3.0 handling etc

[angusglover]

Hi guys

Just thinking about buying a 3.0l TD SSRX. I took it for a testdrive and found the stering very very light, almost no feeling of what the front wheels were doing. Is this normal?

Can anyone tell me what the 3.0 is like to drive, basically good points \ bad points etc...persuade me..

Thanks guys

[TAZMAN]

Hi guys

Just thinking about buying a 3.0l TD SSRX. I took it for a testdrive and found the stering very very light, almost no feeling of what the front wheels were doing. Is this normal?

Can anyone tell me what the 3.0 is like to drive, basically good points \ bad points etc...persuade me..

Thanks guys

Sweetest motor you'll ever drive, but treat it with respect, cos it will bite you in the bum if you drive like a boy racer.

[Gizmo]

The steering can be light..although you should be able to feel some of what the car is trying to do.Your not going to get the feel of a sports car with low centre of gravity, sports suspension..after all its based on a utility truck.

Keep your foot light on the juice as you'll soon be above 30mph and obtain a ticking of from the police as I found out to my cost [licence with 3 points and £60 fine after 16years of clean driving]. Stop counting the cost of fuel..it'll drive you nuts......Spent £150 within the first month of the GRIN factor....because I started to floor it on the motorway....but does settle down after some sense kicks in

Like all model versions they can be skittish on the back without weight in them...like the old Ford Capri, if you power up at the wrong moment on a bend they'll slide out and you'll have brown pants.

Parts are easy enough to get hold off: Toyota, Milner Offroad, Roughtrax and other 4x4 places.

Oh!.....you'd better provide sunglasses to everyone coming the other way from the pearly whites showing all the time

[Silversurfer]

Noted your comment on the light steering which I iniatialy found when I first drove a Surf, more because I was expecting it to be heavy (due to the fact that a Surf is around 2 tons in weight), than it was actually overlight.
My wife has a Diahatsu 2.8TD Fourtrak, which, compared to my 3lt Surf is absolute Sh**e. Before buying the Surf I tried a Shogun/Pajero and a Landrover Discovery - none of which in anyway compared to the Surf on the tarmac. The Landrover in particulr felt lumpy and with lots of engine vibration, although the interior space is good on the Landrover.
Iv'e had the Surf for 6months now and as long as the tyre pressures are correct the on-road handling, for such a large heavy vehicle I find to be about the best of all 4x4's I have driven. If you want to push it on the tarmac I find that using the hard setting on the electrically adjustable shock absorbers seems to cut the body roll quite a bit and on dry tarmac I am more than confident to push it along at saloon car speeds (and frequently do). In the wet the choice of tyres will make a big difference. Obviously tyres with a road bias will be better but I am using B F Goodrich A/T's as I do go off-road and they are a good balance.
Off-road the Surf has really suprised me with it's ability. The only draw-back it has is it has quite a large tail overhang which you have to remember when going into deep dips other than that it is in the Landrover class.
From time to time I tow a loaded 2 horse trailer and the Surf copes well. I have had no problems with overheating, either transmission or engine.
As Gizmo say's spares are cheap, particularly from Milners and if you need any convincing, try comparing Landrover Discovery parts with similar for a Surf and it will help explain why there are as many Surfs on the road.
In the 6 months I have had the Surf nothing has gone wrong, not a sausage, not even a loose screw and it has done all of the above and been every day transport. I chose the 3lt for the extra power and even pulling a double horse trailer there seems to be power to spare. I think the 2.4lt would also do all of the above but would be nearer to it's limit doing it.

Go on - get one -- you know it makes sense

[TonyN]

All surfs steering and handling is perfect for a 4x4.

You should know what the front wheels are doing, the truck tends to go in the same direction as the wheels!

[Ste00]

some of u mentioned sliding, does that mean in 2wd mode that its a rwd?

i am still looking for one personally (well found 2 but one is manual and one is auto cant decide between the 2 as the manual is slightly worse condition), but they do seem like a well built car (most toyotas are), and they arent a "toy" 4x4 like some that have perminate 4wd and stuff...

[laser_jock99]

You should know what the front wheels are doing, the truck tends to go in the same direction as the wheels!

Err....not in mud! Don't know about you Tony but after a few spins of the steering wheel this way and that way in the brown stuff- I never know which way they are!! Need some electronic gizzmo like in the new Disco3 to tell you which way they're facing!

Nevillef

[angusglover]

Thanks guys...

Thanks for all the info guys...I pick her up on Saturday...wooohooo..

One last question, how much am I gonna pay for tyres for this thing?

[Morr]

some of u mentioned sliding, does that mean in 2wd mode that its a rwd?

i am still looking for one personally (well found 2 but one is manual and one is auto cant decide between the 2 as the manual is slightly worse condition), but they do seem like a well built car (most toyotas are), and they arent a "toy" 4x4 like some that have perminate 4wd and stuff...

Pretty much any 4x4 (offroaders that is, not cars ) I can think of is Rwd when in 2wd mode

[Silversurfer]

Tyres

Do a search on the Forum - there are plenty of posts/recommendations on tyres from remoulds from £35 up to top of the range full mud tyres.
The Url below should give you a good idea of types etc.


http://www.sowdentyres.co.uk/cheap-4x4-tyres.html#mt

[InfraRed]

I wouldn't worry too much about the price of tyres as you should get around 50000 miles out of each set. I only used two sets on my petrol 4Runner the original Dunlop Grandtreks did 56000 and I sold it with a set of Marshall Power 70s after a further 48000 there was easily another years worth of tread still on them. I must admit though it was starting to get a bit hairy on the GrandTreks towards the end.

[RobD]

I wouldn't worry too much about the price of tyres as you should get around 50000 miles out of each set. I only used two sets on my petrol 4Runner the original Dunlop Grandtreks did 56000 and I sold it with a set of Marshall Power 70s after a further 48000 there was easily another years worth of tread still on them. I must admit though it was starting to get a bit hairy on the GrandTreks towards the end.

50K on a set of tyres!I take it you do a lot of miles off road?I have done 20k on a set of Dunlop Grand Treks will need to replace within the next 5k or so.

[wibblywobbly]

Handling?

For what it's worth the last Surf I had was fitted with every extra known to man or beast. It was a 2.4, with big wheels, anti roll bars, gas shocks etc etc. It handled like a sports car and would whistle around roundabouts without touching the brakes. Used to love watching Pajero's lunging sideways behind me in my rear view mirror when they realised that chasing me was a huge mistake!

I now have a 3ltr and all standard. The thing handled like a barge when I got it. I pumped the 16" tyres up to 29 front and 35 rear, which helped. I then got the tracking checked and things improved massively. The hard/soft settings help but hard is only comfortable on smooth tarmac, so it stays on soft most of the time and it handles fine. I just don't do anything daft with it that's all, it is a two ton tuck on all terrain tyres after all!

Cheers

Rob G

[angusglover]

Tyres..

Thanks guys, since I only pick it up on Saturday, I hope not to have to buy tyres for some time...

I am like a kid at Xmas, wishing it was Saturday already...guess I will have to practice the grin...

[Gizmo]

Thanks guys, since I only pick it up on Saturday, I hope not to have to buy tyres for some time...

I am like a kid at Xmas, wishing it was Saturday already...guess I will have to practice the grin...

The grin comes naturally [without u knowing it as well].