How to Buy The Right 4WD.

Buying the right offroad vehicle can be tricky; there are so many brands, options, and trim levels on the market.

You might be asking yourself questions like.. Should I buy a used or new four-wheel drive? Can it adequately tow my caravan or trailer? How capable is it offroad? Is it reliable, and what brands should I avoid?

Finding the right vehicle to buy can be expensive and time-consuming. The wrong vehicle purchase could make this process much more time-consuming and cost you even more money. So, how do you choose the perfect four-wheel drive in the first place?

Well, the truth is, there is no such thing as a perfect four-wheel drive. Everyone has their own needs and requirements for how a vehicle needs to function. What’s perfect for one driver, is terrible for another driver. Many four-wheel drive enthusiasts forget this fact and often swear by a single vehicle for everyone. Unfortunately, this only helps to make your decision murky and stressful. The best way to choose the right four wheel drive is to define your needs and requirements first. Then, it’s a matter of finding a vehicle that ticks as many boxes as possible - even if you need to spend a bit of cash on modifications.

This guide will help you define your requirements and determine the best four-wheel drive for you and your family.

What You Should Consider When Buying a 4WD:

Before you have your heart set on a vehicle, it’s important to think through the crucial factors of vehicle use.

It’s really easy to get hooked into which vehicle has the best break-over angle, the most power,  the deepest wading depth, or the highest clearance. But these characteristics aren’t a wise basis for vehicle choice. The following 5 factors we cover below have the biggest bearing over which vehicle will suit your needs the most. 

1. Work

Many of us use our vehicles to get to and from work or as an essential part of work. So, let’s be realists here. 

You need to pick a vehicle you can live with on your daily commute or a vehicle that can carry and tow your work tools and gear. However, many purchasers forget about this, and it leads to frustration, stress, and dissatisfaction. Go to any car selling website and you will see hundreds of owners selling or trading wagons for vehicles with ute trays to carry work tools, vehicles more adept at towing, or more fuel-efficient vehicles. 

You can avoid this problem by thinking ahead and asking yourself the following questions:

✅ Is there enough space in the vehicle to hold all my tools and gear?
✅ Can this vehicle tow my trailer or heavy equipment I need from time to time?
✅ Is it easy to access my equipment and tools with this vehicle
✅ Is the vehicle easy to service so I’m not out of work for long if something breaks?
✅ Will I be transporting any co-workers in my vehicle to work?
✅ Am I considering a job or career change? If I am, will this vehicle fit the requirements in that field of employment too?

On the same token, there are hundreds of owners selling their four wheel drive because they can’t afford the rising prices of fuel involved in getting to and from work. Again, you can solve this problem by thinking ahead and asking yourself similar questions:

✅ Can I afford the fuel costs of this vehicle to get to work and back every day?
✅ Is this vehicle easy to manoeuvre to and from my workplace?
✅ Is this vehicle easy to park?
✅ Can my vehicle fit in height limited underground or above-ground parking lots?
✅ Can I afford the increased maintenance costs involved in driving a larger vehicle?

These are the tough questions you must think about before you purchase your 4WD. Otherwise, you will end up suffering from a vehicle that’s not right for you and is adding to the problems in your life. 

2. Family

Just as you use your vehicle to transport yourself to and from work, you will also be using your vehicle to transport your family and friends. What if you don’t have a family yet? Keep reading on for a little longer before you skip this point... It could save you a lot of money.

How long are you planning to keep your vehicle around for? Are you going to keep it for 5-15 years?

If you’re planning to keep the vehicle for 5-15 years, it’s pretty likely you’ll be transporting a partner or even a little one or two around with you. You might not see yourself with a partner right now, and believe you, we’re no relationship guide. But these things spring up quickly. 

Let’s put it this way - if you sink $5-10k into 4x4 vehicle modifications, you’d want to get your money's worth from it before it gets passed on to the next owner, right? Modifications cost a lot of money and that rarely raises the market value of the vehicle. There are solutions around this - such as getting a second family car. If you can comfortably afford the cost of running and maintaining a second vehicle, go for it. It is, however, worth considering purchasing a vehicle that works for offroading and also fulfills family duties.

