[Closed] Nissan navaro/ford ranger/mitsubuishi l200

if you don't actually need the 4x4 part then a van is far more practical.

I've got the Ranger, it's a 54 plate and the new one's been upgraded, so can't comment on the new one.

I test drove it back to back with a L200 and it knocked spots off it the L200, the L200 felt far too bouncy and wallowed(sp?) around corners, the Ranger drove a lot better, seemed better quality too, so I had that, It's been good, no problems with it, long drives are fine in it, the new one has a better engine than mine so will be a better performer.

we've got a new ranger at work. i hate driving it. noisy, slow and piss poor visibility.

i'd prefered my transporter in every way.

Pathfinder

I've read reports of Navara engines spontaneously exploding. Just google "Navara engine blow up" for more info. Not good

fuel efficient car and say a bike rack ... i heard a rumour about fossil fuel use but cant remember the exact details Google it. 😉

Rangers are absolute shite off road, even with decent off-road tires.

Used several for a few months the other year, worst offroad vehicle, wallows really badly, gets stuck so easily even in minimal mud. Pulling them out with a landy became a day to day job.

Really slow acceleration, poor visability unpleasant to drive on roads.

Only plus point is that two of us flipped one - spun is accross to opposite side of the road and flipped it in to a field, ending up on the opposite side of the road 180degrees to original direction of travel upside down 12foot down in to a field, rolled it a few times in the process dented every single panel yet we both walked away with minor headaches and bruising.

Don't get a Navara/Pathfinder... they are shite. Mine blew up with stunning regularity so I got rid of it after a year (now drive a Suzuki Grand Vitara which is a lot better!)

The ONLY pickup I would even entertain these days would be the Toyota Hilux. The rest are all pants. And I would only get one if I were using it as intended (lugging large cargos about the place off road/down dirt tracks). They are just waaaay too compromised to use as an every day vehicle unless you are justifying it on the grounds of what it can do (they are a bitch to park, have massive turning circles and can have slightly tailhappy tendancies when unladen).

If you really don't have a use for 4 wheel drive get an estate instead. Trips to fuel pumps get both boring and expensive! (My Vitara does more offroad than most 4x4s I would say - usually wind up trundling down some dodgy tracks and terrain most weeks... though it is possible to get through most of it in a Berlingo as my Dad keeps demonstrating... so long as you know what you are doing... though I win when it gets really claggy/snowy!)

Rangers are crap! We have them for work and they are like a big bouncy castle on wheels, I actually feel seasick after driving them. They are very thirsty especially if you use the 4X4. They accelerate like a wet slug and they look like a three year old put them together. The heater doesn't work properly so you steam up the windows and they break down on a regular basis. So a pretty good choice!LOL

We've got an L200, it's great, does everything you could want (unless that happens to be 150mph and/or 60mpg). 2wd, 4wd with high and low ratio. I haven't managed to get it stuck yet...yes we're on a farm not Streatham high street so it does get used as intended.

navara's are great. i believe the older ones had a problem with the clutches but mines fine. get just shy of 40 mpg, nissan claim 34 mpg i think. liked the pathfinder but couldn't fit wife, two kids, dog, mountainbikes, kiddy trailer and luggage. mine goes off the beaten track occasionaly but mainly roads.
tried the toyota, mitsubishi subaru and the ford all pants to the nissan.

back to the "what van coice then" - hiace/vannette/transporter/vivaro/traffic

Have a look at an Isuzu Rodeo too. In my experience they're all much of a muchness, used the previous Navara a lot and was definitely better on the road than a previous L200. Lot of these improve off-road with some proper tyres, the things they tend to come with are useless.

If you're going off road a lot would say a Land Rover, ouroff road fleet is pure LR. Wouldn't bother with a LR 110 crew cab, access team have one and it's tiny, our 130 on the other hand dwarfs it and the Jap stuff.

I know someone who's selling there Ranger at quite a good price, but i guess after reading the above........

