Bossing your first 4x4

Wide open plains, rugged mountain trails, pristine beaches, punishing desert vistas and everything in between...It's all available and accessible if you have a four wheel drive.

Buying your first 4x4 can be daunting. There's that pocket full of cash burning a hole in your pocket and the weekend away with your mates looming. You get a mate or family member to go searching with you and find a rig with huge tyres and loaded with accessories. It's great and the salesperson swears it's only been driven to the corner shop by a little old lady to get the milk and bread. The first thing to do is stop. That's right, don't do it. Jumping into a 4x4 purchase has seen many a shopper drive away with the wrong vehicle and a large future bill to pay!

Here's a few tips I have learned and that I share with people who ask me about their first 4x4.

Target the right 4x4 for your needs
Four door, two door, ute, flat-bed, wagon, long or short wheel-base, coil or leaf springs, independent suspension or solid axle, petrol, diesel, automatic, manual, modified, standard. There a lot of choices. I have always started with the basics though. Diesel, petrol, automatic or manual. This will narrow it down to a few vehicles. From here decide on a wagon, ute or flat bed. The amount of gear or the number of passengers will have a factor here. As far as suspension and modifications go it's a little more difficult. These decisions will be influenced by the amount of time you'll spend off the road, weight requirements and the type of terrain you will take it on plus a few other things. This is where experience comes in. Talk to independent sources, not the salesguy at the car dealership. You won't go wrong with known brands and you'll find aftermarket accessories are readily available for the more popular vehicles. It's important to be honest with yourself as to how extreme you really are. It's great to think you're going to take on the Canning Stock Route or the Tanami Desert but if you're really not you'll end up with the wrong rig.

Aim high and above your price range: Initially
Take the time to tour 4x4 specific dealer yards. Look at vehicles outside (above) your budget, the accessories, their purpose and how they work together and look at overall condition. Looking at vehicles you can't afford but like will naturally force you to hold the ones you can afford up against that standard and you'll also (hopefully) fall in love with one. It's better to fall in love with the one you can't afford rather than the old clunker that fits your budget but is ready for the scrap heap. It's also better to get that first love-affair over and done early in your search. You'll get over it and be thankful you didn't fall in love with rolling-junk and fork over your hard-earned cash only to regret it. You'll be clear-headed.

Avoid buying modified vehicles your first time
This is your first 4x4 remember? You are inexperienced so no, you don't need every single accessory known to man. That mean looking truck with dual lockers, bullbar, winch, massive mud-tyres, and everything that goes beep will only steal away your opportunity to learn the craft of off-roading with a standard vehicle. You'll try to run before you can walk so to speak rather than building up your skill and knowledge slowly. Remeber this hobby can bite you hard if, no, when you get it wrong. As a newbie a modern, standard 4x4 will far exceed your abilities and comfort level. Oh, also with all those accessories it's sure to have done some serious work, despite what the owner or salesguy says.

The interior cabin
Look for damage and wear, especially to the seatbelts which are costly to repair. Worn and torn upholstery is also a good bargaining chip for you and is an easy one to point out to the owner. Make sure the electrics work, there are no warning lights on the dashboard and that indeed the lights work in and out of the vehicle. The air conditioner should be cold and not blow out dust or bits of dirt. In this area, the more complex the car is the more trouble you are likely to have. Any issues here will only get worse. There's no hocus-pocus to magically improve it.

The body and exterior
Remember you're not only looking for the right 4x4, you want to pay as little as possible. Scratches, dents, bad paint and rust can assist in doing that. Check for rust especially. If you find it in a gutter or crease then it's bad, a few small bubbles in the middle of the bonnet less so. Be very careful to check the chassis. If there's rust there you walk away. That's it. Also look for paint overspray on the body and under-side components as this could indicate the owner has scraped away rust and over-painted it. Make sure the doors close properly and that door gaps are consistently spaced. If they are not it could indicate the car has been in an accident. Make sure the roof gutters are also in good condition as the vehicle may have had an overloaded roof rack fitted. which could cause damage, water ingress and structural issues. Hardened, cracked or perished window rubbers can indicate that the vehicle has had a hard life.

The mechanicals
This area is a little more difficult. I'm not a mechanic so am not fully conversant with everything to look for. Certainly checking for fluid leaks and excessive build up on components is critical. Power steering is costly to repair so pay close attention to it. Work the steering lock to lock and listen for clunks. If it looks like the owner has steam cleaned the engine take the vehicle for a drive to heat it up and then check for leaks again. You're checking for overheating during the drive and allowing fluids to heat up and potentially leak. Drive slowly on a smooth hard surface and turn full-lock listening for CV noise. If it is present that will need immediate repair. The test drive will also highlight issues with the automatic transmission or clutch if it's manual. You'll also want to check hoses, belts and the wiring. Remember, if it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't, so delve deeper. With the engine and drive-train you are best to get an independent inspection unless you know what you're looking for.

The underbody and drivetrain
Here you're looking for excessive stone-pitting which would mean heavy off-road usage. Check the shock absorber's for pitting and damage for the same reason. It's difficult to check bushes sometimes but it's worth a look if you can. Obviously you also want to keep an eye out for leaks. If you see damage on low-hanging components you can assume the vehicle has been heavily off-roaded.

The final assessment
I always suggest an independent check. There are motoring bodies that will do this and most sellers will be willing to submit the car for inspection. If they don't, why? If you check the items as above you will be well on the way to knowing if it's the right one or not. Once you've had it checked over, you're good to start negotiating. Some of the problems you'll find will be easy and cost-effective to fix and others will not be. Just remember that you can negotiate with the owner or salesperson and if you've done your homework you will know what items you can sort out easily.

I hope this post has given you an insight into selecting your first 4x4 and getting it right on your first time. Maybe it'll also inspire you to get out on the trails sometime too. Of course, there's a lot more to it than just a few checks but by following this simple process you're less likely to select the wrong vehicle and buy a lemon.

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