Surf / 4Runner opinions

Check post 12177 or search sparkie(IE not Y)

I asked a similar question about surfs and got some very good responses ranging from what problems members had with them to people who couldn't be happier.

They didn't go into engine specifics to much in the 3 litre td range but you should find it informative

Friend of mine bought a 1993 v6 petrol 4runner and were very impressed with it at first. After three days it would stop for no reason when ideling. They took it to Toyota and apparently it was the sparkplugs and leads. Seems fine now but are having a major service done to make sure. Havent spoken to them since so don't know the outcome. The only thing I could fault the 4runner on was lack of legroom in the back. I have a family and If I couldnt sit in the back comfortably they wont either so I am buying (hopefully) a 93 jackaroo. not as serious a 4wd as hilux but it is my first 4wd :-)

Anyhow good luck and hopefully you will find the answers to your questions
regards Sparkie ( IE not Y)

grant

We had a v6 petrol 4runner for about 7 years - it was either 93 or 94 - and there was a major problem with the head gaskets of that model - so if you are thinking of buying around that year model, get the head checked out to see if it has been replaced because the time has run out for Toyota to fix free of charge.

Toyota replaced ours at 185000km when it was about 6 years old.

We never had any other problems with the vehicle.

I have a 1990 surf 2.4 TD auto for 4.5 years. They have their little quirkes like all cars. Get a price on Insurance first as some companies donot insure grey imports.
Check this excellent site out for all things Surf http:/toyotasurf.asn.au/forum/index
Decide if you want petrol or diesel and that will make the chioce for you,

Cheers Matt

I have a 1990 surf 2.4 TD auto for 4.5 years. They have their little quirkes like all cars. Get a price on Insurance first as some companies donot insure grey imports.
Check this excellent site out for all things Surf http:/toyotasurf.asn.au/forum/index
Decide if you want petrol or diesel and that will make the chioce a little easier.

Cheers Matt

Yeah check the previous post above, the surfs are excellent 4bies, keep the cooling system in 100% condt. and you souldn't have any overheating problems, as soon as you neglect it it will start to get hot and heating up an alloy deisel is a sure fire way to crack the head. Great cars, we keep up with all the patrols and lc's out there no probs at all, we also load ours to the gills while we do it!
We actually had our first mechanical failure on the weekend while up in cervanties with Pluto and Uppy (both have patrols). We broke a saddle off the rear suspesion stabaliser bar. We were getting a clucking noise when throlttling through deep sand. Could'nt see anything until the next day when I was crawling around under the car in the driveway looking for anything that could be causing it. It still got us home over some pretty nasty corrugations fully loaded without any noticable loss of handling. Cost me $6.95 for a steel saddle from my local hardware store and it was fixed in under an hour. (only 2 swear words!)
Mind you I would like to take this oppertunity to say a bad word about Auto1 in Wanneroo. I go there all the time and they are normally pretty good, but they had a girl working there on the weekend who obviously found the job way to tasking if you weren't in there to by a set of shoo roos and a bottle of oil. I found her service disgusting and slack. (in there deffence I have never seen here in there before, must have been hard finding people to work on the long weekend I guess).