With that being said, if you’re planning on having a family or currently have one, you’ll need to consider their needs too. 

✅ Will my partner be comfortable in the vehicle?
✅ Will the number of children you want fit into this vehicle?
✅ Will you be transporting around your parents or grandparents in this vehicle? And will it be comfortable for them to get in and out of when they get older?
✅ What's the total number of passengers likely to be in my vehicle?
✅ How often am I driving around my friends? Can they all fit in?
✅ Is there space for dogs? 

If your wife, and especially your kids, aren’t happy in the front or back seats of your vehicle, you’re not going to enjoy your camping trips. Your best friend (dog, of course) won’t be able to complain, so keep his/her comfort in mind too. 

Make sure you bring your family or partner with you to test drive your new vehicle. After all, they’ll be spending a lot of time in the vehicle too. 

3. Desired Travel and Usage

Not everyone wants their four wheel drive to take them to the same place. Similarly, everyone is using their vehicle to pursue different hobbies.

Some want to test their 4x4 to the absolute limit, others enjoy a challenging drive in the forest, some just need to reach a fishing spot down a fire road, and even more, just want peace of mind towing a caravan down rural dirt roads.

Before purchasing your four wheel drive you need to consider how your vehicle is going to support your lifestyle and interests.

✅ Where do you want to take your off road vehicle?
✅ What type of places are you trying to reach? What is the difficulty of the tracks and trails you’ll be driving through?
✅ What type of obstacles are you likely to face?
✅ How often do you want to go off road?
✅ Can your vehicle carry all your toys? Is it easy to get your toys in and out of the vehicle?  

That’s the beauty of four wheel driving - everyone is just using their vehicle to explore a passion or hobby. It’s not about the vehicle you choose at the end of the day. It’s about getting outdoors and exploring. 

Some people are just trying to haul things like jet skis, mountain bikes, dirtbikes, quad bikes, metal detectors, chainsaws, guns, bows, car parts, gardening equipment, fishing equipment and or something else cool. Many enthusiasts like to purely go out to explore, challenge themselves on obstacles or find new and interesting things. This type of offroader will simply need to pick a vehicle more capable and geared towards those choices.

Although we love seeing built 4x4 with over twenty grand in modifications, we don’t think that's necessary for the enthusiast needing to drive down a fire trail once a month to access a fishing spot.

An AWD or SUV style softroader with minor modifications will easily take care of a fire trail and it’ll be vastly cheaper in cost and maintenance. The reality is that most 4x4's never really see the dirt, sand or snow. If they do, maybe it’s once every few months.

Before your purchase, consider what you’ll be doing with your vehicle, where you’ll be taking it and how often you’ll be there.

As a rough guide: 

🛑 If you want to challenge your vehicle to the absolute limits - buy something with dual solid axles, the highest clearance, the biggest tyres, and the most aftermarket gear. For example, a Jeep Wrangler, Land Rover Defender, Jeep XJ, Nissan GQ Patrol, etc. 

🛑 If you’re looking to travel to remote places for long overland trips - get a very reliable vehicle that has a dual-range transmission, long-range tanks, comfort, and decent aftermarket gear. For example, Toyota Land Cruiser, Nissan Patrol, Land Rover Discovery, Toyota Tacoma, Ford F250, etc.

🛑 If you want to enjoy a challenging and fun drive to the forest, snow, or dunes - buy a dual-range transmission vehicle with adequate clearance, off road tyres, enough room for your gear, and some aftermarket support. For example, Toyota FJ Cruiser, Mitsubishi Pajero, Nissan Xterra/Pathfinder, Hummer H3, Suzuki Jimny, etc. 

🛑 If you’re looking to tow heavy gear - buy a vehicle with a larger engine and more torque. For example, Toyota Hilux, Ford F250, Dodge Ram, Mitsubishi Triton, Toyota Land Cruiser, Nissan Patrol, Iveco Daily 4x4, etc.

