Thread: The new truck (Hilux Surf)

Hey guys,
I've been in the market for a 4x4 for a while. The Toyota's were what I was after but the prices were so high. All the trucks I've been looking at lately were shitters.
Today I finally found a decent truck. I got a 3.0L Diesel, 7 seater Silux Surf (96, the facelift model) and it's only done 160k's.

I won't have to keep borrowing the old mans datsun or my mates patrol.

I've got a set of mud tires and rims ready to go for my next hunting trip.

Chuck a pic up when you get a chance!

Nice looking set of wheels Rimfire.. Plenty of room in the back for all of the necessities

Nice one.

All you need are a set of drawers in the back and a new set of rear shocks.

I'm really surprised with the power. The thing is actually pretty quick.

I've been driving terrano's, mistrals, safaris and surfs and the 3.0L turbo in the surf is far better than the turbo 2.7 (even the intercooled one) in the terrano/mistral and the 4.2 in the safari.

Plus it's so quiet you can hardly tell it's a diesel.

Lets just hope it doesn't come at the cost of fuel economy

good choice rimfire
by the way comparing a 1kz surf to a terrano's like comparing a 338 lapua to a 17hmr
just dont get in hot, service it well and it will treat you well

Yep it has power all right. Getting 500km on 60l in the Toyota Hiace with the same engine and 600km on 60l with the Safari. On a long trip taking things easy I've managed 900km on 65l with the Safari. Do like the grunt of that Toyota though, going up a hill with the trailer behind it I'll have to back off as speeding; the Safari without trailer is slowing down all the way up to just limp over the top.

Tidy!!

Just don't crack the head.An old boss of mine did his. But thats cos he flipped out and took off down the road at full tilt while cold

I have one, 270,000 now on the clock. 97 intercooled. Had to replace the radiator to stop it overheating. Only needs to go too hot once and they all require new heads. Cambo can tell you more but be meticulous on coolant changes.
Do the glowplugs on them about 200km. Injectors about same. Get a tranny flush regular if an auto and she'll be quiet.
otherwise way better than a noisy terrano.

They do go well those,sort of like a cruiser minni me. Fast quiet comfortable capable

Now it just needs some mud on it

If your going to tow with it, get a decent trans cooler and get a aux temp gauge that actualy tells the temp NOW not 3min after the guage should be showing in the red. I warned my mates olds about them (same year prado) time after time, didnt listen and they cooked it, towing a big hardtop

Originally Posted by puku

Tidy!!

Just don't crack the head.An old boss of mine did his. But thats cos he flipped out and took off down the road at full tilt while cold

Yeah my old man said the older 2.4's are bad for that (used to have one years ago). Apparently the 3.0 is a very solid engine. He is a sparky and he loves his Toyotas as he doesn't have to do shit to them. My other car, mt brothers and my parents car are all about 300,000kms and are all Toyotas.

Originally Posted by scottrods

I have one, 270,000 now on the clock. 97 intercooled. Had to replace the radiator to stop it overheating. Only needs to go too hot once and they all require new heads. Cambo can tell you more but be meticulous on coolant changes.
Do the glowplugs on them about 200km. Injectors about same. Get a tranny flush regular if an auto and she'll be quiet.
otherwise way better than a noisy terrano.

Thanks for the tips. As I said the old man is a sparky so most of this should be easy to get done. The overheating seems to be a reoccurring comment. Better put a decent temperature gauge On my list of to-do's on it. Cheers

Originally Posted by gadgetman

Yep it has power all right. Getting 500km on 60l in the Toyota Hiace with the same engine and 600km on 60l with the Safari. On a long trip taking things easy I've managed 900km on 65l with the Safari. Do like the grunt of that Toyota though, going up a hill with the trailer behind it I'll have to back off as speeding; the Safari without trailer is slowing down all the way up to just limp over the top.

I took my mates safari (4.2 not the 2.8 turbo) on my last goat shooting trip. That thing is a monster. That 4.2 is an indestructible truck engine. It was surprisingly economical too. As you said, they do slow down going up the hill even without anything behind them, but wow they have a lot of torque (I hardly got past 1,500rpm in it).

Cheers for the idea of the economy of it. I'm used to 650km out of a 50L tank in my curren. I'm expecting to pay more to run this, I just hope it ain't too much. Paying road user charges seems a bit stupid for a registered class 1 passenger vehicle, plus I didn't realise diesels are like 600-700 a year to register.

Oh well, I needed a 4x4 and I wasn't gonna run a big V6 to the city from puke every day.

Being in a station wagon configuration rego is only about $400. About $200 more for a ute or van being a commercial type of vehicle and attracting the ACC levies to go with it. Doesn't matter if being used commercially or not, though a couple of years ago they were thinking of rectifying that, but don't hold your breath.