[aaronfry24]

Hey guys,
Im new to the whole zook thing but i want to get into 4x4 a bit and have been doing a lot of looking around for a cheap zook sierra to have a bit of fun in this summer...
because im only 18 I'm pretty much wanting my first car to be something with a bit of fun that i dont have to worry about scratching that will pass a roadworthy so i can drive it around a bit to..
Im not going to be doing any major 4x4 anytime soon but we have a couple of easy going 4x4 tracks around the area i live and was just wondering what i should be looking for when wanting a zook...
ill be working the next couple of weeks so im looking for a zook about $3000 give or take $500
so if you could help me out im just wanting some tips that can help when looking for what i need

Cheers

[Marko_SJ]

Hi mate as nobody else has responded I'll say look for a vitara.

Go for the cleanest non offroaded one you can find, that hasn't been neglected. I'm no expert at buying cars but I'd look for:

condition of oil and coolant

Check it doesn't blow smoke

Driveline noises, especially from the gearbox

check the diffs for a loose pinion, indicating a lot of wear

oil leaks, especially rear main IMO

Make sure the clutch isn't slipping

Check there are no misses or flat spots through the rev range

All lights work (if they dont make sure its a bulb or a fuse or something )

Rust!, dents and scratches...

Look at kays, although a car may have been well treated and clean, kays is kays it means wear to the drive line

Take it for a drive, and I mean a long drive! See all those things with angry faces next to them? those are things I didn't pick up because I only got under the car, idled it, revved it and didn't take it for a real drive. Therefore i had to fix them rather than someone else.

Dont get caught up in the moment, and walk away. Its your time and money.

If everything checks out you may get a bargain A zook is seriously the most fun you can have with four wheels

[droverdave]

on the other hand, modifications cost lots of money, and you dont get your money back when you sell it.

So if you dont mind a car that has been 4wd'ing, you can save a bucket of cash by buying one with mods done already.

But you risk getting a poorer condition car.

[Gwagensteve]

You also risk buying someone's idea of what a cool car is. As you aren't really chasing a car for much 4WDing, most of the "good value" mods like lockers or gears aren't really significant to you. That's really going to leave lots of mods that are a minefield - poorly installed electrical stuff, cheap driving lights, and lift springs will be the most common parts. Sierras are cheap cars and people seem to rarely spend much time or money on them. That's good because they're cheap, but it can also mean you'll have to rework stuff like wiring because people will rarely pay for an install, and sometimes won't even pay for the right bits to install something properly. (Think scotch locks and electrical tape, tek screws etc.)

I'm not sure if I'd chase a vitara in your budget. Cheap ones are getting pretty long in the tooth now, and apart from rough 5 doors, I don't think you'll be able to find a clean EFI car for that money, and most of the carby cars I see now are rubbish. You need to buy well - a rough car is going to cost you far more that what you paid for it per year to keep it running reliably.

The amateur's list is pretty good. You definitely want everything to work first off. Don't be fobbed off with "it's an easy fix I just haven't got around to it" - that's not a good sign of a cared for car, and apart from that, you might not know if it's an easy fix or not.

If you are going to drive a car, make sure it is dead cold when you drive it. if the car is already warm, be suspicious it's had to start, smoky or has a dead battery.

It's easy to buy a suzuki that hasn't been offroad, so if the owner says things like "it's awesome in the bush" I'd be very suspicious. Close to standard cars, especially with stock gearing and larger tyres, are likely to have been given a pretty hard time if they've been offroad. If the owner mentions offroad use, check the car has diff breathers. if it hasn't had them fitted, I'd mostly stay away, because diff rebuilds might be just around the corner. If a car has had breathers fitted but looks clean and well cared for, then the odds are it's had a careful owner.

Steve.