How do people rate the VDJ76R?

[doofer]

G'day all,

Expanding my horizons and looking at different makes and models for the next purchase. I like the new V8 76R GXL but what are people/owners experience's with these models.

As far as:

Everyday driving?

Touring?

Reliability?

And any other drib drabs......

I have driven the 79 (for 2 weeks) that had the bells and whistles with performance mods, and I was bloody impressed then jumped into a stock, which is bearable but not as responsive. I like the torque and power out of these diesels compare to others. It did put me off with the turning circle though.

As far as towing - box trailer/camper, inflatable boat and maybe a car float if I feel the need to drive the toy to the bush.

Car will be mainly used for touring with 33's and mild off road. Couldn't see myself tackling trails with off cambers and ruts considering these 4wd's are tall.

Cheers

[SCANAS]

Calling

BRU21
JOSHY
ZOLTAN
and
76 CRUZER .....

[76 Tourer]

I have a 2009 which now has 125,000 km which has the usual mod's bar, winch, lift, dual tyre carrier, 285 mud terrains we have toured with it both up here and through the desert and Flinders area. I have not had a break down or needed to replace any major (expensive) part.

My only complaint is they are a small car storagewise, I have a 60 litre Engle mounted in the rear on a slide and there is just not enough room for all the other gear needed for extended travel. We tow a camper where possible (myself wife and 3 year old) so space is more bearable . Oh and at 6'3" I had to modify the seat runners to move the seat back a bit more as the gearshift was hitting my knee in 5th.

I have fitted a 3" exhaust but no chip and return fuel figures of 13.8-14l per 100 on average . The worst I've had was 18l per 100 but that was camper with dingy on the roof of the car in soft bulldust going into Lorella springs .

There is plenty of power with this set-up for towing. This vehicle is used daily with a mix of Hiway and city driving (I'm 38k's out of Darwin) and have no problem with it .

[joshy]

I've got 30k on mine now, appart from it using a bit of oil there's been no dramas. Only power mod is 3" exhaust as I haven't decided on a chip yet. I regularly tow 3.5t and it handles it no worries, doesn't like doing it with 35s on but still will.
Did 2 weeks in the high country and it handled all with ease, 3" lift and 35"s.
Space wise it's only me n the gf so out back seat is pretty much permanently out and so there is heaps of room. Have a month in the cape this year so hopefully I still think the same after that.

Comfort wise, it takes me a bit to get use to the seat as I don't use it as a daily, but after an hour or two I'm settled back into it.

Fuel wise if I'm trying I can get down to 9/100 on factory tyres. Towing max weight doing the speed limit usually around 18.

Good truck but for my useage I wish I had went the dual cab.

[rockcrawler31]

Don't be too concerned about oil usage stories. It doesn't affect their power or reliability. You're supposed to change the oil routinely anyway so if you use 1-2 litres per oil change what's the difference? Wait till you drive a GM 2 stroke detroit, fill the oil and top up the fuel

It all comes down to what your expectations are and what you personally call "luxury". Luxury to me is having enough power, not breaking down and AC. After driving landrover 110 perenties around the country i consider a cart behind a donkey luxury.

The 76 is a bit contrived to me. You can't fit a second tank, they somehow manage to not have much storage room inside compared to a troopy. If you wanted the best of both worlds (load carrying and four doors) i'd say go factory dual cab.

I changed from a 75 to a 100 series and i love the comfort, but sometimes i still wish i had a "working" 4x4. When you cut timber in the scrub, clearing land, getting in the car with muddy boots, it alls seems a shame to do that in a full size "luxo barge" wagon.

M

[joshy]

The new 76 have 130litre tanks. Not bad for 1 tank.

[doofer]

Cheers. Not too concern as far burning more oil and luxury side of things. I did use the CJ7 as a daily driver and anything is more comfortable that and fluid wise....well you just keep topping them up.

Hearing from owners themselves, seems like a solid truck for touring. I'm only 5'8 so sleeping in the back will be no worries.

All good in all but how about the shit side of things you guys had to deal with?