My L200 is the ideal biking tool, fits two bikes and all the camping gear out of site in the back and will get you anywhere. Plus i had mine converted to run on LPG so it's cheap(er) to run and doesn't kill polar bears!

Van wise from those I'd go vivaro/trafic. You get a lot more for your money with these than transporter/trafic.

Mine is a 56 plate, 28k fsh for sale for £7000 no vat, expect to get 6500. Not two years old yet, just serviced and brake pads, tax til dec. In sheffield. Eeek this wasn't supposed to be an advert!

well I must be lucky, as I've not had a problem with my Ranger and i've never got it stuck!

Have driven all 3 both on and off road, the Ranger is by the best of the 3 off road (But its definately not a land rover)
The Navara is the best on road, but has serious reliability problems with engines (That what you get for associating with Renault!!)

As an all rounder the L200 does what most people will need. (the old one was better than the new one off road)

What would i buy? the new Ranger Thunder as you can get great deals on them (looking at one for the mrs)

Unless you live in the sticks why would you buy one of these vehicles? A compromise on every other front. Even for builders. Urban-types who buy them have a small-willy-syndrome? A Van or a big estate will tick more boxes. I've seen people driving L200 at silly speeds in the fast lane. Idiots.

back to the "what van coice then" - hiace/vannette/transporter/vivaro/traffic

Really, there's always gonna be naysayers. Personally i love my 56 plate Navara.
Never had a problem with it (touch wood)
Drove from Aberdeen to the Alps in it last year with bikes,spares,guitar, kitchen sink. Was a blast
As for the "difficult to park" comment, I've never had a problem, practice you'll get better.

Here's a radical idea, why not TEST DRIVE one and make up your own mind.

small-willy-syndrome?

idiots

RR, glad you asked the question, i'm considering an L200 at somepoint, after thinking a van would be too impractical for everyday use!?

I drive an estate car at the moment, but need something with a high-ride height and 4wd would be handy!

more comments welcome please 😉

Yes, i know we can all go for test drives, but a little more knowledge from people who own them is always helpful;)

jt 😉

Ok, they look fun, but unless you NEED, and I mean NEED, the 4x4, get a van.

The pickups have poor interior packaging (the rear seats are too low and short, plus you can't load through), barge-like turning circle, and will not fit bikes in the bay without taking wheels off. They are also sods to drive (especially the L200 with 4.2 turns lock-to-lock!).

For a few weeks you'll feel like Action Man and enjoy tail-sliding off wet roundabouts (they're RWD in roadmode), but after that its wallowing inefficiency will annoy you.

I've used Nivara and L200 (old and new) for 4 years with work, but for bike transport I run a VW T5.

Have a look at both twincab pick-ups and vans and I reckon you'll see what I mean.

Daveevs,

Yes mate, i think you're right.

I know 'they' have a stigma attached to them too, so, in summary, they're slow, handle poorly for every day use, uneconomical, and generally not very good...

a mate has a 'dub T4 and loves it, and to be honest, i've been a passenger in that on some fairly long journey's, all is good.

Rob, dont get a T5 - it would be a bit homo to have matching vans 😉

haha!

jt

hora - Member

Unless you live in the sticks why would you buy one of these vehicles?

i do you spaz

Yes, i know we can all go for test drives, but a little more knowledge from people who own them is always helpful;)

Have you read the thread?

and will not fit bikes in the bay without taking wheels off

Lid only goes on for family holidays. Front wheels over the back Canadian style is the only way to do it 😀

guitarhero. Re-read my post before deciding whether it applies to you. Racing_Ralph ditto. No offence guys but at anypoint before my post did you say you lived in the sticks? Same question to you guitarhero.

