4X4 Advice

[Milord]

So,

A friend of mine has decided that -although he's still living with his parents at 30- what he needs most in his life is a vehicle to make adventurous road-trips.
I believe this to be a fine example of what seems to be called a quarter-life-crisis.
He's asked me for advice, which I suspect might be a sign to him expecting me to do some work on the vehicle once acquired, and I am asking all of you!

He doesn't really have a specific list of what he exactly wants, total surprise from a guy who usually takes 20 mins to decide what he wants to drink in a pub, so I've established a few must-haves.

In general it must be:
- 4X4 or good off-road without it
- pre 1991 (for tax reasons)
- not too complicated (I don't want the thing on MY drive the entire time! )
- comfortably suit 2 people
- be ridgid and comfortable enough to withstand some abuse and/or a couple of 1000km on the highway. (He's read something about driving to Kathmandu, so that's an option apparently)
- able to convert it to something you could live in/on/underneath
- now because all of these boxes are fairly easy to tic, here's the kicker: must be VERY VERY cheap (€2000 for a good base vehicle, conversion aside)

I've had some vehicles spring to mind,

VW T3 Syncro
VW T4 Syncro
LR Defender 110 or Series 3
Toyota FJ60
Isuzu Trooper
Nissan Patrol

So we're either on a LWB off-road vehicle which would be fitted with a roof-tent or a 4X4 equipped van which would be converted to a rudimentary mobil-home.

I feel like a lot of these vehicles have some kind of "scene-tax". Which makes them needlessly expensive. So we would be looking at something that is not that well known like the Isuzu in previous list. Conversions to 4X4 are off the charts for legal reasons...

Mainly, we're wondering which other models and makes we might be forgetting or which vehicles are rather good off-road without 4X4 ?

my friend is adamant that he does NOT want to learn to drive with the steering wheel on the "wrong" side so a UK vehicle is not an option either.

Because no thread should exist without some pics:

[MkX]

Pre-91 model Hilux, you can get motorhome modules that seat onto the back, (or chop up a caravan).
Very rugged, very reliable.

If you're committed to the van route, we had someone posting on here recently about their Dangel 4X4 conversion;
forum.retro-rides.org/thread/201197/peugeot-dangel-drive-testing-water?page=1

[waveman1500]

The two real questions are, how far off-road, and how comfortably do you need to be able to live in it?
Are we talking about standing up and preparing food in the kitchen, or just camping?

If you can afford a decent Toyota LandCruiser, they are an excellent vehicle for off-road touring.
Realistically, most people who go on "off road" trips will probably mainly be on dirt roads, and therefore any reliable car will do.

I'm not sure on your budget, but how about Japanese 4x4 vans? There are a wide variety, Mitsubishi Delica and various Toyota and Nissan models.

[MkX]

Mar 13, 2018 12:31:14 GMT waveman1500 said:

The two real questions are, how far off-road, and how comfortably do you need to be able to live in it?
Are we talking about standing up and preparing food in the kitchen, or just camping?

If you can afford a decent Toyota LandCruiser, they are an excellent vehicle for off-road touring.
Realistically, most people who go on "off road" trips will probably mainly be on dirt roads, and therefore any reliable car will do.

I'm not sure on your budget, but how about Japanese 4x4 vans? There are a wide variety, Mitsubishi Delica and various Toyota and Nissan models.

Early Land Cruisers now command good money and so he wouldn't find a good one within that budget that wasn't a total rotbox unfortunately, (rot = something us Europeans have to put up with!)

[daslandroverman]

A reasonable Discovery can still be had for around the £2k Mark.

In good nick are pretty reliable, a comfortable place to crunch miles, and there's plenty been driven overland all over the world.

4x4 UAZ vans aren't bad either, but can dissolve at a fair rate, and comparative rarity means they're not that cheap over here.

[Littlepixel]

It sounds like your friend has been watching millennial #VanLife videos on YouTube and the 'Gram.
They make it all look so easy and shiny!

Re vehicle ideas - despite scene tax, I would say T25 Westfalia Syncro Joker, perhaps with a 2.0 / 2.5l turbo Subaru boxer swap to make oil use / cruising speed / time spent at the petrol pump more manageable.
Proper ones are always LHD so no problems on that count.

Westy interiors are really well thought-out and durable off the bat and great for long or short camping / road trips.
Upgradable with a million accessories too.

If he lives at home with his parents though - surely he's got a wedge of savings?!?!

[welshpug]

where are you?

There's no chance of a Defender worth having in his budget if its the UK, unless he also has a budget to do massive work to it on top!....

T4 came out in 90 apparently though in the UK I don't recall seeing any before 92, Synchro models got for 2x to 3x his budget as a starting point.

[pauly22]

Lady niva ?



Then one of these to sleep in.

[optimusprime]

Slightly out of budget circa 15000euro ..

..

[optimusprime]

Thinking you are going to struggle on that budget to get a decent example of the usual suspects.

I’m on a few ‘overland’ type goups, the general concencous is whilst a roof top tent is ok , after a while the it loses it appeal in windy conditions,and having to open and close to move vehicle gets annoying after a while, for long trips and bad weather you should have a Vehicle you can at least sleep and prepare food inside.....

Or have a smaller 4wd and a camping trailer?

[brachunky]

Within or near about's the budget, I would be looking at the Mitsi Delica. Good off roaders with a few trick bits and comfy with such nicies as A/C.

[andyborris]

Talk to me about Delica's, not an expert, but I'm learning fast, real fast!

Andy

[davidpallister]

VW T3/T25 Syncro's are good, but gearboxes, diffs and VC's are all getting old and worn out, with no new parts available, so good 2nd hand parts command a hefty premium

[rblote]

I have had a few Patrol's, Holden (Isuzu) Rodeo, Disco and a Delica now.
I have done some serious 4WD-ing. More than most, in paid and unpaid capacities.
I have built up all my cars myself.That way i knew that things were done alright.

My all time favorite 4WD was and is the old Nissan Patrol. Very capable straight
out of the box. It has one of the best LSD in the back. It's really easy to built up.
My last one had a 3 Inch suspension lift, 2 Inch body lift, 35" tyres F+R diff locks etc.
That was one very capable truck.
Down side....Extreeeemely thirsty.
My Rodeo was by far the cheapest to run. The 2.8 TD was good on fuel and very reliable.
Both cars are very easy to work on and parts (here on Australia anyway)easy to get.
Both are cheap to get now.

My current 4WD is a Delica, not cheap to run but very versatile. More capable than the VW
(own experience) not as capable as the Patrol.

I really like the VW. Would I get one? No way. Don't get a 4WD mixed up with a AWD....

The Mitsubishi Shogun is really not a bad car either. I feel that they are not as loved in GB
as here in Australia.

Good luck

[buzz1024]

This is my setup - 300 Tdi Camel Trophy Disco and an Oz tent.
obviously he won't get a Camel Disco on his budget but there's a lot of Discoveries out there for not a lot of pennies.

[daslandroverman]

That you Mr McGown?

[buzz1024]

It sure is

[Mr S]

Chevy Suburban if he can find one at the right price and can cope with the fuel consumption! Simple, rugged and reliable with *plenty* of space to live inside. Mine's a bit newer (1997) but it's freaking awesome

[rblote]

Our Delica. On the beach North Queensland.

[rblote]

Pulling our jetski's out. The ramp had washed away....