Which dual cab

cant help you with what one to get, i spent years looking and testing and opted for what i have now .........
With the "bent chassis" question i would do some good hard "googlin" and make up your own mind, almost all in my opinion have simply been overloaded in some way so i comes back to you and what you expect out of what you want, if your plans are to load it up to the max and push it as hard as possible then expect problems if you buy a "light duty" duel cab ...
What money do you want to spend ??? what weight do you plan on loading in it ???? will you be towing at any time in the future ???? are you after econemy or power ??? (or both) ..
If buying new i dont think there are many real problems with any of the engines, each have there own specs that will be different yet functional in there own way be it 2 valve, 4 valve, chain, belt or whatever ....
If buying s/h then get onto the applicable forums for that type of make and they will be of great assistance to you as to how good each is ....
It sounds like you do want to go on any and every track in Aussie so if you buy new you will need to pay for and fit a HEAP of additional items to it .....
It is the "million dollar" question you know ....
Cheers
Hope you get what you need.
Joe

Mike, i spent months researching D/C's before i settled on the DMAX and in my (possibly owner biased) opinion, i couldnt have made a better choice. Isuzu have been uilding diesels for a very long time and are proven engines. Better gear ratio's, lower revving, fantastic fuel economy, stronger build quallity all round are just a few of the pluses to start with.

It has proven itself in all sorts of 4WD situations and long desert trips and it is a good comfortable car when doing the daily to and from work grind as well.

I have posted other threads on here about some of the trips and situations it has been in so a search will give you more info.

As for lift, in my mind all D/C's need it if you are going to do serious 4WDing and trips but with leaf on the back and torsion bar at the fron this isnt a major undertaking. Mine is lifted 2 inches plus 265/75 16 tyres adds that little more.

So, as far as i am concerned, there is no other choice, go for it and enjoy, it wont let you down. 70,000 klms in under 2 years has to say something.

Mike, not long been back from our trip 14,500klm with no problems Ford 05 Courier t/d apart from the self inflicted burnt 5th gear due to towing in 5th gear.
That said the vechile was good on all counts, however after seeing some Tritons and seeing how they towed, my next one would be a Triton.
As for broken chassis have only seen one Triton and that was so badly overloaded to the rear it was not funny (duel spares on back long rang tank behind axle tray fully loaded and towing a heavy ct.) on bad roads.

Bushy.

Hi Mike,
Well of course everyone here will have their view as to the "best" dual cab. I am on my second Toyota Hilux & it's about to click over 300,000 km. Travelled all over Australia in Hiluxes they never let me down. Real easy to get parts for too.
Just a general note on dual cabs, if your carrying kids in the back older kids will be a bit light on for leg room on long trips.
I see your not towing but if you do avoid towing in 5th. There are plenty of threads here about why you should not.
Lastly I think that the guy who bent the Triton chassis did Mitsubishi an injustice because at the end of the day he modified the suspension & stressed the chassis in a point that was not designed to carry a load but thats another story.
Hope your happy with your final choice.

Cheers
Stu

Hi Mike K, Nissan are allegedly releasing a V6 diesel in the Pathfinder & Navara soon (It was stated in press release early 2011. I hope I read it correctly) The motor is a Renault V6 diesel with a whopping 550nm of torque. I suppose like most manufacturers nothing will be advertised until they sell the old stock but it's worth enquiring about. The top of the range comes with all the bells & whistles & the vehicle has better grunt,fuel economy & performance than the fantastic V8 Cruiser workmates!!!

The choice is getting harder and harder.As Orejap mentioned, new V6 Renault engine coming soon. On the other hand, a new Ford Ranger 2011 looks great, with especially its new hydraulic body mounts (taken from Jaguar) to reduce vibrations and noise - it should be good for Australian corrugation, shouldn't it? But again, pricewise, I'm looking for something around $35 - 40k, so I think it is better to stop dreaming and find someting now as I plan this trip in about 5-6 months.

Mike the Triton has a5yr warranty and is easly as rugged as the others.
I had a 04 T/D single cab and could not fault it.
If the missus had not wanted a dual cab I would still have it, at the time the dollars were scarce and I could not buy a new one.
Good points.
1 Good ride on and off road.
2 real good towing ability.
3 good build.
4 good 4x4 off road

Bad point
Turning circle.


Bushy

Hi Mike, regardless of which brand you settle on you will benefit from getting a lift and quality suspension. Apart from getting better clearance which they are all lacking in, you will find that they handle and ride so much nicer than with the stock suspension.

