Offroad-Express

Hey guys,
Thinking about buying an 80 series for a tow wagon.
Has anyone else had experience with the 1FZ-FE petrol engine compared to the 1HZ turbo diesel? I imagine the 1FZ would be pretty thirsty.
What else are common areas/problems to look at on these trucks.
Other option is go a few years newer and get a 1KZ prado.
Main tow load will be a hilux bush truck on tandem trailer.
Had thought about this http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/toyota/landcruiser/auction-559276572.htm but guess the cheaper price would soon be reflected in fuel use.

Cheers,
Clive

Go the 80..... will pull better than the Prado.....
And feel better towing than the lighter Prado....
Don't know much about the Petrol motor other than yes it will chew the gas if you give it the welly...
I drove my old mans one around Aussie and if you fang it everywhere it guzzled... But if you let it spool up nicley (was an auto) and let the auto do its thing it wasn't so bad.... But then again I was using his fleet card

3VILC wrote:Hey guys,
Thinking about buying an 80 series for a tow wagon.
Has anyone else had experience with the 1FZ-FE petrol engine compared to the 1HZ turbo diesel? I imagine the 1FZ would be pretty thirsty.
What else are common areas/problems to look at on these trucks.
Other option is go a few years newer and get a 1KZ prado.
Main tow load will be a hilux bush truck on tandem trailer.
Had thought about this http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/toyota/landcruiser/auction-559276572.htm but guess the cheaper price would soon be reflected in fuel use.

Cheers,
Clive

Been considering ditching mine, (along with my Grand Cherokee.) Bought the 80 with all the best intents of towing my Landy around, but its permanently resident in the far north. Ive used the 80 3 times since June.

PM me if you want. Everything that needs to be done/repaired (steering box mounts reinforced, dual trans coolers etc etc) has been done and its done around 100k in recon'd engine and trans (400-odd k total). Love the way it drives, never had a diesel before and never knew what i was missing. Lockers front and rear, 8 seater, alloy rims.
Be lookin $11k

xj wrote:Been considering ditching mine, (along with my Grand Cherokee.) Bought the 80 with all the best intents of towing my Landy around, but its permanently resident in the far north. Ive used the 80 3 times since June.

PM me if you want. Everything that needs to be done/repaired (steering box mounts reinforced, dual trans coolers etc etc) has been done and its done around 100k in recon'd engine and trans (400-odd k total). Love the way it drives, never had a diesel before and never knew what i was missing. Lockers front and rear, 8 seater, alloy rims.
Be lookin $11k

thats a bargain....

Also thinking maybe 5VZ prado..since the whole blurb to the Mrs' was I should buy a newer truck rather than trying to keep the old mud hack road legal Can pick up a 2000ish model for much the same as an early 90's 80 VX

80 series would tow it better

90 series playdoh will cope ok watch out for heads if diesel check auto has been serviced do the dump pipe and bigger exhaust and bypass egr system. A few are starting to get the ecu cap fault now but this is fixable

forgot to mention ive got a turbo boost valve and gauge to go into It too if wanted.
ill post up some pics once back from whangamata.

just spoke to the bride, she said sell. im only using it to drive to the hokianga to in turn a frame my bush truck 40km to the beach. cant justify it sitting in my driveway doing nothing.

just a few things to concider mate, if its just a tow vehicle to shift your lux around once or twice a month unless your running on a pretty tight budget the fuel consumption of a petrol 80 wouldnt really be a problem, it would drink a fair bit when you use it but its not like you'd be shoving 200 bucks in the tank twice a week. But the problem with tow vehicles like that is its a lot of capital outlay to have sitting around the backyard just to get used 10 or 12 times a year and will probably cost you $1000-$1500 a year in insurance, rego, wof's etc for it to sit there growing cobwebs so its worth weighing up if it is the right sort of vehicle to buy. Something thats capable of towing your lux and is economic enough to be a second vehicle for running around when your not towing would probably be worth concidering

on the above note... mines diesel btw

Thats what I was kinda thinking there Sadam. Just throwing ideas out there. At the moment the hilux is our 2nd vehicle, and as we all know trying to keep an old mud truck road legal and still have fun in it is not easy. Hence the decision to buy a new truck. I want something along the mid-point of being heavy-duty enough to safely tow when needed, but not so overpowered it costs too much to run to work, down the shop, whatever. Wifes car is a V6 Camry wagon. I like toyota, obviously Hence I was kindof leaning towards a 90 series prado. Heavy enough to tow, but probably not quite as bad to drive every day as an 80. Got a budget of around $15k so a late 90 series would fit in that quite well.

