thepasty Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 Hi Guys Further to this thread where we discussed buying a 4x4... http://forums.pigeonwatch.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/239660-fourtrak-or-trooper/ I ended up with a Gen 2 Toyota Hilux Surf 3.0 with 100k on the clock for £1200... I've now owned her for a month and have to say I'm totally loving it, being a budget old school motor I havent been scared to change all her juices, service, grease and repair (rusted bumpers). I'm in the process of blacking all the chrome (I'm not into hair dresser bling) and again am very much enjoying tinkering with prepping and painting, this is hows shes going to look once I'm finished... Shes been a revelation for shooting, acres of room inside for all the shooting gumph and is eating up all the off road I've thrown at her... Yeah shes a bit thirsty on the go go juice but when you factor in the cheap insurance, low purchase price, low road tax (compared post 2001 4x4's), lack of further depreciation in value, low DIY maintenance costs and that I can run her on bio-diesel the cost of ownership really isnt that bad. I've even loved going from a refined Saab 93 sport wagon to the rough, noisy, agricultural feel of the old beast.... shes got much more character and I dont give a **** if I scrape her down a hedge or the like. Budget 4x4's rock thanks for listening Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shakari Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 Steve, She looks like a good old truck but you have nooooooo idea how lucky you are to be able to buy vehicles like that at such a good price. Here in Portugal that same vehicle (even with the steering wheel on the wrong side) would cost something like 3 or 4 times the price you mentioned! I had to pay E3750 for a 2000 Renault Megane with 140K on the clock this time last year! :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepasty Posted March 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 wow... you couldnt give away a Megane over here Whats with the high prices? are they taxed heavy or the like? My retro wagon is 1995 vintage so shes no spring chicken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
overandunder2012 Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 Steve, She looks like a good old truck but you have nooooooo idea how lucky you are to be able to buy vehicles like that at such a good price. Here in Portugal that same vehicle (even with the steering wheel on the wrong side) would cost something like 3 or 4 times the price you mentioned! I had to pay E3750 for a 2000 Renault Megane with 140K on the clock this time last year! :( maybe we should export them lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
la bala Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 Steve, She looks like a good old truck but you have nooooooo idea how lucky you are to be able to buy vehicles like that at such a good price. Here in Portugal that same vehicle (even with the steering wheel on the wrong side) would cost something like 3 or 4 times the price you mentioned! I had to pay E3750 for a 2000 Renault Megane with 140K on the clock this time last year! :( my daughter has the same trouble with secondhand cars in spain, there dont seem to be a good secondhand market, and like you say the prices are out of this world. apologies for going off post a bit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ghost Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 Like it TP very good buy. My brother in law (Farmer) has one the same it has been used for all kinds of things around the farm. He was saying he would be lucky to get £500 for it now? I would love to have it off him but can't see the wife getting rid of her Smart Car. I like to use this on Recon trips, farmers never panic when they see it and at least will come and talk to you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackbart Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 Steve, She looks like a good old truck but you have nooooooo idea how lucky you are to be able to buy vehicles like that at such a good price. Here in Portugal that same vehicle (even with the steering wheel on the wrong side) would cost something like 3 or 4 times the price you mentioned! I had to pay E3750 for a 2000 Renault Megane with 140K on the clock this time last year! :( WOW ! I have a megane scenic sitting outside,03 plate 2 owners,55,000 on the clock and for that price i would drive it to portugal and it's yours ! I was just thinking of flogging it for a grand ! On the budget 4x4 front i bought a LWB pajero 2 year ago for £750 with 90,000 on it,stuck some MT's on it and has been one of the most reliable go anywhere motors i have ever owned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferguson_tom Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 (edited) I am with you on this one, I have decided to stick with old 4x4s even though I do pushing on 25000 miles a year. My recent car history has been mazda 6 2.0 diesel, nissan terrano 2.7, ford mondeo 2.0 tdci now a 300 tdi landrover discovery. That is all within the last 18 months, both the mazda and mondeo needed a new DMF, also the mazda wanted a cambelt so they both went before costing me a lot of money, I only had the mondeo 2 months !!!. As i can only afford about £1500 on cars i end up with high mileage diesel estate cars or a 4x4 so far neither the Terrano or Discovery cost me a penny apart from putting fuel in it. I only sold the Terrano for the Mondeo as wanted a bit more comfort with a new born baby big mistake as within 2 months it needed a DMF, i sold that before it had a chance to fail on me and now I got the discovery. Edited March 21, 2013 by ferguson_tom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shakari Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 (edited) The high prices are all about the import taxes they charge here........ and would you believe the taxes are in contravention of EU law. Every year the EU fine Portugal for charging the extra taxes but it's cheaper for them to pay the fines than it is to comply with EU regulation...... which just goes to show you that when the various UK Govts over they years tell us they have to do this or that because of the EU, it's just BS! The upside is they allow new immigrants to bring in one car tax free within the first 6 months of arrival. When I lived in South Africa, my old classic Jeep was worth about E4500 but now it's here, it's worth something like E30000. Importing and paying the taxes etc on a car is a lot of hassle because they make the registration changeover complicated but it's not impossible..... However, it's really only worth doing if the car is LHD. The other thing that surprised me here is that car dealers have to offer a 12 month warranty on every car they sell. Sorry for wandering off topic a tad there! Edited March 21, 2013 by shakari Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thepasty Posted March 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 (edited) Like it TP very good buy. My brother in law (Farmer) has one the same it has been used for all kinds of things around the farm. He was saying he would be lucky to get £500 for it now? I would love to have it off him but can't see the wife getting rid of her Smart Car. I like to use this on Recon trips, farmers never panic when they see it and at least will come and talk to you round here the farmers would be more eyebrow raised if I turned up in a smart car luckily I work from home so the wife now drives my Saab (I sold hers ) so the truck is my play thing for shooting, taking the dogs out, camping and the like, I was ruining my Saab parking it in gate ways and climbing in with muddy boots etc. I am with you on this one, I have decided to stick with old 4x4s even though I do pushing on 25000 miles a year. My recent car history has been mazda 6 2.0 diesel, nissan terrano 2.7, ford mondeo 2.0 tdci now a 300 tdi landrover discovery. That is all within the last 18 months, both the mazda and mondeo needed a new DMF, also the mazda wanted a cambelt so they both went before costing me a lot of money, I only had the mondeo 2 months !!!. As i can only afford about £1500 on cars i end up with high mileage diesel estate cars or a 4x4 so far neither the Terrano or Discovery cost me a penny apart from putting fuel in it. I only sold the Terrano for the Mondeo as wanted a bit more comfort with a new born baby big mistake as within 2 months it needed a DMF, i sold that before it had a chance to fail on me and now I got the discovery. I'm now sold on older vehicles too, less to maintain and less to go wrong Edited March 21, 2013 by thepasty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shakari Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 I'm now sold on older vehicles too, less to maintain and less to go wrong Me too. Nothing worse than a car with a bloody computer fitted in it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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