Offroad-Express

Hi all,
i am new here and am looking for a Toyota Hilux Surf Widebody to buy. I have always liked the trucks>? are they any good Manual or auto

here was one i was extrmely keen on

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motor ... 558793.htm

it would be good if i could have some feedback
cheers

Welcome aboard

Right v6 petrol surfs

Heaps of power matched by high fuel comsumpsion.
Nice to drive matched by not much good offroad

My flatmate has just bought a surf exactly the same as the one your eyeing, its a nice truck but I like the older surfs with the beam axle.
What do you want a 4wd for? Offroad or onroad?

If you really wanna go offroad buy a prado or landcruiser, my prado is almost the same as the landcruiser but with hilux difs & axles.

The order of capability goes:

Hilux Surf
Hilux
Prado
landcruiser

With the cruiser being the best...

Yes well, am Student with only a limited amount of money
so you reckon no to go with that surf

I wouldn't say I dont recommend it....sorry if it came out that way. Surfs are a perfectly good truck... just that have you explored all the options?

Whats your budget? I'm sure the guys on here could tell you the best way to spend it

Hi,
is a 3000cc v6 that has done 183000kms, will it last for a lot longer

Ummm, just replying i just want to do a bit offroading like crossing small rivers not the hardout water up to your windsdcreen kind of stuff

even though my dad crossed the ashley in a 96 Teranno with no snorkel and the water came up to the window and he was literally shi""**ing himself

cheers

Sorry i'm a bit slow at this forum thing?

i've got $7000 max even that is pushing it
i want something that can do a bit offroad not the hardout stuff.

and a nice looking truck (like the surf's) but not a tank
like the landcruiser

What do you reckon you'll get that surf for? It is the good one as its the 3l, dont go anywhere near the 2.4's all the mechanics down here told me to stay well clear of them.

I would suggest you allow some cash for proper mud tyres (about $1000 max) as the ones on it are probably All Terrains.

I've always been weary of water as I killed my new Defender a few years back from a river crossing where I missed the shallow section.

oh and if I was just starting out i'd buy a car i didnt mind denting

The order of capability goes:

Hilux Surf
Hilux
Prado
landcruiser

With the cruiser being the best...

WJW, when you going to be up this way? We could test this 'order of capabilitys' of yours.

Also I'd put the Hilux's above the Cruiser ( but of course I am bias ) The Cruisers are too hard in the suspension standard and having the springs under the diff does nothing for ground clearance.
The Prados are abit better with their suspension which would be relativly easy to modify.

So that should upset a few people
GO THE HILUX

lol, well I got that from two sources, a toyota owners site and an ozzy 4wd mag

mine has what I think is fixed beam axles... they are lux axles with the springs on top....

I got told to remove the sway bars, but am not sure whether to or not, any idea how that would affect on road driving?

Yeh its a beam axle, much better than IFS.

Without sway bars you'll have alot more body roll around corners but better articulation offroad. Its all about comprimise
I've got a pair of swaybar quick disconnectors floating around the if you want em, they came off a 80 series Cruiser and were given to me.
I don't know if they will bolt straight on but you can have em if you want.
All you do (once installed) is pull a couple of pins out when you go offroad.

That would be cool... I tell you what, let me know once you get your truck sorted and I'll see if I can come up and collect them ... then we can test your new truck

Trucks sorted, we're going rock bashing tomorrow, how fast can you drive. We're leaving my house at about mid day at this stage.

tomsoffroad wrote:Trucks sorted, we're going rock bashing tomorrow, how fast can you drive. We're leaving my house at about mid day at this stage.

Bah, am going down macetown tommorow... and my trucks not exactly a rock crawler, needs a few more mods before it'll be able to do that...

Posted: Sun Oct 24, 2004 7:16 pm

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tomsoffroad wrote:
Trucks sorted, we're going rock bashing tomorrow, how fast can you drive. We're leaving my house at about mid day at this stage.


Bah, am going down macetown tommorow... and my trucks not exactly a rock crawler, needs a few more mods before it'll be able to do that...

Thats cool dude, anytime you want to play I'm keen.

I think we have hijacked this thread, sorry Surflover

Mehh,
it's ok i don't need a hard out 4wd like a (rock crawler), so i will stick with my Surf 3l so cheers for the help


cheers

hi sunflower,welcome to the board
Ive got 1990 3.0 V6 Surf,& its a little thirsty as Tom has mentioned ,but they do go well when you let them breath a bit. It sounds good & doesnt smell or blow clouds of black smoke when you floor it.
As for offroad capabilty ,its just as good if not better than most 4wds on the market for weekend hacks like me.(Mike has seen it in action & it does just fine ,)the only drawback of the V6 Petrol is the sesitivity to water of the ignition system. But like me you probably not interested in deep water excurtions.
Im not sure id recomend the V6 as a daily driver due to the high price of fuel ,but as a weekend driver its great.

Cheers Maddog,

yea i have another car you see an 84 fuel injected civic and i goes like a rocket i am just after i nice hilux that i know if i wanted to could go offroad. only a weekend car but my uncle brought one and they are an extremely nice truck not too keen on the diesel though, on what i've heard.

cheers for the info

Cheers Maddog,

umm i was looking at a 92 Hilux surf burgundy that had 183k's on the clock and had a top radiator replaced or something and a new water pump
do you think it would last a lot longer or what i need your comments since you own aSurf

Thanks

surflover wrote:Cheers Maddog,

umm i was looking at a 92 Hilux surf burgundy that had 183k's on the clock and had a top radiator replaced or something and a new water pump
do you think it would last a lot longer or what i need your comments since you own aSurf

Thanks

Hi surflover(sorry i didnt have my glasses on last time)

That one your looking at looks ok If you can get it for around 7K.Im not sure what he means by top radiator tank(maybe the fill tank).It has highish km's ,so you may want to get the engine checked out (ie compression test) Recaros are nice & so is the exhaust.plus the sunroof is a option i dont have that id like.
As a comparison,mine isnt as late looking or as fully spec'd(no sunroof or recaros) but has 40K less kms on the clock & a 2.5 year mech warranty.I paid $9000 just less than a year ago,& the were hardly any to choose from,but the prices have crashed a bit in the last six months.(bugger)& the seems to be a few on the market in chch recently.so id be happy to get $7000-$7500 for mine now.
Its hard to see the condition of a car by looking at photos,so if you were really keen id sugest going up for a look.

But you welcome to look at mine for comparison.Hey you never know make me an offer & i might sell as i need to get a new car for the wife.

Cheers Maddog,

yes well yours look a beaut but i'm after a Widebody surf but never the less wouldn't mind yours cheers for the opinion are you going to stay in the 4wding business ???

CHEERS

also

How much roughly would a compression and leakdown test cost its in welli so i will have to get my dad to drive up

THANKS

im not sure what a compression test cost,but those AA test include one to give you an idea.its only going to take a mechanic about 1hr's labour.

Cheers Maddog,

yes well yours look a beaut but i'm after a Widebody surf but never the less wouldn't mind yours cheers for the opinion are you going to stay in the 4wding business ???

CHEERS

Well i want to buy a old semi classic car for the wife.maybe a early RX 7 or Ta22 Celica like ive had before.then id look at getting a pre 90s Hilux Surf or bighorn Swb for my own use.I drive a company car during the week so im not to worried about comfort.

You know those wide bodys are just a normal surfs with flared/moulded guards.