If youâve spent more than five minutes scrolling Facebook Marketplace lately, you would have seen the chopped Nissan Patrols with âeasy fixâ engine issues, 80 Series Land Cruiserâs with more rust than rego, dreamers asking twenty-five grand for something that looks like itâs done two laps of the Canning on three cylinders, and blokes who reckon ânot regoâd but should pass no worriesâ is a convincing sales pitch.
And yet, here you are. Dead keen to get your hands on a used 4X4. Maybe youâre new to wheeling and not quite ready to fork out for a brand-new rig, or perhaps, you just want something you can make memories in, beach runs with the family, weekenders in the bush, or finally getting to the sort of campsites that donât come with boom gates and a check-in counter.
Whatever the reason, itâs a smart move, if you know what youâre doing. Done right, youâll end up with a solid rig thatâll carry you and your gear into the bush and back again. Done wrong, and youâll be $20K deep into someone elseâs unfinished project, wondering why the diffs scream, the snorkel sucks air from the glove box, and the dog wonât stop barking at it.
Fair warning: this isnât a guide on âhow to score a bargainâ, this is a guide on how to avoid buying a used lemon 4X4 thatâs done more water crossings than the Spirit of Tasmania.
Check Underneath
If you want to see how the 4X4 youâre looking at has lived, you need to get under it, and I donât mean just having a quick glance underneath, I mean getting on the ground with a torch and honing your inner archaeologist.
If the inside of the chassis rails are full of dried mud, thatâs a pretty good clue itâs spent time up to its guts in water... and hasnât been cleaned out since. That muck traps moisture and slowly eats the steel from the inside, you donât need to be an engineer to know that your chassis is the last place you want rust.
While you're down there, keep an eye out for big dents in the rails and bash plates. Wear and tear is normal, no one expects showroom condition on a touring rig, but if it looks like itâs tried to mate with a boulder at full speed, thatâs not just âa bit of character.â Thatâs warning signs of a hard life and possibly bent bones.
If the underside has been freshly painted or drowned in black underbody coating? Yeah, sometimes thatâs just a tidy-up. Other times, itâs a cover-up. Either way, itâs worth asking the question. Finally, look for wet patches around the underside of the motor and around key components such as the gearbox, transfer case and diffs which will be a tell tale sign of leaks.
oil leak from rear axle 4wd underbody check
Pop the Bonnet
Once youâve crawled out from underneath, pop the bonnet and take a proper look. Donât just check if thereâs an engine in there and call it a day, give it a once-over with as much attention to detail as youâd have if you were checking what beers the pub has on tap.
Start with the basics. Look at the oil, if itâs milky, creamy, or weirdly frothy, walk away. Thatâs coolant mixing with oil, which usually means a cracked head or a blown gasket. Same goes for the radiator or overflow bottle â if it smells like exhaust fumes, looks like a milkshake or the cooling system is over-pressurising that engineâs likely been cooked.
Next, eyeball the wiring. Some 4WD owners know their way around a soldering iron, others donât. If it looks like the 12V has been done with a mix of twist and tape-techniques and scotch-locks youâre most likely in for a world of electrical gremlins the first time you hit a corrugation.
Pay close attention to accessories like snorkels. A lot of people fit them for the look, not realising a badly sealed snorkel is basically a water funnel into the engine. If itâs covered in silicone blobs, crooked, or doesnât line up with the airbox properly, it couldâve already done its damage.
And donât forget to ask about the timing belt. If the seller gives you a blank stare or says âYeah, the bloke before me did it,â you might want to budget for a new one just in case.
under bonnet inspection
Take a Seat
The interiorâs where youâll start spotting the little things that reveal how a 4X4 has been treated.
If thereâs red dust in the air vents or tucked deep into the carpet, chances are the 4WD youâre looking at has done as many Outback KMâs as the RFDS. Dust like that doesnât just sneak in from a gravel driveway, itâs the kind that clings on after days in the desert, and it doesnât let go (ask me how I know).
Check the condition of the seats, the pedals, and the steering wheel. If itâs a âlow kilometreâ car with a steering wheel that looks like itâs been gnawed on by a dingo, something doesnât add up. Same goes if the carpet is damp, mouldy, or you spot signs of dodgy wiring under the dash. A neat interior might mean a careful owner. A rough one might mean this rigâs seen more abuse than a drop toilet.
