Monday, May 26, 2008 at 17:18
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tukka
Hi all, with the rising prices of fuel really starting to feel the urge to sell the Cruiser for something smaller and more fuel efficient. I love my Cruiser to death though and there is nowhere it hasnt been able to get me. But love the bush and cant stand not being able to travel due to the cost of fuel and cars bad fuel efficency. Thinking of spending up to $18,000 on anything from a Bravo to a Prado, (preferably a ute though) would just like to hear from people who would think there car falls into this price range and reckon they get good fuel economy aswell as having a capable 4wd. The old 1hz aint exactly a guzzler but its in no way economical when its pulling such a heavy vehicle.
Reply By: Member - AJB (VIC) - Monday, May 26, 2008 at 17:42
Monday, May 26, 2008 at 17:42
Dont jump in. It is hard to believe at the moment but there is more involved in running costs of a vehicle than what is pumped in at the bowser. Change over costs can take time recover if the only issue is fuel economy. Sometimes, especially with second hand cars, its better the devil you know than the devil you dont.
Having said that I once had a 2-8 TD Rodeo and got 10kms/Litre from day one until I traded it 6 years later. It took me everywhere without any fuss and was a simple reliable engine. You'll get one of those for bugger all if you look around.
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Reply By: disco driver - Monday, May 26, 2008 at 17:50
Monday, May 26, 2008 at 17:50
Hi Tukka,
At significant risk of being shouted down by the Toysan brigade, have you considered a LandRover 300td orTD5 Defender.
They are in your price bracket.(Top end though for the TD5)
The Defender will go anywhere your cruiser went and do it more comfortably as
well.
Fuel consumption should be around 10-11 litres/100km under average speed and road conditions.
Don't rule them out till you have driven one.
You may be surprised.
Disco.
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Reply By: Mogul - Monday, May 26, 2008 at 17:51
Monday, May 26, 2008 at 17:51
Maybe a deisel Jackeroo (I know it's not aute) good fuel economy a lot more comfortable than a ute and a capable 4WD and within your price range.
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Reply By: ozwasp - Monday, May 26, 2008 at 18:29
Monday, May 26, 2008 at 18:29
Put yours on LPG... Petrol or diesel, they both will go
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Reply By: Hairs (NSW) - Monday, May 26, 2008 at 18:53
Monday, May 26, 2008 at 18:53
Hi Tukka,
Might be a case of 'better the devil you know'
The cost of running the old girls is becoming a worry.
Last time I went to Brizzy, I can understand why you don't see many of them running around the city. I was blown away by the bad fuel economy in the go, stop, go traffic. I'm happy to be getting about 9l/100km. I can live with that.
Have you considered a gas conversion for her? I was talking to a bloke near me that did it to his 96 TD Troopie and tows a 22 footer from northern NSW to Vic quiet often He loves it. Cost just over $4k he reckons.
It only uses the gas when it needs to.
He's pretty happy with it.
Just something else to chew on.
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Reply By: TimS - Monday, May 26, 2008 at 19:58
Monday, May 26, 2008 at 19:58
Hi Tukka,
I average 11 - 12L/100kms in my 1994 troopy with a 1HZ normally aspirated motor. You should be getting something similar?
In which case, why bother with the hassle of changing over to something else that gets you not much better consumption?
Stay with what you've got I reckon.
Cheers,
Tim
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Follow Up By: tukka - Monday, May 26, 2008 at 23:33
Monday, May 26, 2008 at 23:33
Geez, how many k's do you get out of both tanks then?
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Follow Up By: Redback - Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at 15:20
Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at 15:20
Faulty trip meter
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Reply By: Member- Tony C - Monday, May 26, 2008 at 20:02
Monday, May 26, 2008 at 20:02
Hi Tukka.
I have just gone through the process of changing to a smaller more economical vehicle and have a few mixed feelings about the decision.Although the new Triton that replaced my cruiser is a great little ute and uses about 2.5l less fuel every 100k i doubt very much it will stand up to serious off road use like the cruiser. Time will tell.For around 20k change over with accessories i could have purchased enough fuel to drive my cruiser around 80000kilometers.
If i could go back i would stick to the cruiser.
Cheers.
Tony
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Reply By: madfisher - Monday, May 26, 2008 at 20:29
Monday, May 26, 2008 at 20:29
Mate put extractors and two and a half inch exhaust on his 1hz troopie and slowed down a bit getting 11s regularly. The old hz is one of the most reliable motors ever built you are going to trade that off to gain 1l/100ks.
What are you getting out of yours now?
