The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Smallholding => Equipment => Topic started by: Foobar on October 01, 2013, 04:15:09 pm
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Can anyone recommend me a pick-up truck - I'm thinking of replacing my Subaru Forester cos I keep making a mess of it by filling it with hay and stuff! :)
It needs it to be able to do all these things (which my forester can do):
- 1.8m sheets of plywood etc (flat or angled)
- 2.4m lengths of timber
- 1-4 people, although persons 3 & 4 would be very infrequent (and not very tall!)
- carry several bales of hay (the forester does 6, 10 would be ideal)
- needs to be able to have a hard top canopy fitted so I can transport hay & timber protected from the rain
- go off road (but not extreme off road)
- have a low range gear box so that I don't get stuck in the mud
- be reliable and not break down :)
And preferably be agile, with a smaller turning circle as possible - I don't really want to struggle to park it in car parks etc.
I think the 1.8m sheets rule out all of the double cab models, if my calculations from the specs are correct :S. I'm guessing you can get opening windows between the cab and the load area to allow you to put long lengths of timber through?
or is a pick-up a bad choice? ... are there other vehicles that would suit me better, a Landy maybe? I would like to be able to carry livestock in the back (e.g. weaners and lambs, or the odd sheep), so it would need to be able to be cleaned out easily.
Any ideas anyone? :)
(I think I discounted a Landy just based on the emissions, I can't afford the road tax on something that spews out as much as they do!)
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Hi there
You could always go for an early 70's landy as they are tax exempt due to their age.
With the added bonus of lots of character of course !
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Hi,
"Mitsibishi L200 4 work". Fantastic. Takes 4 people, get your ply in the back, bales animals and anything else.
Canopy comes off easily so adds to it's versatility no end. About 29mpg if driven sensibly and is LGV tax.(£190 I believe.
) I was on my way to look at a Landrover when I saw this for sale. To do half the jobs with a Landrover you would also need a trailer. I hardly ever need a trailer with this vehicle.
Mine is a 54 plate and touch wood nothing at all has gone wrong with it and they also seem to go for ever looking in Autotrader. Really glad I bought this instead of a Landy but of course there is no disputing the off road capabilities of the Landrover.
Hope this helps. Fishy.
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Definitely Mitsubishi L200 4 work!!! Especially the club cab version, where the back is 1 foot longer than in standard 4 door wersion. And, old shape is better (technically) than a new one ;).
We got two mitsubishis l200, one as above (54 plate) and mine beloved toy, single cab three seater on the frame, with very high top (where goats can travel comfortably! ;)), L plate (will go easily for another 20 years!). Does well over 400 miles on a long run per tank (60 liters).
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Hmm, interesting comments thanks.
LGV tax ... how does that work? This would be a private vehicle probably, rather than a company one, so I presumed that the road tax would be on the same tier system as cars?
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I'm a happy owner of an l200 as well. I don't have a hard canopy but do have rear bars behind the cab so long timber etc. just gets lashed onto those and sticks out over the cab. Best feature for me is that it tidily fits a pallet in the back so when picking up pig food, they can just fork-lift a pallet straight in.
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LGV tax ... how does that work? This would be a private vehicle probably, rather than a company one, so I presumed that the road tax would be on the same tier system as cars?
Same as car really, I think all pickup trucks as classified as Light Goods Vehicle.
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Toyota Hilux everytime. I love mine best tool I have ever have. My other have works for mitsibishi and I still choose the Hilux over the L200.
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hi cotswoldfarmer,
what do you see as the advantages of the Toyota over the Mitsubishi?
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I found it pulled beter, more comfortable and seem to be a beter quality. The L200 just seemed a bit tinny if you know what I mean. I must admit alot of friends have changed from L200 to Hilux. That is just my thoughts.
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Everbody I know with an older landy love them but seem to spend a lot of time and money on maintenance. Why don't you just use a trailer for any awkward or long loads.
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Everbody I know with an older landy love them but seem to spend a lot of time and money on maintenance. Why don't you just use a trailer for any awkward or long loads.
I agree totally. .. the kind of LR you can purchase for the price of a decent jap pickup will generally be rotten and a liability.
The Ford Ranger is also worth a look too. A few of my die hard defender owners have moved to Rangers recently.
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Yeah I thought about a Ranger, and the new model does look very nice indeed! But they are HUGE - a good foot, or foot and a half longer than most parking bays.
I want to avoid using my trailer where possible, I currently use it for the hay but it's a pain. If I had a pickup then I could collect hay and wood at lunchtimes/on the way home from work, which would save me lots of time. (I can't take my trailer to work, there isn't enough parking space!)
What are the service costs like with the L200? I've heard that it's more costly to keep a Japanese vehicle - I know my Subaru certainly costs me an arm and a leg!
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l200 is definitely expensive on repairs when it needs them - parts prices seem pretty steep.
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Hmm, as I suspected!
cotswold farmer - how are the service/repair costs of the Hilux? Are they reasonable?
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I have a ford ranger and I'm delighted with it. I bought a flat load cover for it, for when we go shopping. Air con all leather and will carry way over a ton. Selectable 4 wheel drive, it's like driving a giant tonka toy . Regularly get over 30 mpg on short runs and about 38 on long runs .. Takes euro pallets no problem and has a ladder bar behind the double cab so long stuff goes over the top. I've even carried 6 metre lengths of steel on mine.
Don't have a problem with its size
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I have not had any repairs done on it yet so not sure on that one. As for servicing same old thing if you go to a dealership you will pay through the nose, I use a independant and that is alot cheaper. Also I have found when you using a main dealer specifiy what you want done. So you do not get charged for silly things.
Just a extra note. I was chat to a friend down the pub and he has just brought a Hilux and got 12% discount for being a member of BASC. The discount also applied to any extras
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Just a extra note. I was chat to a friend down the pub and he has just brought a Hilux and got 12% discount for being a member of BASC. The discount also applied to any extras
Oooo! That's worth bearing in mind, thanks!
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Interesting that you have found the subaru expensive to maintain. 17 years ago I bought my mother a brand new legacy 2.0 estate. I am the only person who has ever touched it mechanically. Aside from an yearly service I have hardly had to touch it. Half an exhaust system. ... brake pads.... and tyres. Never broken down and never needed anything for an MOT.
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Maybe it depends where you drive it :). Perhaps the welsh rain and mud is more permeating than English rain and mud, I dunno.
I've had callipers seize ... and they don't stock those particular ones in the UK, so they had to come from Germany or something, and no one makes aftermarket ones either. They cost an arm.
Then I had a duff shock absorber, most likely from the awful potholed roads around here, again no aftermarket one available. That cost a leg.
Cam belt changes - just had my second. Got quotes from non-dealers and they were more expensive than the dealer. Exceedingly complicated design of the engine means it takes ages to do. So that was the other arm and the other leg!
Exhaust and brakes costs have all been average though.
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Yes usage will have lots to do with it.... I notice that with those who use their landrovers for work.
surprised at independent being more expensive. I have done a few belts on those quad cam engines and would describe it as fidley but not too bad.
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After what seems like a lifetime of Land Rovers we've just bought an old Mazda double cab pick up. Apparently they are much the same as a Ford Ranger. After many years of noisy, draughty Landies it's a revelation. Just like a car to drive. Plenty of ground clearance and has amazing traction in the mud even with road tyres on. Everything works unlike any of the LR's I've ever had. Very pleased with it so far.