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buying advice surf/4 runner
Hi guys, looking at buying my first surf to get me around North Wales (on roads and in the forest), and have a few questions:
1. any real differences between the surf and 4 runners. Is it more difficult / expensive to get parts for the Jap imports?
2. I reckon I'm going to go for a 3 litre diesel. Are they worth the extra money, especially as I'll be towing a caravan and trailers of wood occasionally (including towing off-road in forests).
3. Would a manual perform better than an automatic for towing, particularly in terms of potential overheating problems. Are there many manual 3 litres around?
4. I know you're not supposed to use 4x4 on hard surfaces, but what about icy roads in the winter? Are the 3rd generation with the centre diff much better?
5. Suspension / body lifts: do they affect stability / road handling on bends / roundabouts etc.
6. fuel economy: is it true that newer 3 litre engines are more economical. A guy last week I spoke to reckoned on a run he got 40-45 mpg out of his 3l surf. Does this sound a bit optomistic? Are turbos any different in mpg to non-turbos.
Any thoughts on any of the above would be well appreciated. Cheers, Simon.
1. any real differences between the surf and 4 runners. Is it more difficult / expensive to get parts for the Jap imports?
2. I reckon I'm going to go for a 3 litre diesel. Are they worth the extra money, especially as I'll be towing a caravan and trailers of wood occasionally (including towing off-road in forests).
3. Would a manual perform better than an automatic for towing, particularly in terms of potential overheating problems. Are there many manual 3 litres around?
4. I know you're not supposed to use 4x4 on hard surfaces, but what about icy roads in the winter? Are the 3rd generation with the centre diff much better?
5. Suspension / body lifts: do they affect stability / road handling on bends / roundabouts etc.
6. fuel economy: is it true that newer 3 litre engines are more economical. A guy last week I spoke to reckoned on a run he got 40-45 mpg out of his 3l surf. Does this sound a bit optomistic? Are turbos any different in mpg to non-turbos.
Any thoughts on any of the above would be well appreciated. Cheers, Simon.