Hey fellas,

I'm wondering if anyone has recommendations for a work ute.

I'm looking to pay between $3000-$7000

will cart around dirt, tools, materials, drop saw etc

 

No need for 4*4 wheel drive and only really needs two seats.

 

I'm thinking maybe a space cab or something with a fibre glass canopy to protect power tools and paper work etc

Would like an aluminium tray with drop down sides

 

Any recommendations or advice on useful features, things to be wary of , sites to look at, places to purchase from in Perth etc would be appreciated,

 

:drive: Cheers

Can't go past a rodeo or a hilux!

Advice I always seem to get on cars is stick with holden and ford, reason being is that parts are dirt cheap, and they're good cars.

Jump on carsales.com, it's a great site.

I'm also looking for a ute, I'm going a holden Rodeo 4 door, they can come with cab's as well as just flat trays. HQ 1 toners are pretty popular too.

But pretty much any holden or ford ute will serve your purpose, it's pretty much just a matter of taste.

carsales.com.au would be my choice - I've been searching for a vehicle through there for a while.

 

I've had my eye on the Holden Rodeo range which seems to be something like you're after. Fairly solid ute that you can pick up for less than 10k for some of the more recent models (04 and later). You might be able to pick up an oldish Triton with low km's for a decent price.

 

If I were you, I'd stick away from Great Wall and would buy something more recent than about 2003-2004 with the lowest kms you can find. Before you buy, obviously get RACQ (or your equivalent) to come around and do an inspection for a nominal fee.

 

Good Luck!

 

Woo another +1 for rodeo

Gumtree.com.au is good for bargains

The builders and pavers I know have 2wd Bravos or Couriers (same vehicle from diff company).

Hilux or Navara are good but have too high a resale value .

Something like this perhaps?

 

 

 

http://www.carsales.com.au/Tig/UI/PagePopup.aspx?R=11082636&PhotoID=cp5758834481825571861&h_mid=4415219&f_mid=&c_mid=4414491&pid=140973&tabID=304744

Looks good Deggy, but i reckon it would be too much of a hassle trying to stop things falling off the back :/

 

I've owned a hi lux 4x4, toyotas have done my grandfather well, n mates have had dual cab Rodeos, they have impressed me. A mate bought a Holden WB in mint condition recently for $7000, that and the older HQ is a dream for another time, real cruisers, love the way they handle the road.

 

Gumtree and carsales.com have been handy, thanks

 

Low kms is a key focus for the more expensive end and if thats the case an ok interior cos i would like my gf to jump in there once in a while.

 

i've had little experience with mazdas, fords tritons/couriors or Nissans. There are several of them on the sites that look ok.

Couriers are fairly rugged utes. Our paddock basher out the farm is an old 99 ( I think) courier 4wd crew cab. I think it's just a diesel with no turbo or anything. It's got something like 160,000km on it and the last service was aaaages ago.

It's got a few problems though, like the drivers door doesn't close so we latched it up, when in 4wd the steering is reduced to about half of what it should be and there is a really painful clicking noise when you turn.

 

Still goes though..

I've driven a lot of utes in my time: each 6 months plus

 

Ford Courier Double Cab 2.5L N/A Diesel 1995?

Isuzu Flatdeck circa late 80s with half a million km 2.5L Diesel

1996 Mitsubishi Triton 4x4 Petrol

1998 Mitsubishi Triton 2.5L TD

Toyota Hilux 2wd Flatdeck - Early 90s - 2.0L petrol 4 speed <- Garbage!

 

The Isuzu was a very strong ute - excellent motor. Light and grunty for a NA Diesel.

Here is one like it: http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/isuzu/dlx/auction-397567935.htm

I would find it extremely hard to go past these utes for their price point.

The courier was nice too except that it had a turning circle the size of a small planet and its final drive wasn't really suited for open road driving (rev'ed a bit high at 100-120kmph)

 

Diesels are good until they crap themselves. Want to buy one regularly serviced especially if they are 4wd and/or turbo. Apply commonsense re: buying tidy vehicles - cost cutting eventually catches up with you.

 

Once you have one be sure to change the oil and filter every 5000km.

Edited August 9, 201113 yr by OrdeaL

IMO a Holden One tonner on gas e.g

Get Something That Will Survive The Riots... Theyre Coming!

