New member - with rookie questions...

[duncs]

hi folks!

i'm on a few other forums but have just joined this one as it was recommended, and i'm considering getting a surf. i currently have a 2003 RAV4 GX, and want to stick with toyota as methinks the brand is great. not into the landcruiser, and thinking the surf is great value for money.

can i ask some lame rookie questions please?

a) are all surfs imports or were there some UK cars too?
b) what is 2nd gen 3rd gen etc., i take it they are model revisions?
c) looking at the threads on here, is the 3.0 engine best overall? (my RAV4 has a 2.0 and is returning circa 25-28 mpg)
d) my budget will probably be up to £6-7k. realistic?
e) i'm after one of the light blue coloured ones. is that import only?
f) i've just moved to the country. i expect the surf is far, far more able offroad than a RAV4, does it come anywhere near land rover/landcruiser competence?

cheers for your help :-)

duncs

[Morr]

hi folks!

i'm on a few other forums but have just joined this one as it was recommended, and i'm considering getting a surf. i currently have a 2003 RAV4 GX, and want to stick with toyota as methinks the brand is great. not into the landcruiser, and thinking the surf is great value for money.

can i ask some lame rookie questions please?

a) are all surfs imports or were there some UK cars too?
b) what is 2nd gen 3rd gen etc., i take it they are model revisions?
c) looking at the threads on here, is the 3.0 engine best overall? (my RAV4 has a 2.0 and is returning circa 25-28 mpg)
d) my budget will probably be up to £6-7k. realistic?
e) i'm after one of the light blue coloured ones. is that import only?
f) i've just moved to the country. i expect the surf is far, far more able offroad than a RAV4, does it come anywhere near land rover/landcruiser competence?

cheers for your help :-)

duncs

a) All Surfs are imports, UK version is called a 4Runner and was only available from 93-95 (2nd Gen) More or less identical to the Surf.
b) Correct, 1st to 4th Gens, same as other vehicles are referred to as Mk1 Mk2 etc
c) Its dearer to buy, but gives more power for the same economy, definatly the one to go for.

Have a look here and here for more info

[DaveD]

(d)depending on spec you could have change....
(e)all the blue ones are being exported or painted red
(f)yes yesyes

Click on morrs FAQ link above
Have a look on Codlords site
http://www.showmesome.info/hilux/
Bestest of all get in one and have a drive.........
then do dis............

[da SLUG man]

and a std surf will whoop the ass of an unmodified landrover... on and off road.
only downside offroad would be the length... they're not wide like a cruiser, but (depending on what you're doing) the rear overhang is one to watch... esp. with a towbar... but unless you wanna drive up a wall, it's not a big problem, but would recommend moving the foglight and a slight re-route for the tailpipe.

[ChaosinDevon]

Welcome to the SSRX3.0TDLE forum.

[CaptainBeaky]

Welcome to the SSRX3.0TDLE forum.

[Morr]

Welcome to the SSRX3.0TDLE forum.

[stormforce]

Welcome to the SSRX3.0TDLE forum.

[TJG]

I got a 3.0 3rd gen pale blue one, some of the unkinder folk may refer to it as lilac but just ignore em, they are generally sore cos they got a burgandy (oops wine), black (oops Jet), dark blue (oops Midnight) or some other noddy colour.

I also got a Rav that I use for work, mine is much older being an L reg whatever that is. You will find the Surf uses vastly more quants of motion lotion and is nowhere near as nippy although it does feel like it has more power it just seems slower off the line. You will also find (well mine is anyway) that after the full time 4wd of the Rav that the Surf is a mite tail happy, being all to eager to have a bit of a wag at the the slightest provication, do not even think of nipping out into a stream of traffic if the road is a bit damp, unless you want to collect a lorry halfway while you sit there with spinning wheels. Mind you if you get a gen 3 then press the button and get 4wd for the road instead of the mud. You also get much nicer looks cos it doesn't look like a pickup with a truckman top on it!

Never tried the Rav off road but it does have a centre diff lock (wife had to call Toyota to find out how to disengage when she pressed the button by accident!) Come to that never tried the Surf either unless you count the icy hill in the woods carpark last week where it failed miserably sitting there with all 4 wheels spinning. But I suppose it was well polished by everyone else trying and it was hard work trying to stand up on it! I would have trouble believing that it is better than my Landy off road, mainly cos its soooooo long but I have never seen one performing so you never know. I can say empahtically that it is many moons more comfortable (warning seats are not made for "real" men) than the Landy though. Horses for courses though, makes a great useable car that will get through most you would sensibly throw at it. Don't be fooled by people calling it a truck here, it is nowhere near a truck, I think of it as a big estate car, thats what it looks like and thats what it drives like. If anyone thinks thiers is like a truck I would strongly advise they get it serviced!

[HEREFORD-HILUX]

Welcome to the SSRX3.0TDLE forum.

QUALITY.

[TonyN]

Don't be fooled by people calling it a truck here, it is nowhere near a truck, I think of it as a big estate car, thats what it looks like and thats what it drives like. If anyone thinks thiers is like a truck I would strongly advise they get it serviced!

Its a truck as in its got a proper fold down tailgate, proper 4wd and proper chassis and can haul plenty of weight. just that drives, performs (the 3.0 anyway), and is no longer or wider than a Mondeo estate is only an extra bonus

[TJG]

Its a truck as in its got a proper fold down tailgate, proper 4wd and proper chassis and can haul plenty of weight. just that drives, performs (the 3.0 anyway), and is no longer or wider than a Mondeo estate is only an extra bonus

Ahem, mine doesn't have a drop down tailgate, its got a lifty up one like an estate car! I used to have a Range Rover SE that had a drop down tailgate, proper chasis, proper 4wd and I'm reliably informed with linked brakes it could be replated to haul up to 4 ton, somehow I never thought of that as a truck either.....

Now a Unimog, thats a truck!

Anyway, I suppose our babies are what we want them to be.

Anyway (see attachment) how do our lady surfers get away with driving their "trucks"?

[TonyN]

Ahem, mine doesn't have a drop down tailgate, its got a lifty up one like an estate car! I used to have a Range Rover SE that had a drop down tailgate, proper chasis, proper 4wd and I'm reliably informed with linked brakes it could be replated to haul up to 4 ton, somehow I never thought of that as a truck either.....

Now a Unimog, thats a truck!

See, thats my point, yours isn't a truck, its a SUV. The tailgate is where its at. After 96 the 4Runner/Surf went a completely different direction to the Hilux pickup TRUCK , up to 96 is just a Hilux Pickup TRUCK with a roof and carpets.

I would call a Unimog a truck as well.

Hmmm, Yorkees............... :homer Drool:

[TJG]

See, thats my point, yours isn't a truck, its a SUV. The tailgate is where its at. After 96 the 4Runner/Surf went a completely different direction to the Hilux pickup TRUCK , up to 96 is just a Hilux Pickup TRUCK with a roof and carpets.

I would call a Unimog a truck as well.

Hmmm, Yorkees............... :homer Drool:

So there we have it, the definative answer "Good Ol Boys" go for a pre 96 where no one would bat an eyelid if they saw you throwing roadkill in the back for Ma to cook up for yer vittals while us more sophisticated types will load up our estates (SUV sounds too much like STD for my liking) at Waitrose

I wanna MOG!!! Or even better a Stalwart!! But where to park it????

[Chillitt]

if its big roadkill, lash it to the bonnett....erm hood!