D3 or Isuzu Mux

Nothing is bullet proof. I'll be replacing the front diff in an 04 Hilux with 215K this weekend - people say they are bullet proof too (mainly it's Toyota saying it these days), and this was one of the older Japanese made ones! Even if it was bullet proof, it's still a rough and ready vehicle that drives more like a farm hack than a car.


D3/RRS is a tough vehicle as well - it will drag an MR truck along even with all six wheels jammed on the truck - but officially it's rated at 3.5T which is still better than most vehicles. Check out the chassis on it, makes the jap stuff look **** weak. Strong diesel engine - great power and fuel economy and also way more refined - and makes a great noise! Does not sound like a truck. Strong but smooth ZF transmission. Electronic magna/steyr transfer case with automatic locking. CAT diffs.


So it is a tough platform. The difference is: it's elegant too. It's quieter than my Audi, comfortable and luxurious to ride around in. My RRS looks bespoke, whether it's on 20's and road tires parked in front of the Adelaide Art Gallery for a cocktail function, or out the front of the Parachilna Pub covered in dust and mud from a trip through the Flinders, while I'm inside having a feral mixed grill and a beer, This is what really won me over - I don't think there is a better on/off road compromise than these cars.


I know I sound biased, and maybe I am. But that's my 0.02 anyway, because if you're like me, you have a lot of boxes to tick. I did check out the majority of jap offerings - honestly I didn't bother even test driving them after I'd checked out the interior quality and stereo. Misfitting panels from the factory is not a good look. The smell just about knocks you out too. $$ wise maybe it'll cost you more, maybe it won't. For me, mine has to be perfect so I do spend a bit extra keeping it like that, whereas my mate's Hilux we're replacing the diff because it seriously has to be replaced and not because he cared about the loud growling noise it was making!

Yep Baz they do feel very car like. So when I had one for a week I kind of forgot that it was a 4wd that propels only the rear wheels on the road and started pressing it in the snowy national park ... I stopped pressing on after a butt clenching moment when the front let go in a big way and I had "old Camry" style massive under steer something the disco does not do even when pressed very very hard (killjoy the computer won't have a bar of it haha).

I agree that disco and rrs have style matched by few (and features absent on many cars). They are tough but potentially very expensive to operate and maintain. I love mine and have no plans to part with it but it is one of three cars in my household.

My fil has a 25 year old 2.4d Hilux 4wd. It's the only car I've ever known that I would call truly bullet proof.

Great post Rich and I agree its easily the best compromise on / off road. For me its may be just a case of you can only afford what you can afford I spose:)

You said your budget was $45K - you should be able to get a great D3 for $10K under that. There's a few D4's that are getting into that bracket. Or TDV8 RRS.

thanks for that, i'll take a closer look.

The d3 looks a heep better than the mux, and I would say the d3 would have more room inside as well. I'd personally pick the d3 any day

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Epic pooh

My fil has a 25 year old 2.4d Hilux 4wd. It's the only car I've ever known that I would call truly bullet proof.

---

Not bullet proof at all. They just don't have enough power to hurt themselves. I drove one a few months back. It was horrible, but the instruments all still worked.

Haha horrible is understatement of the century.

Actually the only thing on his that doesn't work is the tachometer - not that it matters because no sane person would rev it beyond about 2500 rpm as it just gets louder and starts to get slower as the revs rise.

Ive faced the same quandary as I consider moving from the 110 to something softer. I don't know anything about the MUX.

Head says Pajero (particularly with rear e-locker as standard) as a good reliable low maintenance cost vehicle. Next year will be a new model so they will have a run out sale with big discounts. When this year's EFY sale was on you could buy a new GLX-R for $45 drive away. I just don't like the dash or part time 4wd set up. The traction control doesn't seem that flash either, and I don't like the rear door either.

However, D3/D4 is a much better more advanced vehicle, which is why it keeps winning international awards. If you have cash and are ready to buy you can pick up some good prices on a 2.7 Discovery with under 100,000 km. They often only last a day. e.g. the best Ive seen recently is a 2008 D3 TDV6 with 97,000km in good nic sold for $27400, or a 2011 (MY12) D4 with 56,000km sold for $46500k. Major problems with late D3 or D4 2.7 TDV6 seem pretty rare.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Epic pooh

Haha horrible is understatement of the century.

Actually the only thing on his that doesn't work is the tachometer - not that it matters because no sane person would rev it beyond about 2500 rpm as it just gets louder and starts to get slower as the revs rise.

---

Sounds a lot like my mate's early 80's Lux. 4 speed manual, diesel, not sure how big the diesel is.


Basically you're pretty brave if you take it to 110, because it is properly redlining 4th gear by then, so you can only do it downhill - on a level 80 is about as fast as she goes. The brakes barely work and it feels like the car is going to shake itself to bits.


Clearly NVH wasn't on the development criteria...


It is a useful vehicle though, and to be honest, it has somehow withstood my mate's mechanical efforts, which is a fair achievement - I'd hate to think of the repair bill on the RRS if I were to wire the battery around the wrong way!