4X4 Australia D-MAX: Total cost

There’s no denying it, building a four-wheel drive into a capable off-road tourer takes time, money and skill.

Sure, you don’t need to have all the latest and greatest gadgets, and you can compromise on cheaper gear if it works for your needs, but here at 4X4 Australia we need our vehicles to be reliable and simple to use. Only the best gear gets fitted to our 4WDs, as we rely on them daily to produce content for the magazine and website.

As such, we decided it was time to sit down and calculate how much the parts fitted to the D-MAX added up to, and give you a closer look at the final tally. The aim here is to give you the information required to help with your own 4WD build, so you can better make choices on the gear you actually need for the trips you want to do.

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Now, these prices don’t take into account fitting, as we are in the fortunate position of being able to install most of the equipment ourselves, and being able to borrow workshop space from mates in exchange for beer and food (the system works). This just gets the conversation started on just how much 4WD accessories cost for a modern four-wheel drive like our 2020 Isuzu D-MAX.

Club 4x4 insurance policy

We insured the Isuzu D-MAX with Club 4X4 Insurance for a few very important reasons. Firstly, it specialises in four-wheel drive insurance, and understands what we do with the vehicle.

We are covered anywhere you are legally allowed to take your 4x4 in Australia, including 4x4 beaches, 4x4 tracks and private property, which is a really important point to note.

Secondly, with its policy we are covered for $1500 worth of off-road recovery should we need to be rescued from a sticky situation.

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Thirdly, there were provisions in the policy to cover up to $2000 worth of personal effects, which cover items such as our MaxTrax recovery gear and the Companion fridge in the back of the D-MAX. We rely on our vehicle for work, so protecting the investment we’ve put into the D-MAX with Club 4X4 really was a no-brainer.

This is really a reminder, that if you have accessorised your four-wheel drive, and put money into it, you really should contact your insurance provider to make sure these expensive additions are covered in your policy.

Here are some nuts and bolts to see what just how little the price difference is with our insurance policy with Club 4X4 covering the stock 2020 Isuzu D-MAX, versus what it would cost to cover our vehicle with all the extra fruit we’ve put on it:

Stock D-MAX

Vehicle Agreed Value: $53,970

Annual Club 4X4 Insurance Policy: $1801.28 (net of statutory charges) with $850 excess

Modified D-MAX

Vehicle Agreed Value: $53,970 + $24,967 in modifications

Annual Club 4X4 Insurance Policy: $2393.37 (net of statutory charges) with an $850 excess

Complete coverage

So, for an extra $592.09 a year, we have fully covered our D-MAX which, if I’m completely honest, is an absolute bargain. I wasn’t expecting the policy increase to be so little, considering how much more we are covering.

If you are good at quick maths, you might have noticed the amount covered is slightly lower than what we’ve spent, and it makes complete sense, it comes down to a few simple things.

Firstly, tyres aren’t covered under this policy, which is absolutely fair enough as they are a consumable item. Next, items such as our Companion fridge and MaxTrax recovery gear are covered under the $2000 Personal Effects provision. So, these items are still protected, and Australia wide too.

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There is also the option of tailoring the policy further if we are carrying expensive camera equipment or would like more coverage for off-road recoveries.

For example, if we wanted to add additional off-road recovery, it would cost $323.98 per year extra for $15,000 of coverage or $471.39 for up to $30,000 of coverage. That’s excellent peace of mind, especially if you have a big trip on the horizon.

We also have the option of increasing our Personal Effects Cover from $2000 up to $5000 for just $235.62, which is more than enough to protect my camera gear, as well as our fridge and other camping equipment. If we needed to stretch that to $10,000, the increase would be $412.34 per year, which I feel is very reasonable.

I must mention how professional the Club 4X4 staff were to deal with for someone who isn’t savvy when it comes to reading a PDS

Other options to consider include additional vehicle hire cover if the D-MAX can’t be driven due to damage arising from an insured event (see, I have been reading the PDS), which for up to $90 a day for 14 days is $111.92 per year, or for $180 a day for 14 days is just $176.83 per year.

Roadside Plus roadside assistance is also available for $144.95 a year, as well as excess-free windscreen or window glass cover ($1000 limit and you can only claim once per policy period) is just $59.81 a year.

It certainly goes to show that you can really make the policy what you need, rather than a ‘one size fits all’ approach. Keeping in mind these prices might be different for you, and have been provided to me given my age (I’ll never tell) and driving history.

Coverage includes

• Off-road recovery up to $1500 (as mentioned, which goes towards the cost of recovering the D-MAX and we can increase this figure)

• Australia-wide coverage for our touring gear up to $2000 (our fridge and recovery gear fall under this category – again, this figure can be easily increased for a small cost)

• We’re covered Australia wide, so anywhere we are allowed to drive we are protected

• All of our accessories (except tyres as mentioned) and mods as disclosed by us are covered

• Discounts for multiple policies – perfect timing as we are building up our next 4WD.

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Basically, if you have recently invested money in modifications on your four-wheel drive, you would be mad to not get on the phone to your insurer, and have a discussion regarding adding them to your policy. I’m sure glad I picked up the phone and gave the team at Club 4X4 a call.

It was seriously painless to do, and I must also mention how professional the Club 4X4 staff were to deal with for someone who isn’t (how do we say) savvy when it comes to reading a PDS or knowing what an excess is.

If you are considering taking out a new insurance policy, give the team at Club 4X4 a call for a quote or check out its website for more information.

Club 4x4 contact information

Phone: 1300 296 296
Website: www.club4x4.com.au

Club 4X4 Pty Ltd (Club 4X4), AR 1235616 of Lifestyle Insurance Group Pty Ltd (Lifestyle) AFSL 246937, distributes this insurance as an agent of The Hollard Insurance Company Pty Ltd AFSL 241436 (Hollard), the product issuer. Hollard pays Lifestyle a commission on sold policies which is a percentage of your premium. Any advice provided is general only and does not take in to account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider the PDS and TMD available to decide if the product is right for you. T&Cs, limits, exclusions and excesses apply.