Thats the problem with STW, everyone seems to think theres a personal attack on them. I'm not a psychic am I? So unless you post the info how do I know?
Anyone who lives in the middle of city and wants a style/choice to drive purely to the shops, then to Llandegla then to a shopping centre cinema then yes my point applies to the size of their cock.

hora i think what pisses people off is that you judge everyone by your own standards/insecuruitoes/idiosyncracies

Thats the problem with STW

That's right, it's STW that has the problem.

On a more serious note. Look at www.euroncap.com and their safety tests. The newer navaro comes out ok but the pre modifications one compares badly even when compared to a small Renault etc

The parking comment - it isn't a case of getting better at parking... I work in places where often I have to get into a tricky spot to keep out the way of other things...like JCBs, or traffic if it is a roadside job. You simply cannot get a pickup into a tight space either due to the crap turning circle or the physical size of the thing.

Seriously - unless you actually need a pickup (so you are moving around very, very messy and/or very very heavy things) don't do it. I liked the fact I could throw sewage covered pumps into the load bed, and carry heavy bits of metal over fields... but still happier with my Vitara! I may switch to a van next time though... especially if I could get a wee 4x4 based van with decent economy. Not sure such a thing exists though.

rhysie 😉 See, i knew life would be better in my old mk2 escort, if i crashed it, the other car would crumble, these new ones they all crumble and you end up with a gearbox up your ar$e. safety? give me an old car any day of the week, built out of proper metal! 😉

"I've seen people driving L200 at silly speeds in the fast lane. Idiots".
Hora,are you one of those drivers that hates to be overtaken?

Get a van, put your bike in, save all the road crap and salt coating your bike and ruining it. T5 here and its all I need to lug gear and its a mobile changing room in ice age Scotland.... Seats 5 and day to day, very user friendly... As for a 4X4 choice I would take a HiLux after having one in the Aussie outback for two years, nigh on indestructable/unstoppable.... more so than landys.

I have a L200 that I use at work. If it was my own money I wouldn't buy one. We have 3 of them at our depot and have a lot of niggly problems with them. Plus they are absolutely gutless if you ever want to tow or carry anything heavy in the back you can watch the fuel gauge just drop. Plus they are very uncomfortable and have a utter shite turning circle.

Agree with you about the turning circle Kuco but i've got the petrol one and it's far from gutless!

It comes to something when a Landrover can out turn you.

[b]THIS[/b] is what you need:

[IMG] [/IMG]

RobS - You simply cannot get a pickup into a tight space either due to the crap turning circle or the physical size of the thing.

Did it ever occur to you that you're a shite driver? I've never experienced any such problem.

rhysie - Member
On a more serious note. Look at http://www.euroncap.com and their safety tests. The newer navaro comes out ok but the pre modifications one compares badly even when compared to a small Renault etc

If you actually believe that the occupants of a 2.5 ton navara will come off second best in a crash with a clio then buy an older ladder chassis style pick up.

hora - Member
I've seen people driving L200 at silly speeds in the fast lane. Idiots.

*Person drives vehicle in fast lane at speed shocker*

daveevs -, and will not fit bikes in the bay without taking wheels off.

Wrong. You can load and unload many more bikes into a pickup than the average van in a fraction of the time.

hora -
Anyone who lives in the middle of city and wants a style/choice to drive purely to the shops, then to Llandegla then to a shopping centre cinema then yes my point applies to the size of their cock.

Is this based on personal experience? Have you qualified that statement by examining many penises? Does the same apply to anyone who drives a classic car? performance car? luxury car? Please enlighten us wise one, what vehicle should we purchase in order for you to bestow your blessing upon us?

.....Racing_Ralph - there is some truth amongst a lot of nonsense in the posts above. Pickups are slow (relatively), and the turning circle isnt great. Fuel economy isnt amazing either but it's by no means terrible. Those are the negatives.

