kiwi van driver

[WINJA]

I KNOW THIS IS A BIKE SITE BUT I WANT TO HEAR PEOPLES EXPERIENCES WITH VANS LIKE HIACE OR L300 AND WHICH THEY PREFER AND WHY .I DONT LIKE CARS BUT I LIKE VANS CAUSE THERE GOOD TO SLEEP IN AND GREAT FOR PICKING UP AND TRANSPORTING BIKES. IVE HAD 3 TRANSITS WHICH YOU DONT WANT TO KEEP LONGER THAN 100000 KM 2 HIACES WHICH ARE OVERATED AND 2 L300 WHICH WERE GREAT,
HAS ANYONE GOT AN L400 ? IS IT ANY GOOD

[justsomeguy]

I KNOW THIS IS A BIKE SITE BUT I WANT TO HEAR PEOPLES EXPERIENCES WITH VANS LIKE HIACE OR L300 AND WHICH THEY PREFER AND WHY .I DONT LIKE CARS BUT I LIKE VANS CAUSE THERE GOOD TO SLEEP IN AND GREAT FOR PICKING UP AND TRANSPORTING BIKES. IVE HAD 3 TRANSITS WHICH YOU DONT WANT TO KEEP LONGER THAN 100000 KM 2 HIACES WHICH ARE OVERATED AND 2 L300 WHICH WERE GREAT,
HAS ANYONE GOT AN L400 ? IS IT ANY GOOD

Hmm I was about to recommend a Hiace - cos most blokes seem to have'em..... then saw your comments....... dunno now......

MR's van has done almost 500,000k's YES:yes:

And he drives it pretty hard --- the crazy little bugger....100k down 55k turns, etc..... backend swinging out.......:Punk:

[Firefight]

Hmm I was about to recommend a Hiace - cos most blokes seem to have'em..... then saw your comments....... dunno now......

MR's van has done almost 500,000k's YES:yes:

And he drives it pretty hard --- the crazy little bugger....100k down 55k turns, etc..... backend swinging out.......:Punk:


Yeah, he was conned into buying it off some old prick.Its a wonder it still goes, talk about rust, and crapped out engine.

#1 23rd March 2004, 04:06
Firefight
Forum whore

Bike: 04 YAMAHA R6... for a while yet, then who knows ?
Location: North Waikato
Posts: 1,973



Re shiter of a van

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For sale, 1991 Ford Econvan, 2000cc, long wheelbase, 5 speed,
Tow bar, 8 owners, full of rust, new fuel pump, water pump,
reco head job 10k ago, cam belt at same time, full of rust, radiator done.
heaps of cool bike stickers, ply inner to stop the rust spreading,
two spare tyres, full of rust, , will take two large off road or one road bike
comes with 2.0m loading ramp and lots of rust, oil leaks out of gearbox seal
did I mention the rust ?, WTF anyone with NZ$1100.00 to waste on a
complete piece of shit, pm me, no hurry I don't think anyone will bother.


Firefight


F/F

[justsomeguy]

Yeah, he was conned into buying it off some old prick.Its a wonder it still goes, talk about rust, and crapped out engine.

F/F

The engine sounded fine to me and it was real smooth...... drove it to taupo once......

[Firefight]

The engine sounded fine to me and it was real smooth...... drove it to taupo once......



sorry man, I knew you word take the bait, (the engine should be good, I rebuilt it before I sold it too him)

F/F :devil2:

[justsomeguy]

sorry man, I knew you word take the bait, (the engine should be good, I rebuilt it before I sold it too him)

F/F :devil2:

..........:oi-grr:

[SPman]

I reckon Hiaces are great. Had a 84 SWB model could get it drifting lovely out on the Ohura Rd in the metal. Current 84 LWB diesel is great for carrying stuff but a little short on power.

[bugjuice]

you gonna sound proof the van and install some anchor points with chains later on then..?

[Skunk]

I have a '88 Hiace LWB 2.4 Diesel with 289,000kms on it. Runs well, the rust is just starting to show. Can fit two KLX's in the back with the back seat set up. I've put a fold up deck in there that when down it's a queen size bed base. When up the bikes get tied against it (they protect the windows). Perfect for Adventure rides.

