So, who's buying a Hilux ute?

[rodgerd]

After watching Top Gear attack one with trees, wrecking balls, 5 hours in the sea, setting it on fire, and finally blowing it up on top of a building, is anyone convinced these things are indestructable?

[James Deuce]

After watching Top Gear attack one with trees, wrecking balls, 5 hours in the sea, setting it on fire, and finally blowing it up on top of a building, is anyone convinced these things are indestructable?Not after the In-Laws experience with the one they had on the farm. Lasted about 5 years and spent more time being repaired than working. It was a flat deck version of the one on Top Gear, and was constantly blowing seals in about every part of the transmission and drive train.

[vifferman]

After watching Top Gear attack one with trees, wrecking balls, 5 hours in the sea, setting it on fire, and finally blowing it up on top of a building, is anyone convinced these things are indestructable?Nup.
We destroyed a 3-month old one simply by trying to use it for what it was intended for, and rolling it (sideways, and end-over-end) down a 300m bank.
It wasn't driveable afterwards, as not only was the body severely 'redesigned', but the drivetrain was broken. Reduced its value by about $20,000 in about 30 seconds.

[Dr Bob]

In the eighties my parents asked me to drive my sister over the 309 from Coromandel to Whitianga. On the way back I could here some distinctive revving so I parked the ute on the side of the road (on the 309 this 'is' the road) and a rx2 came around the corner doing about 80k and slammed into us. The rx2 had it's front wheel tucked up under its engine and various parts strewn around. There was a small crease in the front of the hilux and the lead had popped off the battery. We had to crowbar the bonnet open and reconnect the battery before we could go.

I personally don't have a hilux but I have a 1983 Mazda B2000 ute, and there can't be too far from indestructable.

[Hitcher]

and was constantly blowing seals
An eskimo pushes his snowmobile into his local Yamaha dealer.

The dealer lifts the snowmobile's seat, looks at the engine and says "Looks like you've blown a seal."

The eskimo says "No, it's just the frost on my beard!"

[The Pastor]

I got one at work, never breaks down and is a real work horse. Its got about 180 on the clock - another 200 left easy :)

[Motu]

I've had a few Austin 1800 'landcrabs' over the years,not something I'd go out of my way to own,but misfits find their way to me.These things are one of the toughest cars I've ever come across,tough guys aren't pretty.One day I feel a bump behind,and when I get out to look I see a Hillman Hunter buried into my boot...the front tyre was touching my rear tyre,shit,that's all I need,my car written off.When we pulled the Hunter off the Crab I found a broken indicator lens and a small mark on the boot lid.Owning these things againt my better judgement,they me gave good service.

Hah - they came to me....one day doing a WoF on one the guy says 'this is the last time I get a Wof,it goes to the tip after this runs out'...ok,bring it round to my place after you're finished with it...and he did,drove down the drive,took off the plates and walked away.Another time a mate found one parked over his drive,but the council wouldn't take it away because it still had WoF and rego,so I took it home...it was the same colour as mine.One day the wife was acused of stealing our 1800...'we've had this thing for years'...''no it's ours,you stole it!''...it was all sorted out,but we didn't tell them I had their car at home.I winched them onto the back lawn with a Landcruiser,but 6yrs later when I needed to get them out it was a bit more dificult.Useing the same Cruiser I winched the first out,but then couldn't get to the other - so I ran the cable around the other Landcrab,using it as a pulley block to change the direction of my pull...then dragged the other out,locked brakes and flat tyres...the pulley block took the strain and there was hardly a mark on the body from the effort,one strong car,even after sitting outside for 6 yrs.Then we towed them to the dump behind a J1,with no brakes,slamming into the back of the truck on down hills.Say what you like about a Landcrab,but they are tough for one thing.

[jrandom]

I got one at work

What, an Eskimo, a snowmobile, a Yamaha dealer or a seal?

[The Pastor]

A hilux, you know what the topic is about? :D

[vifferman]

Say what you like about a Landcrab,but they are tough for one
thing.I learned to drive in one, my Dad's second ever car. It needed a good cut'n' polish and the carpets needed shampooing when he bought it, as it had belonged to a farmer who used it as his farm hack - carried everything from hay to bobby calves in it.
It was a good car when my Dad owned it - no problems at all - but when he sold it to my sister, she had lots of grief with it.

[merv]

Whatever, you got to love the programme Top Gear. No matter what they do it is a laugh. Never owned a Toyota ute but I do have a Landcruiser and I hope it lasts as well.

[KATWYN]

We have a 1990 kingcab hilux. We brought it in 1996.
after 18 months-2 years, it blew a head gasket which
was replaced then about 6 months later did the
same thing again. It cost us all up around $2,500

after 5 years the diesal motor was completely poked. So
Chris took it out and converted it to a V8 (327 chevy motor)

No problems now after 3 years.

[Velox]

I was watching it on video but the last 5 mins cut out. What did it look like after they demolished the building?

[James Deuce]

I was watching it on video but the last 5 mins cut out. What did it look like after they demolished the building?Better than new.But seriously it was still recognisable, but the chassis had almost broken right through just behind the cab.

