Hi Peeps, newbie here looking for some advice....

[yoshie]

really interesting read.

I think the Africva thing is a bit daunting for me, so our plans are to do a european expedition, which will likely as not be on road with forays into the greenlanes and a tracks as able... (the GF suggested the alps the other day, and the northern areas suchas greenland etc have facinated me... i want to go see the northern lights)

Africa ....maybe after we've done a few big trips.

It does seem that the surf is an underrated truck....bit of dark horse.

can i ask ...whats is the weakness that is often mentioned withthe engine heads? how exactly do they fail?

The head issue only comes about because the trucks are so ###### fantastic. 15yr old with 150k mile on it and the head needs replaced, who cares. Find me a green oval badged truck that is original and 15yr old with 150k on it and worth having.
The surf is a great truck I have covered thousands of miles in surfs and ha some excellent road trips in them.

ps you any idea how far away greenland is








1500miles by plane

[Sancho]

Yeah, what Yoshie said. The 2.4 does have an issue with the head design and is best avoided unless it's been replaced. No such problem in the 3.0 but they do go from time to time and people automatically assume it's some kind of 'curse of the Toyota head'. Not so, just that 15-20 year old cars are going to develop problems.

The failure is normally a small crack between the valves. Nothing particularly dramatic, just a tendency to overheat and/or eject coolant.

I think Apache did some kind of organised trip in the Pyrenees in his 3.0 a couple of years ago. Got some great pictures, if nothing else...

[schrodingers-cat]

just filled up. 54 litres to 310 miles. just over 26mpg in old money

[nos4ra2]

Just filled up my 3.0 gen 2 manual.

30.2mpg over 601km and wasn't sparing the throttle too much either.

I love my Surf...

[Scorpion]

When I drove my 3rd gen back from Milton Keynes to Newcastle it returned about 30 mpg, local runs I get around 25 mpg.

I was hoping for a little more as the 3rd gen is bog standard with road tyres. My old 2nd gen had a total of 4" of lift, 33" AT tyres, a bull bar that weighed half a ton and a roof bar with spot lights that did nothing to improve it's aerodynamic qualities. I still used to get 25 mpg on a good long run and 20 around the doors.

Both had the 3.0 litre engine.

[Hesh]

thanks again, really bowled over with the response..

Hi all,

went to have alook at silva surfa's truck today and its pretty evident i am smitten.

really great info, being on here has potentially saved me a few bob making mistake buying the wrong truck already...

[puddlesurfer]

Hi all,

went to have alook at silva surfa's truck today and its pretty evident i am smitten.

really great info, being on here has potentially saved me a few bob making mistake buying the wrong truck already...

Do you mean you won't buy one from Lukeanemma?

[nos4ra2]

Do you mean you won't buy one from Lukeanemma?

It's the bits of rotting leg flesh that put people off his...

[Matt.n.p]

This is great stuff.

A laugh every minute

[markp2]

Hesh,
If it is any help with your preparations, I have got a Wilco expedition roof rack for sale at the moment.
See here for the manufacturer http://www.wilcoracks.co.uk/roof-racks-and-bars
It came with my new Surf and I won't be needing it. Includes a row of work/spotlights if that is your kind of thing.
See below

[Overland Tonka]

Typical..... You wait for a roof rack..... Then two arrive at the same time

[Hesh]

lol typical...

well as it happens ive bought stickers before ive bought the truck, but the gf pointed out that a roof rack isa tad larger to store...so for now i will have to pass.

si.

[Overland Tonka]

Hmmm...I have a gf like that..as of last night we have two celica gen 7 seats in our living room which are sharing space with loads of other bits to go on the truck for our overlanding trip..they soon get used to stepping over the stuff...

Seriously I would get the alu rack as they do not come up for sale very often.