petrol & diesel 4 x 4's

[Bird]

Still a bit off topic again, but I reckon when reviews are done on vehicles

for who ever pays the most in advertising $$$$ and or gives one to the magazine as a "long term" tester

I have zero faith in any tests in papers/magazines.

[nbd73]

I have zero faith in any tests in papers/magazines.

(Excepting articles written by Mr Torrens presumably?? )

[Forced95]

I was in a similar position a few years ago when I was looking at replacing my 4wd with a desiel. What I found was for less money than a stock TD80 series (which was what I wanted) I could buy a much more modified/accessorised petrol with a lot less kms.
The 80 I ended up with has a supercharged 4.5 that puts out more torque than most desiels on the market (at a lot less rpm than you'd think), aftermarket EFI computer, modified auto transmission with manual lock up and reduction gears, front and rear bars and sliders, winch, dual batteries, lockers, long range tank, new(ish) suspension, new 35 inch tyres, cruise,ect,ect.
Fuel consumption varies between 15/16lts empty up to 21/22lts towing/heavy per 100kms. Given I only get one long trip a year in, Cape York ect the additional fuel cost doesn't worry me.
Hope that puts a bit more perspective on your decision, good luck.

And yes first post, hello to all. Good little site you all have here.

[Symon]

Really, I thought Diesel was the future? better fuel economy, better towing, better off roading due to big torque down low.
Petrol cars are really at the end of their technological  evolution where as diesel is really on a few years in

Sorry but I have to disagree with all of that.  Diesel is still catching up to the advances in petrol technology.

If we are talking 10+ year old trucks, I would agree diesel is the go.  If we are talking current generation trucks, I would say go for a petrol.  Especially if you are on a budget.

[dazzler]

There is an interesting article in this months Camper Trailer Australia that shows how being obsessed with diesel can lead to you owning a piece of crap.

The article is about how he decided on 15k budget with a number of 'non-negotiable' criteria that included;
diesel
manual
4wd with a splitter box (I think he meant low range not a road ranger)

So blah blah blah realises that there are very few that meet this criteria until he ends up with, wait for it, a 1996 Land Rover Discovery TD.   

He then goes on with the usual stuff you hear when justifying buying a disco and even says "Okay, fair enough, but how often do they break?".  Well the answer to that is "Frequently and expensively".

Before the Land Roverites saddle up the big horse the first discoveries deserve to be product bashed.  Its not until the late late series 2's and 3's that they were half reasonable. 

When you compare what reliable machines  he could have got for the same money in petrol is boggling.  Prados and Pajeros, Late model Mitsu Challengers, 80 series, GQ's and GU's, Jackaroos and pathfinders.  And thats just in the wagons let alone dual cabs.

Unless you REALLY need a solid front axle then you could hardly go past the late Challengers with coil rear ends.  I have seen low mileage early 2000 ones in perfect nick for less than 9k. 

Sadly punters will read the mag and take it as expert advice on what to buy.  Poor Buggers 

[cruisindub]

How about making this a 'Poll'

Be interesting to see the stats of who has what......?

[lilstookie]

We just bought a Landcruiser. A 2002 Petrol 4.5ltr. Its a 105 series live axle. Its in immaculate condition with 210,000km
Fully checked before purchase and its been a great buy. Its had a part time conversion done with Manual locking hubs so its not an ALL TIME 4WD like in standard form. We are getting about 16ltr/100km. Not bad for a big unit.
We came from a 3.2ltr V6 jackaroo. People always bagged the jackaroo but we loved it.
It didnt have gear hanging off it and it wasnt a 4wd muddbogger either but it was great at all we used it for and although sometimes struggling up hills with the 1.5T trailer AND a motorbike on the back it done it using 19lt/100km towing and 12.89ltr/100km when not.

