[Closed] Mitsubishi L200 or Nissan Navara..

We've got a Nav at work. It's pretty good, needed a 4x4 4 seater commercial vehicle (for VAT reasons). 55 plate, owned for 2 and a half years. Get about 32mpg, been reliable. Comfortable to drive.

Doesn't make me feel like a big tough guy who owns the road....perhaps we should have gone for the L200?

I've got an 07 plate Ranger. I got it relatively cheap and its the latest in a line of odd vehicles I've had rather than regular cars - Mrs J has the sensible vehicles.
I work from home, and do relatively few miles, but I do use it to get to the airport (100 mile round trip) and the station (28 mile round trip) when I'm away to work in London etc.
I got it for:
a) 4wd - we live in a relatively rural location and getting stuck in snow is a real risk
b) collecting firewood from local friendly farmers - again 4wd + load lugging capability
c) securely transporting 4 bikes and 4 people inside a vehicle with kayak on top; and
d) towing a largish caravan

Yes a large estate car could do some of that, but I just fancied one, I can afford it and so I bought one.

Dirt workers and bike racks - both solutions to your dirty bike problem that require fewer compromises.

Actually I largely agree with Molgrips.

The reason I am probably going for one is that I lug large amounts of heavy machinery all over the spot, and often off road... they just don't make much sense otherwise. For everything else there are much better/more economical/more comfortable/cheaper options 😉

Actually I largely agree with Molgrips.

The reason I am probably going for one is that I lug large amounts of heavy machinery all over the spot, and often off road... they just don't make much sense otherwise. For everything else there are much better/more economical/more comfortable/cheaper options 😉

Oh - and in snow... could get interesting. You need load in the back otherwise they get tail happy 😉

Make sure you keep a couple of bags of cement in there at least. That goes for wet roundabouts too, so it is a year-round requirement 😉

That goes for wet roundabouts too, so it is a year-round requirement

Use an L200 for work, on my third. Full laden and with a heavy foot on the gas pedal I can get 350 miles out of a tank, lighter load and a bit more sensible with the accelerator and you'd get more plus we use all terrain tyres. Drives just like a car but the seats are crap, turning cirlce is utter utter shite a landrover will out turn it and they do wallow a bit. Easily cruises at 70/80 mph so yea you could loose your licence but thats just about any vehicle.

If it was my choice going for a 4x4 pickup as others have said i'd go for a Toyota. But to be honest i'd rather go for a nice 4x4 estate car if it was for my own personal use and needed a 4x4.

Maybe I'll see sense one day and buy three vehicles for specific tasks rather than just the one

You could do it all with one vehicle that wasn't a pickup, unless your load is particularly difficult AND your off-road is particularly tough.

Which is what I said in the first place.

You could do it all with one vehicle that wasn't a pickup,

Which is what I said in the first place.

Pickups are awesome.

Personally, I love 'em.

You selectively edited my post and quoted it back to mean something different to try and denigrate me.

That is a very bonkers thing to do.. I'm backing away slowly now.. enjoy the rest of the thread...

As I already said.. I have considered all options..

I tow heavy boats or a caravan.. very often.

2-3 times a week I drive offroad miles down very pot holed (sometimes flooded) tracks.

I always have stinky damp sail/surf gear which I definitely do not want to share a cabin with (believe me).

Same for the big family dogs.

Sometimes need to carry 4 people comfortably at the same time with above stuff.

Looks like a Pickup ticks all the boxes still for me.

I've had a Hilux and an Amarok. The Hilux was good, I'd have another. The Amarok is definitely a bit more "car-like" but there aren't that many of them around second hand.

Can't wait to get rid of my L200, looking forward to a smaller vehicle again - just don't know what to get yet

One point about the 4wd for 'tricky' moments: because it's part-time 4wd, when it's engaged you'll kill the diff in a few wheel turns if you happen to go round a corner on a firm surface (i.e. tarmac), so it needs to be consistently tricky to make it usable

Hilux would be my first choice
BUT...
Ford Ranger/Mazda B series is a far nicer vehicle to drive (it is still a leaf sprung work horse not a BMW) and you can pick them up for a song.
The Mazda engines, which appear in the Fords, have a reputation not much worse than Toyota.
Well worth a look.
Isuzu worth a look. Work with a guy whose Mrs drives one as her car, their family love it!

Post pics when you get it.

One point about the 4wd for 'tricky' moments: because it's part-time 4wd, when it's engaged you'll kill the diff in a few wheel turns if you happen to go round a corner on a firm surface (i.e. tarmac), so it needs to be consistently tricky to make it usable

I drove thousands of miles every winter with my old Hilux in 4H, she loved it.

had L200's but prefer Rangers, better driving, better cab, smoother and quiter

FWIW i have driven both as one mate who breeds gun dogs own a LD200 Warrior and another mate who's a farmer and owns( did own) a Navaro - both are utter shite, despicable/dangerous handling vehicles that are totally pawned off-road and on road by a decent Mitsubishi Shogun. They are utterly pointless for 95% of the time and for the other 5% a shogun will piss all over them in any situation.

