7 Diesel Utes That'll Run Forever in Australia (And 5 That'll BANKRUPT You)

7 Diesel Utes That'll Run Forever in Australia (And 5 That'll BANKRUPT You) A $9,000 repair bill on a 60,000km diesel ute — while three bays over, a 400,000km ute was in for a set of glow plugs. With a diesel ute, the price and the kilometres tell you almost nothing. The engine code is the whole game. So here are the 5 diesel utes I'd buy with my own money second-hand — and the 5 I'd walk away from no matter how well they've been serviced. I'm Greg. I'm fifty-three. And I've got nothing to sell you — no dealer, no sponsor, no badge I'm loyal to. Just what I see come through the workshop doors. How I ranked them: real-world longevity and cost of ownership — simplicity, how hard the engine works for its capacity, parts and serviceability, and what actually walks into a workshop. The engines in the back half can be fine when they're well looked after; this is what the trade is seeing, scoped to specific engines and years, framed as my honest opinion — not a verdict on any one vehicle you own.