Softroaders

[dammit]

Just wondering what everyones opinions are on softroaders?

I am looking to upgrade to a 4wd vehicle soon as our main/commuting car so it will do a lot of driving to work etc, but it would be great to have the 4wd option for going across to Fraser/Moreton/Stradbroke islands as well as some grunt for towing a small boat.

I have kept an eye on the Jeep Patriot which at $29,990 drive away seems a killer deal to me. I love the look of it but can't find any info on anyone who's taken it for a trip to the islands.

But with something like this, I have no idea how it would go on an island, does anyone have any experience with these new/factory type softroader cars (late models)?

Other models such as the Suzuki Jimny, Grand Vitara, Toyota Rav 4, Subaru Forrester, Mitsubishi Outlander, etc I guess fall in the same category. The new Jimny 1.3L engine would not cut it commuting, the Jeep Wrangler looks pretty well decked out for the job but getting a bit pricey. Has anyone heard of a car brand Great Wall, the X240 4WD is very competitively priced, I read about it in a magazine, looks a bit sketchy to me, but oh the price! http://www.greatwallmotors.com.au/great-wall-x240/

On a side note looking at the Suzuki SX4 or Subaru Liberty, or these other "toy" 4wds Nissan Dualis and the like, I am assuming you would not take them island hopping because they would have low clearance/would not cope.

Are there any implications taking a brand new car around an island? I see people getting their tyres wet at Fraser which I would imagine is a big no no? Is it all ok to do provided you give the car a good fresh water bath afterwards and wash all the salt water/spray off? and provided you don't scrape any trees and stuff or bottom-out you should come back pretty unscathed?

the only next step is to convince the missus about it all, which could prove tricky "you are not taking our brand new car over there!!"

[chisel]

I dunno about a Patriot or an Outlander, but I'm sure a rav4, forester, gv or jimny will go ok on the islands. I've certainly seen many of all of those over there and driven in a few. Jimny is tiny though, and maybe not a good commuter car.
Liberty/sx4 would be too low for the beach. Dualis - not sure.
Great wall - they seem to be a bit bigger, I'm guessing they'd be ok but not sure.

Main thing is to avoid driving quickly through any saltwater, and make sure it gets a VERY GOOD bath afterwards - you'll be suprised how much water and hosing is required to get all the sand out from underneath. You could also consider going to a rust-proofing place (but in my opinion avoid the electronic gizmos) ... but I reckon for 1 or 2 trips a year you just need to give it a good wash.

[Phoenixx]

I drive a 2002 Ford Escape v6 and have never had any problems with it. Have been on trips to fraser, five rocks and moreton with it.

clearence gets a bit dicey every now and then but had it lifted and haven't had a problem since.

I also use it to commute from redcliffe to indooroopilly every day aswell. fuel consumption isn't a huge problem.

[Jabba_]

The great Wall is a hideous looking pile off ugly crap that cost 26K on the road... Why would wast your money and a pokemon looking thing, when for $4000 more you can get a Nissan D22.. The Nissan D22 is the same size, more power, more reliable, better looking and has heaps better resale value....

[on-one]

As jabba mentions it's worth thinking about resale, the jeep and great wall might be cheap to buy but you'll only have to pay later when it's time to change vehicles again - unless you plan to own them forever. The japanese cars (and the nissan) would all do the job well. The jimny is a great little car but I wouldn't want one as an only vehicle as they're pretty loud and uncomfortable on the highway

[upstart]

Hey Phoenix, who did the lift on the Escape and how high did you go?

[4x4frog]

Don't make a final decision until you have driven the Renault Koleos diesel 6sp manual.

[Daisy Burnett]

Just wondering what everyones opinions are on softroaders?

I am looking to upgrade to a 4wd vehicle soon as our main/commuting car so it will do a lot of driving to work etc, but it would be great to have the 4wd option for going across to Fraser/Moreton/Stradbroke islands as well as some grunt for towing a small boat.

I have kept an eye on the Jeep Patriot which at $29,990 drive away seems a killer deal to me. I love the look of it but can't find any info on anyone who's taken it for a trip to the islands.

But with something like this, I have no idea how it would go on an island, does anyone have any experience with these new/factory type softroader cars (late models)?

Other models such as the Suzuki Jimny, Grand Vitara, Toyota Rav 4, Subaru Forrester, Mitsubishi Outlander, etc I guess fall in the same category. The new Jimny 1.3L engine would not cut it commuting, the Jeep Wrangler looks pretty well decked out for the job but getting a bit pricey. Has anyone heard of a car brand Great Wall, the X240 4WD is very competitively priced, I read about it in a magazine, looks a bit sketchy to me, but oh the price! http://www.greatwallmotors.com.au/great-wall-x240/

On a side note looking at the Suzuki SX4 or Subaru Liberty, or these other "toy" 4wds Nissan Dualis and the like, I am assuming you would not take them island hopping because they would have low clearance/would not cope.

Are there any implications taking a brand new car around an island? I see people getting their tyres wet at Fraser which I would imagine is a big no no? Is it all ok to do provided you give the car a good fresh water bath afterwards and wash all the salt water/spray off? and provided you don't scrape any trees and stuff or bottom-out you should come back pretty unscathed?

the only next step is to convince the missus about it all, which could prove tricky "you are not taking our brand new car over there!!"