Right - time to wade in....

Some vehicles I've been in possession of over the last couple of decades (discounting the bangers I had as a yoof) include....

Vauxhall Combo (based on a Corsa, with a big back) van
Merc Vito 5 seater combi van
Nissan Primera estate
Mazda 6 hatchback
VW Passat saloon
3 Series Beemer saloon

Ford Ranger pick-up
Nissan Navara pick-up

With regards davidjones/molgrips tete a tete - my opinion...

5 seats, totally isolated from any load, or muck - the Ranger was perfectly comfortable, but a little cramped in the back - the Navara is as comfotable as any car I've driven, with acres of space.

The sizeable boot is questionable, but I'd say still bigger than most estates. I have in mine:

A big kit bag
2 storage trays
Measuring wheel
Socket set
18v Makita power tools - full set
3 toolboxes
2 tool trays
2mtr fishing brolly
Cable rods
Foldable seat
Electricians testing kit
2 cable drums
Drum of 6mm nylon rope
Various pieces of wood
Until I emptied it at the weekend - 100kgs scrap armoured cable
Various amounts of materials for the days work

The list goes on - and none of this even comes close to spilling over the lip of the rear tub. Ok, not the best for getting bikes in with wheels on, but how many estate cars are, without dropping the rear seats? Not sure many combi vans are either. Oh, I hose the back out too, seeing as my gear gets covered in mud.

Mine has a rear box and it's no less comfortable than any car I've had - occassionally the rear leaf springs make it a tad jittery on bumpy roads. Performance wise, it has 190bhp - it aint lightning quick, but doesn't lack much against most estate cars. Economy isn't the best, granted - worse than an estate at 30-35mpg, but no worse than some vans.

Demountable for weekends away - yeah, not sure I'd go to that hassle either tbh.

Pick-ups are perfect for towing caravans - stable and powerful. Why on earth would you want an SUV after all the other arguments molly?

Working on site (not particularly off road) a pick-up has got me plenty of places tranny vans & Vivaros were getting stuck - and cars wouldn't even entertain. I've even rescued a Merc van, trailer & 1.5t excavator off a verge as it's rear wheels span and dug in.

Handling is fine in my Navara - better than it was on the Ranger (although that was fine) and no worse than some cars and vans I've driven. I like the high driving position too - and I don't want a van and an SUV is no use to me whatsoever

You might like all those things, but other vehicles do them better. As I said, a pickup is only best IF you need to carry difficult loads on difficult off-road.

Different vehicles may well carry out some individual tasks better, but none of them cover as many bases as a pick-up.

As for comparisons:

Old Ranger - basic and agricultural, but loved mine. Decent loadspace, but rear legroom cramped.
New Ranger - not tried one, but looks great. Huge in every dimension.
Navara pre-2010 174bhp, feels a little underpowered. Very early models had half-shaft & clutch problems, but these were sorted.
Facelift Navara - as many toys as a luxury motor & 190bhp, which just about feels enough. Some minor niggles across the range - decent loadspace.
L200 - as Farmers weekly said - does everything adequately (but just adequatel) and came down the list overall (Navara came top). Feels a bit flimsy, but does have some toys - pre 2010 had the smallest loadspace of them all, but this has now been extended. A selling point for the OP may be that it has an electric lowering bulkhead window - so coupled with a sliding window in the hardtop at the back, dogs are no longer isolated from the humans.
Hilux - underpowered and I hate the plasticky interior - that's all I know, but they are highly rated as workhorses.

Having owned/driven loads of vehicles, a pick-up is ideal for me and I'll continue to drive one for the forseeable future - a leather clad family car and tough work van all rolled into one for me!

Never found the L200 dangerous handling and i've driven over 120k miles in them. Found them fine off road and took one on a 4x4 course it went everywhere a landrover went. And you cannot compare a Shogun to a L200 they are totally different vehicles.

Oh - as for tail happy - the Ranger was lethal (when pushed) although predictable and controllable, but that was the (known for it) Bridgestone Duellers - despite trying my hardest, I can just about make one wheel slip in the Navara on a wet roundabout wearing Goodyear Wranglers

owned hilux, navarra, and L200 - would be a navarra every time ( if you can over look the shite clutches - worst I got was 36k on a 57 plate ) I've driven twin cabs for 12 years and I'll never own a 'car' again. navarra was more car like of the 3 with most toys - L200 is fine once your in it but with the swoopy shape I keep banging my head (I'm 6'5") on the roof when I get in!! Hilux was most work like but had a high tail gate which if your short was a pain!. Plus the rear of the navarra is roughly 4' square and I could get my bike in with wheels on. Took 4 bikes and mates and baggage to wales in fine comfort. keep meaning to try the Izuzu though.

Thanks for all the responses.. much appreciated.

One last (and it will be the last I promise) question..

