Offroad-Express

Hi everyone,I am at present looking for a 4x4,have looked at surfs and terreno only to be told faults in both types,looking at the 3.0l v6 petrol,
i have been told the surfs blow head gasgets and the terrenos are very weak in the gearbox,
i would like to hear from anyone that knows off or has had trouble with either.
plus if so any fix ideas
from what i have seen on this site ,am going to enjoy.


thanks doug

*COUGH*..ERRHHEEM..*COUGH, GET A TOYOTA !*COUGH.......

CRUISERS DONT BREAK
LOTS OF PARTS
LOTS OF DO UPS
LOTS OF INFO

MY 2c

Wopass does have a point that truck of his must just about be able to run vintage plates (look into that it could be cheap rego ) and its still running strong

My call after working on hilux's (and yes still working on one ) is go with the surf but get a beam axle front end version
- There are more of them on the road, more parts, and if you shop around hopefully cheaper parts
- There is more of a commonality of parts eg hi-ace, hilux, supra, cressida etc all have boltup bits
- More peolpe have done up lux's and surfs so theres more info and people who can help
- There is a fix for the head gasket issue (should have been done by now) on the surf, the weak gearbox on the terrano there is no fix other than replacement!

Offroad they are similar, found that the surf goes places easy'er but that could be becoase of a younger driver

Theres my 10c

Cheers Reece

There's alot of cheap GQ's on Trademe these days...............

If you tossing up between a Surf and a Terrano, it all depends on what you want to spend and what you want to do with it as usual.
But seeing as you are looking at those vehicles in particular, i guess you have pretty much made up your mind there.

A 3L TD auto surf would be my pick of the bunch, but they are $$$$ and the motors are yet another Toyota Hand Granade, producing more power and torque than my 6cycl 4.2L Safari.
The auto boxe's seem to be really resiliant, and the suspension is much along the same lines as that of the Terrano, IFS front, coils rear.
Do not touch any 2.4 TD after 1992, or before 1990.
Even in those years, they do not stand for any over heating what so ever.

You will pick up a Terrano of the same year for bugger all. 2.7TD are prone to top end wear on the rocker shaft, lifters and rockers, but are capabler of doing very high k'S!!!!!!
The manual gear box's up to a certain year suffer due to a manufactures defect, in that the filler plug was located to low on the side of the gear box and the bearings were prone to prematurly age. They revised this on the later modles, which upped the quanity of oil up to 5L, from 3L.
On the older modles you pour the correct quantity in by removing the gear lever.
The Auto box's are as good, if not better than the Toyota box's, given that in low range you can select a gear and lock it in that gear, so for example you select 2nd low, you will set off in 2nd low, and it will not change up or down unles you tell it to by moving the lever.
You cannot do this on the Toyota auto, you will always set off in 1st no matter what.

So its up to, which one you like the clour of better, which one seems in the best condition for the $$$,. Both are on a very even pa, with good after market support for each if thats what your into.
Don't expect much from either off road in standard trim.

Have you considered a LWB LandCruiser Prado??
Pretty much a surf with a solid front axle. Again steer clear of the 2.4, look for the 3L, unless its in the years between 1990 and 1992.

Why??
Its just somthing i was told once by a mechanic who claimed to have seen the results of oil samples taken from a range of years, and after 1992 the quantity of metal particles in the oil was phenominal.
He was telling me this while i was getting a compression check done on a Prado i was thinking about buying.
Before 1990 they were the old alloy rocker cover modle 2LT and the were prone do do heads as well.

yea the old girl will be commin up for vintage plates soon, not sure how old they have to be for that.. 35yrs or something,, and still goin strong

jacked up roll caged standard bullet proof 4.2 petrol motor power steering big winch and big feet... and AIR HORNS ! what more could a man want

The Nissan badge.......................................

The Nissan badge.......................................

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now you are being silly next it will be wet dreams for a rangie rover
chose what ever you think will do the job for you......... that only leaves a TOYOTA
Nissan ...........heavy look at the winch size they need to get out of trouble Huge as when they are stuck thats it folks! try buying bits you may have to drive home with 1 arm.
Mitsubitshi ........... have they made a 4wd that has gone off road without being majorly modified just to reach the tracks?????
Range/land rover ............... designed to keep poms in employment by continually repairs and supply of replacement parts.This vehical is keeping Briton afloat and they still insist on building them. this is a bid to rule the world again bybankrupt anyone foolish enoungh to own one.Good for .................?( Corgis to shit in..)
hey this is my 2 cents worth