🛑 If you want to drive a little on the beach, or down a fire trail or some dirt roads - purchase a vehicle with AWD capability, higher than usual ground clearance, limited aftermarket support, and minor modification potential. For example, a Subaru Outback, a Subaru Forester, a Toyota Rav4, a Suzuki Grand Vitara, etc. 

4. Vehicle Cost

The cost of your vehicle is highly likely to limit your choices. We’re not financial advisors here, but we believe you should treat your vehicle as a wise financial decision too. 

Fundamentally, the cost comes down to the decision to buy a new or older four wheel drive. 

There’s plenty of reasons to buy a new 4WD, and there’s plenty of reasons to buy an older 4WD. Before we break down the arguments for newer vs older vehicles, here’s some general advice you can frame your decision in. 

If you’re planning to go into debt to finance your four by four, please ask yourself whether your vehicle is an asset or a liability. If your vehicle is used for work, it can generally be considered an asset as you need it to make a living. Therefore, paying back debt on a vehicle required to generate an income makes sense. 

But, if your vehicle isn’t used to generate an income, it’s a financial liability.

Ask yourself if it’s truly worthwhile to pay for a new vehicle used purely for pleasure or transportation. It may be an asset to your lifestyle and you may be in a comfortable financial situation to justify a higher cost or onboarding debt. 

That’s fine too. Just be aware of what you’re truly getting yourself into and if your debt will benefit your life or add to your stress. General financial advice aside, let’s break down the new vs old vehicle argument. 

Newer 4WDs:

Purchasing a new car has several advantages and disadvantages. 

New vehicles are clean slates with virtually no existing maintenance issues, have the newest technology and safety features, and also come protected by long warranties. But, newer cars are more expensive, depreciate quicker, and are generally less cosmetically durable and robust than older vehicles.

Offroading will inevitably damage your vehicle. It’s almost impossible to avoid scratches in the paint from foliage, and dents can occur from obstacle damage. The more damage on your four wheel drive, the more value it loses in potential resell. 

For new four wheel drive owners who have spent a considerable amount of money, every scratch can feel painful. But, it’s just part of the 4WD game.

We don’t want you to be thinking about avoiding scratches at every turn. After all, if it stops you from exploring a slightly overgrown track and missing out on an amazing experience, as a result, is it worth buying a new four wheel drive?

New four by fours are increasingly being built primarily for on-road usage and creature comforts.

After all, 95% of four wheel drives spend most of their time on the road. So, it’s in the interests of the car manufacturer to cater to this type of usage with more luxury features and cosmetic styling options. Generally, this trend means that newer 4X4's can be a little less capable and delicate off road. 

For example, most new four wheel drives are equipped with front and rear independent suspension which is more comfortable on the road, but less capable off road due to limited articulation. To account for these choices, often complex electronic systems are utilised to pick up the slack.

But, there’s an old saying that many 4x4 enthusiasts live by - the more features and technology you have, the more that can break and leave you stranded.

Newer electric technology can result in a higher likelihood of problems in remote locations. As many off road systems are now electrical, some issues can’t be easily diagnosed or easily fixed on the track.  

If these issues potentially restrict your adventure to a remote location or challenging trail, perhaps it’s better to go with an older vehicle with less electrical and more mechanical functionality. 

With that being said, the emerging off road technology in newer vehicles can be fantastic and get your vehicle further in much more comfort.

Older 4WDs: 

Older four wheel drive vehicles are generally seen out and about on the trails more frequently. They’re often cheaper to purchase, less precious, cheaper to modify, and also fix when things go wrong. 

But, it’s not always a good decision to purchase an older vehicle. They simply aren’t as safe as the new vehicles. You won’t find automatic braking, curtain airbags, traction control, or ABS on old four by fours.

For carting around precious cargo like the kids, safety needs to be a real consideration. It’s easy to forget about it, but thousands of people die in road accidents every year. Your ability to avoid an accident won’t always be possible. Instead, sometimes you and your passengers' lives will be in the hands of your vehicle.

For that reason, choosing a vehicle that can safely take an impact might be the most important decision you’ll ever need to make.

As mentioned earlier, older four wheel drives can be far less expensive to maintain. There’s less technology to go wrong, tons of cheap spare parts at car yards and they generally can be fixed at home with common tools.

