Thats it.. simple question.

Need something to seperate me from the smelly dogs/surf/sailing gear. Something that can tow. Something that can handle a few pot holed lanes. Mrs wont drive a van.

These two seem ideal with top box on the back, but which one???

I’m really torn between these two vehicles and need help deciding.

(buying s/h by the way 06-09)

Mrs wont drive a van.

take her for a roll in a T5.

she’ll change her mind.

take her for a roll in a T5.

she’ll change her mind.

Already have 🙁

Between those two, I’d go for the Toyota Hilux.

You need to drive both to find out. Neither are very nice drive/be in compared to cars but the l200 I tried was better than a navara.

FiL has the L200. It’s OK for what it does. Tows well. Drives fairly car like. It does seem rather big on the outside for pretty limited storage and rear passenger space, though. Drinks fuel, too.

Already have

bad times. and is the fussy wench chipping in for this vehicle?

😉

Other half has an L200 for similar reasons as the OP….stinky dogs, horsey gear etc….its the Warrior edition and lovely inside, leather everything, air-con, great stereo, reversing sensors….not great on fuel for the short trips she does but when we took it to Donington for the MotoGP a few years ago it was actually respectable on the motorway.

Engine was been trouble free….the rear suspension needed new shocks or springs a few years ago (cant remember which?)….and the steering rack unscrewed itself from the drivers side front wheel early this year, although we think that was down to the garage she used when she had the front suspension sorted….but we coudnt prove anything.

I like it and would consider one for my next vehicle, ideal for chucking a bike in the back….they hold their value too, lets just say they are popular with the travelling community and she has had loads of offers from travelling folk who want to buy it when we’ve been out and about.

Have a new shape navara 55 plate 112k miles and been great

Just got rid of my L200. Had it a year and hated it. Worst thing I’ve ever driven.

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.

Hilux is out the question. I agree they’re better and for that reason there’s not many about s/h and at the right price.

Our works Navara has had pretty much its driveline replaced after only 35k kms. A contractor’s Mitsu still seems to be behaving reasonably well after 250k kms. Both are pretty abused, but according to our fleet manager, that Navara’s not the first to have had pretty major mechanical issues.

In contrast to chojin, bloke I know said the opposite, had a Navara, now has a Hilux. Basically he says the Navara was more car like inside and niceer to drive, the Hilux more like a commercial pickup. He intends to get a Navara again.

Ergo better resale value?
Hilux every time. We do a lot of off-road work (at festivals etc) and the Hilux was both better in the muck and on the tarmac.

Hi I’m looking for similar wheels at present and heard so many stories about the Navara props I’d steer well clear.
I’m currently looking at L200’s 🙂

As I understand, the older Navara had some issues with half shaft seals.

In contrast to chojin, bloke I know said the opposite, had a Navara, now has a Hilux. Basically he says the Navara was more car like inside and niceer to drive, the Hilux more like a commercial pickup. He intends to get a Navara again.

Fair enough, I guess it depends on which model years we’re comparing. Certainly the ones we have are the current gen as they get bought new and driven in to the ground. The Hiluxii survive much longer.

the navaras are tank like nieghbour opposite and to the right have them and they sound like a jcb when starting up.. bith seem reliable though one uses his as Op describes the other uses his off road as he’s a quarry manager..

L200s suffer from catastrophic engine failure 🙂

Loads of mechanical issues with navaras…

chojin, probably his reference is towards driving and owning as a work/family vehicle. As opposed to as pure commercial plant.

Where do you put your shopping?

In fact where do you put your bikes. Every pickup Ive seen with bikes on it, I think surely an estate car would have been more pratical… in fact any car..

I’ve got an 06 shogun sport warrior under 50k on the clock for sale

+1 for an estate car (if you’re not allowed a van). These “trendy” pickups look pointless for bike hauling imho.

Where do you put your shopping?

These people don’t do shopping, they go out and shoot a hog.

In fact where do you put your bikes. Every pickup Ive seen with bikes on it, I think surely an estate car would have been more pratical… in fact any car..

I have already given a lot of thought into this and a pickup with box on the back is ideal for reasons explained in the original post.

She won’t drive a van but will drive a pickup? That’s just odd.

I would also consider safety as a factor , especially in Navaras as I’m sure they only got 3 stars for adults which in my mind is very poor for nowadays .

