Touring 4wd, what would you buy?

**austastar** · 7th September 2009, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by Chucaro

Your selection of the LR130 and try top is very close but do not have access to the cabin from the camper which was a very good security issue for us when we was on the road for 2 years. Couple of times this advantage saved us from a nasty situation.

Ditto, we have access from the camper to the cabin, and the only time we needed to use it, we had a kid asleep on the front seat so couldn't get through.

We were stopped over night in a quarry, out of sight of the road, but moved to be under some trees, with out re checking the line of sight.
Sure enough, about 30 mins after lights out, we heard an engine, off throttle, gear change, brakes and change direction and heading our way.
Lights shining in the back of the van, noisy exhaust, drunken laughter, trouble on legs.
I was out of bed like a shot, "damn kid is on the seat, where are the keys?".
Van starts bouncing, yobbos on the front bull bar, I was near the back door looking for the keys, I could hear one of them just outside the back door, inches from my face.
In what I hoped was a steady voice, I asked for "the winchester, and 3 shells" quietly, but loud enough to be heard through the door.
They were very quickly back to the panel van and out of the quarry.
I'm glad that worked, because I had no gun.
Lesson learned, Keys always on the hook, double check line of sight from the road at night.
Access to the cab is nice, but we have only needed it once in what must be several hundred nights camping, but is so convenient when the air is full of mosquitoes, or it is pelting rain.

**DeanoH** · 7th September 2009, 02:11 PM

Depends on what you call touring.

If its driving around Australia towing a small van (<1500 Kg tare), with a bit of corrugated dirt thrown in I'll stick with SWMBO's D2. I'd want it chipped to make overtaking 4 trailer road trains less of a white knuckle experience.

If its serious remote touring I'd go for a 60 series with H/2H engine and 750R16's on split rims. Couldn't kill it with a stick of dynamite. If I wanted a camper I'd go for an OKA. Rock solid drive train and Perkins engine. No electronics in either just good solid motoring.

V8 Toyo may be a good tourer with the exception of weak reversed front diff and 100mm difference between front and rear track. 75 series Troopy with 2H would be OK.

As for the Unimog, you've got to be kidding, bloody great hulking monster. Be about as much fun to drive as an F truck in peak hour.

Deano

Tombie · 7th September 2009, 02:18 PM

I'd go the RR Sport...

I have the gear to sort it in the bush

**DeanoH** · 7th September 2009, 02:21 PM

Although......................................

Met a bloke in Oodnadatta with RRC with 200TDi motor/transmission. Reckoned he got 30 mpg cruising at 100 K's. Had done some work on the exhaust plumbing and turbo to make it breathe better and put in a larger intercooler. Bolted straight up to the existing exhaust. Dead easy conversion he reckoned.

Now this would be a great tourer. Best suspension LR has ever made with a no fuss economical diesel and the commanding view and comfort of the RRC.

Deano

**dullbird** · 7th September 2009, 02:25 PM

Originally Posted by Tombie2

I'd go the RR Sport...

I have the gear to sort it in the bush

so does this mean when I get my D3 you are going to become my offical brake down man?

**Casper** · 7th September 2009, 02:34 PM

For my money......If I had plenty it wouold have to be the new G Wagon from the Benz stable.

Excelent 4wd ability, comfortable beyond belief and plenty of service back up in most places around the world as well as a reasonable GVM.

If it were something a bit cheaper and more than likely on my wages would be the new Hilux SR5 3.0l diesel in auto.

All the mod cons in a fairly bomb proof package and with only minor mods to the suspention (Set of rear springs and better shocks all round) is pretty comfy as well.

They have plenty of room and are surprising off road in standard trim so with some decent tyres and setting up I recon they could be pretty good.

Also there are Toyo dealers and parts EVERY where and every second Grey nomad has one or a Prado so they must be reliable.

I still love my Disco but it's geting a bit long in the tooth these days and when you have stock standard off the shelf 4b's able to do most of what my slightly modified D1 can do but do it a hell of a lot easier with TC, ABS, HDC and all the other acronims I think it's more an if you cant beat them scenario for me.

**BigJon** · 7th September 2009, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by Casper

new Hilux SR5 3.0l diesel in auto.

All the mod cons in a fairly bomb proof package and with only minor mods to the suspention (Set of rear springs and better shocks all round) is pretty comfy as well.

They have plenty of room and are surprising off road in standard trim so with some decent tyres and setting up I recon they could be pretty good.

You are joking aren't you?

They have less front crossmember clearance than my old Kingswood!

I am sure that with all the suspension replaced they would be OK.

**PAT303** · 7th September 2009, 04:27 PM

3.0lt Hilux,I had a laugh at that one,dealers everywhere so plenty of parts,yeh right,own one and see how available parts are.The dealers don't have parts,they can only tell you whats wrong and order what you need from Sydney or Melbourne and you wait a week at least to get them.The outback dealers can't reset faults to get them going either,only the bigger regional dealers have the equipement so it goes on a truck like everything else. Pat

**Disco_owner** · 7th September 2009, 04:51 PM

Anyone of these will do me for outback Touring

300tdi Disco / RRC conversion
300tdi Defender
V8 RRC Efi with LRT to carry extra Fuel
Td5 Defender

and I'll have Roof top Tent to go with any of them .
.
and a Great Bunch of people to go with to make the Trip more memorable

**Slunnie** · 7th September 2009, 06:04 PM

Originally Posted by Chucaro

The original question it is a bit contradicting

Quote:
If you had a super payout or won the lottery or just had a few hundred laying around...

What would you buy to Tour with??

Remember it has to be able to be fixed if need be in the bush, so sadly a RR Sport and anything over Electric and over the top in modern crap, is no good...
End of Quote

The Toyota that you like does not meet the criteria, it cannot be fixed by a non Toyota dealer

It has to be capable off road and be reliable and good on fuel.
The Toyota drinks by the gallon, we are not 100% sure about if it is reliable

So if we are going to dream the Unimog is the best by far

You have tons of money so a bit of fuel does not matter
The vehicle have the best warranty and service available world wide so you only need a sat phone to call

Ok, it is bulky, the get a Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen EDITION30 Special Edition
as you only vehilcle or tow it behind the Unimog

The G Wagen alone is a very capable vehicle and if I have the money I buy it before the Toyo

Now if we ignore a bit the original questions and we speculate that we blow all the money in the vehicle, then a old vehilce with a simple rebuilt engine which any tractor/diesel mechanic in the bush can repair then we have to go back to the isuzu, Tdi300, perkins, old 4.2 T Toyotas ,etc.
Why a Defender? because the payload of this vehicle it is not match by the other common 4x4
Why I like the Tdi 300? because the economyis fantastic and the performance of the engine is good enough for the purpose for wich the vehicle was built.
If it is good for the UK army have to be good for a tourer vehicle as well

The Puma, New Toyo, etc do not meet the criteria

Seeming as this was on the back of a quote of mine...

I really don't think that Toyota are the only ones that can work on a Toyota. I'm really not sure where you've heard this.

Its also as basic electronically speaking as a 4WD built in modern times will come.

Every vehicle drinks fuel by the gallon. They also drink fuel by the litre, the millilitre and by the quart. I'm quite surprised at this comment as you immediately follow it up by saying the Mog is the ultimate vehicle and how cares how much fuel it uses.

I still cant believe that after so many years that nobody allegedly has improved on the Tdi.

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