I have been in the market for several months now searching for a suitable vehicle - my initial criteria being:
Occasional daily for smaller odds / paint materials but also the odd sizable vehicle panel / bonnets / wings + general classic / retro parts hauler
Must be able to tow a decent sized twin axle tilt bed car trailer - loaded at a reasonable speed and have reasonable stopping power etc
Needs to be presentable & reliable for business use
Now I have all the equipment & experience to purchase a project / damaged vehicle and repair it - but I just don't have the time so it needs to be up & together -on the road & fit for purpose - minor issues or a vehicle that I can add value to during my ownership are not a problem but I cant have something that just adds weeks of work to an already heavily committed workshop diary
So first off I explored the 4 x 4 pickup market:
New Purchase £25k = Too expensive / out of budget
New Leased = The 'Yorkshireness' in me forbids the throwing of money at something that I will never own
Used £10k + might get you something reasonably tidy but high mileage = The 'Yorkshireness' in me deems it 'LVFM' - little value for money
Used sub £10k - gets you a 10 - 15 year old raggy ar*ed 4 x 4 pickup of a questionable quantity & quality that's been to the moon & back = The 'Yorkshireness' in me deems it 'NVFM' - No value for money
Result = 4 x 4 pickup market dismissed
Vans - Had a number of vans over the years and some nice ones too - don't really want another
Result = Van market dismissed
Estates - Would have to be a big estate + 4 x 4 - considered but dismissed they all seam to have mega mileages on them and are in strong demand by the larger families who want towing ability for caravans
Result = Estate market dismissed
Next on the list is the general 4 x 4 in the UK market but would have to be a decent size in order to fit panels in the rear etc
New - Forget it way over budget
Used - £10k will purchase a nice looking 10 year old + LR Discovery or Range Rover or similar from the various different manufactures but all mega mileages and the Yorkshireness rule will not allow me to part with £10k or less than that for something with 150k miles on the clock
Result = UK 4 x 4 market dismissed
Alternative market - Look for something on the brink / CUSP of retro / classicness (fits straight in at home with the business) in a unusual place ?
So eventually we arrive at this 'The Beast from the Far East'
Ex Japanese Domestic Market 2000 Range Rover 4.0 V8 petrol auto - 1 owner from new, fully documented service history (although I can't read Japanese) straight, clean, looked after, rust free & 89,000km from new - that equates to just 55,000 miles from new - a few quite minor cosmetic issues which are to be expected on a 18 year old motor - not quite has posh has Georgeb's 4.6 HSE but posh enough for me - plenty of growl & go - drives nice & critically came in at sensible money
RESULT !
More pics / updates later
Occasional daily for smaller odds / paint materials but also the odd sizable vehicle panel / bonnets / wings + general classic / retro parts hauler
Must be able to tow a decent sized twin axle tilt bed car trailer - loaded at a reasonable speed and have reasonable stopping power etc
Needs to be presentable & reliable for business use
Now I have all the equipment & experience to purchase a project / damaged vehicle and repair it - but I just don't have the time so it needs to be up & together -on the road & fit for purpose - minor issues or a vehicle that I can add value to during my ownership are not a problem but I cant have something that just adds weeks of work to an already heavily committed workshop diary
So first off I explored the 4 x 4 pickup market:
New Purchase £25k = Too expensive / out of budget
New Leased = The 'Yorkshireness' in me forbids the throwing of money at something that I will never own
Used £10k + might get you something reasonably tidy but high mileage = The 'Yorkshireness' in me deems it 'LVFM' - little value for money
Used sub £10k - gets you a 10 - 15 year old raggy ar*ed 4 x 4 pickup of a questionable quantity & quality that's been to the moon & back = The 'Yorkshireness' in me deems it 'NVFM' - No value for money
Result = 4 x 4 pickup market dismissed
Vans - Had a number of vans over the years and some nice ones too - don't really want another
Result = Van market dismissed
Estates - Would have to be a big estate + 4 x 4 - considered but dismissed they all seam to have mega mileages on them and are in strong demand by the larger families who want towing ability for caravans
Result = Estate market dismissed
Next on the list is the general 4 x 4 in the UK market but would have to be a decent size in order to fit panels in the rear etc
New - Forget it way over budget
Used - £10k will purchase a nice looking 10 year old + LR Discovery or Range Rover or similar from the various different manufactures but all mega mileages and the Yorkshireness rule will not allow me to part with £10k or less than that for something with 150k miles on the clock
Result = UK 4 x 4 market dismissed
Alternative market - Look for something on the brink / CUSP of retro / classicness (fits straight in at home with the business) in a unusual place ?
So eventually we arrive at this 'The Beast from the Far East'
Ex Japanese Domestic Market 2000 Range Rover 4.0 V8 petrol auto - 1 owner from new, fully documented service history (although I can't read Japanese) straight, clean, looked after, rust free & 89,000km from new - that equates to just 55,000 miles from new - a few quite minor cosmetic issues which are to be expected on a 18 year old motor - not quite has posh has Georgeb's 4.6 HSE but posh enough for me - plenty of growl & go - drives nice & critically came in at sensible money
RESULT !
More pics / updates later