It cost us next to nothing to maintain and I learned alot about petrol engines fixing it myself. Getting belts done was over the 1k but only needed done every 100,000km which for most is 5 year intervals.
We bought it for $8,000 8 years ago and it now had 350,000km on it and still going well.
We upgraded to a cruiser ($16k) because of the airbags and the space with almost 3 kids now.

Looking at the diesel versions........for under the 20k mark they all looked like wrecks with HIGH KM....over 350,000
and most had fuel figures of 12 -16lt/100km so I dont think we are off by that much.

We are 1 year into out big lap and due to another child on the way have got a bigger unit with more safety features.
We looked at the diesels and could not justify the expenditure for simply having a diesel........ get a bit of water in a diesel and its $$$ but the petrol can shrug it off. Our unit flies and now we are steaming past diesel units on the road. Petrol is not over 20lt/100km with the CT on the back and servicing costs is minimal.......We could have travelled A BLOODY LONG way for years to come on the money we saved buying a similar spec diesel unit.
I drive V8 cruisers at work all day and to be honest I cant see what all the rave is about.....LOW down torque is good but after 2,000rpm its got little.

the diesels out here have more dramas with water and electrics breaking all the time. you can't fix em out here and  you have to send them to town and its really expensive.

Just my 2C

[dazzler]

We just bought a Landcruiser. A 2002 Petrol 4.5ltr. Its a 105 series live axle.

I had the exact same model.  Loved it.  We saw 16 on the highway and 18's around town.  Sweet!

[BobT]

Have a look at these long long threads where people have wrestled with the problem:
http://caravanersforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=17882&hilit=jeep
http://www.jeepgarage.org/f157/is-the-diesel-really-worth-it-52955.html
http://www.jeepgarage.org/f157/diesel-people-enlighten-me-2014-a-53500.html

[GeeTee]

for who ever pays the most in advertising $$$$ and or gives one to the magazine as a "long term" tester

I have zero faith in any tests in papers/magazines.

I understand your cynicism Lost.
In the light of one publishing company in particular, It is well justified.
But I am proud to say it is not always the case   

[nbd73]

I drive V8 cruisers at work all day and to be honest I cant see what all the rave is about.....LOW down torque is good but after 2,000rpm its got little.

Are you talking 76series single turbo or 200series twin turbo? If the latter I am struggling to grasp this. Yes they don't have the power band of a petrol engine, but 2000revs is pure BS for a 200. Sorry but fact.
Single turbo on the other hand is an over rated motor. My father has one and I have driven it both unhitched and with my 1.5t loaded GS behind it. All the reviews state that the gearbox is "almost redundant" blah blah and that tripe is just plain cr#p. It's good, but not THAT good.
So which model are you referring to?

[Symon]

So which model are you referring to?

He'd be talking about the 76, and he would be right, it runs out of mumbo at about 2500 rpm.

[nbd73]

He'd be talking about the 76, and he would be right, it runs out of mumbo at about 2500 rpm.

You would hope that is so.

[Roo]

I love my '01 TD cruiser. I could have paid half as much for a live axle petrol 4.5 or 10k less for an IFS 4.7 V8 compared to the TD. 12 years old and 270ks it runs like a fresh one, does everything i ask of it and its no slouch with good fuel economy to boot. I'm heading off touring, towing and off roading so It makes sense as the pick for my needs. Pick the vehicle that best suits your needs and figure out how to get it.

[Stroppy]

I used to drive a petrol/gas Maverick  it got me to the high country in vic, cruised around the Grampians and toured the riverina in nsw but after 250,000 on the clock the old was just that,, old....   

Its a choice a preference really determined by your means and budget

I like to travel to remote areas,,, just this summer gone oodnattatta the pink roadhouse couldn't sell leaded cos it was too hot  but diesel was no problem

some areas have no leaded gas just diesel but depends where you wanna go

for long life and durability diesel is a good choice  and unless you can afford a new vehicle the older diesels do have goo fuel economy, but once again its what you choose...   to some people fuel efficiency is simply not part of the equation,, its simply if the vehicle will get you there    ha ha  i'm sure all this will just confuse you more

[McGirr]

I have a 2000 model petrol cruiser. The price at $17,000 with 117, 000 on the clock with snorkel, dual batteries, driving lights and never been off road. That was in oct 2011 and only have 136,000 as of today.

