Looking to buy older 4x4 vehicle. Need advice.

[Et1Zook]

Buy a Jimny......

[Skylark]

Headgaskets go on Jeeps as well... and on Toyota V6 engines... and.. and... Dont generalize... not all LR blow gaskets every time you start them up.

Sorry my apologies, LR's don't blow head gaskets every time you start them, only every 3rd time.

The point remains LR are not a good option for the inexperienced or buyers on a budget. The one LR that bucks the trend to a degree is the FL2 but even then you need to tread very carefully they can quickly get very expensive to maintain.

[Skylark]

Buy a Jimny......

This guy knows!
A Jimny is a very good option for budget 4x4.

[MANDREAS]

I don't know what the size of your trailer is, but on your budget I would (if I were in your shoes) look at something bigger than a jimny (because you have kids), that is reliable, economical on fuel and parts are relatively cheap and easy to come by.

A terios perhaps:

https://www.autotrader.co.za/car-for...s/1.5/25801247

[mullerza]

One needs an emergency fund for any vehicle out of warranty.
The older the vehicle, the larger the fund.
The fund is a function of the ORIGINAL NEW price of the vehicle

There, fixed it for you. R1m car new still requires the maintenance of a R1m car second hand despite the fact that you paid couple of hundred grand for it.

[MANDREAS]

Why are all the LR guys so cranky?

[Jeanvn]

Why are all the LR guys so cranky?

That's only the Disco drivers we haven't gotten to the Defender TD5s yet

[ChasingSunsets]

One needs an emergency fund for any vehicle out of warranty.
The older the vehicle, the larger the fund.
The fund is NOT a function of the purchase price, but rather the typical cost of a major break down, such as an engine / transmission replacement or rebuild.

Precisely this.

To the OP, when you buy an older second hand vehicle the trick is to not assume/hope it will not break down when doing your affordability calculations. Rather look at a specific vehicle, research the small failures that are well known, research any potential deal breakers, and then find out what it would cost you to replace an engine or a gearbox should one of those decide its going on early retirement (usually due to poor maintenance).

How much have you paid off on your polo if I may ask? Lets say your budget is 200k, are you planning on financing the whole 200k or are you putting down 100k for example from the polo as a deposit?

There are a number of excellent value proper 4x4's out there and if you shop hard you will find good ones. FSH is a must (just because the salesman says it has a full service history does not mean it actually has one so send the VIN to the manufacturer and find out what has been done and then also try to get in touch with the previous owner).

I bought my second Pajero a few years ago with 210k on the clock for R165k. Its a late 2008 Gen 4 3.2 DiD GLS common-rail. If you want a Pajero buy one of these or the Pajero sport 3.2 (they are marginally cheaper to maintain than the 2.5 Pajero Sport and they don't have the potential expensive diesel pump repair sometimes seen in the gen 3 - about 20k to overhaul the pump). The 3.2 DiD is a very good engine and the 4x4 capabilities are very good. I have done over 60k in mine in 2 years over all sorts of terrain from rough 4x4 trails, to endless corrugations in the kgalagadi, to multiple river crossings in a flooded Okavango, towed boats, almost always drive gravel if I can and its been fantastic to drive. While it was (and still is) in exceptional condition when I bought it I suspect the previous owner neglected some preventative maintenance. As a result I've spent about R45k in the just over 2 years of ownership on servicing (around R25-30k = 6 services in 2.5 years) and replacing things preventatively. This includes three big ticket items: crank pulley (the damper started to separate R5k), a suction control valve (R4k part) and a rear wheel bearing (R4k). The rest was smaller things like ball joints, bushes and other small items. I travel as much as I can so if my mech reckons a part could use replacing sometimes in the future I just replace it. By this stage I've probably covered everything although I'm probably due for a new set of shocks this year.

By comparison, a friend purchased a 2007 odd 4.0 v6 hilux around the same time as I did. His car now has over 270k km on the clock. Over the last year and a half we also tackled all the big ticket preventative items on his car with the same mechanic doing the work. Over 50k km his costs have worked out to very close to my Pajero. He needed to replace the rear side shafts and bearings, had a crankshaft seal failure, replacement of the crankshaft pulley, front sway bar and stabilizer links and a center bearing failure on the propshaft to list a a few I can recall.

So there you have a breakdown of a what it can cost to own a 4x4's that are well known for reliability if you really use it to the maximum extent and they have some miles behind them at the time of purchase. Find a good mechanic who looks after you and you will save a lot of money (I don't want to know what all this work would have cost us at the dealer).

Enjoy the search, Cheers

[Jens78]

It's basically all been covered:
- Walk away from what appears to be an abused vehicle or if it has some patchy repairs (e.g. respray, non-standard steering wheel, rims, etc.), despite what the seller (private or dealer) says.
- Full service history is a must. A reputable indy's stamps are also okay, as long as the vehicle was serviced at the dealership until all warranties/maintenance plans expired.
- Narrow down your search to only a few models. Do the research as to what should be replaced or is likely to fail as the years and mileage piles on on each model. Budget for new suspension bushes, wheel bearings, etc.
- Use ONLY the best workshop/mechanic you can find! We live in a country full of bullknitters who will happily cannibalize the best parts of your car and replace it with cheap pirates. The original good parts of your car will later be fitted to other cars at the price of a new factory original.