The wife (who will be driving more than me) has decided she prefers the look of the l200.

Of the two vehicles below.. which would you choose.. both have full mitsu service history. both same price. identical model.

08 diesel manual 1 owner but with 108k motorway miles (owner was a service station maintenance company). but with no tow bar 🙁

06 diesel manual 3 owners with 77k on the clock. already has the tow bar.

'08 for me, no tow bar means it hasn't had the guts pulled out of it ( assuming the back's clean & not battered)
You'll find most of them a bit bouncy due to the leaf rear springs, but they're all like that.
Navara is harder to slide in 2wd as they don't have a LSD as standard on the later ones where as I believe the L200's still do.

The wife (who will be driving more than me) has decided she prefers the look of the l200.

Of the two vehicles below.. which would you choose.. both have full mitsu service history. both same price. identical model.

She would prefer the look - Navara owners tag them as hairdressers trucks 😉

Not sure which I'd go for out of the two to be honest, both could be abused. However - these are pre-facelift, so I'd only go for an Animal variant - leather etc, but more importantly 170bhp. The lower specced Warriors and Trojans were only 140bhp iirc.

first one - unless you are going to be putting 20,000 miles a year on it

ok.. so I am back from the purchasing trip...

Dont you just love ebay...

140 mile round trip.. morning off work.. arranged someone to take me.

Get there..

'Hello.. I've come to look at the Mitsubishi you have for sale. XX is expecting me.'

They cant find XX so I go outside to look around the truck anyway..

Some bloke turns up.. 'Cant find the keys at the minute mate'.

I walk round the back.. 'erm.. there's no back window'

Man with blank expression walks round back and confirms that there indeed is a missing back window... man points to broken glass inside truck.. 'ahaa yeah.. someone broke it'.

I explain that the description makes no mention of a smashed rear window, and that XX made no mention of it either a few hours ago on the phone. In fact.. description clearly states 'Immaculate condition'. Bloke wanders off and doesnt come back.

😐

Don't you just love buying used cars!
I had a similar thing earlier trying to buy a Landcruiser, 3 hour drive but the dealer on the phone that morning said.
'yes mate, really nice clean car inside & out, nothing wrong with it'
To find four bald tyres, leaking gearbox & rusting chassis to name a few faults.

got one 🙂

Which one?
Photos.

Or a Mitsubishi delica?

ours has done 350,000km and most of that pulling people with a trailer full of bikes up and down alpine roasds for the last 6 years....other than bits of rubber perishing she hasnt yet let me down...essentialy a shogun/l200 with an mpv body

Very very comfortable...(ours is a bit clunky now tho)

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Which one?
Photos.

[img] [/img]

Very nice, I'm sure you're very pleased with it.

Any reason you didn't go for the Animal variant though?

Having driven an L200, Navara (we have them at work) and the Hilux, I'd say the Hilux every time.

It rides and drives *so* much nicer than the other two and should be more reliable to boot.

Nice, enjoy it and I hope you don't live to regret not buying a Passat estate. 😀

New shape Mondeo estate!

Had it nearly a week.

I do like the decals of the animal but dont like the leather seats and already have a very good satnav. So far extremely pleased with it.

Mpg round town avg 31.. on a longer journey mid 40s. Drives like a car. No more smelly wet dogs in the cab and been a godsend during the recent floods.

Love it.

Leather seats are great - they wipe clean.

As I posted earlier in the thread - the Animal is more powerful, 170bhp rather than 140bhp.

Glad you like it though - pick-ups are fab

You can get it chipped, I had one, got a little switch one way for extra power the other for economy. They're OK I hope you enjoy it, the only limitation I found was the annoying turning circle, ran mine as a pick up without the window box thing on the back, I love pick ups been driving them for over ten years now, one flavour or another, got a VW Amarok at the moment which is OK but a tad on the big side.

The L200 was the first of the 'lifestyle' genre and capitalised on the vat and company tax benefit before bloody Gordon Brown did what he always did to help us small Independant types..

Oh what happened to the mondeo? 🙁

I bought a 58 plate 4life about 6 weeks ago as a second car, humping and dumping duties mainly and something to tinker with, it has alloys and arches fitted as well as chrome roll over bar, not convinced it would help but it looks ok, it drives really well though it only has 37k on the clock.

The wife said it looked terrible and refused to drive it but come the rain the last few weeks she has not been out of it and she has visits to Tewksbury and the surrounding areas and the like so it has been a Godsend really.

It can be a beast in town but i drove to France the day after i bought it and with full load in the back of logs and tools etc it drove very well, on the way back i averaged 35mpg, on the way down i was late setting off and hammered it to catch the ferry and it plodded happily at 80 mph. It does lack the refinements of my C Class which it would but it is a truck and is comfortable and a decent drive. Parts wise i will stay away from the dealers but Milners seem to be the choice of the L200 owners club for spares so i will look in there for the parts i need to service it in Jan/Feb.

I will do about 5k in it annually so it should last me a while.