The one I had as a work truck had the 3 inch exhaust, chip (i think DP), boost cranked to 10psi, snorkel and I think that was pretty much it with performance mods.

[doofer]

One more thing. Do they have issues with the ball joint with premature wear and tear?

[76 Tourer]

I've have friends with utes that have done a radiator the air bleed point cracked and leaked from the top tank, another mate in a Ute did a water pump as it was leaking from the telltail. Rear brake pad wear is excessive at times when the vehicle is used as a 4wd and the handbrake is sh!t.

I can't think of which balljoints you mention ?

[SCANAS]

Landcruisers don't have handbrakes... There is a lever you pull but I think it must be an optional extra we don't get in Australia

[oldmate]

Car will be mainly used for touring with 33's and mild off road. Couldn't see myself tackling trails with off cambers and ruts considering these 4wd's are tall.

In that case 70 series is a waste of time. Get a 100 or 200 series in your price range.

AS for luxury, a 200 series is not luxury. If you want luxury, book a five-star hotel and fly in.

If you think dirtying up the carpets in a 200 series is an awful thing, then you need to HTFU

[SCANAS]

Don't worry about the stability they are fine.

Check out the Gall boys videos on youtube if you are worried.

[doofer]

I've have friends with utes that have done a radiator the air bleed point cracked and leaked from the top tank, another mate in a Ute did a water pump as it was leaking from the telltail. Rear brake pad wear is excessive at times when the vehicle is used as a 4wd and the handbrake is sh!t.

I can't think of which balljoints you mention ?

Their nothing too severe and easily upgradable I guess.

I was told that the front ball joints/knuckle tend to wear out quick. But not sure how true that is.

[SCANAS]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk6KJXeOM0k" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[doofer]

Car will be mainly used for touring with 33's and mild off road. Couldn't see myself tackling trails with off cambers and ruts considering these 4wd's are tall.

In that case 70 series is a waste of time. Get a 100 or 200 series in your price range.

AS for luxury, a 200 series is not luxury. If you want luxury, book a five-star hotel and fly in.

If you think dirtying up the carpets in a 200 series is an awful thing, then you need to HTFU

Only reason I was looking into the 70 series was the space in the back. I can turn it into a sleeper or have friends and gear in the back. I'm not looking for luxury at all otherwise I'd be looking at sedans. Not concerned about getting dirty either as I wheel with no doors and roof.

I don't wanna turn the thing into a heavy off roader but want a good platform to start with. 33's are simple to fit without having to change ratio's, bearable to drive around town, to and from work and weekend away. Plus i think they look better than a 200.

[SCANAS]

I've have friends with utes that have done a radiator the air bleed point cracked and leaked from the top tank, another mate in a Ute did a water pump as it was leaking from the telltail. Rear brake pad wear is excessive at times when the vehicle is used as a 4wd and the handbrake is sh!t.

I can't think of which balljoints you mention ?

Their nothing too severe and easily upgradable I guess.

I was told that the front ball joints/knuckle tend to wear out quick. But not sure how true that is.

I was selling roughly two VDJ cruisers a month for about a year back in 2011 / 2012 and I never had a complaint. No oil consumption issuses noted either. Great trucks, just wish I had 40k to spend on a truck for myself.

[doofer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk6KJXeOM0k

Cheers scanas. That's a big trailer to be pulling around off road. Haha. That set up would be good and maybe the tinnie on the roof but I've got a grand raid SIB. Amazing how that 78 just keeps pulling.

[SCANAS]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk6KJXeOM0k

Cheers scanas. That's a big trailer to be pulling around off road. Haha. That set up would be good and maybe the tinnie on the roof but I've got a grand raid SIB. Amazing how that 78 just keeps pulling.

76

[doofer]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk6KJXeOM0k

Cheers scanas. That's a big trailer to be pulling around off road. Haha. That set up would be good and maybe the tinnie on the roof but I've got a grand raid SIB. Amazing how that 78 just keeps pulling.

76

My bad.

[doofer]

Is there a thread with 76 series that has pics and breakdown of mods?