Because you do low mileage outside of holidays, a vehicle like a Prado, Fortuner, Pajero/Sport should be a solid choice. Maybe also a good Nissan Pathfinder and if you're open to the possibility of a double cab, never discount Isuzu. Yup, stick to Japanese...

I've also been extremely lucky with my Pajero but any older car will need replacements and repairs. Over the past seven years I've had to:
-replace the two front wheel bearings (~R6k).
-replace clutch with recon unit (R12k). Manuals are rare though and you'll likely end up with an automatic.
-replace all suspension bushes and some other related items (R3650). Drives and rides like a dream now!
-Power steering system (R5k).
-fitted Powerbrake discs and related brake accessories (~R3500).
-electronic control unit that regulates the lights (R1500 from Parthunt).

The rest were annual services and wear and tear items like shocks, tyres, one battery, a radiator cap and some cheap-to-fix seals. Apart from the battery incident, she starts every time and never failed to bring us home.

[Hloni]

I have been lucky enough to purchase cars that were either new or still had warranty and Motorplan. So my first issue that worries me is actually purchasing a vehicle with no motor plan.
...
I'm looking for a vehicle with an SUV type of body, Pajero,Prado,whatever really that is reliable and affordable.

I'm looking to use this vehicle to either camp with a trailer or caravan so it will need to be a decent towing vehicle.

The one caveat is that I need to trade in my new polo that I cannot actually afford anymore. So my budget is going to be around 200 grand.

I genuinely fail to see how you cannot affors a Polo and expect to afford running an older tech SUV. Sure, Tuner GD6 is economical on the juice. D4D on the other hand a bit more complex.
Tyre failure on a Pajero Sport will definately be far costlier than replacing a carcass of a Polo after hitting a pothole.
Granted, you wanna go camping and all. Maybe that's what you want to solve. But pleasw don't trade the Polo (again losing money in the trade) expecting cheaper annual ownership.

That all been said, X-Trail or even Mitsubishi 3.2D SWB will do the trick in that price range.

[Nightjar]

Buy a Jimny......

This will not work for him. In another thread the OP is looking at buying a caravan.

[Peter1949]

Ok, I'm gonna say what you don't want to hear.

Buying a 4x4 is not a money saving option. You buy it for a reason, and you can expect to get repair bills with it. You are also going to want to improve it, fit AT Tyres, etc.

If you need to save money, keep the everest, use it to tow, and buy a cheaper run around, for example a Haval H1 or a suzuki swift or something.

Your other point also got me thinking right now a 4x4 isn't for you. The fact that you cannot afford for it to break down. Granted, not all 4x4's break down, but your risk dramatically increases when you start using it to 4x4. If you don't intend to 4x4, then don't buy a 4x4.

I'm saying all this not to be mean, but to give the best advice I can.

AND to add:
4x4 Insurance cost will most likely be higher, especially if you are planning off-road stuff with it.
Just saying.

[WHS]

I find myself in a very similar position & I'm following this thread with interest.

I have been looking for 3 months now & walked every dealership in a 50 km radius flat & troll the interwebs every day. I've seen literally hundreds of 4x4s & yet still not found the right one.

I think it will be probably end up being a Pajero when I do find the right one.

I had paid a deposit on a Wrangler but the thing bombed out before I took delivery & luckily the seller was a gentleman & gladly refunded my deposit.

OP, good luck with your search.

[vanderw]

here a old land cruiser in your budget, not sure if still available.

I believe Capitec does some sort of personally loan finance on cars that available for old cars theses days.

https://www.4x4community.co.za/forum...00-GX-4500-EFI

I would seriously consider this if I was you. Covers all your bases and the price allows for a slight emergency fund that you can add to. At 500 km a month I wouldn't worry about the fuel bill as a daily runner.

And the smile every time you drive this.... Priceless!!

[ChasingSunsets]

I would seriously consider this if I was you. Covers all your bases and the price allows for a slight emergency fund that you can add to. At 500 km a month I wouldn't worry about the fuel bill as a daily runner.

And the smile every time you drive this.... Priceless!!

I love the land cruisers (80's, 100's, 105, 200's) and this looks like an absolute stunner. You are absolutely right, at 500km a month a I would not worry about the fuel, but (and its a big big but for me), what If you want to do a 10000km trip around the SADC countries towing a caravan and you get between 3-4km/L consistently? The most expensive component of travelling/exploring the region is fuel and if you buy that cruiser you immediately double your largest cost, something which I cannot rationalize, but also something that many people are happy to pay, so each to their own.

But yes, that cruiser is a stunning deal and I really thought it would sell within days.

