cruiser or brumby

Brumby-Boy · Post by **Brumby-Boy** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 8:09 pm

So i have been looking into a 4wd and i had my mind set on a carby 60 series land-cruiser sahara(luxury model with all the fruit) and my uncle told me i should get a brumby with a 2 inch lift and a electronically injected turbo engine over the carby. i am unsure of what engine he suggested but what do you guys think.

thunder039 · Post by **thunder039** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 8:11 pm

all depends on what you want to do with the 4by.
if tough and durability is your game then they don't come much tougher than a 60 series.
BUT for the occasional 4by and a more comfy ride go the brumby

my 2c

Rodeo4jake · Post by **Rodeo4jake** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 8:48 pm

Both your possible choices are great cars in there own right. Purchase prices for a good example would be around the same. The main difference you need to consider is the cost of keeping a cruiser on the road, compared with a Brumby. To give you an idea, a2nd hand Cruiser gearbox runs at around $1500 & a Brumby box can be had as cheap as $50. This runs along the same lines with everything on the car really. Good 14" tyre for Brumby is $100, good 31x15" tyre for Cruiser $200+. I know what I'm talking about cos I've owned both these cars, I still have a Cruiser now.
Hope this gives you something to think about & helps with your decision. You can't go wrong with either one just depends what you want to do. With good skills on the wheel the Brumby will just about go everywhere the Cruiser will,just with a bit more care.

Cheere Jake

60766244 · Post by **60766244** » Mon Apr 22, 2013 10:29 pm

After driving both I can't really think of two more different proper 4x4's.

60's are all about lots of power and huge footprint. They'll do everything methodically and slowly. But parts and fueling them is expensive.

Brumby's are about light footprints and agility. You can do most things provided you have one set up right, and they're cheap to run.

Like an Elephant vs a Goat.

After driving two of them (one very modified 60 - 6" Lift, massive tyres, full compliment of lockers and my bog standard, soon to be modded brumby, I can say I'd take the 60 if I was 4x4ing in hardcore places EVERY weekend. Since I don't, my brumby is ideal.

Driving a 60 in traffic is messy, though it has a sense of lording satisfaction.

Take whichever one makes you smile the most!

T.Farm.Brumby · Post by **T.Farm.Brumby** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 8:40 am

60766244 wrote:After driving both I can't really think of two more different proper 4x4's.

60's are all about lots of power and huge footprint. They'll do everything methodically and slowly. But parts and fueling them is expensive.

Brumby's are about light footprints and agility. You can do most things provided you have one set up right, and they're cheap to run.

Like an Elephant vs a Goat.

After driving two of them (one very modified 60 - 6" Lift, massive tyres, full compliment of lockers and my bog standard, soon to be modded brumby, I can say I'd take the 60 if I was 4x4ing in hardcore places EVERY weekend. Since I don't, my brumby is ideal.

Driving a 60 in traffic is messy, though it has a sense of lording satisfaction.

Take whichever one makes you smile the most!

+1 to every bit of this.

I've never had a car as cheap to run and maintain as my Brumby, and never had a car as expensive to run and maintain as our 80 Series (not a 60, but the principle's the same).

Neither car has ever not made it through something/somewhere, but the Cruiser definitely did it easier. Any rough 4x4'ing and the Toyota will definitely stand out, but if you get a good set of off-road tyres and a decent lift under it, the Brumby will go just about anywhere the Cruiser will, especially with an EJ20T.

The "lording satisfaction" (couldn't describe it better myself) is definitely there in a Cruiser though. All you basically ever feel is "no one is going to do anything in any way, shape or form to intentionally piss me off"

EDIT: My Brumby is not set up for full-blown off-roading I know, but I have driven a 3" lifted, EJ22'ed Brumby and it went better than my current RX. Amazing little trucks.

steptoe · Post by **steptoe** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 9:04 am

To sum up a Brumby in one word - versatile

Brumby Kid · Post by **Brumby Kid** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 10:00 am

Those 2H engines in the cruisers are hard to kill. Get a diesel!!!!
Personally I would get a 75 series.
The thing with a cruiser is that when something goes wrong, it's not broken, you can bodge it together and it will last ages before any real action needs to be done.
I hope your aware of the dodgy gearbox problems. Syncros, clutch, and 5th gear?
5th gear slipping out is fixed by keeping the engine under load, as soon as you lift your foot out she comes. It's caused by towing lots in 5th when young.

Big heavy go any where, car that you can treat bad.
Or the cheaper versatile agile brumby.

Cheers Cam

YouTube · Post by **El_Freddo** » Tue Apr 23, 2013 5:44 pm

If I were looking at a 60 series I'd only be shopping for a diesel, unless you're going to do a conversion.

If you don't need a third seat the brumby is pretty good, but really it's as others above have already said

Cheers

Bennie

B00sting · Post by **B00sting** » Thu Apr 25, 2013 2:31 pm

I would get a newer cruiser.
My plan was body lift, 4" strut lift, ej25 and dual range manual. with that combo the brumby would be great offroad. but if you want lockers, the ability to fit 38" tyres blah blah, then the brumby pales by comparison.

you can't beat a cruiser.

vincentvega · Post by **vincentvega** » Sat Apr 27, 2013 8:11 am

B00sting wrote:
you can't beat a cruiser.

Well actually you can, depending on what you are using it for.

Horses for courses. I would take my lib any day now over a cruiser, for what I use it for.

Dont get stuck thinking you need a 4" lift to go offroad either. The most capable brumby I know of has only a 2" lift and stock suspension. It has a lot to do with the driver too.

B00sting · Post by **B00sting** » Sat Apr 27, 2013 11:47 am

vincentvega wrote:Well actually you can, depending on what you are using it for.

Horses for courses. I would take my lib any day now over a cruiser, for what I use it for.

Dont get stuck thinking you need a 4" lift to go offroad either. The most capable brumby I know of has only a 2" lift and stock suspension. It has a lot to do with the driver too.

Yeah mate I realise that, but having driven my personal brumby offroad (I have 4wd training/recovery) and the work landcruisers I think cruisers are much better for serious offroad work. Don't get me wrong the brumby goes places but for serious work I prefer the cruiser. The engine is amazing (4.5L V8 diesel) you can idle up most things lol.

To make a brumby anywhere near competitive with a new cruiser is just rediculous.

thunder039 · Post by **thunder039** » Sat Apr 27, 2013 1:29 pm

i have to agree with boostings. for long term use off road the strength, reliability and performance will out perform the brumby

d_generate · Post by **d_generate** » Sat Apr 27, 2013 6:33 pm

Sahara on gas any day of the week = 7 seater, lockers built in, fridge in console, very comfortable, you can sleep in it if you need to, tow anything and it's pretty much indestructible, I had 2 gas tanks in my old 60 and it wasn't that much more than the average 4cyl car to run.

Brumby = 2 seater, great economical fun, can't sleep in it, can probably carry as much crap as a cruiser but then you weigh it down, can't really tow much with it.

If I was going to buy another off road car I'd give serious thought to a Jeep Cherokee as the aftermarket supply is pretty good and they aren't any bigger than an old Liberty, also cheap as chips to buy.