new surf ?

[charlski]

Need some unbiased guidance. I get a company car allowance, and up till now have had TT's, new mini's etc, nnow want to save some cash. so seriously thinking about putting some of this allowance into a polo to replace wifes 10 year old clio, and buying myself a surf.
viewed loads, read up as much as i could, now found a lovely 94 (L) black 3.0L auto ssrx ltd, with 110,000 miles (not KM's) on the clock. its got jap history, and UK history and receipts of everything in the UK cam belt change, new tyres, newsprings on rear, nice stereo spec, oilchanges, all UK mot certificates, price wanted is £5700, with 4 new tyres fitted.

My problem is 2 fold, i do approx 20k miles a year, and need something reliable. although the history of vehicle seems good 110,000 miles seems loads to me, although everyone tells me its average on one of these.
1. am i making the right decision on a company vehicle that i want 20k a year out of (i'll get itservicced as often as it needs, is it 6k or 10k) that needs to be on the road rather than in a garage.
2. 110,000miles seems loads. what do surfs reliably run up to.

Obviously nothing 10 year old is going to run like clockwork, but unbiased replies please ... doing this will probably make me about £180 a month better of, and my missus gets a new polo out of the deal.

I don't want to have a vehicle thats ends up as a noose round my neck, my heart ruled when i purchased and ive put a £200 deposit on it ... but i dont mind walking away from that if its going to save me shed loads going forward.

[rich]

If it's been well serviced then it should just about be run in!

The only thing I would say is that the main service is at 6000 miles but it needs the engine oil changed every 3000 so this may give you second thoughts if you dont want to drop it out yourself. What I did when I used mine for the same thing I found someone that serviced it and gave me a pool car.

Rich.

[andy]

On the 3.0ltr surf you need to change the oil every 5000km and the filter every 10,000km.

see here: http://www.yotasurf.com/Andy/974.1.Maintenance_Schedule_Sur f_3.0(1).xls

[marky]

Paerts are cheap but not from the TOYOTA dealer www.milneroffroad.com or
www.toyotahilux.com Tyres are cheap Insurance is cheap. The GRIN that you get when driving it is Permanent

[JimL]

a lovely 94 (L) black 3.0L auto ssrx ltd, with 110,000 miles (not KM's) on the clock. its got jap history, and UK history and receipts of everything in the UK cam belt change, new tyres, newsprings on rear, nice stereo spec, oilchanges, all UK mot certificates, price wanted is £5700, with 4 new tyres fitted.


sounds like a lovely car, mileage sounds ok, history sounds too good to be true, uk stereos are good jap stereos can be a letdown, would love it meself

[charlski]

thanks for the replies, so seriously 110,000 miles is ok, cause it sounds like shed loads, i hear about the cooling issues of the 2.4 does the 3.0 have any in bred characteristics that i should keep my eye on ????

[RobD]

On the 3.0ltr surf you need to change the oil every 5000km and the filter every 10,000km.
see here: http://www.yotasurf.com/Andy/974.1.Maintenance_Schedule_Sur f_3.0(1).xls

Does that also apply to the 3rd gen?I was told oil & filter change every 6000 miles by the dealer(?!!?)

[rich]

To answer all questions.

Oil at 3000 miles - same base engine in the 3rd gen unless you are using long life synthetic oils I would have thought so.

hmmmmmmmmm, possible 3.0 issues will be the starter contacts which is a Hilux trait 'cause they all use the same starter unless it has the newer contact design already (Don't know when this occurred).
Steering idler arms seem to crop up in the threads on here as well but I am not sure of the extent.

I wouldn't say that anything is a given though!

[Rob]

Does that also apply to the 3rd gen? I was told oil & filter change every 6000 miles by the dealer(?!!?)

Yep, Rich is right. (Oil at 5,000km; oil and filter at 10,000km)