Average ownership period

[papacroft]

Hello
I've noticed that there appears to be a lot of people selling there surfs after very short periods of time eg. less than 12 months. Can anyone generalise as to why this appears to happen so frequently.
Is it a point on reliability?
I know that some find them heavier on fuel than they expected. (My homework suggests 20 around town / 30 on a run for 3.0TD)
I am interested in buying a 3.0 Surf, but am feeling a little nervous in dipping my toe...
Any advice much appreciated.
Mark..

[bensonsnuts]

Hello
I've noticed that there appears to be a lot of people selling there surfs after very short periods of time eg. less than 12 months. Can anyone generalise as to why this appears to happen so frequently.
Is it a point on reliability?
I know that some find them heavier on fuel than they expected. (My homework suggests 20 around town / 30 on a run for 3.0TD)
I am interested in buying a 3.0 Surf, but am feeling a little nervous in dipping my toe...
Any advice much appreciated.
Mark..

I,ve had my 2.4 about 2 & half years.Yes the head went ,but that apart its a good car.
If I was buying now I would definitely buy a 3L but this site wasn,t here then & there was a lot less choice.
I think 25mpg from a 2 tonne car is pretty good.
Just do what you would with any car ....shop around & buy a good one

[FG.]

.

Well i bought my 3.0L td about 4 months ago, after about 12 or so yrs of Hilux pick-ups.
Its a '94 and had 150,000 km's on the clock, now 161,000 km's and can't fault it and certainly have no plans to sell it.
It was bought mainly as a work tool, but my other vehicle is getting very little use these days.....so that maybe up for sale!!
I do alot of towing with my work and it does it faultlessly.
Id say ur about right on the fuel, especially now ive eased off the gas pedal a bit!!

Id say the head probs of the 2.4 and the fuel are prob the main reasons, but pretty much all my mates have had 4x4's (none Surfs) and most that don't need the vehicle for towing etc, have sold them after a yr or so and gone back to a car.
Top reason... fuel and also the effort of a larger vehicle.

[pops]

I,ve had my 2.4 about 2 & half years.Yes the head went ,but that apart its a good car.
If I was buying now I would definitely buy a 3L but this site wasn,t here then & there was a lot less choice.
I think 25mpg from a 2 tonne car is pretty good.
Just do what you would with any car ....shop around & buy a good one

i will get 3.0Ltr next time.
had mine 2.4ssr-g 6 months now 5weeks in had new rad.[warrenty]
not a problem since.
and i agree with most cant expect MPH of a mini,with such a big
and beautiful beast as the SURF
we love ours, and like others have said is find excuse to drive it even if only to pop round local shop for fags. merry surfers

[hormygollop]

Hello
I've noticed that there appears to be a lot of people selling there surfs after very short periods of time eg. less than 12 months. Can anyone generalise as to why this appears to happen so frequently.
Is it a point on reliability?
I know that some find them heavier on fuel than they expected. (My homework suggests 20 around town / 30 on a run for 3.0TD)
I am interested in buying a 3.0 Surf, but am feeling a little nervous in dipping my toe...
Any advice much appreciated.
Mark..

Best advice mate is do what I did, buy a 4.2 jag and drive it for a while then buy a surf, far better motor and much more economical.
Dont give a monkeys what the mpg is I have it for what it can do for me, and so far it has done everything I need it to do, except clean itself but hey the rain does that

Keith

[Koi]

Best advice mate is do what I did, buy a 4.2 jag and drive it for a while then buy a surf, far better motor and much more economical.
Dont give a monkeys what the mpg is I have it for what it can do for me, and so far it has done everything I need it to do, except clean itself but hey the rain does that

Keith

Bought it cause I liked it not for the MPG, my other car does 20mpg so the surf is economical compared to that. Had it a year and a bit and still love it, it does exactly what i bought it for and some.

[rubblebags]

Hi Mark

I've had my 2.4 for 18 months. Yes I had to do my head but it's fine now.
I tow a caravan with it and only in recent months have I realised it's full potential as a 4x4 vehicle. I would go for a 3.0ltr but there is nowt wrong with the one I've got. There are as you know a few good blokes on the forum who can sell or possibly point you in the right direction with your purchase.

Good hunting

Geoff

[Linda]

Hello Mark

I have a 3.0TD and I love it. I've had many cars over the years, but the surf is a clear favorite... no way I'll sell mine. I use it for towing, driving round the farm, and have a good time playing off road. Its also one of the best cars I've driven on the long haul motorway stuff and it knows its own way to the station...

Yes, it drinks fuel compared with a little car (costs me about twice as much as my old Honda Civic did for eg.) but it's 2 tonne of metal with a 3l engine...what do you expect?? It's also a big car to squeeze into parking spaces...etc. As long as you appreciate all that before you buy you'll be happy..

I would say I agree with others on here on the reasons for a quick resale... some people buy them because they look cool, without really needing or wanting a big 4x4. I think this happens with all 4x4 tho, not just the surf... and sure some have been put off by the 2.4 head probs...

Go with your heart m8, you like the car enough to ask this sort of question so you're going in with your eyes open.

[Guest]

Mark.

I've had mine 18 months and the head went after a year. No intention of changing it except for another one.

I think that a lot of the people who are selling their cars after a short while tend to be people moving up to a 3 litre or a 3rd gen. If you look at a lot of the members that are on here there are a strong core of people who have had their Surfs over 1 year and still have them or if not still have Surfs - just different ones.

The MPG is not good but it's considerably better than a Landcruiser, Shogun, Discovery or Rangerover. When you get 2 tons of car that is as aerodynamic as your house then you can't expect much better.

Cheers

[ssrx]

Hi Mark,

Had my 3.0td since september, i'm in love. Driven everything from minis to bentlys, touch my surf i smash ya face.

Now have 7 surfs as company cars for the lads, nothing else touches them m8, go for it but get the 3.0

[RobD]

I would just like to echo what already has been said.The 3Ltr is the best option(in my opinion),if you have any doubts about reliability,buy from a dealer and get a decent warranty.

[rusty]

Ok just to make you feel a little better - I get 14 mpg out of my 4runner - but then again it is a petrol
The flip side is that I have converted it to LPG and £ for £ I get approx 40 mpg on gas. Again as said before it is a 2 tonne truck but if you don't like it sell it.
Have you had a test drive in one yet???
Steve

[da SLUG man]

i'm not too fussed about mine!
it's ok, but i've driven better, the seats are uncomfortable on a long journey, i don't like the unpredictable gearbox, and it's slow.
if you want 600 miles for £40 then buy a mondeo, if you want 600 miles for £100 then buy a surf... that's the difference in fuel price, and it's slowly bankrupting me!
they used to be a bit rare, then a week after i got mine every man and his dog got one!

[tich]

The wife would go before my Surf!. Yes, I`ve had the head problems but they have not been half the trouble as my wife`s head problems.

Would only change it for a 3.0 Ltr.

regards
Tich

[sumo]

Iv'e had my baby for 5 years. Its a 1st gen and is as tough as the one Mr Clarkson tried to destroy.When I got mine 3.0lt was not an option, but go for the 3.0lt if you can they are a bit quicker and better for towing.

sumo.