|
When people start talking about import 4WDs on the market, you are likely to raise a bit of a discussion. What they’re going to say is usually predictable.
“Nah, forget about it mate, you’ll never get parts for them, and if you do they’ll cost you an arm and a leg.” Or, “Nah mate, it’s way too cold for a surf. Wait till the water warms up”.
You’ve heard the old saying, ‘Those that know little often repeat it’. Well, the same goes with Toyota Surfs. Unless you speak with somebody who has worked under them or is an owner of one, be prepared to cop an earful about even considering your new purchase.
Sometimes you have to agree with the anti-import brigade and admit there are a few disadvantages to owning a vehicle that wasn’t sold in mass quantities in Australia. However, like any second-hand vehicle, there are plenty of decent ones out there – you just have to know what to look out for.
The best news is you can get your hands on a neat one that has had hardly any off-road mileage for less than 10 grand.
At a glance, you would be forgiven for thinking the Surf is just a Toyota 4Runner, because it is. To be more correct, though, a Surf is a variation built for the
Japanese market that often finds its way to Australian shores after doing a few laps around Mt Fuji. The only real difference the Surf has to our 4Runner is that they run different engines.
Mechanicals
You can get the Toyota Surf in either the 2.4L and 3L turbo-diesel or four-cylinder and V6 petrol.
Generally speaking, stay clear of the petrol Surfs if you can help it. They are notorious for giving up the ghost early and causing owners nothing but headaches.
But that’s only generally speaking – like any make or model, if you get your hands on a good one you will be laughing.
When inspecting a Surf, look at the person’s driveway before you even look at the vehicle itself. Surfs are up there with the likes of Rovers and taxis – they’re renowned for leaking oil.
When inspecting the vehicle, take it for a test drive. If you can, organise a time with the owner when you are likely to get the most traffic. Bumper to bumper traffic, while as frustrating as being out-driven by the boss’s Rangie, is one of the best tests to see if the vehicle overheats.
Obviously, you want to drive it as long as possible without overstaying your welcome. If you are looking at an auto, pay special attention to whether or not the Surf overheats. This is supposed to be a common trait when an auto box is attached – especially in the diesels.
One of the reasons why Surfs have this inherent overheating problem is because the transmission cooler blocks the outlet at the bottom of the radiator.
It’s such a design blunder that you would think the guy responsible for the cooling system on the Toyota Surf had a bender on the rice wine the night before.
Check the front diff for any signs of movement as these also tend to give up the ghost prematurely. The drive-side flange tends to move around 10–15mm and the yoke wears out. This will mean a complete diff rebuild is on the cards.
Have a look under the back of the Surf as well because the D-bracket holding the rear swaybar on is infamously weak and tends to snap.
» Continue to Page 2
Related Articles
Love them or hate them, there is no denying that Jeeps are the father of the modern 4WD. The XJ Cherokee continued this traditi...
Despite the fact that the HiLux is first and foremost designed to be a work ute, it’s an incredibly popular 4WD, and righ...
For some reason, there seems to be this negative stigma surrounding older Pajeros (or any Pajeros for that matter) when the top...
Many would argue that the Toyota LandCruiser 60 Series was the start of the more civilised and comfortable breed of 4WDs, espec...
« Back to Buying Used Articles
|