Ches Pete
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Follow Up By: tukka - Monday, May 26, 2008 at 21:11
Monday, May 26, 2008 at 21:11
Dont really know mate not really looking at it in km/litre till now. I get 1000kms maybe even 1100 out of 180 litres at 100km/hr. Costs me nearly $350 for that. I know what your saying about reliability thats why i really dont wanna leave the old girl, its a 1990 Cruiser trayback with 295,000 on the clock,
well looked after so motor should have plenty left in it, though a lttle gutless and blowing a touch of smoke every now and then.
A mate gets about 700kms off 110l in his bravo and thats sitting on 115-120. Thats really what im after, but yeah have pulled him out of a fair few
places that the Cruiser doesnt even bat an eyelid at.
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Follow Up By: madfisher - Monday, May 26, 2008 at 21:51
Monday, May 26, 2008 at 21:51
Tukka you are getting 18l/100ks or 15.46 mpg. My mate is getting up to 26mpg. Do you have muddies? big lift, roof rack.
To put this into perpective my petrol Jack gets down to 11.6 loaded on a long run sitting on 105.
Check all your filters, dirtry air filters in particular knock fuel consumtion arround, have your injectors checked, something has to be wrong to be getting worse consumtion them most petrols 4bys.
Is it a 2h or 1hz?
You will do much better at 90 if you can stand it lol.
Cheers Pete
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Follow Up By: Member - Lloyd B (NSW) - Monday, May 26, 2008 at 22:09
Monday, May 26, 2008 at 22:09
I think you must have miscalculate there.
$35/100K is ridiculous.
Got a prado on LPG and cost me about $12-14/100K.
Can still eek almost $10/100K if on open road.
I'd get rid of a diesel while I stil could and get LPG and unleaded.
Unless you need really long range or you don't have to drive around the city, diesel is having trouble making sense.
Lloyd B
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Follow Up By: tukka - Monday, May 26, 2008 at 23:42
Monday, May 26, 2008 at 23:42
Nah, no muddies, 15x7 All Terrains. No lift, serviced every 5,000 including all oils and filters. Havent had injectors checked though, done 290,000 i reckon thats a good stint so will replace them i think. I was always told that getting anything more then 550km out of 90litres with a 75 series was pretty good. Obviously not, i will definitely be asking some mates what they get just to be certain. Its a 1HZ. And paying 190.0 a litre for diesel it aint much fun, especially when you know its only going to get worse. Dont want a petrol as i travel very remote through some deep water crossings and its too risky with a petrol.
So for people to be saying they get 11l/100km with 1HZ that would equate to roughly 1700kms off there dual 90l tanks. Just a rough guess but is this right.
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Follow Up By: madfisher - Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at 07:30
Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at 07:30
Tukka I think my mates economy mainly improved after he slowed down to 9o. He also uses a good fuel conditioner nearly every tank, But he said the extractors gave him an axtra 100ks per tank. Have not seen him for a while , he most liky out at the ridge lol.
Make sure your muffler is not blocked up as I had this problem once on a diesel Rocky. His is a 91 with close th 400000ks.
One other thing dirt roads chew more fuel than tar, even a wet tar road will make a diff.
Let us know how you get on.
Cheers Pete
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Reply By: Best Off Road - Monday, May 26, 2008 at 21:18
Monday, May 26, 2008 at 21:18
LPG is very very very cheap.
Jim.
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Follow Up By: tukka - Monday, May 26, 2008 at 21:49
Monday, May 26, 2008 at 21:49
Still over $1.05 where i live, though it is nearly a dollar cheaper i know with the price of converting it and all the rest when would i get my money back, i only do around 10,000kms a year at the most. Though i a, interested in the conversion, are they still as goos as Diesels for water crossings, whats the lifespan. Are there any power gains?
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Reply By: geocacher (djcache) - Monday, May 26, 2008 at 22:09
Monday, May 26, 2008 at 22:09
Dunno about where you are but in Vic you are looking at atleast $720 in Stamp Duty without the other costs involved in setting up another fourby.
I'm going the other way at the moment from a Courier to a Patrol 4.2 and I'm pleasantly surprised at the relative economy of it on the highway.
Smaller motors hauling heavy utes aren't that economical compared to bigger more powerful motors hauling not much heavier vehicles.
It's the Magna 4 cylinder vs V6 issue. The bigger 6 was actually more economical than the 4 cylinder which defied belief but was actually the case based on our company fleet.
