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Toyota Surf - Lemon or Not?

Tech Talk for Cruiser owners.

Moderators: toaddog, Elmo, DUDELUX

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Re: cars n opinions

Post by Simo63 »

MattF wrote:[. They never made stupidity a legal requirement over here though. :)
No maybe they didn't but I see you have taken it up all on your own :rofl: Yeah I know, cheap shot guv but funny though.

But seriously nobody is calling anyone stupid however I will point out that you are the only person that has mentioned it here .... hmmmm.

Anyway, pip pip old chap. Keep a stiff upper lip eh what :D
Last edited by Simo63 on Fri Aug 08, 2008 1:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by RAY185 »

Well of course I didn't read anything you wrote, what with us being stupid over here (by law no less). :D

Don't go taking it personally, I didn't belittle you, just as you didn't belittle that Claud fella when you gave him your opinion. I merely responded to your statement that he should have disclaimed his views. I don't agree, I feel that most people on this board understand that the information they read is merely the personal view of the poster.

For the record, Toyota Hilux Surfs are the worst vehicle ever produced and to buy one would make you just as much a masochistic guinea pig sodomiser as the many Surf owners unfortunate enough to be labled so.

The views expressed in this post are strictly the opinion of the poster based on experience and preference. They should in no way, shape or form be mistaken for fact. It may or may not be the intention of the poster to attempt humour in this post. It is unlikely that people who use the words "Naff", "Tosh" and "Sod" will recognise any above mentioned humour as it is not a Monty Python skit.
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Post by MattF »

Hate to say this, but I'm beginning to take a liking to you two. :D

Btw, naff is from Porridge, not the Monty Python team. :D
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Post by phippsy »

The surf I had was fine, the only 2 drama's I had were the bearing in the back of the alternator siezed and the front idler arm bent very easily, well, I thought it bent easily. In the end I carried a bit of bar around with me to bend it back straight so I could drive home.
Otherwise it was very comfy to drive around in and maybe the 2LT motor was a little underpowered but still got along alright.
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Post by Simo63 »

MattF wrote:Hate to say this, but I'm beginning to take a liking to you two. :D

Btw, naff is from Porridge, not the Monty Python team. :D
Matt. I commend you on not losing that great British sense of humour. Always admired that about you poms. Good form old chap ;)
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Post by MattF »

Simo63 wrote:Matt. I commend you on not losing that great British sense of humour. Always admired that about you poms. Good form old chap ;)
I've never been renowned for seriousness. :D Besides, it's a pleasure to finally meet a couple of Aussie's with the same tactlessness and sarcasm levels as I. :D
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Post by chpd80 »

I heard they use a different grade of diesel in Japan and when they come over here and use our diesel they tend to crack heads. might be a load of crap but thats what I heard.
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Post by Mr DJ »

RAY185 wrote:For the record, Toyota Hilux Surfs are the worst vehicle ever produced and to buy one would make you just as much a masochistic guinea pig sodomiser as the many Surf owners unfortunate enough to be labled so.
That reminds me ... need to get more guinea pigs ....... :rofl:
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Post by RAY185 »

Dougster wrote:
RAY185 wrote:For the record, Toyota Hilux Surfs are the worst vehicle ever produced and to buy one would make you just as much a masochistic guinea pig sodomiser as the many Surf owners unfortunate enough to be labled so.
That reminds me ... need to get more guinea pigs ....... :rofl:
You went through that last batch pretty quick Doug. Give us a call and I'll work out a good deal on another pallet load. I'll even throw in a couple of cartons of duct tape for nix, or is that naff...I'm so confused. :D

Hey MattF, give us a call some time, we'll do dinner.... ;)
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Post by a1 mech »

Dougster wrote:
RAY185 wrote:For the record, Toyota Hilux Surfs are the worst vehicle ever produced and to buy one would make you just as much a masochistic guinea pig sodomiser as the many Surf owners unfortunate enough to be labled so.
That reminds me ... need to get more guinea pigs ....... :rofl:
Lucky I drive a "4runner" hey Doug, If I put a surf badge on mine do I get sum guinea pigs to play with also??
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Post by a1 mech »

"IMO" All the experiences that I have had with toyota 4runners/surf/hiluxs which r in many ways identical have been good. Bad early life care I think is a big reason why the surfs have such a bad name, Ther original owners in Japan hop in them start them up, rev the hell out of them cold the 5km to the train/bus etc, very little service in the 20-40000km that they are in Japan. Once they get here after (in sum cases) beings strapped to the open deck of a ship thru white squalls of salt water and wat not they r turfed off to the first buyer who may or may not care about them.