I can highly recomend the Prado. I have driven a lot of 4wds over the years and have experienced the good and the ordinary. I bought a Prado a few years ago thinking it would be a nice comfortable road car to pull the boat and travel in with a little 4wd action from time to time. Well I will tell you for free I am impressed. Both on and off the road. I pulled a 1.5 ton boat from Carnarvon in WA to Melbourne and kept forgetting the boat was there. No problems whatsoever, the only thing was the fuel consumption definately took a bit of a hit in the diesel. I have taken this thing off road through the snowy's on the rough tracks and had no problems at all. In fact the Prado showed up quite a few of the more popular off road 4wds with her power sure footedness and comfort. In the sand she just powers through the soft stuff and the auto trany is a great help. No bogging down between gears.
My recommendation is find one and take it for a spin, you will be impressed.

Cheers
Daisy

[Steeler]

The great Wall is a hideous looking pile off ugly crap that cost 26K on the road... Why would wast your money and a pokemon looking thing, when for $4000 more you can get a Nissan D22.. The Nissan D22 is the same size, more power, more reliable, better looking and has heaps better resale value....

Sure you have not got the wagon confused with the ute when you refer to looks

[rockfisho]

Personally it annoys me to see people driving soft roaders on places like fraser island, thinking that their cars are as good as the big 4wds and can go anywhere. HOWEVER, that said, thats just a bit of a pet hate of mine and just an opinion.

Now down to facts. Sure the soft roaders will get up the beach on fraser island and straddy and the like, however they will be highly limited due to the clearance and the lack of low range, this is a big one. I can happily drive my 80 series, (1hz diesel manual ) up fraser island in 2wd without any trouble, but if im doing some big uphill cuttings around the back tracks of ngkala rocks or if the beach is very steep and also soft, that low range lever comes in handy as well as the extra clearance and floaty tyres.

Or say you end up having to plough through the soft wet spongey sand on the waterline, this saps torque like you wouldnt believe, low range is pretty vital here.

So in my opinion, get something with a little more clearance if you plan to drive on the beaches more than once and a low range lever, for when you go fishing in those spots that are harder to get to. \

cheers

Owen

[Jabba_]

Sure you have not got the wagon confused with the ute when you refer to looks

Have you had your eye's checked, all the models in the Great Wall range are butt ugly...

[SummerTrance]

Have you had your eye's checked, all the models in the Great Wall range are butt ugly...

Each to their own opinon then hey. Ive seen a couple of the wagons on the road over the last two days, and thought that they looks alright for what they are. Im not saying they looked great, but I dont think they look bad. The utes are dam ugly though.
I think the great wall wagon looks heaps better than the Jeep Patriot + its a 'real' 4WD with low range and heaps better clearance.

To the OP, im sure everyone will tell you not to buy one, but it cant hurt to check check one out up close and have a test drive. Ya never know, it might suit what your looking for perfectly.
Bear in mind there prob wont be any aftermarket mods available for it for a fair while, but I'd guess you might not be into that anyways.

Goodluck with your search.

[chisel]

Now down to facts. Sure the soft roaders will get up the beach on fraser island and straddy and the like, however they will be highly limited due to the clearance and the lack of low range, this is a big one. I can happily drive my 80 series, (1hz diesel manual ) up fraser island in 2wd without any trouble, but if im doing some big uphill cuttings around the back tracks of ngkala rocks or if the beach is very steep and also soft, that low range lever comes in handy as well as the extra clearance and floaty tyres.

Or say you end up having to plough through the soft wet spongey sand on the waterline, this saps torque like you wouldnt believe, low range is pretty vital here.

So in my opinion, get something with a little more clearance if you plan to drive on the beaches more than once and a low range lever, for when you go fishing in those spots that are harder to get to. \

cheers

Owen

I don't think low range is needed on sand, especially with an auto and the powerful donks that are standard these days. The main 2 cars I've driven on beaches for the last 10 years have been a pathy r50 auto and a TD cruiser auto and I don't think I've ever really needed low range on the sand.
I've also had to drive an 94 navara ute with a gutless diesel and I definitely needed low range in that on the sand!!

[Jabba_]

Each to their own opinion then hey. Ive seen a couple of the wagons on the road over the last two days, and thought that they looks alright for what they are. Im not saying they looked great, but I dont think they look bad. The utes are dam ugly though.
I think the great wall wagon looks heaps better than the Jeep Patriot + its a 'real' 4WD with low range and heaps better clearance.

To the OP, im sure everyone will tell you not to buy one, but it cant hurt to check check one out up close and have a test drive. Ya never know, it might suit what your looking for perfectly.
Bear in mind there prob wont be any aftermarket mods available for it for a fair while, but I'd guess you might not be into that anyways.

Good Luck with your search.

Seriously, I don't need anyone to tell me not to buy one.... But if by chance I won one,,, I wouldn't even bother to go pick it up...

Have you seen and felt the leather in the Duel cab ute.... I have felt vinyl that feels more like leather then leather they use in the V240...

[SummerTrance]

Seriously, I don't need anyone to tell me not to buy one.... But if by chance I won one,,, I wouldn't even bother to go pick it up...

Have you seen and felt the leather in the Duel cab ute.... I have felt vinyl that feels more like leather then leather they use in the V240...

Lucky I wasnt saying that to you then hey . Note I made that comment to the OP.
But really wouldnt go pick it up? If that happens let me know, cause Ill happily take it off for you for free. And then sell it .