The L300, Hyundai etc can't fit the bikes in unless the seat is folded away or is a rear facing one.

Other than that I hate Toyotas :motu:

[dveus]

I've just bought an L300, good little van but for transporting bikes you wouldn't want to be moving anything too big, The roof height is OK but the rear door is a little on the low side.

[SPORK]

OMG LOLZ YUO HAF TO PUT SOME FATT SUBZ IN IT LOLZ!

HAVE LYK A 62" SUB WITH SOME FAT BEATZ AND FRAP AND YEAH AND YEAH.

DEN U KAN HAV FIDDI BLASTIN OWT CHA STERY-OH RELL LOWD.!!!1ONW

[WINJA]

I reckon Hiaces are great. Had a 84 SWB model could get it drifting lovely out on the Ohura Rd in the metal. Current 84 LWB diesel is great for carrying stuff but a little short on power.
SHORT OF POWER IS OK FOR ME , IM ACTUALLY A SLOW DRIVER

[Skunk]

OMG LOLZ YUO HAF TO PUT SOME FATT SUBZ IN IT LOLZ!

HAVE LYK A 62" SUB WITH SOME FAT BEATZ AND FRAP AND YEAH AND YEAH.

DEN U KAN HAV FIDDI BLASTIN OWT CHA STERY-OH RELL LOWD.!!!1ONWAaahh, I'll get back to you. :scratch: :unsure:

[WINJA]

OMG LOLZ YUO HAF TO PUT SOME FATT SUBZ IN IT LOLZ!

HAVE LYK A 62" SUB WITH SOME FAT BEATZ AND FRAP AND YEAH AND YEAH.

DEN U KAN HAV FIDDI BLASTIN OWT CHA STERY-OH RELL LOWD.!!!1ONW
YUM ROAST CHICKEN SUB WITH RANCH DRESSING

[Jackrat]

Get a ute mate,vans scare the hell out of me.
In any thing getting close to a real impact your very likely to lose your legs in the things.The L300 inparticular has a steering arm support just under the dash that will cut em' off neat as a neat thing.Have a look,it's bloody scary.

[WINJA]

Get a ute mate,vans scare the hell out of me.
In any thing getting close to a real impact your very likely to lose your legs in the things.The L300 inparticular has a steering arm support just under the dash that will cut em' off neat as a neat thing.Have a look,it's bloody scary.
THATS WHY I LIKED THE LOOK OF THE L400

[Jackrat]

THATS WHY I LIKED THE LOOK OF THE L400

Hmmm,never towed one of them.
Good luck either way.

[k14]

Yeah I've got a 1986 hiace lwb 2l petrol with 175000 on the clock. Have not had a problem with it in the 5 months or so I've had it, only cost me $1400 aswell. Would quite easily fit 3 bikes in there and 4 at a squeeze. Don't have anything bad to say about it. But yeah jackrat hate thinking about what would happen in a crash, I see the new hiaces look really ugly but I can see they have safety in mind when designing it.

[Motu]

The Hi Ace has a pretty good reputation,I don't know why,but they do seem to do the kms.Stay clear off Bongo's and Econovans,the worst of the worst,total and utter crap.L300s are nasty pieces of shit and don't go near them,the L400 seems a better bet because the motor is out the front,the diesel is still the grenade 4D56,but hey,I've got one in my Pajero and I reckon double the maintenance and they'll do the job.Previa - NO,NO,NO,NO,do I make myself clear?

I like Nissan vans - my old C22 Vanette diesel has done over 300,000km,and over the last couple of weeks shifting 3 house holds the little bugger worked night and day - I had it full to the roof towing a trailer with flattened springs...I shoulda filled the roof rack too because it didn't even notice it.I can turn it from people carrier to bike transporter in 5mins - pull out the rear seat and fit my bike rack,push the bike in and I'm gone.It's a low roof and my trials bike is not far from the roof,dirt bikes don't go in,but race bikes would cause they are low.Twin doors are a bonus too.

The Serena is a bit plush and maybe shorter in load space than the Vanette,I think the Vanette is the smallest van you can fit a bike in.The bigger Caravans are pretty good,the TD27 diesel is the best,although least high tech diesel,but that's why it's so good - chain drive push rod cast iron head,just like a REAL diesel.Isuzu is not a good choice either,not common enough for parts.