[merv]

Barry Crump must be smiling from his grave. The mechanic was only allowed to reconnect things and apply a bit more diesel - no new parts were allowed. He cranked it over a bit and away it went. Magic.

[vifferman]

I was watching it on video but the last 5 mins cut out. What did it look like after they demolished the building?It looked exactly like you'd imagine - every panel was seriously munted, and there wasn't a straight or undamaged bit on it. Like Jim2 said, the chassis was broken, and they made the point that the bodywork was holding the chassis together, instead of the other way around.:eek: It looked almost like one of those cars that had been flattened to put in a pile at the wreckers.
BTW - that clip of the building blowing up is on the interweb somewhere - I saw the clip last year.
Try this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/topgear/downloads/hilux_broadband.ram

[Devil]

I forgot which engine was the one on top gear, but the 2.4 turbo diesel was shit. Known for the head gaskets going pop. We had the 3 litre turbo surf and it was pretty good only problem was a radiator issue. The newer intercooled one has some guts.

[vifferman]

I forgot which engine was the one on top gear, but the 2.4 turbo diesel was shit. Known for the head gaskets going pop. We had the 3 litre turbo surf and it was pretty good only problem was a radiator issue. The newer intercooled one has some guts.The one we wrecked was the petrol engined one. After driving the 6-cylinder LandCruisers around the farm, it just seemed so gutless. Maybe that was the reason it fell down the hill...:pinch:

[Motu]

Of course it was a diesel,so it can be made to run isolated from everything around it - all it needs is a wire to work the shut off solenoid and a starter to crank - try that with any modern petrol engine,the sea water would off wiped out all the electronics.The 2L is pretty good for a small Jap diesel,but prone to cracking heads if cooked - Jennings has a pile to the roof.The 2LT in the Surf dropped valve seats,that was a bad one.The 3L is a big improvement - but it breaks cranks.The latest 1KZTE I don't know about yet - none have come in on a tow truck....

[750Y]

I've got a 92 hilux 2.4 diesel. it has been a really good workhorse to date.

[Jackrat]

I had a four cylinder Hilux surf when I lived in OZ.
It was so gutless I thought the motor must be over the hill,so I bought a reco'ed motor an dropped it in.
Was still the same, just didn't blow smoke.
Was ok off road but hope less on the highways.
My first 4x4 was an early land Cruiser,BLOODY PRIMO!!
One place I worked on when I had the cruiser had a willow choked stream running thru' it.
We had people on the dole coming out in a bus each day clearing the willows.
(Remember the work for the dole days)early 80s.
Well one of these scum bags had robbed a bank in Hamilton and the cops came out to the farm to arrest him.I was coming down the main race when I see this Commodor stop by the bus and these two blokes jump out an run around the place looking lost.I stop an ask WTF an get told their Gov't workers or something like that.After I tell em' the dole people are out the back they ask for a lift out there.So we're on the way out the back,driving along a ridge track I'd not quite got the nerve up to try going over the edge of when I realise these two are coppers.That pissed me off a bit coz' they'ed bullshited me about who/what they were.
So I took a big breath and chucked the cruiser over the edge,flicked her into third an put me foot down.By the time we got to the bottem she was bouncing big time an chucking big lumps of dirt an grass in the air.Both cops hit their heads on the roof a couple of times and by the look of em' they thought they were gonn'a die.One of em' said something about WTF did I do that for.I just muttered about lying bastards an we left it at that.
They didn't catch said scumbag either,he saw us coming an did a runner over the naibours place.Had an 1800 land crab as well,for two years it used to bottem out on gravel roads.I mentioned this to a guy in a garage workshop up Dargaville.He got under the bonnet with a hose an next thing I know the landcrabs sitting four inches higher.
Ah well,didn't know about that. :o

[Motu]

Those old Cruisers were the real deal alright,we had one with a PTO winch that we used to pull all sorts of shit with (and 1800s) One day we were on a vineyard and there was some construction going on,we had to divert on the grass and they had covered a water hose with some 4x2s...so the guy driving came up real slow and just nudged the 4x2 so not to knock it around - but when he went to go over it the Cruiser just wheel spun...'I'll put the hubs in' I said and jumped out,but they were already in! It just sat there spinning one front and one rear wheel on dry grass! Some old guy came along in a Charade and just went over no worries,but the almighty Landcruiser was stuck on a 4x2!!!

The 1800 was the best car I've ever driven on gravel.We had to wind up a steep,twisty rutted and corugated road both to and from home - our Singer Vague (Hillman Hunter) would be in 2nd gear axle tramping the whole way,it was a pig of a thing.But the 1800 with it's long wheelbase,lots of weight and hydrospastic suspension just floated up the road in 3rd,a bloody awesome machine.But when they got old they didn't suffer fools gladly - it took all my skills to keep them running.

[Eddieb]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/topgear/prog28/toyota.shtml

The whole program segment is here, plus all sorts of older Top Gear stuff. You'll need Realplayer though.

[750Y]

I've got a 92 hilux 2.4 diesel. it has been a really good workhorse to date.

yeah well that was back in November, I shoulda kept my mouth shut!

[XTC]

yeah well that was back in November, I shoulda kept my mouth shut!
Yeah I think you jinxed it...... :(