Approach Angle 17.4 - A Nirvana of Used 4x4’s
By Budd Stanley
I’m on the move once again. From the blistering hot continent of Australia, I’ve now repositioned myself quite nicely on the South Island of New Zealand. Ah New Zealand, how I love the land of the long white cloud. It reminds me so much of Vancouver Island where I grew up.
Both islands on the opposite sides of the Pacific exude the same natural character and sense of isolation from big city living. Towering rain forest blanketed mountains giving way to rugged ocean coastlines are a common characteristic of each island. The only difference is that the Douglas Firs and Cedars of Vancouver Island are represented here with the Silver Fern and Eucalyptus trees, and the mountains like to pop their tops every now and then.
One of the best things about New Zealand, or most painful things, depending how you look at it, is the sheer plethora of unique vehicles you see down here. And I’m not just talking 4WD’s, it seems like just about every car ever built can be seen on the street at any given time. Nearly every American, Japanese, European and Australian brand (even some Chinese and Indian brand as well) is represented, and Kiwi’s have no issue getting them out onto the road no mater how old they are. I pass 1920’s Model T’s, 50’s Land Rovers, 60’s Healey’s, 70’s Holden’s and 80’s Peugeot’s every day.
The painful part is the large numbers of really cool 4WD’s they have to choose from that don’t come to Canada anymore. I like to describe New Zealand as being much like Canada back in the 70’s, and that relates to the 4WD choices as well. Remember when Toyota, Nissan, International, Ford, Land Rover and the like made proper 4WD’s. Well they still do down here, and in many cases, it’s still the same vehicle they sold 30-years ago. There are several versions of the 70-series Land Cruiser, Land Rover Defender and Mercedes G-Wagon (the real G-Wagon, not the Gold Digger/Pimp mobiles in Canada) offered as 2015 model years that haven’t changed in several decades… other than some more efficient and powerful powertrain changes.
As I study the classifieds looking for a cheap 4WD to purchase and explore as much of this country while I’m here, I’m spoiled for choice. Toyota Landcruisers, Hilux’s, Mitsubishi Pajero’s, L200’s, Delica’s, Nissan Patrols, Daihatsu Rocky’s, Isuzu Dmax’s and Troopers, Ford Rangers, Holden Colorado’s, Suzuki Jimny’s… and Land Rovers, Land Rovers are like a bloody virus down here. They are everywhere.
The trails are every bit as spectacular as Canada, only with the exotic flare of being in an unfamiliar and far away land. But the best part of all, when you are a foreigner in their land and want to explore the mountains with a 4WD, the locals are more than happy to hand over the keys to their Suzuki Jimny or Toyota Hilux to someone they’ve only just met. One could easily grow to love this place.
In the words of the great Burt Munro, “If you don't go when you want to go, when you do go, you'll find you've gone.”