You are only saving the difference in fuel consumption remember. So if you are only likely to save say 3-4 ltrs per 100km - and it may not be that much - you are only saving $6-8 per 100km tops.
At 20000 km per year thats $1200-$1600 per year - or $100-$130 per month.
It's not a lot really compared with the costs of setting up a new vehicle.
Running costs run to 70-80 cents a km on four wheel drives if you include depreciation, insurance, servicing, registration, tyres & fuel etc.
Fuel is actually a fairly small part of the 70-80 cents.
At 20,000 km a year real running costs on a reasonably recent vehicle - say 04 Patrol 4.2 would be about $14000 a year.
Fuel though is only $4080 at 12ltr/100km and $1.70 a ltr for diesel.
Change vehicles if you like but you aren't going to save an astounding amount - especially if prices of big trucks are taking a hit and you wear higher than average depreciation because of fuel prices.
If you still want a really good tourer my Courier is all set up and ready to go - listed in the Trader pages.
Dave
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Reply By: tukka - Monday, May 26, 2008 at 23:53
Monday, May 26, 2008 at 23:53
Also someone once told me that it could be my Injector pump timing, when car idles at around 550rpm but when air con gets turned on revs drop to about 530-540rpm instead of increasing to 900-950rpm like the manual says it should. What would cause this, air con works fine.
Please dont let it be the Injector pump, worth more then a new car one of those.
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Reply By: stevesub - Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at 08:51
Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at 08:51
We get 650km per tank from our 2000 1Hz Troopy at 100kph with about 10 liters left in the tank. (12 to 13l/100km). That gives us a range of about 1200km with about 20l in reserve in both tanks. Ours is a completely standard Troopy incl 750.16 tyres, 230,000km, serviced at 10,000km intervals (Toyota recommendation for our model). The engine has never been looked at other than cam belt replacement and tappet adjustment.
Why bother to change unless you are going to a really small 4WD as you should not get much better fuel consumption to make it economical to change. If you have a non-turbo diesel Cruiser and using heaps more fuel, then you have something wrong.
We have also found that our Rangie 4.6L petrol (15l/100km from the trip computer over 25,000km) is cheaper to run than the Troopy these days as diesel is so much more expensive than petrol and the servicing (10,000km intervals) is cheaper than the Troopy as filters are cheaper and half the oil that the Troopy has in the sump.
The other option is to buy a small cheap economical car for day to day running and leave the Cruiser for the Trips.
SteveS
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Reply By: Outa Bounds - Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at 11:47
Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at 11:47
Same, same. We were running two 4wd's, a newish '79 series ute and a modified 80 series cruizer. So like yourself we decided it was time to turf one.
Well the ute is Hubby's baby and recently purchased so it was out with the 80 series. It was pretty heavy, however the V8 Chev made it a lot more economic compared to the standard engine, and certainly better economy than we get from the '94 Ute.
Yeah we lost a heap of money (we have to sell the camper to recover the shortfall) but being realistic with our usage I think we'll be happy with the Subaru Forester which replaced it.
If you've got $20k to spare, perhaps consider putting a Brunswicks Chev in your current ride? More economic because you end up with more power than you need to pull whatever your vehicle weighs. Hubby is planning on putting one in the ute later down the track (
well sooner if he had the money, but I won't let him till the house is built - I'd rather a house than a great engine!).
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Follow Up By: Outa Bounds - Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at 11:48
Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at 11:48
that should have read '04 model Ute !
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Reply By: tukka - Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at 23:46
Tuesday, May 27, 2008 at 23:46
Yeah spoke to three other mates all with 75/78 series with the 1hz with varying kilometres. Two Troopcarriers (92 and a 01) and a Trayback (96Model), all standard apart from bullbars, spotlights, All Terrain Tyres (2 with 16x8 other with 33'' 15s), snorkels and dual tanks. No work done to any K's vary from 80,000 to 370,000 and all said that they get not much more then 1000kms (1150 absolute max) out of both tanks doing between 100 and 110kms an hour. Have checked other forums too and this seems to be about right with 75 series. Obviously people claiming they get 11l/100k must be sitting on under 90km/hr, there is no way i can sit on that speed when i travel 1100 kms in a day every couple of months. Real life estimates should be taken at the speed limit so you can get a real idea of what they drink. I really wish i could get 11l/100km doing even 100k/hr. Seeing as i pay 190.0 a litre for diesel and it takes me 180 -200 litres to do the 1100k (one way)route i regularly travel it would save me alot of money. All these figures are based with the air con for 75% of the time too, as i live in the Kimberleys and there is no way you could go the whole day without some comfort.
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