Vans- Hiace vs Bongo/Vannette

[Sollyboy]

Thanks Frosty, I'm looking in the 5-7K range, but the only Toyota's I can find in that range are round 200Km's which worries me. Will check out the Nissan Homey.

There are plenty of really good mitsubishi L300 and a few L400 in that price range, the ex Coke L400 are great , auto ,air con ,mid roof,petrol, etc

[westie]

If you're interested in scoring poon, go for a Hiace real soon!

Try one now and forever know the pulling power that is .... Hiace.

I dont find it surprising that other people know the power of the hiace.
Is there another 1997 jappa that can be sold for $8000 with 750 000km's on the clock??? Redicurous!!

[et al]

My preference is for the HiAce - but whatever brand/model you go for you won't regret getting one that has Twin sliding doors (if you have a choice).

[smoky]

I have 5 diesel vehicles, .... Two others are 1985 vintage commercial vehicles with 600,000kms on them (each), and at least 5 engines worn out in each one.

5 motors in 600,000 ks – that’s only 125,000 each motor, that’s a disaster!

I’ve had a Nissan vanette 2ltr petrol, could 180klm/hr with 6 adults in it day after day (on the back strait at puke of course).

Clocked up 250,000 ks before I needed to do the top end.

I’ve a got Toyota Grandvia – 3 ltr Turbo Diesel – magic van, just the best van out there for sure
I’ve always been told don’t buy a diesel with a motor that starts with ‘m’ (Mazda, Mitzi, Musso. Merc ..get the idea).

[CookMySock]

their diesels are by far the best of the Japanese small diesels,particularly the TD27 - it's the real deal...

SNORT!! have you driven a Toyota turbo-diesel later than a 1995 ??

Big van is a tie between Hiace and Caravan/Homy....but if diesel go for the Nissan.

LOL.. NO!! Drive a modern (1995+) Hiace and be amazed!!

Stay well clear of any Mazda/Fords,the Bongo/Econovan is crap....

YES I would go along with this advice.

But seriously, drive a modern Toyota turbo diesel, and watch it go! The 1KZ-TE engine, or later. Awesome.

DB

[NordieBoy]

Big van is a tie between Hiace and Caravan/Homy....but if diesel go for the Nissan.

Could we drop the diff from a Homy into our Caravan to gear it up?

[Motu]

I’ve always been told don’t buy a diesel with a motor that starts with ‘m’ (Mazda, Mitzi, Musso. Merc ..get the idea).

Wrong - you don't buy a diesel with an alloy head,cambelt or bucket tappets.''M'' covers some of those don'ts,but so does ''T'',''N'',''H'',''I''....etc.

Alloy heads aren't strong enough for diesel use,they soften,bend and crack - their replacement becomes part of the maintenance schedule.Cambelts need replacement at regular intervals,a stupid expense on a maintenance free diesel.If they break there is no piston to valve clearance on a diesel,and the valves are vertical.They are pushed up by the piston....if there are rockers they will break,or pushrods will bend....but if there are bucket tappets then they will push up and smash the camshaft.This happens to finger followers too.

The brand doesn't matter - it's construction does.

[CookMySock]

5 motors in 600,000 ks – that’s only 125,000 each motor, that’s a disaster!

No its not. The vehicles idle for 8-13 hours at a time and rarely get warm. In that 8-13 hours they might do 120k's max. This is termed "severe service" for a diesel. The next problem is they are 2.8L naturally aspirated, what we in the trade refer to as "gutless." The next problem is, they are autos. No diesel was EVER designed to do this, but I am stuck with it.

Trust me, after 20 years of running diesel commercial vehicles, I know my numbers.

DB

[Motu]

But seriously, drive a modern Toyota turbo diesel, and watch it go! The 1KZ-TE engine, or later. Awesome.

You are talking about common rail - try a modern Mitsubishi or Nissan common rail diesel,and then compare to a Toyota common rail.The Toyota still has a cambelt,although it only goes from injector pump to camshaft and runs at half speed - still a stupid thing to put on a diesel motor.

[CookMySock]

You are talking about common rail - try a modern Mitsubishi or Nissan common rail diesel,and then compare to a Toyota common rail.The Toyota still has a cambelt,although it only goes from injector pump to camshaft and runs at half speed - still a stupid thing to put on a diesel motor.

the 1KZ-TE is a distributor pump AIUI. Yes, I expect a modern modern diesel of any sort is very good. I have no problems with cambelts unless they are not maintained - just change them on schedule..

DB