New Truck/boring towcar thread
Posted: Mon Sep 30, 2019 11:53 am
Some will be familiar with the troubles I had with the Nissan Navara, some undoubtedly down to mileage (turbo and ac compressor) but some down to piss pour design, cheap build and hidden history. I put in thousands over the past 2 years but ultimately got fed up with waiting for yet another ‘surprise’ bill. So it went cheaply in the end with the new owner having got a bit of a bargain even if they have to fit a set of injectors in the next year.
So for me a truck is the most practical family transportation, seats 5, good for towing, big stuff in the bed (discos and mower) and can get out of a muddy field unaided.
Hi lux was on the list but they proved too expensive with a low mileage and decent spec (wanted invincible 3.0 as 3.0 is comparable to the rst of the 2.5's). Also leather interior (needed because of the dog) is very rare. We moved onto the Isuzu D-max and Mitsubishi L200 (of which I had a jdm Strada back in 2003-2007), the dmax is rare (wanted a Utah or Blade spec 2.5TT) but L200 in top Barbarian spec (2.5DiD with VN Turbo) are more plentiful until you get to the final criteria, automatic, when all of a sudden there are much fewer. So of 3 locally there were 2 white ones and a red one. We saw all 3.
The first white one (a 13 plate with 46k) was in great condition interior wise, but was let down by a couple of bumper scuffs and a frankly mental price (dealers wouldn’t do a deal at all).
We moved on to a slightly newer lower miles (63 plate 41k) white one which exterior wise was mint and was only let down by a bit of wear to the drivers seat (which is a common thing), a steering wheel that had an assisist knob fitted and damaging the leather rim and a missing key, price was more sensible and the salesman much more personable, it drove well too. I wasn’t prepared to commit without first checking history and seeing the final one.
The red one (which was the oldest of the 3 with the most miles, only 62 plate with 60k though), well despite being told it was ready for viewing the next day when we arrived it was in the valet bay and the paint was badly bloomed over 3/4 of it, also lacking a canopy and having a roller shutter fitted instead. The Interior was in a similar condition to the second white one but there were marks and scratches along with a section of the bonnet the size of a 5p where it looked like the paint have been attacked back the primer. it was also more expensive that the second white one.
So I decided to finalise the check on the second white one and put together a deal factoring in a new steering wheel and the replacement key/remote, the rest of the bits I wanted to do were little mods that i've had previously (Parking sensors to supplement the excellent rear camera, front speaker upgrades, fitting my JVC android auto headunit and the caravan electic wiring).
The checks came back clear and I managed to get a few hundred off of the asking price, bringing it down to 12k dead. Which for a 2014 L200 Barbarian Auto with on 40k on it from a dealer is cheap. Over an above the standard barbarian spec (which is full leather, climate, cruise, power rear window, folding mirrors and the rather excellent super select 4WD system) is a Canopy, towbar, heated seats and a fuel computer/angle gauge/barometer/compass unit.
Pictures to follow.
So for me a truck is the most practical family transportation, seats 5, good for towing, big stuff in the bed (discos and mower) and can get out of a muddy field unaided.
Hi lux was on the list but they proved too expensive with a low mileage and decent spec (wanted invincible 3.0 as 3.0 is comparable to the rst of the 2.5's). Also leather interior (needed because of the dog) is very rare. We moved onto the Isuzu D-max and Mitsubishi L200 (of which I had a jdm Strada back in 2003-2007), the dmax is rare (wanted a Utah or Blade spec 2.5TT) but L200 in top Barbarian spec (2.5DiD with VN Turbo) are more plentiful until you get to the final criteria, automatic, when all of a sudden there are much fewer. So of 3 locally there were 2 white ones and a red one. We saw all 3.
The first white one (a 13 plate with 46k) was in great condition interior wise, but was let down by a couple of bumper scuffs and a frankly mental price (dealers wouldn’t do a deal at all).
We moved on to a slightly newer lower miles (63 plate 41k) white one which exterior wise was mint and was only let down by a bit of wear to the drivers seat (which is a common thing), a steering wheel that had an assisist knob fitted and damaging the leather rim and a missing key, price was more sensible and the salesman much more personable, it drove well too. I wasn’t prepared to commit without first checking history and seeing the final one.
The red one (which was the oldest of the 3 with the most miles, only 62 plate with 60k though), well despite being told it was ready for viewing the next day when we arrived it was in the valet bay and the paint was badly bloomed over 3/4 of it, also lacking a canopy and having a roller shutter fitted instead. The Interior was in a similar condition to the second white one but there were marks and scratches along with a section of the bonnet the size of a 5p where it looked like the paint have been attacked back the primer. it was also more expensive that the second white one.
So I decided to finalise the check on the second white one and put together a deal factoring in a new steering wheel and the replacement key/remote, the rest of the bits I wanted to do were little mods that i've had previously (Parking sensors to supplement the excellent rear camera, front speaker upgrades, fitting my JVC android auto headunit and the caravan electic wiring).
The checks came back clear and I managed to get a few hundred off of the asking price, bringing it down to 12k dead. Which for a 2014 L200 Barbarian Auto with on 40k on it from a dealer is cheap. Over an above the standard barbarian spec (which is full leather, climate, cruise, power rear window, folding mirrors and the rather excellent super select 4WD system) is a Canopy, towbar, heated seats and a fuel computer/angle gauge/barometer/compass unit.
Pictures to follow.
. I think their reasoning is that at least one of the group will have a twinaxle and they will always keep together as a group. So turn one away for a seemingly innocuous reason and they all leave.