Vehicle choice

Michael,
hahaha. We like people who stir the possum.
I say go for the Lada.Bob

Nissans and Toyotas both have good reputations for offroad capability, reliability and field servicability which are all advantages in our remote Australian conditions. While there may be other issues they are more related to personal preferences and opinions, marketing, and price.

Talk to mechanics as well.

Kes

Michael,
Range Rover has awsome offroad ability is near enough standard form, I have an 85 4dr 5 speed and have a lot of fun with it, as with most / all fourbys they have downfalls, fuel economy is "not the best", parts aren't the cheapest, the drive train isn't as robust as you would hope, the seats are comfortable and the Rangie also has a good driving position, opening the door windows is a pain in the asp, electric is the way to go, mines got around the 245k on the clock and is still good, not great, good, I have a lot of conversations with the gearbox most of which the box wins, good ground clearance, don't let the aluminium body work fool you the Rangie is heavy. Loads of accessories available don't bother with an engine conversion can be tricky, laughter all the way.
Capability comes a lot down to driver ability, the fouby is just the tool you use, how you use it is up to you.
All in my opinion as usual, I have a GQ as well also good off road, depends what you want.Keep the shiny side up

spent sometime in russia driving around in a 4 door niva dont drive them in temps under -40 they dont start. But a great vehicle for russia. Not many landrovers but alot of patrols . Michael,if you are thinking of buying a car . Start on a lower budget vehicle and give it time so you can decide where you want to go
regards uppy

Michael
Range Rovers are very capable. I have a LWB GQ 4.2 turbo diesel and often go off roading with a couple of Rangies. They leave me left standing especially in rocky terrain. Mind you they don't care what sort of panel damage they sustain in the process, while I'm not quite as aggresive when tackling a hill. I don't break axles either whereas they quite often do. I also don't have to work on my car every weekend. A SWB GQ Patrol would be a worthy adversary.
Cheers

Rangies are ok, but VERY thirsty and expensive to repair, thats why lots have Chev motors in them that have been used offroad.

"top of the range", if you believe magazines, then a BMW is a offroader too...

Theres dozens of better value 4wds out there.

YMMV.

Gday
Check out the 4 sale section, for 12k and a bit, theres an awsome 4b for sale in there.
Go the unimog!
Andrewwheredayathinkwer mike?

I challenge 99% of Range Rovers to do what my Vitara does at 1/10th the price.

What u need to realise is that no car 4wd or otherwise will do exactly what u want unless u customise i. I have and hence my Vitara is fabulous for what I wish to do (although not so fabulous for what 90% of R^angie owners want to do).

Horses for corses after all.

$3000 for the Vitara actually when I bought it.

So maybe I can just do far more than he can for less than 1/4 the money.....

If I had of bought a 1985 Sierra and done what I've done to the Viagra (and more besides with the same money and a $2k headstart), I would be able to do more for 1/10th the money no problems :D

Unless he's thrown another 10k at his Range Rover on modifcations then he ain't gonna keep up with the Viagra in most conditions (Although he probably will have a skinnier wallet and the lack of weight might help offroad). Maybe in some conditions he'll beat me but there won't be too many. No offense, that's just the way it is :D

As I said, I've customised mine quite a bit - almost all done at home on a very tight budget. If you don't believe me come and watch the Viagra some time. All these guys with full spec 4wds (mega travel, 33", 35" muddies and twin lockers) down at Ormeau got a big suprise when I showed them that not only could I keep up on 31"s but in a few cases do it much easier than them. The only thing I sturggle on is on some hillclimbs where the SWB stuggles to get the front over an obstacle while the back is still gripping - and a SWB Rangie will face the same problem .

Range rovers may be capable in stock form, and there are some belters out there on the competition circuit (triumph of engineering over design), but otherwise they are thirsty and unreliable old pieces of crap. Sorry to the Rover fans, but Rovers always have been and always will be - that's why they've been bought and sold (as a factory) so many times over the last 25 years - it's not a successful company due to poor parts and shoddy workmanship.

Before the Japanese car revolution of the 1960's we would have put up with it - these days we don't and companies have had to move with the times (such as Ford and Holden Australia) or die off (Rover and Leyland Australia).

This is why Cruisers and Patrols are no 1 and 2 in Australia

The fact that someone recommends a 1985 Sierra instead shows that some people truly know this.