The old Toyota's hold their prices incredibly well compared to other capable (!) 4wd's such as the Nissans and Isuzu. The Surf's I understand are prone to blowing head gaskets, and $15k buys you a vehicle with high mileage and at least 14 years old (and that's a bargain). Is it just the fact that it's a Toyota that the prices are so high or are they really that good, and the head gasket thing is isolated to only a few! I'm really only interested in diesel at this stage. Cheers
budgel,
Apr 12, 9:38pm
I have heard of a few Isuzus cooking their engines too, diesel Terranos tend to be a bit gutless, so you are back to Toyotas.
Maybe you could consider a double cab ute like the turbo diesel Mazdas. they are good as long as the cooling system has been maintained.
bert37,
Apr 12, 9:43pm
you want preformance then the 3 liter surf or prado is the one to go for, wont crack heads if you keep the cooling system maintained, but asking price is more than others, the terranos are not as powerful but there motors go for ever, the 3,2 can have problems with there injector pumps, i have a terrano if it ever wears out i would buy a surf next
mugenb20b,
Apr 13, 12:19am
Yes, but much less prone if you buy the intercooled model or a Landcruiser Prado (which is also i/c). Still, big $$$ for one of those.
franc123,
Apr 13, 8:33am
It isn't usually the head gasket that blows, the head itself cracks due to long term unnoticed overheating and repairs are often not possible, total replacement is needed. If you think that shelling out a five figure sum for a 15yo Jap 4x4 represents good value for money then thats your business, it seems to me that people cough the big $ for the Toyotas simply because they've got less known faults than the Terranos, Bighorns and Pajeros. The R50 series Terranos in particular are often costing serious bucks to keep going, full suspension and brake overhauls, trans failure and electrical niggles as well as the electronic pumps being seriously allergic to our diesel are keeping owners broke these days. Even when shopping for a Prado it still pays to check them over carefully before buying to make sure its not suffering from TSS (Toyota Slob Syndrome), ie poorly maintained and abused examples that are being sold by neglectful owners for above average prices.
luge_boy,
Apr 13, 7:37pm
After looking at untold numbers of hilux's and terranos before buying and also speaking to alot of mechanics and Owners of different vehicles, I decided on a older Terrano that had been well looked after. I chose the Nissan due to them having fewer mechanical problemsbut more "cosmetic" problems which are easier and cheaper to remedy. Everyone has thier own criteria that a vehicle must fit so as long as you find what suits you and your budget
intrade,
Apr 13, 8:53pm
old terranos got gearboxes made from butter. i wonder to what mechanics you spoke to luge_boy. I like the old terrano shape and how you sit in them but the gearboxes prevented me from ever owning one .
pge,
Apr 13, 11:25pm
I had a petrol/auto Terrano for six years, took it from 160KKm to 230KKm, and never had a single problem with the auto.
This included several trips to recover large vehicles (Terrano, Fairlane 500, Falcon, amongst them) on tandem trailers, regular holidays towing trailers, recovering vehicles off the beach -- after the much-vaunted Falcodores couldn't tow their boats up the slip/sand.
a.woodrow,
Apr 13, 11:28pm
The only common fault of the terrano gearbox that I've ever come across is wear on fifth gear, usually caused by towing in fifth.
bubbles244,
Apr 14, 3:08am
have owned them all, the two best. taking into account price as well as toughness and parts/repairs are Isuzu rodeo's the early 1990's ones with the 4jb1 and nissan terrano 3.0TDI 1995 ish.
dont even consider a hilux unless you are buying a near new one
mull05,
Apr 14, 6:53am
I go with terranos, but most are only for farm use. Couple of k can get you a good one. Had to do the alternator on two of them in 6 years other then that have had trouble free use. I only use a quad for about two months in a year as the terrano gets the job done better in my opinion.
mals69,
Apr 14, 10:57am
Had my 92 Terrano for 5 years and not spent a cent on it, its done 170000, ive done 40,000 - manuals in same series have a lack of oil problem that rears its head as mentioned round 150000, get an auto, I like how the terrano's not as harsh on road as some 4WD - with the firestone firehawks (80 road 20 off road) corners like on rails :) go some where like over Arthurs pass and the LD27 pulls like a skool boy, the motors that good they put them in the london taxis and get over half millon k's out of them - no poxy cambelt to change either .
comphardware,
Apr 14, 12:50pm
I have a 91 terrano its a awesome money pit, oh the gearboxes are crap they also snap the lay shaft inhalf, i had mine rebuilt with new heavy bearings etc, and they told me i might get 80k out of the rebuilt box, also 5th gear is weak and i asked why they showed me the 5th gear which im sure nissan is using a bike sprog its so thin and tiny. just had to have the diesel pump rebuilt $$$ oh and they rust under the back seat when that happens you push it off a cliff.
comphardware,
Apr 14, 12:51pm
oh dont get a isuzu with a 4jg2 unless you got a spare engine on standby
r15,
Apr 14, 8:48pm
Surf is good.If you can't hear the fan roaring up hills then it ain't working.