Get Something That Will Survive The Riots.

 

speaking of riots, a couple of Jehovah's Witnesses turned up on my doorstep not an hour ago talking about the riots and how in the bible it says stuff about these coming "events", my only regret was not having my speakers plugged in pumping Cannibal Corpse.

 

but yeah back on subject, i would suggest the gas one as well, that goes for agggggeeeeeessssss, and its dirt cheap to keep the tank full.

Use to sell the Rangers, they have a new model coming out end of this year which should help lower the price of the previous models. Pretty much same as the BT-50 as well (same with Courier & Bravo).

 

Great engine, nice n comfy to drive. You should be able to pick one up around that price in the 2x2 maybe... Dont waste your time with petrol if you can avoid it, go the diesel route. Much better economy, plus if you have some dosh left over you can always go a d-gas conversion which can boost your range and power by a fair whack.

 

Have owned a WB with a Deville front & interior, had the "man's 8" and was just a blast to drive. Very heavy on the juice tho, so if you go for an older ute like that, either try and pick one up thats had a new motor (Gen3 or V6) dropped in to help save on gas or pickup one that has had a gas conversion.

ive got a 2000 holden rodeo 4 door, bloody love the thing, take it bush a fair bit (it's not 4 wheel drive) only had it bogged once i paid 5800 for it 175thousand ks on the clock had it 6 months, havent had a single problem with it

Not sure what you mean by NA diesel SamEEE but

"buying tidy vehicles - cost cutting eventually catches up with you." is my little pearl for the day, Cheers.

 

That HX and site is a great find Noddy, fuel costs is what puts me off getting an old holden. After the red engines, the WB's had the blue ones, i think they were/are better suited to running on unleaded ie you dont have to put in the lead replacement stuff with the fuel.

 

I've never owned a gas converted car, I'd heard that they need to be run on fuel regularly to prolong the life of the engine, that the gas dries out some of its moist bits? anyone know truth to that?

I guess one that has been design to do so from the beginning would be a different story.

 

Cheers Mc D,

I've seen a few of the Mazda BT-50's around lately, they look tidy for the price. Didn't know about Rangers will check em.

 

Diesel is my first choice, followed by gas if its cool, or a 4 cylinder petrol.

 

Cheers Zardez, that sounds like a good pick from what i've been seeing on the sites

 

@ bundy, by the time australia starts rioting petrol based transport is a luxury i dont expect to have :/

No probs, as i said the Ranger and BT-50 are pretty much the same ute, just with cosmetic changes (running gear is all the same tho).

 

I know the older gas conversions had to be run on petrol every now n then for reasons you mentioned, unsure about new ones tho.

Not sure what you mean by NA diesel

 

Oh sorry should have made that clear NA = Naturally Aspirated (no turbo)

^ ohh, got ya, Cheers

Toyota's are so common that parts are easy to come by if that helps. Plus you can beat the living **** out of them.

 

Australia has sold me on Toyota vehicles big time which is why I bought one here in Canada as soon as I got home.

Stay away from anything that is not toyota if your looking for a ute for that price. You should be able to pick up a 98-02 2.7 4x2 single cab for under 7k. The engines are pretty much indestructible, they are EFI, and parts are everywhere.

 

Rangers are still out of the price range even if they are second hand. Maybe in a year or 2 they will be down. They are decent utes ( in new form) but I've yet to see one with heaps of Ks on it.

You don't expect a Ford to tick a million like a Toyota eh.

Look after any vehicle and it will run for a long time.

Hey guys,

thanks for your recommendations n pointers.

I ended up getting a 4 cylinder Mitsubishi Triton 2003 aluminum drop down tray

126 000km $5400

Perth had a big hale downpour last year n this one copped some, it has one big dent on the roof n one on the bonnet with a few small ones. The bumper bar has been pushed in about 10cm with a couple of cracks in it. I'm going to tie a rope to a tree n reverse to pull that out.

Tyres are almost half way used, the rego is just about to expire. Of the utes I looked at over the last couple of weeks there was two others that I thought where as good for what I wanted.

It is a tidy vehicle,

Overall I'm happy with it, the engine bay is clean and nothing is overly worn.

Time to start making it earn its keep.

Cheers fellas