I have a dead 1988 C22 Vanette diesel for sale if you like - hurry,because parts are fast ending up on mine.Motor has a big knock,not sure what....

[sAsLEX]

Previa - NO,NO,NO,NO,do I make myself clear?

they go like snot though! seen high side of $1.50 in one of them with a decent load

[N4CR]

GET ONE OF THOSE BONGO VAN THINGS WITH THE CURTAINS AND PUT HEAPS OF AFRICANS IN IT.

L300's go well, we had one when I was little.. my mum hates large cars but she said the L300 was awesome...

I ahh.. also fell out of the L300 when I was 2. Front passenger seat > concrete on my head. That might be why I'm so stupid now :devil2:

[DingDong]

Get a ute mate,vans scare the hell out of me.
In any thing getting close to a real impact your very likely to lose your legs in the things.The L300 inparticular has a steering arm support just under the dash that will cut em' off neat as a neat thing.Have a look,it's bloody scary.

Get a ute WINJA, those is tougha...

Hey Jackrat, I like Waiuku... for Beachracing and drinking beer.
Next time your at the Hotel look for my cup... it's the big one above the bar, thats mine, beachracing champ. (toooot, toooot)

[What?]

Not unknown for the fifth gear to go walkabout in L300's - rattles loudly for a little while, then, if you don't fix it QUICK, total lock-up.

[sels1]

Where I work we use vans to go all over the country. Over many years we have found the Hi Ace to be the best all round performer - lowest maintenance, longest lasting, higher load capacity, takes more abuse etc easy (if boring) to drive. The odd Mitzi we have had seem to be designed for the vertically challenged, low windscreen, door entrys etc. Small things broke on them, doorlocks etc, they used oil from very early on in life, but were peppier to drive. Agree with Motu's comments on Econovan/Mazda

[MSTRS]

Jackrat is right. L300's are lethal in a frontal.
What is this L400 - 2 Mitzi utes welded together?

[WINJA]

Jackrat is right. L300's are lethal in a frontal.
What is this L400 - 2 Mitzi utes welded together?
L400 IS THE ONE WITH THE MOTOR IN FRONT THEY ALSO COME AS 4WD.
MITSI L400 , AUTO , AC, ABS, CD, ENGINE IN FRONT 5 YEAR FACTORY WARRANTY $25,000 NEW.
HIACE NO EXTRAS 3 YEAR WARRANTY $42,000 AC EXTRA $2500.
I DONT KNOW HOW TOYOTA CAN COMPETE MITSI OFFER A FLEET DISCOUNT ON THAT PRICE AS WELL.
IF TOYOTA ARE SO GOOD WHY DO THEY ONLY OFFER A 3 YEAR WARRANTY OPPOSED TO MITSI 5 YEAR COMERCIAL WARRANTY?

[Rainbow Wizard]

vans scare the hell out of me. In any thing getting close to a real impact your very likely to lose your legs in the things.The L300 inparticular has a steering arm support just under the dash that will cut em' off neat as a neat thing.Have a look,it's bloody scary.
Dunno what you're refering to but it won't be a steering arm support if it's under the dash. Do you mean the floor perhaps?

[marty]

Not unknown for the fifth gear to go walkabout in L300's - rattles loudly for a little while, then, if you don't fix it QUICK, total lock-up.

mine did that - $600 for new synchros and main bearings. other than theat the 2.4i petrol with 3" pipe and extractors went well - note the exhaust pipe exiting just fwd of the RH rear wheel. no rust at all. not as big as a hiace though

[Rainbow Wizard]

Not unknown for the fifth gear to go walkabout in L300's - rattles loudly for a little while, then, if you don't fix it QUICK, total lock-up.
I have driven cumulatively hundreds of thousands of ks in L300s, from 1984 until about 2000 when I bought my first L400 (and I'm now on my 3rd or 4th one of them). And darn you What? I was going to with-hold all comment about L400s until WINJA actually asked me nicely (IN LOWER CASE WRITING) for my opinion on them! How about it WINJA? It won't hurt a bit.

[justsomeguy]

How bout one of these?