While youâre there take a look at the log book and ensure itâs got a solid service history. Also, flick every switch. Lights, winch control, air con, electric windows, even the dodgy-looking eBay-special compressor switch jammed under the dash. If itâs there, it should work. If it doesnât, what else doesnât?
toyota hilux interior steering wheel
Take it for a Spin
This is where things either get exciting or scary. If the seller reckons it âhasnât been started in a whileâ or makes excuses about not being able to test drive it, just smile, nod, and donât waste another minute. A good rig speaks for itself the second it fires up.
This step is important. With yourself or someone else looking at the exhaust, start it cold and look for any puffs of smoke, in reality there should be none. If there is smoke, the colour and amount of it will start to tell you a story. Itâs also when youâll start to notice any lazy injectors, buggered glow plugs, or bearings that sound like someone shaking a toolbox full of bolts. Watch the dash, any lights that stay on after startup (like ABS or traction control) could mean issues.
Once youâre moving, feel for sloppy steering, brakes as vague as a teenager, or a gearbox that crunches like cornflakes. Once up to operating temperature, give it some beans, back off, and see if thereâs any hesitation, clunks, or odd noises.
And donât forget to test the 4WD system. That means locking the hubs (if itâs got them), selecting low range, and making sure everything engages properly. If the seller says âI havenât used that in ages,â take that as gospel, and assume it might not work at all.
toyota prado buying second hand driving test
Dodgy Dealers, Scams and When to Walk
Now, look, most sellers are decent enough. But there are some absolute artists out there trying to flog off rigs with more lies than a fishing story.
If the sellerâs cagey, vague, or reckons they donât have time for you to check it properly, walk away. If they âdonât have the rego papers right nowâ or say itâs registered in their mates name, thatâs a red flag flapping in a cyclone.
Cross-check the VIN (usually stamped on the bottom right of the windscreen) and engine number against the rego papers and make sure they match whatâs on the actual car. Youâd be amazed how many dodgy backyard sales fall over right there. And for the love of sanity, run a REVS or PPSR check. Thatâll tell you if the carâs stolen, written off, or still under finance. Nothing like buying a clean-looking Cruiser only to find out it still technically belongs to Westpac.
Scams are getting slicker, too. If the price is too good to be true, the seller is âoverseas but can ship the car,â or they push you to pay before youâve even sniffed the seat, itâs a scam. Every time. Also, donât actually sniff the seat.
The Nitty Gritty
Alright, so youâve found the one. Itâs clean, drives well, sounds healthy, and doesnât reek of lies or river crossings, congratulations. But before you start dreaming about red dirt and cold beers at camp, thereâs one last bit of admin: the paperwork.
Youâll need:
- A signed transfer of ownership form (varies by state)
- A roadworthy certificate (again, depends on your state â some require it, some donât for private sales)
- Rego papers with matching VIN, engine number, and address
- ID from the seller, and ideally, make sure the name matches the paperwork
If youâre transferring rego interstate or buying unregistered, make sure youâve got a temporary permit sorted to drive it home. Otherwise, you could be in for a fine before you even get the chance to air down the tyres.
buying a mazda bt-50 second hand
The Used 4X4 Buyers Checklist
Hereâs your last stop before signing anything and handing over your hard-earned. Run through this, and youâll be giving yourself the best chance at landing a decent rig.
Checklist:
- Looked underneath: no excess rust, no mud-filled chassis, no obvious damage
- Checked the engine bay: clean(ish), no milky fluids, no sketchy snorkel installs
- Interior tidy: no weird smells, no red flags in the dash or wiring
- Test drive done: cold start, no odd noises, 4WD works properly
- Verified rego, VIN, engine number, and PPSR status and vehicle history report
- Reviewed receipts, service history, and roadworthy (if required)
- Seller is legit, honest, and not pushing you to rush the deal
A solid second-hand 4X4 will take you to places most people only ever dream of and with the right checks, it wonât leave you stranded halfway up a track with a detonated diff and an empty wallet.
Take your time. Trust your gut. And remember, if it looks like itâs done the Simmo more times than the school run⌠it probably has. If you donât reckon you have the technological know-how, organise a pre-purchase inspection performed by a trusted mechanic.
And when it's time for insurance
Club 4X4 offers comprehensive cover for 4WDs, caravans and camper trailers.