I have a Hilux myself and have no regrets, one of the factors that influenced me was that being such a popular vehicle and a Toyota you have a much better support network in the bush for repairs should you need it. As far as towing weight goes, whilst it sounds conservative if you read the fine print on some of the other brands you will find that the tow weight is reduced in accordance with the tow ball weight so it may not be that different. They are pricey though and it is hard to justify the extra $$$$$

Those Dmaxs sound good though and for value for money the Tritons deserve another look.
Have a look on www.newtriton.net if you want a bit more info on them. Nissan has a V6 Navara coming but I heard that they will be even dearer than a Hilux

Good luck with you decision.

hi mike ,the colorados and dmax have exactly the same specs,same engine and gearbox,(4jj engine)same departure angles etc pop into a holden dealer and get a brochure its got all the info,i did a lot of research into both these vehicles ,but unfortunately,money issues stopped me from getting a newie, dont believe everthing you here from the isuzu salesman,they told me colorados have a different engine to a dmax,check the specs ,,everything is the same ,,dmax may have better resale value in a few years but other than that, go for the best deal of the 2,,,as a diesel mechanic you will know of the reliability of the izuzu 4JJ engine,
im a mechanic as well, i ended up buying a 11/2007 dual cab rodeo with the same engine, i now have 190,000kms on the clock and still drives like new, the only thing i recommend that if your going to tow heavy trailers,that you invest in an auto as 1st gear is quite high and the clutch gets a good work out,but saying that i still have the original..you will need a 50mm lift and a good set of shocks as originals are very soft,reasonably cheap to do ,keep the same torsion bar just a new set of rear springs ,,the only thing that will bend the dmax chassis is if you fit air bags to the rear, get the right springs and you wont need them..i used wilkinson springs in atherton tablelands,good price service and they ship anywhere and are custom made to your needs. i have no affiliation with these guys im just a happy customer,,ask for dean,,,,they make a lot of springs for commercial vehicles that operate up to the cape and back so really know there stuff,
hope this helps
ed

And another important question - which of them if any has the room under the bonnet for a second battery? I saw a Triton PETROL with a 2nd battery, just wondering about DIESEL? Thanks.

IMHO, and I am a D40 Navara owner, all of the current crop of dual cabs are on par with each other. The only reason I chose the D40 over the others was that at the time (Dec 2008) the fitout was much better and it still has the largest cab area of all. The bigger cabin is what sold me on the D40 as I just didn't feel comfortable behind the wheel of the others. Drive them all and go with what feels best for you.
The broken chassis things is, AFAIK, entirely related to the fitment of air bags and having these pumped too high. Air bags are OK but are not as good as a full aftermarket suspension fitout.

Hi Mike
We brought a Navara D40 back in 2007. Looked at all the the others but went for the Nissan because the 2 teenage kids reckoned it had more leg room in the back. On it maiden trip we zig-zaged our way up the middle of Australia travelled d the savannah way and went to Cape York on the OTL and back towing a camper trailer. Had no issues at all. but there were a couple of places where we suffered because we hadn't put a suspension up grade on which would have made all the difference. Last year we up graded the suspension and crossed the Simpson desert with no issues at all
Happy travelling
Daz

Hi Mike K,
Was looking at the new VW Amarok tonight and am surprised by its size.It is a big dual cab ute with big opening doors especially the back doors.It has good width too making a good ute space.The write ups suggest that many of the Jap dual cabs will be concerned with this offering from VW.Plenty of standard equipment and a choice of turbo diesel and a 120kw-400nm twin turbo diesel.If i was in the market i would not rule this one out.
Cheers Mark

If you want a good 'out of the box' dual cab for the work you are suggesting why not take a look at a Defender 130........

Cheers, The Landy

The posts so far have given you enough to think about. As for using as stock for a trip round Australia, at least upgrade the shock absorbers to good after market units.
i would personally add a bullbar (while you are still allowed) and lights. Whether you want to extend to lifts, dual batteries, snorkels etc depends on your budget and intended use.
In the end it is all a compromise, balancing the wish list between projected usage and budget.

Mike,

The Holden Colorado and the D-Max are virtually the same car, with only minor cosmetic differences.
The D-Max is basically a rebadged Colorado manufactured under a contract with GM's Rayong Plant in Thailand. This is a reverse of the previous arrangement between GM and Isuzu, whereby the Holden Rodeo was manufactured by Isuzu for GM-Holden.

Below is clarification I recently received from the Director of Manufacturing at GM's Rayong Plant.

“Both the domestic and export versions of the Chevrolet Colorado are manufactured in General Motors Thailand’s facility at Rayong, Thailand. Additionally, GM Thailand also has a manufacturing contract with Isuzu, under which GM manufactures Isuzu’s trucks for the export market.”

Bill.