Whichever pick up you get, just remember to get a rack of roof mounted fog lamps, a winch and chrome bull bars fitted for the extra rambo effect and also to impress/intimidate when driving around suburbia and Tesco’s car park.

Got a Navara after looking at all the other options. L200, Hilux, Ranger, etc. Hilux was option 2 but none about when we were looking.
Had it for 5 years now and will be getting another when the time comes unless the others up their game.

38 mpg too.

We had a Nav for a year and it drove very well for it’s size, we did 3k round europe over a few weeks and I didn’t even have a twinge in my back.

We had a 2005 truck, so the euro 3 engine which is better on fuel, and we blanked the EGR, got 37 on average over 12k miles.

We did try an L200 animal and the hilux but prefered the nav for toys and comfort, we had an aventura model. the other seemed dated in comparison and too work-like for personal use.

Had 2 Navarra Aventuras in the past. Great while they are working / under warranty and more car like than l200 or HiLux but very very very expensive when they brake. Which both of mine did all the time.
Will never buy another Nissan as after sales and local dealer were atrocious.

Had a Land Rover Discovery 3 Van for over 100,000 miles and was perfect if you can live with two seats. If your other half don’t like it, change her.

Thanks for all the advice 🙂

I had an 05 Navarra for a year… by which I mean 6 months… since it was in the garage the rest of the time having many, many parts replaced.

Driven a couple of L200s (last generation and this one) and they are utterly loathsome to drive. The Hilux is now looking underpowered unless you go for the top end one.

Which kinda leaves the Ranger and the Isuzu. The old Ranger I wasn’t convinced by, but the new one looks rather nice. The Isuzu is similar – the old one wasn’t bad (and is relatively compact for a pickup), whilst the new one is a nice piece of kit. It is one of these two that I would be looking at now, and may well be doing so in the next couple of months.

Although I still say for most people pickups are not a good idea. They are so compromised in maneuverability (terrible turning circle) and ride comfort (since they are designed to carry a 1 ton payload) they just don’t make sense.

Used to own a ranger – plenty of reasons for having a pickup, including muddy dogs and bikes amongst other things. I had it about 6 months and hated it. Back was too small to comfortably carry a bike – 2 bikes meant wheels off and other faff. For such a big (huge!) vehicle it had very little space either in the cab or in the back. No reflection on the ranger but more on pickups in general. And the ride was terrible!!

plenty of reasons for having a pickup, including muddy dogs and bikes amongst other things

I dunno, I reckon their use is pretty narrow. You’d need to carry some heavy machinery or something difficult WHILST doing serious off-road.

Otherwise, carrying stuff is better done in a van or an estate. And carrying muddy bikes is best done on a bike rack! A good one mind, not a faffy strappy thing.

I dunno, I reckon their use is pretty narrow.

I want one because you can have one of these.

You’d need to carry some heavy machinery or something difficult WHILST doing serious off-road.

You really have a very limited imagination, don’t you? Try putting youself in the shoes of others.
For me the pick up would appear to be the perfect all round car.
Drive around in comfort and with 4/5 seats.
Have a sizeable boot for storage without worrying about muck.
Stick on a rear box and have a healthy estate car.
Demountable for weekends away.
Hitch a caravan for longer journeys.
4WD for those trick moments.
Not so fast that I’ll lose my licence.
Good handling.
Nice high driving position.
This and more are the reasons why I can’t understand, and won’t even try, why people buy carpet lined estate cars then spend their lives worrying about getting them dirty.

^^^^^ good handling ? Compared to what ? An ocean liner ?

You really have a very limited imagination, don’t you?

No, I have an excellent imagination.

Drive around in comfort and with 4/5 seats. FAIL they aren’t comfortable

Have a sizeable boot for storage without worrying about muck. FAIL smaller than a van

Stick on a rear box and have a healthy estate car. FAIL worse than an estate car in handling, economy, comfort and performance

Demountable for weekends away. WOT?

Hitch a caravan for longer journeys. FAIL loads of cars are good towers, if you need a gigantic caravan then get an SUV

4WD for those trick moments. FAIL it’s available on many other vehicles

Not so fast that I’ll lose my licence. FAIL so are lots of other vehicles

Good handling. FAIL it’s just wrong

Nice high driving position. FAIL also available on vans and SUVs

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.

Difficult off-road in general – 4×4
Carrying loads in general – van