Pickup or Surf

[Sclerotic Hen]

My father-in-law is talking about purchasing a works vehicle for the business and has left to to some research and show him some examples for what's on sale (knowing him as little spent as possible ). Browsing on the internet it appears you get a better conditioned vehicle for the money if you buy a Surf rather than a pick up. Is this assumption true? Or am I looking with a Surf owners tinted glasses?
Another factor to bear in mind is that if the rest of the driving household need to use it it will have to automatic transmission and this seems to be pretty rare (non existent) for pickups in his price preferred range.
The question is: Is a good Surf (probably 3rd gen) with he rear seats removed and a decent roof rack fitted capable of doing the job of a pickup?

[Diezel Weazel]

Hi, you too may also think that I'm looking through rose tinted spectacles but !!
1. I've never owned a Yota Pickup.... they tend to be pricier than most Surfs n not rust free either.
2. Yota pickups are rarely cheaper than Surfs n not heard of any Auto's
3. Never have I had to have a Surf welded the same can't be said of many Pickups ....
4. I'm a 2nd gen man myself but wouldn't turn my nose up at a 3rd gen 3.0l Auto rather than a pickup ...
Hope this helps n Good Luck

18+ Years of Surfs n 10 years later me KZN 130 Spotless it wasn't but Faultless to a "T" it was but expired in March 2018....My other replacement Truck is now also faultless to a "T" !!

[tashtego]

You get auto L200s and Hiluxes but they are younger vehicles , so more expensive than a 3rd gen surf .
it depends on what work and what load you are thinking of. You will probably need to fit the stiffer rear springs to prevent sagging.
Didn't some guys on here build a pick up out of a 2nd gen auto surf ? It looked great , maybe that's an option...
Cheers

[POPEYE]

Yes that was "Surfinstein", (Mark) I remember he made a crew cab with a short pick up bed (got a model of it made it to look like his truck) , as for surf or pick up all depends on what you intend carrying in it.
If it's stuff like sand, aggregates like builders materials then a pick up would be better, for cleaner stuff the 3rd gen would probably be ok, like Jess says beef up the rear springs and shocks etc,