codie247

Hi all, anyone have any helpful views on the new ranges of double cab 4x4's? Looking to buy a new one in the next couple of weeks, looking at the Isusu, Mitsi, Nissan and the Toyota. I will be testing them but just wanted to hear any views from people who now own them.

cheers

Lee

Steve PPP

Hi Lee,
I have had the Navara Aventura Auto since October.
It has a great level of kit, very nice quality interior, powerful engine, does about 27 MPG on run to work and 30 MPG on motorway.
Good handling, slides nicely, LSD, ride Ok, (similar to my STi).
It is very big! Doesn't fit in most parking spaces.

Can't think of any bad points off-hand, overall very pleased.

Steve W

Jamescsti

My paps owns a Nissan Navara Outlaw, very nice to dirive though feels massive on the roads, wouldn't buy one wihout rear parking sensors, especially as this one has the hard top on the back with tinted windows so you can't really see out of the back.
Very good engine (170bhp i believe)
Very nice inside the cab too, pleny of room front and back seats

RRH

We have an Isuzu Rodeo Denver Max with the performance pack, and a new Navara. Both are excellent. Agree wholeheartedly with the parking sensor comments above.

codie247

have you any preference to the above? I fancy the isusu with the ppp, does it make the difference?

Lee

RRH

I prefer the Isuzu tbh. I can (could ) tow at 100mph all day long with a Brian James trailer and a 964RS race car on it (not that I've tried ) The performance pack does make a lot of difference, and I'm told they've just released a 'sports' suspension package too. The biggest benefit of the Rodeo is that it feels quite light and airy when compared with the Navara and Mitsi variants.

The old, and new, navara's are both great. The old navara was cramped but served the purpose- the new Navara is probs too much money for what it is, but ours is spec'd up with leather, bluetooth, satnav etc etc.

mrsf

My dad had Toyotas for years then decided that he wanted a change so he went for a Mitsi this went back after 6 months because of poor MPG and replaced with a nissan. This went back after 6 months (no where near as good to pull with than the Toyota) So he has gone back to Toyota and has just taken delivery of the newest one last week. Yes the others do have better spec trim, cd player blah blah blah but if you want a workhorse that holds its value well the Toyota is the way forward....

Brit_in_Japan

So do you all use your double cabs for towing? Do you often travel large distances carrying lots of heavy loads with at least 4 people in the car?

Just trying to understand if double cabs are becoming the new Chelsea tractor or whether they are a practical solution for people who need to transport more people than a van can handle, or need more carrying capacity than a large 4x4.

One mate in the US has a Dodge RAM. He's got a lot of outdoor hobbies and keeps it all in his RAM. Paragliding kit, scuba diving kit, the lot.

Another mate had a double cab, but rarely had more than two people in it and hardly ever carried anything. When I asked why he had one, he said it make it so easy to move big things, like moving house. However in the previous 2 years he'd never used it for that purpose!

They're not too good in snow he confessed, rwd, not much weight over the rear axle and fat tyres. He used to carry around a couple of large sand bags to try and get some grip.

stevencotton

When I no longer live in this country I'll have a Holden HSV Avalanche Crewman XUV for weekend biking and camping trips

Jamescsti

A lot of people drive double cab pick up's because they save a fortune on company car tax with them, I believe that is one reason for their popularity, especially as many of them come with everything you would expect from a modern exec car, i.e leather, sat nav, multi changer etc

sti-04!!

Thats all changing though, i cant remember the ins & outs but its the main reason i removed myself from the company car scheme as my accountant reckoned i would save a fortune. So far it seems to be working

Brit_in_Japan

I see, makes sense.

KiwiGTI

Only one make that consistently survives in the toughest places and never has bad words said about them - Toyota Hilux (and derivatives)

Proby521

iTrader: (1)

From 2007, your 4x4 or van will no longer come under the £500 (for vehicles under 3 years old) or £300 annual tax. They will from next year be in classes like cars, and my old work transit would will cost me around £3500/year, for an X-reg Transit! This is because of everyone taking the p1ss with the 4x4's, not that I'm on the robbing tax mans side! Means no more use of my van for popping to get a bottle of milk or loaf.

Proby.

Tiggs

2007 will be a good time to buy a used one!

with the tax break gone the 2nd hand value will be about £7.67

lozgti

Like the look and idea.Been a passenger in the rear though.Three blokes.Never been so uncomfortable in my life.It was tiny.Driver and front seat passenger seemed quite comfy though.

That was the Nissan one

Jamescsti

Was it the new shape Navara, as i've been in the rear of a new shape one and at 6ft4 had no probs?

lozgti

It was shoulder to shoulder width wise was the problem.Suppose any vehicle isn't really made for three blokes abreast though.Unless they are'nt that wide generally ?

Not knocking the rest of it though

JonMc

iTrader: (51)

We have 2 mitsi's in work (L200 with the truckman conversion) and they are cr@p. Less economical than the scooby, handle like sh!te, uncomfortable and the 2.5TD is gutless.

Speaking with the local NFU rep yesterday and he reckons the navara is the way to go at the mo.

Although, and I know it's been said, the toyota hilux is indestructible, I remember Jezza Clarkson drowning one on Top Gear amongst other things and it still ran

Jamescsti

I've been in the now old shape L200 and founfd there wasn't enough room, my knees were touching the dash board