3rd Gen Surf

[rikm777]

those 3 litre kzj 70,s always seem to go fo crazy money.Only 350 or so were ever brought into the country.The 2.4 engined 70,s are 10 a penny and most are fairly rough.i had one i sold about 6 months ago that had a small fortune spent on it(rear locker ,lifted,intercooled etc) and i didnt get £3000 for it even tho it was a good one and i thought it looked pretty cool

[TonyN]

Stock clean trucks are always worth more than a modified one unless its really special.

I look after two 3.0 UK late 90's black ones owned by a guy near me. Both are in excellent condition, one is his daily driver, and one's being put away for the future.
If I didn't like Surfs so much I'd have one in a shot.

£3k is peanuts for a truck that capable straight out the box and that well built.

[Bender71]

Stock clean trucks are always worth more than a modified one unless its really special.

I look after two 3.0 UK late 90's black ones owned by a guy near me. Both are in excellent condition, one is his daily driver, and one's being put away for the future.
If I didn't like Surfs so much I'd have one in a shot.

£3k is peanuts for a truck that capable straight out the box and that well built.

Yep. Ive been keeping a lookout for a good'un on the European car sites as I dont mind left-hand drives, after all, it is going to be spending a lot of it's time on the wrong side of the road, and it is not going to be my main snorter. Typically, prices are between 5000-12000 euros for a 3 ltr!

Add salt to injury, the seller reckoned he got a good price - obviously did not know what he had........

[Bender71]

Ok. So I went to have a look at and test drive a 2nd gen Surf today. A few things I noticed:
- You sit on it rather than in it i.e. it's not an upright position!
- The steering is 'vague' at the best of times:-)
- The radiator gets hot - too hot to the touch very quickly - this is a drive from cold for about 3 miles max - is this normal?
- Rust bubbles (big ones) at bottom of rear doors plus also bottom of rear door corner where it meets the rear wheel arch - is this to be expected - yes I know they are 15+ years old:-)

Has the 3rd gen got the same driving position?

Bender

[Leakypants]

Hi

If you are looking for a Surf I'm selling mine. It had sold but the guy messed me around so I have put it on Ebay. Well looked after.

see link: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TOYOTA-Hil...item3cc274c3cf

PM me if you wish to have a look first.

[TonyN]

1/ Surfs have a high floor, but most people like it, it more car like than most 4x4's. Personally I think its a good thing for long distance driving.
3rd Gens have the seat higher off the floor than 2nd Gens, but not quite as high as a Landcruiser or other 4x4's. I would say you DO sit IN a Surf, with your heels on the floor, not perched on a high chair with your feet dangling over the pedals.
2/ Steering should be nice, OK at the least it's probably got issues with the idler arm or TRE's, or not great tyres.
What are you driving at ther monent? No proper, older 4x4 will ever feel like any newish car on the road, it may just be that.
3/ Rust free (apart from rear bumper quarters) Surfs are easy to find, you don't need to struggle with a rusty one, but also good used doors are also easy to find, if the rest is sound I wouldn't let that put me off.

Ok. So I went to have a look at and test drive a 2nd gen Surf today. A few things I noticed:
- You sit on it rather than in it i.e. it's not an upright position!
- The steering is 'vague' at the best of times:-)
- The radiator gets hot - too hot to the touch very quickly - this is a drive from cold for about 3 miles max - is this normal?
- Rust bubbles (big ones) at bottom of rear doors plus also bottom of rear door corner where it meets the rear wheel arch - is this to be expected - yes I know they are 15+ years old:-)

Has the 3rd gen got the same driving position?

Bender

[Bender71]

Cheers Tony - I'll try a 3rd Gen and compare me thinks as I think it'll be a 3rd gen I'll buy......:-)

[Leakypants]

Cheers Tony - I'll try a 3rd Gen and compare me thinks as I think it'll be a 3rd gen I'll buy......:-)

Bender, I'm currently selling my 3rd GEN. link is in above post. I only live 10miles down the road from you. I'm only asking for £2,500 which is cheap and its well loked after with plenty of history. I also have a brand new 4crawler 2inch lift kit that comes with it, just never got round to fitting it.

[Bender71]

Hi

If you are looking for a Surf I'm selling mine. It had sold but the guy messed me around so I have put it on Ebay. Well looked after.

see link: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/TOYOTA-Hil...item3cc274c3cf

PM me if you wish to have a look first.

Im hoping the mileage is in KM - otherwise a bit steep for what im looking for Leaky?

[BUSHWHACKER]

Im hoping the mileage is in KM - otherwise a bit steep for what im looking for Leaky?

It's an import, they all read in KMs.

[Bender71]

It's an import, they all read in KMs.

...then it's worth a viewing but i'll await leaky to confirm first:-)

[Leakypants]

I'm not so sure it's in KPH! the clock has an MPH on it. I will check it with a GPS today.

Bender, email me if you want to have a look.

[Bogus]

I'm not so sure it's in KPH! the clock has an MPH on it. I will check it with a GPS today.

Bender, email me if you want to have a look.

The Speedo will read in MPH ( it will have a new face ) but most probably the odo will be clicking up in Km. You need to drive a known distance in miles and see what counts up on the odo. If the odo is still counting km it will count 1.6 times the mile distance. Some imports are converted to show speed in mph and to count up in miles. If thats the case whatever was on the clock at import will be in km, with the units added after conversion being in miles. Its most likely that your 170,000 is km making it 106,000 miles, but a short drive over a known distance will confirm.

[Bender71]

Yeah that would be useful to know as the difference in wear and tear on a car knocking on 200k miles versus KM is significant on all aspects including engine - an engine on 200k miles starts to get iffy i.e. reconditioning possibilities - been having a similiar conversation with a guy in Japan when I was looking into getting a reconditioned 1KZT 3ltr engine to replace a 3ltr engine showing 200k miles on a KZJ70 (advertised on ebay currently) - not that im saying Leaky's car is iffy - it's like most things in life once they get to a certain age in life - more up-keep:-)

[Leakypants]

Ok so I checked with my GPS and I'm 99% it reading in miles. But I then thought the clocked it's self wouldn't have been changed? so the ODO read 87,000 when it was imported, which I'm gussing was in KPH. from then on it clicked in miles. Anyone care to elaborate if I'm right. Gonna contact the DVLA and confirm the ODO reading when it was imported in 2006.