to buy or not to buy?

[muppet67]

hi there,im a newbie whos looking been looking at a surf possibly to be my next vehicle..but after reading thro a lot of posts in this great site im unsure if i should buy 1 or not.the surfs do look great and sound fun but im not sure if i could afford to keep 1 on the road,am i right thinking u need a bottomless pit to own 1?? i av only around 2.5k to spend on 1 and am i right thinking that would just buy me a tired and wallet busting surf?? any reply would be helpfull..thnx

[Apache]

Get yourself a 3.0 (Might get one for around £3k if you can stretch to a bit more) or a 2.4 with the later head (with PROOF of this) and there really isn't anything other than fuel costs (realistically 20 to 26mpg depending on your driving style and journey type) and normal costs of servicing.

Servicing them isn't any more expensive than servicing any car. Lots of parts sellers around on eBay, here, Roughtrax, Milners and a few more.

I've had mine 3 years and haven't had any problems other than normal wear and tear. Off the top of my head I've done the starter contacts (about £15 and a couple of hours work), oil filter (15 mins and about £4), fuel filter (5 mins and about £4), radiator (£150 ish from eBay, and a couple of hours), Tony N from this forum has done a couple of driveshaft gaiters and various gearbox oil changes for reasonable money. I reckon it's been cheaper to service than any other car I've owned. I have however spent money for suspension lift / body lift, bigger tyres etc but thats through choice rather than necessity

The only thing, as I said, is the fuel costs, but you get used to it.

[Philip]

Buy one, you won't regret it

It is the most pleasurable cars i have ever driven. My second one in fact. Prices for servicing and parts etc, no more than most cars this size, if not cheaper.
I even stopped smoking on the 22nd, thinking i may have to pay £400 tax next year and before wife started telling me to sell it, i could say, i have saved the money by not smoking.
Since found out from the forum, that i won't have to pay £400, but might as well stay stopped as not had one since my birthday on 22nd.

!!!! Due to my well publicised injury, i can only crawl into back seat and sit with leg straight on the seat. My brother in law is driving MY CAR at present, when i noticed he was getting very adgitated when traffic is heavy, whereas i will happily sit in London traffic, MP3 player on and just enjoying being in the car.

[pops]

how about this
would turn a few heads

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TOYOTA-HILUX-M...QQcmdZViewItem

[Mitsy]

Do you no somebody with a surf that could let u have a go maybe. I would never drive any other vehichle now i have had a surf . Just try one out and i can garentee that u will have no worries about buying one.

[muppet67]

thnx for the replies

thnx for writing back AND for swaying me in the yes buy a surf direction! gonna take the plunge in the next few weeks and will look for a 3l version for around 3k..hopefully will be able to post more soon AS a surf owner and be a fully paid up memeber of this great nutty surf club!

[MudSurfer]

thnx for writing back AND for swaying me in the yes buy a surf direction! gonna take the plunge in the next few weeks and will look for a 3l version for around 3k..hopefully will be able to post more soon AS a surf owner and be a fully paid up memeber of this great nutty surf club!

I have a Volvo S60 on lease, and worked out that if I carried on with the mileage I was doing, I would owe the lease company about £3.5K at the end. I spent £2,800 on my 2.4 (with new head from Stevo) and stuck a 2" lift on, A bar, spots, AT tyres & about to put a snorkel on too...the best £2,800 I ever spent - really great car, great fun and great friends through this forum too - do it mate, get one and you won't look back....

[AuldNick]

Mine cost 2.3k and another 1k in first year repairs, head, gaiters, suspension, switchgear, brakes there is more but I cant be arsed.

It is an old car so expect big poo.