Best Second-Hand Cars for off- Roading

Best Second-Hand Cars for off- Roading

Want to go on an adventure and experience the thrill of being out in the open and taking your vehicle to the limits? Well, we have the perfect solution for you on a budget, through this blog we will elucidate about some of the most brilliant used or second-hand  4x4 vehicles that you can choose for your adventure thrills on a budget. While we have tried to find some of the cheapest vehicles, but 4X4 vehicles can still be pretty expensive, if you just want to try them but do not want to opt for an investment we would recommend that you opt for 4X4 car rentals. That would be an easier way to try 4x4 vehicles without shelling out any major expenses. 

The Older 1st Generation Mahindra Thar

Before the Thar got its due update in 2020 there existed a vehicle that was purpose-built for off-roading, the Thar then had very spartan interiors and was powered by a 2.5 litre CRDI diesel engine that produced about 63 Horsepower and 182nm of torque. The vehicle was a legend in the community, and you can most probably get them for cheap now. However, finding one would be a difficult task as you would have to aim for a much later period model, as most of them have been discarded due to the 10-year rule by the Government.  You would be able to get these older models for around 5 to 8 lakhs. If you live in an area where you require a vehicle that can easily tackle bad roads with ease. The car was available in two models back then the DI 2WD and the Di 4WD since we are opting for an offroad vehicle, we aim for the 4WD version. if you can increase your budget you can also look at early 2020 after-facelift models that would offer you the same utility with better suspension and amenities. 

Known Issues You Should Check while Buying a Used 1st Generation Thar

Soft Top: if you are choosing a Thar with a soft top, do examine the soft top deliberately and also try to get it changed as the other ones might leak under rain and cause further damage.  

Ensure that the 4x4 engages.

Drive the vehicle after engaging the 4X4 apparatus, using the high-ratio gears as well as the low ones, and ensure that the transmission does not make any weird noises or sounds while doing so. If you hear rattling or any other sound, leave the vehicle.

Suspension

The older generation Thar came with a basic spring leaf setup in the rear. These are easy to fix, but do check the vehicle's front tires as well. If the vehicle has been run on tyres and rims that are different from what the manufacturer recommends, the front suspension geometry can be faulty; hence, we would recommend that you get that rectified before buying the vehicle.

Check Engine Noises

This is a check for any vehicle that you opt to buy on the list.

Check the radiator cap for any milky residue, and keep a hand on the Engine oil filler cap after taking off the cap; if you feel any back pressure, walk away, as it’s a sign of worn piston rings and a blown head gasket. But these issues require the engine head to be rectified, which can be pretty expensive. Also check the smoke that the vehicle emits while under load, if the smoke is white or blue that is a sign of engine combusting coolant, walk away from such vehicles as well.

Further  

Renault Duster 4x4 110 RXS ( 2019-2020)

This guise of the Renault Duster was also powered by the 4-cylinder DOHC 1461cc Diesel engine that produced about 108 bhp @4000 rpm. The special thing was that it produced a torque figure of about 245 nm @ 1750 rpm. Further, the engine was turbocharged as well so in the power band, the car could easily ride through bad roads.  The car when it came out was priced around at 11,02,000 so its possible that if you were to find one in good condition you can probably manage to get one at around 6 to 7 lakhs. Or maybe around 8 lakhs if the car has had really low miles.

Things to pay attention towards while buying a used Renault Duster

While researching for the topic we read a review from a user who wrote about how the EGR valve needs cleaning after a while, but that’s a common issue with Diesel cars. So if you were to buy one try and check if the car is accelerating normally or not. If not its probably due to the EGR valve.

Injectors

The reviewer also shared an incident of his own where his injectors gave up due to inferior-quality diesel. He reported that the replacement costed him somewhere about 25,000, so do check the performance of a vehicle in detail before buying a vehicle

Isuzu D-max V-Cross

If you were to get this vehicle in good shape, all your off-roading pursuits would be fulfilled with ease.  You would have to go for the preface lift variant if you are on a tight budget. Or you can also get a newer model for much lesser than the new one. The vehicle was powered by a 2499cc Diesel engine, which churned out about 134 bhp. The pre-facelift variant came in a few trim levels: the base model, standard, and high model, which had all the amenities. While looking for a second-hand car, we recommend that you opt for the high model as it would provide you with the

 best features and amenities.  You would have to budget around 10 to 14 lakhs to get any of the vehicles that are still present and are in to operational condition.

Things to Take Care of

EGR Valves as well as the injectors need a cleaning if the car has been driven extensively, this isn’t a common issue with Dmax, it’s a problem that arises in most CRDI Diesel engines.

Older Toyota Fortuner

If you are looking for a Toyota Fortuner, we recommend that you opt for a car from the 2016 -2021 period. These would be much less costly than a relatively new generation used one and provide you with enough permissible years of use in Delhi NCR. Find a vehicle that is fit for years worth of adventures you have planned. Since the engine is a turbocharged engine, you would have to check that the EGR valve is not clogged and that the vehicle has been serviced regularly, as turbocharged engines are much more complex and require more maintenance than a normally aspirated engine. This generation Toyota Fortuner is powered by a 2755cc DOHC Turbo Charged inline 4-cylinder engine which produces about 174 bhp @3400 Rpm and a max torque figure of about 450nm @ 1600 rpm.

While selecting the vehicle, make sure that you take it to a genuine mechanic and ask him to check it and inspect all its parts and areas that generally take a lot of wear and tear, such as the suspension, if you live outside of Deli NCR and want a vehicle that can easily be ridden and driven over harsh roads. Apart from these checks users have mentioned that over time older vehicles might lose their power which is generally due to a clogged EGR valve, getting the EGR valve cleaned before buying the vehicle. checking the service history is always a good move, you can even ask Toyota to report the service history of the vehicle through the registration and chassis no.

Ford Endeavour

This one would be a little tricky to find, but if you were to try your best, you might be able to find one still operational and ready to off-road. The last generation of Ford Endeavour was brought into production in the year 2009- and discontinued in 2021. To be able to enjoy the vehicle for longer we recommend that you opt for a vehicle registered in 2018 or 2019. These would be better at giving you the freedom, to drive the vehicle longer. You can opt for the titanium model with the 2.2-litre engine, or if you are able to find one with a 3.2-litre 4x4 Auto, that would be the best as that was the top-of-the-line variant at that time. If you are on a tighter budget, you can also look for a 2.2-litre engine variant with 4x4 capabilities.  

Things to look at while buying an Old Ford Endevaour 

Delamination of Wheel Lug Nuts 

The lug nuts used by Ford have a metal core and a shiny chrome covering that often swells and bubbles due to corrosion or the regular use of pneumatic wrenches while the vehicle is being maintained. If you are buying any old Ford car do pay attention towards the issue and ensure that if the lug nuts have swelled up you get them changed before buying the vehicle. As per a user, the core of the lug nut is of metal and further, the outer covering is chrome. The chrome being exposed to water and sunlight often bubbles up. so do check these before buying. 

Sunroof

Over time the servos that power the sunroof lose their capability and power, before buying the vehicle do take due care and diligence and examine the sunroof. if the sunroof is slow get the motors as well as the battery checked. the problem most of the time would either be an old battery or an older servo motor. If the previous owner allows, check the seal of the sunroof by spilling water over it, it's an important task as a leaking sunroof can cause interior damage as well as electrical failure in the cabin. 

All the options we have given have been chosen after due deliberation, and you can easily consider them for your budget offroader.