need some reviews on 4x4 duel cab utes

[jimg1au]

after my adventra was written off in an rear ender last week. i am thinking of buying on of these cars
2006 and up
hilux v6 or 3ltr turbo/disel
mazda bt50 t/d
ford ranger t/d
navara t/d 2.5ltr
d-max is t/d
triton t/d
any own these can give me an owners view on
how they drive
fuel usage
towing
thanks
my cheque is in the mail so I am told
jim

[firko]

Bummer Jim, that was a unique Commodore.

[Ktm181]

after my adventra was written off in an rear ender last week. i am thinking of buying on of these cars
2006 and up
hilux v6 or 3ltr turbo/disel
mazda bt50 t/d
ford ranger t/d
navara t/d 2.5ltr
d-max is t/d
triton t/d
any own these can give me an owners view on
how they drive
fuel usage
towing
thanks
my cheque is in the mail so I am told
jim

Pick anything off your list. ALL are Thailand built and good quality. Any of the diesels have the potential to cost you big time if you get some sub standard fuel on a regular basis- pumps,lines and injectors, oh, and fuel tanks in some of them, all problems from moisture in the fuel. Do a bit of digging and see what pumps and injectors cost. The Dmax has the lowest warranty rate on your list.  Go the V6 petrol or petrol in anything you might get, bit dearer for fuel but easier to fix. I am talking current models off your list assuming you are buying new or near to it. A typical diesel hi lux repair for shit fuel is around 12 grand at a dealer and they are doing them regularly. A Nissan diesel fuel pump for instance,depending on model is 3500-6500 aud, all have alloy bodies and cant really be rebuilt to good standard. PETROL is way to go if you are keeping long term. You could go v6 hilux and lpg? Bit of a ramble but its what i see in my travels in dealer land.

Kt

[bishboy]

I had a diesel Navara (two wheel drive version) with my last job and it was a piece of sh#t.  It was brand new and in the first 4 months, both the front shocks and steering rack had to be replaced under warranty.  I know its the way they ride, but it was so rough and bouncy and the fuel economy wasn't anything great.  Unless you specifically need a ute, get a car (current work car is a commodore - so much better to ride in) or if you don't need a 4WD but still need a ute and are ok with a second hand car, get a crewman.

[lama]

Had a Mazda and had no problems just got a hilux 2013 plate $ 26,000 brand new nice vehicle

[brent j]

I have a 2005 Toyota Hilux 4L V6 petrol with auto

They use a bit more fuel than a diesel but in terms of servicing and long like I think they work out better
A lot quieter than the diesel too, at 120km/h you can hold a normal conversation in the cab, no yelling.

It is the smoothest, quietest most un-ute like ute I’ve driven

[kenny5000]

I have a 2012 BT50 dual cab 4x4. Awesome car (same car as new ranger except body shape but came in $5K cheaper) it got a 3.2lt turbo deisel, which hauls. You can be sitting on 110 on fwy loaded with two bike and not even think of dropping out of 6th gear to overtake! About 9-10 lt / 100km depending on what's in the back (that's not towing) and that's with weight of winch and bullbar. It rides like a car on the road and is impressive offload, the comfort of ride puts a hilux to shame but in saying that hilux has better resale! It is big though, long and wider than similar rigs and takes a bit of getting used to size wise for parking ect, sit 3 adults in back comfortably though. All up a good car, I'm happy anyway

[Matador107]

I own 4 off BT 50 Mazda Freestyle alloy tray, 3.2 6speed manual, also a V6 diesel Navara duel cab 7 speed auto with a tray as well. The Mazda's are the best , no dramas or faults. They have more bling that the Nissan $59, 000 job in my opinion.

To carry bikes a tray is longer than a tub type body.

The Mazda's are cheaper to buy than the equivalent Ranger with maybe more gear. A service costs about $500 because of the full synthetic engine oil, at our local bloke not the dealer.

If you are intending hanging a really big van or trailer to tow the Mazda, a Ranger and Navara will bend the chassis rails in front of the rear spring hangers. The body gap between the cab and body opens up at the top and becomes greater in distance than the bottom .
Hard to believe but I have been shown two vehicles that were repaired.

A steering rack in a Navara is $5000 to replace . In my opinion all today's utes cannot safely tow the big vans or boats, I don't care what the book says.

For all that work an F 250 is the go, I had one and sold it. Eventually they will come back , we are victims of what our Jap masters think we want.

Rant over, buy the BT50 $33.5 k on the road in Sydney freestyle body and a tray.

[jimg1au]

the boat i tow is only 1.5t.
2.5t if i hire a exc/bob cat

[steve7406]

I bought a new hilux sr5 over 12 mths ago first 4wd I ever had love it also capped service @$170.00 for three years and Toyota will extend that for another 2yrs if I service it at the same dealership

[Matador107]

I believe a new Hilux will be released some time next year, they are behind the others in "killer watts" and torque compared to the 5 cyl 3.2 lt, 147 kw and 470 mm. I had one of mine on cruise, 6th gear, 100 kph' and the fuel readout went from 3.6l/100 to 7.8l/100 when a semi overtook me.

Driving on to disturbed air made all the difference, hard to believe, when he had passed the reading went back to 3.6 l/100.Our utes are fitted with alloy boxes both sides,we have weighbridged one at 800 kg of constant load.

The Triton tub is too small, the Amarok is $1000 to service.We had a Rodeo diesel that would shutdown the diesel on the move, so that was the end of that one . Nice thing to happen when you are in the middle of 3 lanes, this was after 4 days at the dealer as well.

I' m telling ya , the 3.2 diesel either make!!!

[rough rider]

I have been looking at dual cabs also this is what I have found
-anything v6 petrol uses a lot of fuel
-new navara and triton diesel are only 2.5 l can be gutless towing heavy loads until you get them up on the turbo
-navara has problems with timing chain and are very expensive to replace and require special tools to do so
-navara some models use different parts some are made in korea some some where else , when you order parts they need vin numbers to work out where it was made
-ford ranger have been told when changing oil don't leave sump empty for more than 10 mins or oil pump will drain and wont reprime some have had transmission problems
these comments have come from mechanics in my area who work on these every day
a guy I work with is looking at a vw amarok says they are nice but not many around here yet to have a look at
   
 

[Ted]

I believe a new Hilux will be released some time next year, they are behind the others in "killer watts" and torque compared to the 5 cyl 3.2 lt, 147 kw and 470 mm. I had one of mine on cruise, 6th gear, 100 kph' and the fuel readout went from 3.6l/100 to 7.8l/100 when a semi overtook me.

Driving on to disturbed air made all the difference, hard to believe, when he had passed the reading went back to 3.6 l/100.Our utes are fitted with alloy boxes both sides,we have weighbridged one at 800 kg of constant load.

The Triton tub is too small, the Amarok is $1000 to service.We had a Rodeo diesel that would shutdown the diesel on the move, so that was the end of that one . Nice thing to happen when you are in the middle of 3 lanes, this was after 4 days at the dealer as well.

I' m telling ya , the 3.2 diesel either make!!!

What are the service intervals on the 3.2 diesel?

[Tim754]

What are the service intervals on the 3.2 diesel?

10000 K on the BT50. Now Mazda has fixed price servicing now too.      disclaimer... (My daughter is a senior service adviser for Bendigo Mazda.)

[topari]

We drive a Nissan STX-550. 8/100 touring and about 10 around town. It has been flawless. Travelled 35K KM and feels like new. We fitted a dual sun roof and use the 550 as a highway cruiser.