[SCANAS]

If there was a build thread it would be in the members.

I don't think anyone has a build yet.

[joshy]

I thought I had started one but couldn't find it the other day. Can post some pics if u like

[doofer]

I thought I had started one but couldn't find it the other day. Can post some pics if u like

Yeah mate if you don't mind.

I found one for sale and it's got all the bells and whistles already. Lockers, drawers, lift, tyres, twin spare tyre etc etc and its got low K's.

[CRUZAAMAD]

Hang around a few weeks
bru21 is selling his soon

[SCANAS]

Good point and he is only at the Coast so not far from the OP'er.

[joshy]

most of the pics it has 3" coils in the front and 2" shackles in the rear, 35" tyres. Bullbar is ARB modified. 3" exhaust.








just fitted a kaymar rear bar but the factory leaves couldn't handle it so ive now put 450kg ones in the back, will hopefully settle down to level again.


with 35s on the rear bar (but not the car was just making sure they fit as ARB said they wouldn't!)


sorry for the hijack.

[raptorthumper]

Same front diff as a 100 series.

3:47 in this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Dwnryzrgdg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

_

[76 Tourer]

Same front diff since 75-80 series . 3.9:1 ratio for the V8

Actually think some of the 100's had the stronger front diff .......

[bru21]

Hey I just saw this,

I love the 76,

But.... The driving position is for a midget, I'm 5'11" and have moved the seat up 30mm and back 30mm. In hindsight I would have gone back 50mm.
The pedals are way close together and for longer drives I take my shoes off.
The clutch pedal is shit - I think the wider tunnel means the clutch is offset to the right, which is playing havoc with my knee. (knee doesn't bend in line rather at an angle) I have had Paula tape it on and off for a few years now because of this (no pre existing injury). I don't want to sound like a whinging P.O.M but it shits me EVERY time I get in, and puts me off driving it. I would have the stiff race clutch in my patrol any day over this POS.
Gearbox is like a bucket of spanners, but you get used to it. Basically, it needs an auto.

Other than that its is a great truck.

Space is an issue, I have an 85 lt evakool in the back (which fits well I might add, as the motor fits into the wheel arch),
I have a roofrack and use it every trip as the remaining room in the back is small.

I get 13.5l/100 every time no matter what I do.
This is on 33's with no lift and a roofrack.
If you are planning mods keep away from heavy shit, as the car will come up to GVM quickly (you can get increased GVM with springs though)

If you have the cash you would be mad not to get a 200 at $72k on road vs $66k for the 76. I would have if the GX was out when I bought mine.


Cheers bru

[doofer]

Hey I just saw this,

I love the 76,

But.... The driving position is for a midget, I'm 5'11" and have moved the seat up 30mm and back 30mm. In hindsight I would have gone back 50mm.
The pedals are way close together and for longer drives I take my shoes off.
The clutch pedal is shit - I think the wider tunnel means the clutch is offset to the right, which is playing havoc with my knee. (knee doesn't bend in line rather at an angle) I have had Paula tape it on and off for a few years now because of this (no pre existing injury). I don't want to sound like a whinging P.O.M but it shits me EVERY time I get in, and puts me off driving it. I would have the stiff race clutch in my patrol any day over this POS.
Gearbox is like a bucket of spanners, but you get used to it. Basically, it needs an auto.

Other than that its is a great truck.

Space is an issue, I have an 85 lt evakool in the back (which fits well I might add, as the motor fits into the wheel arch),
I have a roofrack and use it every trip as the remaining room in the back is small.

I get 13.5l/100 every time no matter what I do.
This is on 33's with no lift and a roofrack.
If you are planning mods keep away from heavy shit, as the car will come up to GVM quickly (you can get increased GVM with springs though)

If you have the cash you would be mad not to get a 200 at $72k on road vs $66k for the 76. I would have if the GX was out when I bought mine.


Cheers bru

Cheers for that bru. Short and simple. I've held off in buying one as work came up and it's overseas. So I doubt any new purchase will be happening till the end of the year. I still prefer the 76 over the 200 but that could change if I test drive one.