On the plus side, you can carry 5 or 6 bikes with ease which can be loaded/unloaded in seconds. You can go virtually anywhere at any time of the year ( make a few quid pulling people out of the snow in their silly little cars). High driving position gives you a great view of the road ( mine has better all round visibility than any car I've driven). Excellent towing ability, obviously you can carry a huge amount of anything, several times the average estate car. Gets respect, however begrudgingly from other road users. The fact that it isnt fast means you'll probably end up driving safely, preserving your ncb. Hippies and tree huggers will hate you. No need to be precious about it, pickups can wear their dents and scratches with pride.

If all out speed isnt an issue, and if you're not going to go into very tight car parks with it then just get one and stick two fingers up at all the self righteous posturing prats who seem to jump at any opportunity to tell people how they should or shouldnt live their lives.

As for your list, chuck it out. Get a Toyota Hilux or an Isuzu Rodeo. Both are trucks which have been developed over several generations and are well sorted. The latest navara is a totally new truck which was thrown together and slapped onto the chassis of the nissan titan - a huge american truck. The Ranger is basically a Mazda bt50 with a Peugeot derived engine so if you're even considering that get the cheaper and more reliable mazda.

I would go for Taliban twin cab Toyota Hilux 3 liter Turbo anytime if I have the £££ or at least Isuzu Invader/Rodeo which is less expensive.

These two are the favorites in Thailand and or the developing countries. They are the workhorse and family "saloon car".

In Thailand they lower it but in some part of the world (Iceland but they use Toyota Land Cruiser) they jack it up a little to put even bigger tyres.

Slow? LOL! Slight modification (better not for safety reasons & fuel consumption) and you will see how fast it can go.

I want one but can't afford one ...

😀

[url= http://1663 ]3265347522_b27044bf59_m[/url]

As said above, if you don't need the 4x4 then look for a panel van. I need 4x4 for towing and have a new (D40) Navara. It's big but easy to drive and with a load extender you can put several bikes in there. Must share paint quality supervisor with Santa Cruz though. So far so good and there are some cracking deals on them at the moment.

[i]Hora,are you one of those drivers that hates to be overtaken?[/i]

No. I do question why someone would drive a heavy high vehicle with ancient rear suspension at over 90mph next to me though!!! 😆

There's a guy with a Navara on the corner of our road who is always boasting to our neighbour about how he's got a 4x4 and come the ice age he'll still be able to get to work.

This morning we had ooooh, about an inch of snow on the road and I watched him as he drove (I'm assuming with 4x4 engaged) up the road at about 1mph with a line of normal cars behind him. It was a proper fail moment but by the time I'd got upstairs to my camera bag the procession had made it round the corner.

hora - Member

Hora,are you one of those drivers that hates to be overtaken?

No. I do question why someone would drive a heavy high vehicle with ancient rear suspension at over 90mph next to me though!!! [:lol:]

hora admits speeding - call the rozzers

OK, handbags away and back to the thread?

My wife drives a current model Navarra with a truck top to make it a full height load area. We live in highland Scotland and have 5 working dogs, so the Navarra gets driven seriously off road 30-40 days a year.

Bought it new in Sept 06. Test drove against Isuzu (noisy, slow, uncomfortable), Mitsubishi L200 (slower and very wallowing ride). The L200 and Navarra account for about 80% of this market in the UK, so we did not look further. Got the king cab which gives decent seating for 5 people although the rear seats are a bit low so not great for the long legged

Some facts:
* for something that heavy it is reasonably quick
* handling/ride are acceptable for something that big and cheap
* we average about 30mpg, although my wife is not a fast driver
* it is livable with as an everyday car - she has done 30K miles in 2.5 years.
* it is as capable off road as anybody except farmers etc would need
* the current model has a much better turning circle than the old one - no worse than the Discovery it replaced. Having said that, it is a pig to park because it is so long and you can't see out of the back
* there have been a few things go wrong like UV joint failing (fixed under warranty), but nothing that stopped it being used
* brilliant bike carrier. Only ever needed to get 2 bikes and gear in the back - front wheels off. I reckon 4 bikes plus gear would be fine