Need recommendation for 4WD

[David M]

I hope this is the right place to post this. I want a 4WD as a secondary car so I can go bush over dirt tracks. I want a wagon-style one that could sleep two 175cm adults or less in the back if necessary. As I would not use it much I would want a relatively inexpensive used one and I would also want one that has a reasonable range of accessories and reasonable spare parts and service costs (plus good reputation forbreliability). What are some options? Thanks.

[Burnsy]

105 series diesel landcruiser would fit your needs. Plenty around with all the fruit.

[McGinnis]

If you want to sleep comfortably in the back, you can't go past a Troopy (75 Series Landcruiser). I'm 175ish cm and can sleep in the back of mine with no contact between my head and the back seats (folded forward - 6 seater RV model with a forward facing bench seat in the back) nor my feet and the rear doors. With no back seat in you'll get an extra 30cm room or thereabouts.

They're a tad agricultural, but there's not a tougher or more reliable vehicle anywhere.

[MacMan]

If you're not one to listen to the sheep bleating the usual worn out clap-trap about "a mate's mate told me his neighbour had one and it was unreliable" and value for money is important, you could do a lot worse than a 1990's Land Rover Discovery. All the 4WD capability that most people could ever ask for, class leading fuel economy in the diesels, and because everyone likes to talk trash about them they are dirt cheap to buy. Parts are NOT expensive if you don't buy from Land Rover. In mechanical terms they are still simple vehicles which is important for long term service life. There are dozens of other parts suppliers here and overseas. You can have just about any part posted to you wherever you like in Oz. How do I know? I've driven one for 10 years. If it fell on its side tomorrow I'd buy another.

[drakkar]

How rough of a track are you looking to go down? And how remote? What is you budget? Is towing a concern?

There is lots of options. all of them have their pro's and cons. Not many can you sleep in the back without removing seats and making platforms etc. I have mates that sleep in the back of a short wheel base jeep and a suzuki sierra. So it's possible in anything.
A pop up tent and cheap self inflating mat if you want a quick stop over..

4x4 and inexpensive doesn't go together. I don't play with them anymore for a reason.

105 cruiser - A monster of a car but nice driving and will you take you everywhere in relative ease.
75 cruiser - Tad agricultural is a mass understatement, but super reliable.
Discovery - I hope you like working on your own car or have a good mechanic. When they are working I love them.
Jeeps - See Discovery's
Defenders - see 75 cruiser and discovery.

For a smaller car I would go with a Suzuki Grand Vitara - highly under-rated cars.
For something larger a Prado, and then 105 cruiser.

[Strider]

Sleep in the back of a Sierra? Maybe in a LWB but a SWB is about a metre from rear door to the front seats.

[MartyGwynne]

Have you considered a single cab 4wd ute with lock up canopy on the back?

[photohiker]

For a smaller car I would go with a Suzuki Grand Vitara - highly under-rated cars.
For something larger a Prado, and then 105 cruiser.

+1

Nearly bought the Suzuki, but couldn't fit the family and gear into it. Went for a Prado, it's been really good.

[drakkar]

Sleep in the back of a Sierra? Maybe in a LWB but a SWB is about a metre from rear door to the front seats.

If I didn't see it I wouldn't of believed it.

Diagonal, front passenger seat laid flat, easily done for someone that is 5'8"

[Tex]

I'd look at the Toyota 4runner, Nissan GQ patrol, Holden Jackeroo and Mitsubishi Challenger. All available for under 10k.

[recurveron]

I think the subaru forrester should fit the bill , i have a 2005 model manual with low range ( only a slight reduction) , very capable if your sensable

[McGinnis]

75 cruiser - Tad agricultural is a mass understatement, but super reliable.

It's funny, I've had my 75 series for 10 years now, and I have to say I love driving it. It's a 96 model, so leaf-sprung all around, but it really isn't a chore to drive (except up hills like Mt Vic or Barrengarry). It doesn't feel like a car like a 105 does, but I really do enjoy driving it. I wouldn't want anything else offroad.

There's also no way you'd comfortably fit two people sleeping in the back of any other vehicle (apart from a LWB Defender, possibly) without some serious contortion/funky seat arrangement. I've slept in the back of a 120 Prado and it was awful.

[horsecat]

My bush vehicle, a 1998 Nissan Pathfinder has been great. Very reliable (done over 250,000km) and would be fine for 175cm people to sleep in. It sits very well on the open road too (even when it slides on black ice ). Always depends on their owner history though. Saw one recently for around $7,000 that had done around 200,000km but I'm not sure of your budget though.