Your advice for low-budjet 4X4

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Your advice for low-budjet 4X4

Postby abukhalid70 on Wed May 12, 2010 5:37 pm

Salam Aleykum for all forum participants.
I need your expert advice or at least opinion about some 4x4 cars.
My budjet about 50-55000 aed. My aim is SUV car about 5 years age for preferable use in city.
I have in my brain following models:
1. Ford Explorer 2005-2006 models.
2. Nissan Pathfinder 4.0 SE or LE 2005-2006 models.
3. Mitsubishi Pajero 3.8 2006 model.
Each of these brands have own " + and -". I am family-man with 2 boys and like to drive comfortable car, soft in driving, cool inside and with excellent AC cooling system since weather here in Saudi Arabia like as in UAE forcing to search powerful AC car. Why 4x4 - u can say take a nice sedan- that is all-because I have experience with sedans and I consider that better to have more strong and powerful auto that can take you
in desert also without any problems.
Please make your suggestions about above mentioned models and your opinion and advice higly appreciated and needed.
With respect and best regards to all.
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Re: Your advice for low-budjet 4X4

Postby root on Thu May 13, 2010 8:55 am

The Saudi market is slightly different from the UAE. There are a lot more American cars there than here.

Given that you are going to look at a 5 year old SUV, you have to be careful whatever you buy that it does not have any hidden big problems. A transmission replacement can cost you 10-15k, hence denting your budget.

From reliability perspective I would not recommend the Ford Explorer. I've seen so many issues pop-up with the Ford SUV range once the warranty period is over, as if they have timed the life-time of parts to coincide with the warranty period. In Saudi however due to abundance of US SUVs, repair and parts would be easier than here.

So, from reliability perspective, I would suggest to go with a Toyota SUV like a Fortuner or Prado if you can get in price range. The Pathfinder last generation was and still is very popular, but not sure you will find that many clean, well-kept ones. The Pajero is a good bet as well, but probably not as smooth to ride for city driving.

One more option is to buy something rather new and within warranty period from the Korean SUV makers like Hyundai and Kia. Their vehicles are not that bad for the money you will pay, and have a lot of interior luxury options.
Come and discuss at the most lively forums about Cars, Bikes, 4x4s...at http://www.autodealer.ae at the Autodealer UAE Forums.
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Re: Your advice for low-budjet 4X4

Postby azi malik on Thu May 13, 2010 11:56 am

hmmm.... the buying a new one option is better... the notorious kia with the stigma that its warranty is the factor that customers go for it... otherwise it is pathetic... Hyundai is a really good option.... to be able to compete with bigger brands like Toyota GMC Ford etc... Hyundai gives more options in less price....
But... if u still want to go with the older ones... i think you should go for a Toyota or Mitsubishi :D
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Re: Your advice for low-budjet 4X4

Postby fadi khan on Thu May 13, 2010 2:03 pm

Go for american brand... that would give u the performance and luxury that Japanese car makers dont
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Re: Your advice for low-budjet 4X4

Postby abukhalid70 on Fri May 14, 2010 8:29 pm

Thanks for all forumers.
Actually Ford Explorer is preferable for me due to brutal exterier, good engine and accepatble interier (particularly post 2005 edition). Only 1 and very imporatant exception- transmission...So much I heard about this demanding car part problem in Americans, especially in Ford brands.So this force me to think before...
About Nissan Pathfinder I didn't have negative datas, I mean - engine 4.0L is more than enough for acceleration, transmission is no complains, interier - some bad opinions about plastic inside that is noisyand finally lot of complains about body paint - particularly in models made in Spain (I dont know Path presented in Gulf markets made in Spain or...). But generally appearance and durability is excelent for me at least.
Pajero is not so widely spread in KSA, relatively. But Pajero as Nissan Patrol and Toyota LC can be accepted as full off road 4x4 vehicle. Only I read some notes about sluggish acceleration and loud engine sound independent from volume - 3.0 or 3.8l. Otherwise, ecxellent transmission, body,interier as well as nice exterier.
At last, realy we can relay for Korean cars quality as for Japanese or Americans. I think no. Yes they are improve so much but still their longlife about 5 years maximum- sorry may be I am wrong. And in case of accident , if you can repare your Ford or Mitsubishi , but Korean will go to garbage sure.
Wich model of Hyundai or Kia did u mean could compete with abovementioned cars?
What about Fortuner- is it really can compete with generally accepted 4x4 drives?
Thanks for all posts.
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