The overheat problem isn't specific to intercooled or not, but less common with intercooled.
Forget the viscous spin test, its meaningless.
mals69,
Apr 14, 9:51pm
Surfs good if you into lots of vinyl and having rear leg room shortened, seems toyota thought everybody that owns one would be carrying 20 suitcases in the cargo area .
mugenb20b,
Apr 14, 10:05pm
It works for me. You can easily tell the difference between a good one and a bad one.
mals69,
Apr 14, 10:08pm
To answer your question #1 its all hype, no way a surf should be twice the price of a terrano (90 to mid 90's) when they are in fact half as good. Just watch out for some terrano's 90 to 92 for rust on floor panels behind drivers seat, some weren't sealed good (pretty sure that was the area I heard , may have been the cross member at rear wheels - mine sweet)
Brother in-law has a surf and each time jump in I think what farm we going too, father inlaw had a double cab surf that had done 400K spent 6 grand on motor then soon traded it for a 240k prado at 14 grand - makes some weird noises - good performance though - not long prior he had sold me a 2 owner 140k terrano for $4000 - come in handy the old outlaws at times :)
If you not into keeping up with the jone's a 90 to 96 terrano your best value for money .
mals69,
Apr 15, 6:00am
comphardware wrote: I have a 91 terrano its a awesome money pit
How many k's yours got on it ! Manual terrano, crap model isuzu lololl do some homework like the OP is doing before ya buy shite :)
27rose27,
Apr 15, 12:42pm
have had 95 (new shape} TD27 Turbo for ten years and I have not had a spanner on it! Do oil/filters myself, never missed a beat. The bushes in the rear have been replaced which is common i believe when they start to wander on uneven road.
noodleman4,
Apr 16, 12:39am
Just been down this road , narrowed down to 3.2 Terrano , inter cooled 3.0 Surf and 2.7 Surf, ended up with a 2001 Mazda Bounty 4x4 dc 226kms $12k 1 owner full servce history . Hardest part is finding proof of regular maint rather than forced repairs eg radiators. ( just made me think its overheated and.) Was informed to steer away from Deisel 3.0 Nissans, 3.0 Isuzus as more problematic, fuel pumps i think. Bounty is more newer than all the others i looked at in my price range, im in ChCh.
mals69,
Apr 16, 1:43am
$12000 for a 226000 KM vehicle, 11 years old - ya probably related to my outlaw :) A Mazda over a Nissan :)
comphardware,
Apr 16, 7:04am
mals69
mate your such a smart ass! and you gota terrano ,and the terrano as a suv is still the best out of this era compared to anything my 91 terrano manual now done 192km,never towed in 5th got a manual cause the auto box gets fried when towing, got a MU3.1 mechanical injection fried engine at 175km, injector pump leak is to be expected for this age with low sulphur fuel they all going to do it unless its got new seals, all good mate someone is going to get a bargain buy when i sell mine next week everything has been done in the last 18 months complete rebuilt diesel pump 6mnths ago new water pump+ viscous fan 6mnths all new belts 6mnts new heavy duty battery 6mnths new tires 1yr rebuilt gearbox with heavy duty bearings 1,5yrs ago new heavy duty clutch 1.5years ago if i get 4k ill be happy if not who cares I need the money for a 08 ranger
dr.doolittle,
Apr 16, 7:39am
With those kinds of mileages & for that kind of money ($15k or less) why dont you just buy a BMW X5 , V8 of coarse, for the towing & either buy or hire a trailer for the loads of rubbish to the tip. I know what I'll be doing.
r15,
Apr 16, 7:42am
looking at the current market you seem to lose a lot of goodies- alloys, flares, nudgebars, etc.
if you're after a ute though and not a a wagon, then yea, they are great, especiall value wise compared hiluxs'
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