3VILC wrote:Thats what I was kinda thinking there Sadam. Just throwing ideas out there. At the moment the hilux is our 2nd vehicle, and as we all know trying to keep an old mud truck road legal and still have fun in it is not easy. Hence the decision to buy a new truck. I want something along the mid-point of being heavy-duty enough to safely tow when needed, but not so overpowered it costs too much to run to work, down the shop, whatever. Wifes car is a V6 Camry wagon. I like toyota, obviously Hence I was kindof leaning towards a 90 series prado. Heavy enough to tow, but probably not quite as bad to drive every day as an 80. Got a budget of around $15k so a late 90 series would fit in that quite well.

looks like you just answered your own question dude

prado would fit the bill nicely

3VILC wrote:Thats what I was kinda thinking there Sadam. Just throwing ideas out there. At the moment the hilux is our 2nd vehicle, and as we all know trying to keep an old mud truck road legal and still have fun in it is not easy. Hence the decision to buy a new truck. I want something along the mid-point of being heavy-duty enough to safely tow when needed, but not so overpowered it costs too much to run to work, down the shop, whatever. Wifes car is a V6 Camry wagon. I like toyota, obviously Hence I was kindof leaning towards a 90 series prado. Heavy enough to tow, but probably not quite as bad to drive every day as an 80. Got a budget of around $15k so a late 90 series would fit in that quite well.

Bloody good cars the v6 ones, towed a falcon from southland to blenhiem with no problem, and the mrs drives it 12km to work and back everyday, pushing to use more than 60 bucks a week.

Skid: Yup, I think I have come to a conclusion now Will see if anyone local has one so I can take one for a burn.

Dirtydog: Sweet, sounds not too bad then, was thinking a V6 one, mainly because I dont like getting stung with the near double rego cost on a diesel and RUC's on top. I know it eventually works out much the same, its just that lump sum in one hit rather than a little bit each time you fill up.
I don't take the Hilux very far at the moment, because I'm sure a lot of you know the old 4Y engine drinks like an alcholic on the open road even now its EFI

to be honest the camry works out alot cheaper than a 4wd, comes down to driving style though aswell i guess, im not the most economical driver, nither is the mrs, so with good throttle control ya could probably drop it down.

plus, rego is dam cheap for a car vs 4x4 fullstop.

Yup will use the camry for most long trips anyway and just use the prado for work and towing. Dont think the camry would b too keen on dragging 2ton of hilux too far tho haha

3VILC wrote:Yup will use the camry for most long trips anyway and just use the prado for work and towing. Dont think the camry would b too keen on dragging 2ton of hilux too far tho haha

yep x2 mate you can tow a truck with a car but the suspensions pretty soft and bouncy and it dosent feel as safe as a heavier tow vehicle with harder suspension

For those who PM'd me off this thread last week...

http://www.offroadexpress.co.nz/Forums/ ... 17&t=34525

3VILC.... cheers for the opportunity

Good buy if I was still looking i'd be in, I have one pretty much identical awesome trucks for towing

yeah, i dont really wanna sell it... but the fekrs just sitting there. ... and the wife said...

Been told I should be askn more for it, but with the paint and dent in the door etc and not 100% interior ya gotta be fair.

TBH I prefer driving the 80 than ANY of my beloved Jeeps... and Im not jokn

XJ cheers for the offer Think we've established the prado might suit my needs a bit better than an 80 tho. Else it might end up sitting on my driveway unused instead
But hey, thats what this forums for, so we can throw ideas out and get opinions back

Cheers everyone for your input.. now to get some money together and go find one not too far away. Rotorua Toyota have got one and I know someone that works there, couple of nice ones in Hamilton too. I'm pressuming the widebody prado is the one with the flares and extra skirts and spoilers