Warlock Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 I`m looking for a 4 x 4 to use for shooting mainly but also for odd short runs too, i have found a DAIHATSU Sportrak 1.6 ELXi SE and also a Vauxhall frontera both manual and in petrol & roughly the same price, just wanted to know if anyone has any experience of these vehicles and if they actually work off-road or if they are useless, also found a V8 land rover range rover but quite frankly it`s a beast and would need it`s own diesel pump in my garden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted March 6, 2009 Report Share Posted March 6, 2009 (edited) i love my Frontera, not got stuck in it yet - i'm no extreme offroader, just use it for getting about the farms i shoot on and never had a problem with it. (just replaced the Exhaust system which i knew was going when i bought it - got £200 off the asking price because of it - £75 for all the parts!) Edited March 6, 2009 by nickbeardo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ME Posted March 7, 2009 Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 I`m looking for a 4 x 4 to use for shooting mainly but also for odd short runs too, i have found a DAIHATSU Sportrak 1.6 ELXi SE and also a Vauxhall frontera both manual and in petrol & roughly the same price, just wanted to know if anyone has any experience of these vehicles and if they actually work off-road or if they are useless, also found a V8 land rover range rover but quite frankly it`s a beast and would need it`s own diesel pump in my garden. Mungler had a Sportrak and I used to drive it round the farm lamping, it was a good (but basic) little vehicle. I had a Frontera for a while, they do suffer from reliabilty problems and I probably wouldnt get another one. Go Jap mate ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy75 Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 The Frontera is Jap designed and manufactured by Isuzu originally, just made over here. They're not too bad off road, would definitely put a set of MT's on it, and try and get the one with springs on the back instead of leafs - they handle like barges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ME Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 The Frontera is Jap designed and manufactured by Isuzu originally, just made over here. If it is made here it isnt Jap The reason they are so unreliable is because they were made here and not in Japan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy75 Posted March 9, 2009 Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 Must admit, I have owned 4 and they never missed a beat British Engineering is rather lacking unfortunately Don't think he'll go far wrong with those choices tho. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warlock Posted March 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 9, 2009 i think i`m going to go with the Daihatsu Sportrak to be honest, has enough room for my gear when the seats are folded and it`s a lighter weight than the frontera plus the Daihatsu is £800 versus the Frontera £1200. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy75 Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 Good stuff must admit they are heavy *******, world of difference off-road now in my Jimny. Be sure to post pics when you have got it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 check for signs of head gasket failure and also rust on the sportrak they're getting old now and not that reliable. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted March 10, 2009 Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 (edited) i take back everything - i've had to abandon the Frontera at the furthest point of the bloody farm tonight - was out with Garyb lamping with the shotties. All good fun til we got stuck, was turning it around and there was a dip that was incredibly soft (didn't notice how wet it was til i was in it). Covered in mud, no joy getting it out. And i'd taken the bloody bikini roof off (it's heavy and right on the other side of the farm). Thank god had some heavy duty bags in the back (thanks Turk101), split a few in half and pulled them tight through the rear side windows, so should keep the weather out for the night (weather report says clear til tomorrow afternoon thankfully). Sent an embarrassed text message to the farmer (he's out for the night, so fingers crossed i'll hear from him in the morning.) One grovelling phone call to the wife, she came and picked us up from the farm entrance (long slog across the fields with shotguns, cartridges, batteries etc.) just had a shower to clear the mud. knackered, and off to bed. Edited March 10, 2009 by nickbeardo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warlock Posted March 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2009 ROFL, Daihatsu for certain it is then. Thanks for the field test report. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 (edited) just spoke to the farmer - he just laughed and said he'd meet me up there later. to be fair on the Frontera - the farmer did say the reason that field is set aside is because it's too waterlogged - weird seeing as it's the highest point on the farm. If i'd had a shovel we could have got out of it - i'll take one up there today which will now live in the back of it. It also doesn't have proper AT tyres on it, i'm sure with some decent ones we would have been fine Edited March 11, 2009 by nickbeardo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 (edited) I'm surprised you've been out its been too wet for us to get anywhere interesting for lamping for a week or so. But we usually use the tramlines as its the farmer I shoot with so as soon as its dry enough for him to get the sprayer out we tend to be able to go. Tyres are the critical bit on any 4x4 though they can only do so much p.s Edited March 11, 2009 by al4x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 i'll take the camera up there when i go later. fortunately my permission has gravelled tracks around most of the fields, i was just turning around at the end of one, went a bit far into the field and got stuck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony9r Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 With the right boots on, and a bit of a lift, the Sportrak's a great little truck with the advantage of removable roof's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
al4x Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 is the sunroof in the same place as the fourtrak as thats ok with a shotgun but **** with a rifle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 got up there with the farmer and his old landrover, said don't worry about a tow rope as i had one attached to it last night when we were tugging it around trying to get it out (i'd left it attached to the loop, just tucked it under the bonnet). got there and some ****** had nicked it! had to go all the way back to the farm to get one. thank god they'd not had the intelligence to open the plastic sheeting to get inside/torch it/trash it etc. anyway managed to get it out in the end, which wasn't as easy as we thought it would be, as it was just sliding sideways against the hill. the mud hole left after we got it out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mally Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 Hi mate ive got a 1.6 petrol sportstrack and it gos anywere never got stuck not quick by all means but great off road.i put two dogs in the back plus guns and all the other stuff and away i go.been into 2 feet of water and all sorts of mud and s++t. .and you can pick them up cheapish cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mally Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 Hi mate ive got a 1.6 petrol sportstrack and it gos anywere never got stuck not quick by all means but great off road.i put two dogs in the back plus guns and all the other stuff and away i go.been into 2 feet of water and all sorts of mud and s++t. .and you can pick them up cheapish cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick O'Shea Posted March 11, 2009 Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 Daihatsu any day of the week! You can have a bit of a laugh looking on youtube seeing fronteras getting stuck or unable to do certain things whereas i havent seen a fourtrak or sportrak getting stuck! Have a look for yourself just search sportrak offroad - lso known as feroza overseas - fourtrak known as rocky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warlock Posted March 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2009 Checked the insurance fully comp with £100 excess £280 for the year paying monthly & 6000 miles, love it. Will get my £800 together and wander down the garage at the weekend. trouble is it`s blue but if i try and repaint it camo my wife will beat me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rick O'Shea Posted March 12, 2009 Report Share Posted March 12, 2009 (edited) Checked the insurance fully comp with £100 excess £280 for the year paying monthly & 6000 miles, love it. Will get my £800 together and wander down the garage at the weekend. trouble is it`s blue but if i try and repaint it camo my wife will beat me. Nothing wrong with a bit of beating from the missus : : Edited March 12, 2009 by Mr Bally Lot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted March 12, 2009 Report Share Posted March 12, 2009 i have to stand up for the Frontera a bit at this point - a) it's only got road tyres on it and the farmer got stuck in the same field 2 days ago in his landrover! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warlock Posted March 12, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 12, 2009 Crazy thing is the Frontera and sportrak are about £300 difference in price which isn`t bad, insurance on the daihatsu 1.6 is the same as the frontera 2.5. Trouble is i much prefer the frontera due to it having alot more room and don`t have to worry about folding seats up etc. What makes it worse is that i have now been offered a Frontera 2.0 sport 3 door for £900 on an R plate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beardo Posted March 12, 2009 Report Share Posted March 12, 2009 i'm still happy with mine to be honest with you, and i love the removable roof, parts are dirt cheap, insurance is cheap. I'm just going to carry a shovel from now on, and not chance really wet fields! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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