You will also be able to find tutorials on modifications and maintenance on forums and YouTube too, so theoretically, many problems can be fixed without a mechanic. Most likely, you will be purchasing an older four wheel drive that has had multiple previous owners. With multiple previous owners, you don’t always have access to the complete vehicle maintenance and repair history. Four wheel drives can last a long time, but it’s essential to find examples that have been properly maintained with regular servicing. 

Sometimes you don’t know the full history of a used vehicle. You won’t know what has been fixed or who fixed it. There’s a lot of past repairs or accidents that can be covered up cheaply that can compromise the functionality and safety of a vehicle. You may end up paying to fix poorly repaired issues in the long run.

Purchasing an abused four wheel drive isn't ideal, so make sure you seek out a mechanic's advice before purchasing. 

Lastly, older vehicles are far less precious. It's easier to be less concerned about scratches, dents, and a little dirt and mud in the interior from time to time. 

Older four wheel drives can be fantastic adventure machines. For many enthusiasts, buying an older vehicle solely for use on the weekends is quite common. A smaller, safer, and fuel-efficient vehicle can then be used as a daily commuter.

5. Transmission

Manual versus automatic... It’s an ongoing debate and there’s no clear cut winner. If you’re able to drive both, it just boils down to a matter of preference. 

✅ Do you prefer an automatic for effort-free long drives or congested stop and start traffic? 
✅ Or do you prefer the extra control and feedback offered by a manual gearbox, particularly for towing? 

Aside from preference, there are some subtle differences between owning an automatic transmission and a manual transmission vehicle.

Manual transmissions are traditionally more powerful and fuel-efficient than their automatic equivalents. Manual transmissions also require less maintenance (when driven correctly) than automatics due to simpler parts. Lastly, manual transmissions experience less extra wear and tear while towing than automatic transmissions. 

Is it all bad news for automatic transmissions?

Not really. With the addition of modern 8-speed automatics, the fuel efficiency difference is virtually non-existent. Plus, automatic transmissions are consistently smoother than manual transmissions, resulting in a more comfortable journey for passengers, particularly younger children asleep in the back seats.

But, the subject of passengers and family raises another consideration on gearbox choice.

✅ Are you sharing your vehicle with a partner or additional driver?
✅ Do they know how to operate a manual gearbox?

For long trips, adventures, emergencies, or designated drivers, it’s ideal that your partner or an additional driver can also operate your vehicle.

It’s not difficult to drive a manual transmission vehicle. But, if your partner doesn’t know how to operate a manual transmission, are you both willing to put in the time to learn it? If the answer is no, it’s better to stick with an automatic transmission.

So, what’s better for offroading? Manual or Automatic?

It depends on the situation and terrain. As manual transmissions give the driver more control, it’s ideal for situations requiring instant gear changes. For example, manuals are popular choices for sand dune or high-speed hill climbs. As the vehicle hits the base of the dune or hill in a high gear, the driver can quickly shift to a low gear at the top of the summit without losing much momentum. 

On the flip side, automatic transmissions are preferred for incredibly technical, steep, and slow climbs. There’s less clutch interaction, more focus on the obstacle, and a reduced risk of rolling back before power can be ever so slightly applied without spinning the wheels.

But, for most offroaders participating in general offroad use, manual vs automatic doesn’t matter all that much. 

Just pick the transmission that suits you and your additional driver the best. 

Now, Go Buy a 4WD!

We hope you have found our guide helpful!

Don’t stress yourself out by considering which four wheel drive to purchase all at once. Note down several vehicles that seem to suit you across the 5 key factors outlined in this guide. 

Start to research each model more and more, crossing off any vehicles that pose reasonable concerns, until you have narrowed it down to two or three vehicles that seem perfect on paper. Then, get down to the dealerships or make a few private enquiries and take them out for a spin.

Any vehicle that remains on your list at this point should be well-vetted against our criteria, and you should feel comfortable that you aren't making a fundamentally incorrect vehicle choice. 

Now you are 100% free to purchase the right vehicle based on what makes you feel the best. 

Good luck!