Quote: Originally posted by kinza123 on 27/12/2009
The Pajero mentioned above was ours! And Jon is right it's a fantastic tow car and we loved it to bits and still miss it.... OH had looked after it, knows what he is doing (car wise) and it was immaculate.
We bought a Passat TDi estate, tows brilliantly and also it's a great family car. Doesn't give me the same feeling when driving it, it's very sensible, but it ticks all the boxes for all our needs and gets mega mpg when driven sensibly, and 35 + mpg towing.
I'm a girly too!!!!!!
lol.....it still is immaculate and i got loads of autoglym off santa to keep it that way as well. turns heads wherever we go and always a converstaion starter on the caravan sites we visit.
we`ll have to meet up at clumber park some time next year for a chat & a drink .
we took it in for a new exhaust in the summer to our local specialist,he deals in them and reckons its one of the best hes seen.couldnt believe how clean it was.
With a 2K budget on an older 4x4 you are taking a bit of a gamble. Different vehicles have different things to watch out for, however some vehicles are known for their reliability better than others. On that sort of budget, the model that springs to my mind for renowned reliability is the Toyota Hilux or Hilux Surf. The Pajero also falls into a similar category, Mitsubishi however in my opinion are not as good on the corrosion issue as Toyota. A friend of mine had a Shogun that was incredibly badly rusted underneath, despite the body looking good. With the Toyota, particularly the 2.4 engine, be weary of signs of cylinder head faults.
Aside from the usual things to watch out for that one would be looking for on any vehicle (signs of water in the oil or vice versa particularly on the 2.4 litre Toyota, body / corrosion, clutch slip, signs of accident damage, oil leaks etc) definately check the 4 wheel drive operatess and does not make any nasty noises. Many 4x4s do not get used in 4 wheel drive for very long periods and when it does get selected, sometimes it does not work at all. Transfer boxes and differentials whilst not impossible to repair can be very costly to repair and therefore should really be avoided.
Road tax on pre 2000 vehicles (including 4x4s) is calculated on the engine size rather than emissions and for your budget I don't anticipate you getting anything any later than that. However. given a choice of similar vehicles either side of this change, I would go for the earlier one as the road tax is likely to be a lot lower.
If you go for an import, as most of the 4x4s in your budget will be, be prepared for the likelihood that most will have an automatic gearbox and that the insurance is likely to be a lot higher than you currently pay. Even UK spec 4x4s are likely to cost a lot more for insurance. I found that taking the excess into account, a 3rd party fire and theft policy gave me better cover. The excess on a comprehensive policy meant that in the event of a total loss, the excess was almost as high as the value of the car. TPF+T excesses were only a quarter of those for fully comp and the premium was considerably lower too.
Fab advice LDKO. I did a bit of research on the dealer offering the Pajero, and I have a funny feeling about it, no real evidence but it wouldn't surprise me if it's dodgy. So... off to part ex other car for a 53 plate Terracan today. If it's half decent, of course.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Buying a older used 4x4
OH had looked after it, knows what he is doing (car wise) and it was immaculate.