I have spent under $2000 to add a draw system, deep cycle batt, airbags, UHF radio and some other gear.

It likes a drink but it is faultless.

Mark

[muzza01]

I have seen your Cruza around Cairns somewhere McGirr.  I remember the maroon paint nd the big ARB sticker.  Can't remember where I saw it but I drive from Golsborough into the CBD every mornin and home in the arvo.

[dazzler]

for long life and durability diesel is a good choice

Once upon a mechanical fuel pump and natural aspiration time it was.  Those days are gone, gone, gone. 

[Roo]

Once upon a mechanical fuel pump and natural aspiration time it was.  Those days are gone, gone, gone. 

1HZ and 1HD-FTE Landcruisers have mechanical pumps until early 2007. (Dirty old) Nissan Patrol TD42 and TD4.2T are mechanical pumps up to 2006. I'd reckon these and older are most likely to be in the budget of first timers and those looking for a budget diesel 4x4. Anyone who says they are on a low budget isn't dropping in to VW for a spankers Amarok or Toyota for a D4D Prado.

that said.... if a petrol motor suits the individuals needs then go for it.

[jetcrew]

I had diesel in the early days 2.4 & 2.8 hiluxes then a 3ltr patrol , once everything went common rail I went petrol and will never go back , ( except for ute) as they no longer come in petrol . But honestly the rest of the world rates petrol engines and yet in aust we have a love affair with deisal .given how poorly refined our product can be I always wonder why.

Until crd , granted it was the way to go but since , its no longer a golden egg to trouble free and cost efficient motoring.

Blame the euro standards for the way deisal has gone , if the tb42 Nissan and 4.2 t/d  Toyota engines were still around then there would be no argument. 

But given the current crop of Diesel engines avail I like petrol.

Jet

[dazzler]

Jet has explained what I was alluding to. Thanks jet.

The 2.8 hilux is the perfect example. Service correctly AND leave it std and they would go about their business for ever.

It is a myth that diesels last longer.

[Bird]

It is a myth that diesels last longer.

Plenty of well serviced and still running GQ TD42 diesels with 600,000 on them.. dont see many petrol TB42 with that many klms without issues.

[dazzler]

Sorry "modern diesels"

[KeithB]

Two years ago I bought a 2005 100 Series GXL with the 4.7 litre V8 petrol engine for $29,000. I was immaculate, with full service history and had some off road fruit bolted on, but no real evidence of off road use. At the time, a similar vehicle with a 4.2 turbo diesel would have cost around $20,000 more. I think it's because the silver nomads are driving up the prices on good second hand diesel tows.

Anyhow, I did the sums before I bought the V8 petrol and found that, with service costs, fuel and so on, it would take me 200,000 km to break even against a 4.2 turbo diesel.  I didn't factor in resale costs. The V8 petrol is great, but thirsty. If you look at the mileage you're going to be doing, how long you plan to keep it and relative costs, the numbers should tell you which way to go.

Down the track, I'll go with a diesel for the longer range, ease of carrying extra fuel, and better economy while towing. But, right now, the petrol engine is just fine. Dollar for dollar, I think choosing petrol will give you more car for your money.

But in their heart of hearts, I think every 4WD petrol head would prefer an oil burner. I know I would.

[Bird]

Sorry "modern diesels"

Agree 12000%.
Just had a discussion with a mate thats a car wholesaler... hes a Cruiser man thru adn thru.. but is now driving a 06 Rangie Vogue Supercharged.. I started giving him crap about it, but it actually sounded good for his use, 4ton towing capacity to start with.
he didnt have much good to say about modern diesels, and thats how he ended up with what he has.