You will get a ton of stuff in a van.

You will get onto the beach with the 4wd utes.

What is more important to you? I think that is your first decision. After that it is easy.....

as Mark said

I have a Navara, love it to bits but, often wish i had a van or wagon to stash the stuff i'm not using i.e. board, mast etc that is strapped to the roof. 4x4 will get you anywhere like my last trip to Gero, let down tyres and hit the beach to the hard to get to spot. fun fun fun

Downside which is most often is trying to load your gear on the roof when it's howling and you're spent from sailing. My first time a board flipped in the wind and clouted my on the nose, followed by pain and claret. You soon learn technique to load and unload. When i'm local i use my wifes corolla wagon

So do you sail places that can be accessed by 2wd then get a van. If you could use the ute for other stuff (like i do) go 4x4

Go the van

Pajero

Space cabs are a waste of space in my opinion. Its like almost but not quite!

I've had vans, station wagons and ute and have found that my favourite is a diesel manual ute with canopy and roof racks (stuff can go in or on without getting the cab dirty). Diesel for power and manual for 4wd.

I own the 2014 Ford Ranger and can't fault it as a workhorse or family bus, but I have always stayed away from Ford for ute's in the past because they always looked like they were making ute's just to say "Oh look at us, we are making ute's as well", without putting any effort into the design.

If all your choices have similar details, then I would look at a ute that has is a manual diesel with power, 4wd with ground clearance (diff lock would be good) duel cab and plenty of space in the tray with a canopy.

Hope that helps.

I have had 4wd spacecab navara n most of my friends have had vans!

I purchased a toyota landcruiser troop carrier two days ago and although it sucks around town its the best car I have ever owned !
Its a massive beach / bush BUS

ok said..
I purchased a toyota landcruiser troop carrier two days ago and although it sucks around town its the best car I have ever owned !

I wouldn't be surprised at all if this ends up actually being the case, but maybe it's a bit early for that call?

Ahh cool

I will do a fair few K s around town, from job to job

Love the cruisers etc. Maybe Next vehicle

Thanks sofa guys!

HAs anyone had any experience with the ISUZY 2009 ish Dmax ?

Stop all the angst, get a 4WD van or troopy by the sounds of it.

CrossStep said..

I've had vans, station wagons and ute and have found that my favourite is a diesel manual ute with canopy and roof racks (stuff can go in or on without getting the cab dirty). Diesel for power and manual for 4wd.

While I totally agree on the diesel part, I'm not so sure about the manual call. When driving on sand I've found an auto box to be fantastic. When you get stuck you just let it idle along while helping it out with a shovel or shoulder. Also it changes down a lot quicker than I can do, and you need a fast downchange when you hit the soft stuff, at least in my limited experience.

2 weekends ago I watched a manual ute get bogged at my local beach, and the smell from the burning clutch was eye watering as he tried to get out. Would have been much easier with an auto box imo.

I'm searching around at the moment for a new vehicle, but it's just about impossible to find anything that matches the capability of my old banged-up 4WD auto diesel van. Nothing allows you to fit as much gear inside as a van, and my new local is 4WD access only so that part is decided for me as well.

Good luck on the hunt.

Haha!

He bought a jeep. What?!!


Nah kidding

Nebs what 4wd van have u got?,and how does it rate cheers,

nebbian go there first - check out the Delica, or similar Van AND a 4wd.





Me? I have a troopy
21 years old this year and still awesome.

nebbian said..

While I totally agree on the diesel part, I'm not so sure about the manual call....

+1

Auto gearboxes definitely outperform on sand. It's an indisputable fact and one I can vouch for though personal experience. The time it takes you to personally shift down a gear in soft sand will have you stopped and stuck...whereas an auto will transition with no practical loss of power, maintaining momentum.

I will concede there are arguments either way on offroad/terrain type work, but sand=auto. Anyone who says otherwise has plainly not had the pleasure of driving in truly soft sand.

Paradox said...

nebbian said..

While I totally agree on the diesel part, I'm not so sure about the manual call....

+1

Auto gearboxes definitely outperform on sand. It's an indisputable fact and one I can vouch for though personal experience. The time it takes you to personally shift down a gear in soft sand will have you stopped and stuck...whereas an auto will transition with no practical loss of power, maintaining momentum.

I will concede there are arguments either way on offroad/terrain type work, but sand=auto. Anyone who says otherwise has plainly not had the pleasure of driving in truly soft sand.

Although overheating auto Trans seams to be common, 40 degrees on the beach, slow speed and soft hot sand.