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/Toyota/auction-29774267.htm

http://202.21.128.20/photoserver/79/10511679_full.jpg

[WINJA]

How bout one of these?

http://www.trademe.co.nz/Trade-Me-Motors/Cars/Toyota/auction-29774267.htm

http://202.21.128.20/photoserver/79/10511679_full.jpg
I HAD THE ISUZU VERSION OF THIS AND IT WAS 4 WHEEL DRIVE WITH BARN DOORS , IM A VAN PERV BUT TO ME A CAR HAS TO BE SOMETHING TO PICK UP A BIKE SO I LIKE VANS AND LOVE BIKES

[Rainbow Wizard]

How bout one of these?
Seen a large number of that type of van with rollover damage. My money's on the L400 but WINJA's too uppercase to ask me so far.http://www.voxanclubdefrance.com/phpBB2/images/smiles/new_color_.gif

[FROSTY]

Hiace jumbo high roof.The 2.8 diesels just seem to keep on going

[Two Smoker]

Only driven a few Hiace 2.8's... Have driven an econovan (and have seen the highside of 160) and its ok, but i prefer the Hiace... Im keen to have a go in a L300... especially if it is like squids...

[Motu]

The Dyna is more truck than van,that looks like a 4x4 to me too.It'd be a pig to drive....and I know WINGA doesn't like pigs at all.Tough as nails if you could take the pounding,lower gearing too,bigger brick so less economical.

[Rainbow Wizard]

...I know WINGA doesn't like pigs at all....
Shouldn't that be WINJA ??? By the way MR UPPERCASE, looks like this unsolicited reference could be of some use beyond its amusement factor.....
from a mate just up in Africa on missionary work:

Question: When you’re on the Congo border, and your 1995 Toyota Hiace [with 500,000km on the clock] has cracked the sump plug [understandably, since the roads it’s just crossed for the past 3 days have been the worst in the world, it was no surprise that a passing rock or 20 smashed the housing of the oil bung.], and there are no spare parts, what do you do?
A] Call in a helicopter with a spare part?
B] Create a makeshift part yourselves and keep topping up the oil tank?
C] Get another truck and pay another $US400 for the trip?
D] Call in a man to fix it.
Of course, this is Uganda, and so B is the correct answer. [“A” would be right if you were American. “C” would be okay if you were rich. And “D” would apply if you were British.]

Fortunately the oil leak was noted by Charles our driver [no right-thinking mzungu (whitey) would attempt to drive in these conditions] exactly when we stopped.

The prescription was this. Send the mechanic away somewhere mysterious on the back of a Suzuki 50cc Stepthrough [1970s model – still manufactured and supplied brand new here – as is the 1959 Honda Super Cub!]. By the way – doesn’t this explain why you can’t get a step-through for love or money in New Zealand? They’re all here!

Stepthroughs are the number 2 means of public transport.
No 1 is the back of a [Chinese] 28in frame pushbike – also used for carriage of anything from drums to 4 or 5 bunches of bananas to poles to building steel. One of them was taking up half the carriageway when we passed yesterday. Our driver honked on the horn, and the bodaboda boy [the cyclist for hire] discovered quickly the principle of the triangle. No, we didn’t hit him but his load became an extreme hypotenuse. Good, since we were free-wheeling down a long slope at 130km/h [realise that the tyres are pretty well bald, and a blow-out at that speed doesn’t bear thinking about].

The bike trip usually costs a few cents for the passenger. But you, and those in the passing truck, are praying all the while.
The Stepthrough is No 2 means of transport. The pillion pays 50c to a dollar.

No 3 was our nemesis – the Toyota Hiace. People have claimed to find examples with 1 million kilometres on the clock. They are the main means of place-to-place transport with anything up to 18 humans and the odd goat aboard. They’re called ‘taxis’, but they’re the main service transport for the millions who come and go from their work each day.

(Thanks to Peter Minson, ex Christchurch in case you've met him)

[750Y]

I've had a dyna like the one in the pic. it was ok, very sturdy, but a bit of as pig as Motu says, but the roof is too low. My old man is a painter & always had vans. the hiaces were pretty tinny but he'd get a good run outa them, the l300 was probably the best van he's had but not quite the longeiveity of the toyota but a far better van to drive.
I've had hilux's & l200 utes and noticed the same thing. Have You considered gutting a people mover? they are not bad...