Hi all, I posted an email recently to this
forum regarding purchasing a Hilux 2.7 vs a Rodeo 2.8. Thank you all for you responses :-)
This is just a follow up for anyone who may be interested in our first impressisons and experiences as a first time 4wd owner.
We finally decided to purchase the Dual Cab Hilux. As a newbie 4wd owner, I didn't really want to add lack of knowledge of diesel engines to the mix, plus the number of K's we are likely to do was not really warranting the Turbo Diesel purchase. So we went the 2.7 Lux
We did 760km over the New Year (I know plenty of people do that every day) and had a fuel return of just over 72 litres Certainly better than we were expecting. The Lux is fitted with an ARB b/bar and hitch, plus a canopy, and we had it pretty
well loaded up to boot.
Observations -
- Car drivers have little regard for the overtaking opportunities afforded a 4wd - preaching to the converted probably.
- The Lux is much better with a bit of weight on board, doesn't pogo down the road - as much :-) May need to visit
suspension mods 101 methinks.
- It has plenty of power for what we need.
- Its very quite inside, low fatigue on long trips - - not sure - but likely.
- Standard lights suck, fitted my Cibie Oscars from younger hooning/rally days and going from high to low is not so bad, but from high +
driving lights to low is like - holy crap who flicked the switch? Any recommendations for replacement of std sealed rectangular units?
- Don't have to slow down in side streets with parked cars when there is an oncoming vehicle - yeeha - take that you annoying car drivers :-0 Not really, we still do the courteous thing, but its awful tempting sometimes.
- Best of all, we can now do the sort of stuff we have been itching to do/been held back from for years!
Cheers, and happy new year to all,
Stephen