From wat I have read the heads crack due to the 2LT having a less capacity water pump then that of the ozzy addition 3,5L's. It simply cant flow enough coolant for our climate which combined with the turbo heats things up more often then not, easily fixed tho. IMHO the Surfs r a great car with far more luxurys then the ozzy addition 4runners, U pay less for a surf of the same year and it comes with awesome interior, a boost compensated turbo, A far stronger gearbox and all the electronics that cars 10 years newer have. The 4runner has no turbo, shitty lux seats, wind up windows and maybe a cup holder if ur super lucky plus u pay more for them. I bought a Surf of my own recently for parts just to sprewse up my 4runner a bit lol.
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Post by slowsurf »

i am a surf owner and if i was to look for anther 4wd i wouldent get anther surf but not because they are a lemon. it would be all because of the IFS it just does not suit the needs of my weekend bush bashing. in saying that mine has 2 inch rear coils 2 inch body lift 33x12.5 mud stars sway bars taken out has open diffs and it has served me well. but in the last few months i have put some 35x13.5's on it and started bending steering parts and now have some GQ diffs to put under it.

so at the end of the day i think the surfs are a good truck as long you dont want to go following the lines of ya mates in there patrols or cruiser with 35's and 6 inchs and lockers

thats my 2 cents i hope it helps you with your choice of 4wd
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Post by ferrit »

slowsurf wrote:i am a surf owner and if i was to look for anther 4wd i wouldent get anther surf but not because they are a lemon. it would be all because of the IFS it just does not suit the needs of my weekend bush bashing. in saying that mine has 2 inch rear coils 2 inch body lift 33x12.5 mud stars sway bars taken out has open diffs and it has served me well. but in the last few months i have put some 35x13.5's on it and started bending steering parts and now have some GQ diffs to put under it.

so at the end of the day i think the surfs are a good truck as long you dont want to go following the lines of ya mates in there patrols or cruiser with 35's and 6 inchs and lockers

thats my 2 cents i hope it helps you with your choice of 4wd
Thats teh same with any truck- Even a hilux with a solid axle isnt going to follow a patrol or cruiser with 35's, 6" of lift and lockers, unless the lux is running 33's, twin lockers and about 4" of lift!
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Post by slowsurf »

yeah what i was more so getting at is they are a good truck as long as you dont want to do anything to big or crazy only thing i dont like is some times parts can be abit hard to get but i have found the surf forums to be very use full in help with that

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Post by kingchevy »

there a prick to do a starter in and a bit hard for parts also
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Post by tweak'e »

kingchevy wrote:there a prick to do a starter in and a bit hard for parts also
parts.....ask for hilux/4runner parts will get you most of the parts easy enough. the few surf only parts if you have trouble with "its an import so we don't have it" parts places, try NZ. often its cheaper than AU and surfs are dime a dozen here.
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Post by ferrit »

the Electronic Parts Cattledog is worth its weight in gold- Gives you the toyota genuine part numbers, and most places can then cross reference that to after market ones without too much hassle
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Post by MattF »

RAY185 wrote:Hey MattF, give us a call some time, we'll do dinner.... ;)
:D :D

kingchevy wrote:and a bit hard for parts also
To be honest, I've never found any problem obtaining parts personally. One would assume it varies from country to country in that regard though. :) The worst obstacle can usually be trying to get a reticent dealer to co-operate, according to some. The local dealer here has always been top notch, however.
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Post by waxhead. »

ill just about garuntee that everyone who says they are crap, has never had one...
Had one years ago. Cost me a fortune. Broke the IFS. Gutless and thirsty. Good shape and size though. But mine was a true money pit lemon. Owned it for an expensive 6 months.
It was a 2.4 Turbo Diesel 92 model with low mileage on the odo.
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Post by ferrit »

the 2.4TD was an abosolute dog, the 3.0TD is a whole new ball game.

I just shoe horned one into my lux, and with the 4.5:1 diffs on 31" tyres im getting rooster tails on the gravel driveway in 1st, 2nd and 3rd! :armsup:
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Post by xxxhilux »

theres alot of pepole with no idea i have a old old surf with a 2.4 turbo and as long as it gets oil changes when it wants them and u dont run it out of water they go forever the only problem is power but mine still dose stand stills on 33's
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Post by macca81 »

xxxhilux wrote:theres alot of pepole with no idea i have a old old surf with a 2.4 turbo and as long as it gets oil changes when it wants them and u dont run it out of water they go forever the only problem is power but mine still dose stand stills on 33's
agreed... as with every topic, if people dont know from expirience, they assume the worst
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Post by Struth »

a1 mech wrote:
The 4runner has no turbo, shitty lux seats, wind up windows and maybe a cup holder if ur super lucky plus u pay more for them. I bought a Surf of my own recently for parts just to sprewse up my 4runner a bit lol.
My 4 runner has cruise, air, p/steer, tinted windows, leccy sunroof,electric windows, SAAS 7 way adjustable sports seat (from the factory), demisters, flares, everything a Surf has except the wheel carrier and dicky little front guard mirrors, and all from the factory.

Yes I did pay for it, but it was Australian delivered and didn't have a crappy Japenese early life or 100,000km wound off.

You get what you pay for :D
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Post by MattF »

Struth wrote:everything a Surf has except the wheel carrier
The rear carriers weren't standard on Surfs either. Some have underslung as normal, some have the rear carrier. My 2nd gen has the rear carrier. The 1st gen, however, is underslung.
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Post by MattF »

ferrit wrote:the 2.4TD was an abosolute dog, the 3.0TD is a whole new ball game.
That's another point where you tend to find a lot of variation. I know some of the members on the UK Surf forum have 2.4's that run like absolute slugs, whereas others have rather nippy 2.4's. Never has there been a specific reason pinned down for that yet, however.
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