[stephenplumb]

I must say that I am not that attached to full service history. This obviously depends on the age of the vehicle you are driving/buying.

I knew that I would keep my amarok for a while, so I said stuff the service history, I want all filters changed at every service. On the "mortorplan" they do almost nothing and things like the air cleaner only get changed every 60 000km. Fuel Filter at around 40ish if memory serves.

I changed to a 10K service interval, do the cam belt, water pump, and all fluids every 80k. I also know I am using the right oils.

I am around 310 000km now and have just been hauling a heavy boat around the country. I don't use oil between services and all is going well - touch wood.

If you were to buy my vehicle, I can assure you, you would be getting a better vehicle than one of similar age and vintage with VW FSH.

So if you are buying something newish, then a FSH history is probably a good idea. Once you get over a certain age, then the general look and feel and cut of the jib, should give you a much better indication of the sort of wagon you are laying your hands on.

[Tom13]

Your vehicle would be fine to buy, I agree.

Problem is that there are also the owner who will skip the services because it is "expensive", we have a lady friend with a BMW X3 like that . The problem is you do not know what type of owner it is and you definitely want to avoid the car from the second type. If it has a service history, dealer or otherwise, its better than no history.

I must say that I am not that attached to full service history. This obviously depends on the age of the vehicle you are driving/buying.

I knew that I would keep my amarok for a while, so I said stuff the service history, I want all filters changed at every service. On the "mortorplan" they do almost nothing and things like the air cleaner only get changed every 60 000km. Fuel Filter at around 40ish if memory serves.

I changed to a 10K service interval, do the cam belt, water pump, and all fluids every 80k. I also know I am using the right oils.

I am around 310 000km now and have just been hauling a heavy boat around the country. I don't use oil between services and all is going well - touch wood.

If you were to buy my vehicle, I can assure you, you would be getting a better vehicle than one of similar age and vintage with VW FSH.

So if you are buying something newish, then a FSH history is probably a good idea. Once you get over a certain age, then the general look and feel and cut of the jib, should give you a much better indication of the sort of wagon you are laying your hands on.

[lizardalpha]

I must say that I am not that attached to full service history. This obviously depends on the age of the vehicle you are driving/buying.

I knew that I would keep my amarok for a while, so I said stuff the service history, I want all filters changed at every service. On the "mortorplan" they do almost nothing and things like the air cleaner only get changed every 60 000km. Fuel Filter at around 40ish if memory serves.

I changed to a 10K service interval, do the cam belt, water pump, and all fluids every 80k. I also know I am using the right oils.

I am around 310 000km now and have just been hauling a heavy boat around the country. I don't use oil between services and all is going well - touch wood.

If you were to buy my vehicle, I can assure you, you would be getting a better vehicle than one of similar age and vintage with VW FSH.

So if you are buying something newish, then a FSH history is probably a good idea. Once you get over a certain age, then the general look and feel and cut of the jib, should give you a much better indication of the sort of wagon you are laying your hands on.

FSH can also be bs, as it has happened that a service wasn't even done. Or wait, there was a thread about a Jeep where the car was fine, serviced, but the engine was knackered if I recall correctly.

I usually check the condition with the service history as well, and don't mind a small service skipped or not on the books, if the condition of the car is good.

[Half-Pint]

Sorry to be that guy but if you can't afford the repayments on a new polo you can't afford a 4x4

Everything is more expensive with large 4x4s. Tyres, batteries, oil changes etc heck even a car wash is often 20% more. If you are spending R200k I would expect you are buying a car that will incur fairly regular maintenance costs. For me the known R5k a month on the polo is far easier to budget for than a possible R50 000 repair bill. Not to mention it will deplete any savings on your monthly instalments.

[stephenplumb]

Sorry to be that guy but if you can't afford the repayments on a new polo you can't afford a 4x4

Everything is more expensive with large 4x4s. Tyres, batteries, oil changes etc heck even a car wash is often 20% more. If you are spending R200k I would expect you are buying a car that will incur fairly regular maintenance costs. For me the known R5k a month on the polo is far easier to budget for than a possible R50 000 repair bill. Not to mention it will deplete any savings on your monthly instalments.

That is some hard truth, and how many times have we seen this with Disco3's which are cracking value second hand, until something big goes. We don't know all about the OPs financial situation, or mechanical savy. I have done engine transplants and have a pretty well equipped garage and there is not much that scares me off, so I am okay taking on a bit of risk. We bought a Kia Sedona off a friend that would not hold onto it because his wife forgot to service it, so it ran 5k over the service interval. Apart from huge thirst that was a great wagon.

If you can pick up a good pajero or similar and are happy to do a transplant with a Jap imported engine, then you can have pretty cheap motoring. Of course you need another vehicle in case you are off the road for a few weeks/months with an engine transplant.

Not many people are equipped to do major engine work and with many living in complexes , this is not even allowed.

I do tend to agree through that a newish polo represents much lower overall risk without knowing too much more about the OPs situation.