Pondering getting a new Ute

[JJB100]

Pondering getting a new offroader.

Looedk at fitting out a Troopy but with waiting lists etc. not feasible.

Watched a lot of YouTube on fit outs and Ute mods but all give different advice and not sure who is getting sponsored.

So what is the best out of the box single cab Ute?

What are the minimum mods that would have to be done?

My offroadering would not be hard core, mainly established tracks.

Thanks

John

 

[user 22230]

Not really a "best" as all have their pros and cons you will find and that's before you then take best bang for buck into account. From a troopy to a ute is a big difference in vehicle type ? Second hand already set up would be your best value for money. Set up with quality gear not cheap Ebay rubbish I hastily add Not sure on WA, but here in southern states the 4b market prices have sky rocketed recently.

 

[user 12139]

I've driven troopy's (company cars) for years, hard to beat, particularly serious offroading out in the never never, but like you say expensive and the wait times.

Go second hand troopy, let someone else loose the bucks. The savings you make can go towards kitting it out.

My last 2 motorbikes, 2 boats and 3 cars were brand spankers. Tallied up how much I've lost, aint no more new vehicles for me!

Sure second hand means a bit more shopping to find the right one, but if your patient you will find what your after and you'll be so glad you did when you see what you saved!

Make sure it has a full service history, and if possible buy private and note what condition the sellers house and other vehicles are in - a persons house and other assets are telling of how they look after things! Buy on the proviso you can tow something heavy to check for telling noises, have your local mechanic check over it for you before buying. Just cause its used dont mean its a lemon!

 

[Nightjar]

Good luck finding your new 4B.
I think my mate is regretting his purchase of a late model computerised Toyota.
He has had multiple issues with modes.
Just recently the gizzmo you plug in to the socket near steering column showed a code that had disabled his 4WD option. He had to take it too a dealer again to reset it.
Mean while my old non computerised 2002 Patrol bought new keeps plugging along.

 

[user 12139]

hard to beat the ol' patrols NJ. I do miss my 2006 model, never let me down over 280k of pretty hard use. Was a bit hard on my 60 year old butt on the long journeys though. Had a nightmare sorting out the head shaking on it - it was flogging out front panard bushes every 20k. Had a 3" lift, dreaded putting that in. Bought another panard rod and use to swap it out as soon as shaking started, then rebushed the spare ready for next time.

 

[JJB100]

Thanks to the informative replies so far...

In agreement with the comments.

Used Troopy or Patrol seems to be a good choice especially if it has had good quality mods and someone else has had the cost hit.

I am considering converting the Troopy to a camper or the Ute with a camper canopy.
Noted the comment about the TECH on the newer vehicles. Low tech is my choice.
With the shortage of the chips makes you think about getting replacement tech in the future.

Used market mad at the moment in WA.
But there is hope that once the international holiday borders open the new P/T explorers and their families will have has their fill and flood the used market with 4x4.

Regards

John

 

[user 12139]

exactly JJB.. saw that happen with bloody Harley's. All the cafe yuppies bought them then flooded the used market once they realised it wasn't for them or their wingeing Mrs. I paid 35K for a new 2013 softail deluxe. Sold it with 13,000km on the clock for 22K :argh: Also sold a brand new Duke for way to low - bought more cattle, they did me well but sadly ya cant ride em.. not down the HWY anyway

Once borders open, particularly international borders its going to be a buyers dream. All those financed 4WDs, offroad caravans, campers, boats ect will flood the market to finance overseas trips for families... specially those with relies overseas they aint seen since covid raised its ugly bloody head. I'm hanging back myself to snavel up a good used forward folding 4WD camper

 

[David-Karratha]

Do your homework and check current prices, as things are not always what they seem.

As mentioned above, of late, 4wds have skyrocketed in price, so if you can stand the wait, potentially a new car might not be the worst decision you make. Id pretty much decided that Id buy a good second hand vehicle, but at least here in WA, pricing is absolutely absurd. A little more digging revealed:

A colleague is selling his unmodified Ranger, for significantly more than he paid for it over 2 years ago. Hes also getting more than the current 2021 model is being advertised for, brand new.

With the prices of second hand 4wds equaling or even exceeding the price of new vehicles, itd need to be a seriously good vehicle, with an awful lot of $$ additional gear, to justify paying some of the current prices.

Im lucky enough that I have the opportunity to get a novated lease through my employer (meaning theres no GST to pay and itll be fleet pricing), and so am ordering a new high-spec 4wd twin cab Ute, at over $15k below the current list price. Ill buy the vehicle outright, well before the lease ends, and Ill still be well ahead.

It seems like its a great time to be selling a 4wd, a caravan or camping trailer, or a boat. Unfortunately, this means that its consequently a lousy time to be looking to buy one.

 

[Newprospect]

One of my cousins work for Toyota he gets a lease car , at a rediculously low price , his missus as well and every nine months a new one!!!!

 

[Goldtarget]

Do your homework and check current prices, as things are not always what they seem.

As mentioned above, of late, 4wds have skyrocketed in price, so if you can stand the wait, potentially a new car might not be the worst decision you make. Id pretty much decided that Id buy a good second hand vehicle, but at least here in WA, pricing is absolutely absurd. A little more digging revealed:

A colleague is selling his unmodified Ranger, for significantly more than he paid for it over 2 years ago. Hes also getting more than the current 2021 model is being advertised for, brand new.

With the prices of second hand 4wds equaling or even exceeding the price of new vehicles, itd need to be a seriously good vehicle, with an awful lot of $$ additional gear, to justify paying some of the current prices.

Im lucky enough that I have the opportunity to get a novated lease through my employer (meaning theres no GST to pay and itll be fleet pricing), and so am ordering a new high-spec 4wd twin cab Ute, at over $15k below the current list price. Ill buy the vehicle outright, well before the lease ends, and Ill still be well ahead.

It seems like its a great time to be selling a 4wd, a caravan or camping trailer, or a boat. Unfortunately, this means that its consequently a lousy time to be looking to buy one.

Covid had a massive effect, in that supply of essential parts to build new, and new vehicle availability dropping due to shipping pushed the 2nd hand market to levels comparitive to new.

On top of that preCovid dealer pricing for 20/21 models were only honoured to a certain number of vehicles once the production issues were identified.

This Years Dmax (MY22) prices were significant rises over previous, more than 15%.

I took possession of mine in Oct 20, and it was worth more than I purchased it for by April/May 21, and the old boys (19) was around 8k dearer than purchase price at the cheap end of the market for kms at the same time.

I would never have purchased new but everything at that time on the used market was around or above new, with kms and less warranty. Started with a budget of 20k (hahaha), in a market that needed 30 to 35k. Not that much has changed in the ute/diesel market best I can tell since then.

Buyers are still waiting months for delivery. Omicron hasnt helped that any. If theres a cheap one, well half your luck.

 

[LONEWOLF]

I can get close to 12K for one of my 1998 Pajero's ATM.... Bloody crazy prices out there....

LW.....

 

[JJB100]

In this "new" world of chips and shortages how long before Detector prices go up?

Shortage everywhere for everything so the journos will have us believe.

Even noticed the Boom in viewing figures on YouTube for advisers (mostly sponsored) telling us how to Mod the vehicles is dropping off.

The advisers are even running out of ideas and churning past videos.

So this drop off may be the start of been there, done it, now lets sell it!

regards

John