[Foobar]

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!)

[marka]

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 !

[Fishyhaddock]

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.

[EcoGypsy]

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).

[Foobar]

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?

[benkt]

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.

[EcoGypsy]

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.

[cotswoldfarmer]

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.

[ladyK]

hi cotswoldfarmer,
what do you see as the advantages of the Toyota over the Mitsubishi?

[cotswoldfarmer]

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.

[philcaegrug]

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.

[90driver]

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.

[Foobar]

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!

[benkt]

l200 is definitely expensive on repairs when it needs them - parts prices seem pretty steep.

[Foobar]

Hmm, as I suspected!


cotswold farmer - how are the service/repair costs of the Hilux?  Are they reasonable?