First 4x4

[Steve_F]

Hi all,

I'm looking to swap my Merc 270cdi CLK for a 4x4 and a soft top.

Deal I'm looking at now is for the following

2001 2.5td (98bhp) Shogun Sport with 100+k miles
2003 1.6 MX-5 with 50+k miles

The trade stacks up ok, I've got no real concerns with the Mazda but the SS would be my daily (when I didn't cycle to work) round a single track road then a B road for 7 miles into and out of work. It would do the odd longer trip. The Merc has c.170bhp and I don't drive it slowly, I've got a transit that I suspect would be quicker that the SS!

Living in central Scotland I'd be aiming to head to Glentarkie, Lamancha etc to take it properly off-road.

So, would I regret such a slow beast? Would it be a good beginners off-roader? Other options nearby are a Frontera and an MR2 but the MR2 isn't in great condition.

Wanting it to be fairly cheap so I'm not overly bothered about taking it off road. Most other options near are soft-roaders, the garage with the SS has a 4.0 LPG'd Cherokee but it's in brown (doesn't bother me) with 130k, limited history, not in great condition and they've given me the nudge that out of that and the SS the Jeep would not be the one.

Anyone with any experience of the Shogun Sport on and off-road?

[zoom star]

Best of both worlds.
I got a Land Cruiser and MX5 1.8i Sport very similar,one for going over the welsh mountains and one for going round them.
I looked at the Shogun but it was even more juicy than the LC,
massive 4x4 auto, mini roadster,manual whats not to like.
You have a bit of a shock, going from one to the other though..

[Steve_F]

Land Cruiser will be amazing off-road though.

Really no idea if the lack of locking diffs will be an issue, have only ever done an experience day in a Defender (and loved it).

And for the fuel, an LPG'd Jeep would cost the same to run and be a lot quicker.

Suppose I should be more worried about the condition, the lack of power will never be an issue on my commute, I love driving my transit (but it's a weekend mountain biking vehicle), and there's no chance of speeding anywhere in the Shogun Sport - ever

[Ayahuasca]

I have a Land Cruiser and a Defender. The Defender is much better off road.

[g7jtk]

Land rover series or defender soft top. Best of both worlds even better with a v8

[Supernova190188]

Ayahuasca said:

I have a Land Cruiser and a Defender. The Defender is much better off road.

But at least you'll come back home in a Land Cruiser. I had a defender and although nothing major ever went wrong, every single weekend there'd be some small problem to sort out!

[Ayahuasca]

Supernova190188 said:

But at least you'll come back home in a Land Cruiser. I had a defender and although nothing major ever went wrong, every single weekend there'd be some small problem to sort out!

The only time I almost didn't get home was in my previous Land Cruiser, when the automatic transmission seized up USD 25,000 for a new transmission..!

The Defender certainly has its faults (see my separate thread on the subject) but nothing quite so catastrophic.

[skyrover]

Supernova190188 said:

Ayahuasca said:

I have a Land Cruiser and a Defender. The Defender is much better off road.

But at least you'll come back home in a Land Cruiser. I had a defender and although nothing major ever went wrong, every single weekend there'd be some small problem to sort out!

I look at defender's like kit car's.

If it's been assembled properly and looked after, it will generally be okay.

The 200 and 300tdi diesel's are reliable engines and the R380 gearbox is fairly unremarkable, but electrics can be prone to corrosion and the axle's are not particularly strong, or long lasting, especially if full of muddy water.

Corrosion is the big killer, usually solved by a complete strip down a rebuild with galv parts, nylon washers and proper isolation of aluminium and steel parts.

At least they are easy to repair

[TurboHatchback]

There are Land Cruisers and there are Land Cruisers. The 80 series 4.2td is the daddy, they have around 170bhp but it's an old school truck engine so you get all that at about 2000rpm and can run it flat out all day so they aren't slow (for a 4x4). They also have triple electric locking diffs and are immense off road, they may not have the approach & departure angles of a Defender 90 but in many other ways they are much superior. I would heartily recommend one to anybody looking for a proper hench full size 4x4 that will be used for more than the school run.

(Oh and mine did about 30mpg driven hard)

[Steve_F]

Well an update, garage I've been looking in has a lovely mk2 1.6 mx5. It's now in my garage.

Had said to them I'd take the shogun sport but found out it was the 98bhp model and that they're not the easiest to upgrade if I do seriously get into pay and play sites.

So second choice from there, brown 4.0 lpg'd grand Cherokee. Higher mileage but everything works. Plus the loud pedal actually makes it move (plus makes a nice noise)! Isn't home with me as there was a blow in the exhaust. Oh and it had M&S tyres rather than hankook ATs on the ss which is nice.

So I've swapped a perfectly working diesel merc for a low mileage potential rust bucket and a high mileage, brown, off road fuel eater. What could possibly go wrong???

ETA thanks for all the advice!

Edited by Steve_F on Saturday 13th September 20:47

[Supernova190188]

Well after hesitating for a while , I finally just thought 'sod it' and bought a 3rd gen hilux surf on monday - bloody loving it so far , nice to drive a truck again!