Hello I’m new to the forum and looking for some advise on my first Land Cruiser purchase. I’m a news photographer based in Nairobi, Kenya where I’ve been living for the past 5 years. My current vehicle is a SWB 2001 Land Rover Defender TD5 (diesel) that overall has been a great machine.
My fiancée is moving here in a few months from the States so its time for a second vehicle, and one that has air bags. This also serves as my excuse to finally buy a Land Rover 70 series.
I’ve spent plenty of time as passenger in these over the years working in Africa and the Middle East so I know the truck pretty well. Now that I’m going to be spending a lot of my own hard earned cash on one I want to make sure I make the right choice on the engine.
I’m sure this has been discussed here before but my dilemma is deciding between the 4.0L (1GR-FE) gas engine and the 4.2L (1HZ) diesel.
The roads in and around the city are slow so I don’t really need the extra HP of the gasser. Lots of traffic, old slow moving buses, potholes, speed bumps and human traffic make moving around a relatively slow-moving process. Outside town on the open roads I’m generally cruising at max 100km/hr.
I take my truck off-road regularly upcountry. Terrain can be technical but slow, ranging from dry, rocky and steep to deep mud with standing water in the rainy season.
I’m looking into importing a late model wagon from Japan. Kenyan law states that no vehicle older than 8-years can be imported so will have to be a 2009-2016. I asked the Toyota dealership here what it would cost to buy new and the duty and tax (add almost 70%) brings the diesel to a staggering $93 thousand usd. That’s for a stock bare bones truck.
Another factor weighing my decision here is resale. If I have to move someday then diesel is king in Africa and fetches a premium. I can buy used here in country but it’s hard to know what I’m getting. Most of these have been used by NGOs and been thrashed by a host of different drivers. Parts (and engines) are clandestinely replaced, odometers altered etc.
So that’s my story. Gas or diesel? Thank you for your help!
My fiancée is moving here in a few months from the States so its time for a second vehicle, and one that has air bags. This also serves as my excuse to finally buy a Land Rover 70 series.
I’ve spent plenty of time as passenger in these over the years working in Africa and the Middle East so I know the truck pretty well. Now that I’m going to be spending a lot of my own hard earned cash on one I want to make sure I make the right choice on the engine.
I’m sure this has been discussed here before but my dilemma is deciding between the 4.0L (1GR-FE) gas engine and the 4.2L (1HZ) diesel.
The roads in and around the city are slow so I don’t really need the extra HP of the gasser. Lots of traffic, old slow moving buses, potholes, speed bumps and human traffic make moving around a relatively slow-moving process. Outside town on the open roads I’m generally cruising at max 100km/hr.
I take my truck off-road regularly upcountry. Terrain can be technical but slow, ranging from dry, rocky and steep to deep mud with standing water in the rainy season.
I’m looking into importing a late model wagon from Japan. Kenyan law states that no vehicle older than 8-years can be imported so will have to be a 2009-2016. I asked the Toyota dealership here what it would cost to buy new and the duty and tax (add almost 70%) brings the diesel to a staggering $93 thousand usd. That’s for a stock bare bones truck.
Another factor weighing my decision here is resale. If I have to move someday then diesel is king in Africa and fetches a premium. I can buy used here in country but it’s hard to know what I’m getting. Most of these have been used by NGOs and been thrashed by a host of different drivers. Parts (and engines) are clandestinely replaced, odometers altered etc.
So that’s my story. Gas or diesel? Thank you for your help!
