Hiace 4x4

MarcinG

Hi. Were toyota hiace AWD sold in Ireland/UK?
Does anyone know how to look for one (I mean most of hiaces has no detailed description apart from engine size - AFAIK there are RWD, FWD and AWD models I would like to buy either FWD or AWD one).
Or any other small commercial (not "jeep type" with at least 1,8m long cargo space and 2 or even better 3 seats?)

I don't mind UK import as I'll register it privatelly (so have to pay VRT anyway AFAIK) looking for something rather cheap (3-5k total) ane reliable (for this reason i wuldnt buy vito, new transit or berlingo 1.6 hdi).

what i need is van which has:
at least 1.8m long cargo space
FWD or AWD
good fuel economy (8l/100km is ok 10 with trailer is absolute maximum)
low enough to fit multistorey car park etc (max 1.8-1.9m?)

reliable (i had opels (not too good) and old VW TDI caddy(pre common rail one) - VW was unstoppable had 180 000 miles and never let me down (without service at all - company owner saw service as wasteing of time so only stuff like brake pads were changed at propper intervals.
I'm looking for something similar as i will be buying 6-10 yrs old car and driving 20-40k miles per year.

engine around 2.0 with at least 100HP (will pull boat trailer on long distances and i don't like to travel 50km/h on motorway)
i would prefer japanese.
if it has an option of a/c and automatic it would be nice but so far i found only mercs
some one can direct me?
(ps. i have at least couple of months before purchase so no rush).
thanx.

colm_mcm

The hiace was 2.4, 2.4TD and 2.5 D-4D
Only layout was rear wheel drive and manual.

In Japan you could get the 3.0 TD from the land cruiser, along with the option of 4wd.
These are called the hiace granvia. Very rare here.

You can also get the previa (estima) with a 2.2 again with the options of 4wd and auto.

There is also the mitsubishi delica, 2.8 4x4.

The 4x4 thing will limit you. Do you really need that?

MarcinG

colm_mcm wrote: »

The 4x4 thing will limit you. Do you really need that?

no. but as i want to use it for retreiving boat it has to be at least FWD (RWD will struggle to start on mossy slip).

Only thing i would prefer van over people carrier (such as estima or noeh) as i want to put fishing rod rack inside and so on - way easier on metal body and no problem with doe even when dirty.

101sean

Ford Transits with four wheel drive used to fairly easy to obtain, lot of UK utilities used them. Not sure 4x4 was available with the more recent models though. Someone has a Transit tipper on Unimog axles on donedeal at the moment! :eek:

Scraped a an ex ESB 4x4 Trafic recently but it was pretty ancient (all Trafics should on the scrapheap straight from the showroom anyway :mad:)

MarcinG

101sean wrote: »

Ford Transits with four wheel drive used to fairly easy to obtain, lot of UK utilities used them. Not sure 4x4 was available with the more recent models though. Someone has a Transit tipper on Unimog axles on donedeal at the moment! :eek:

Scraped a an ex ESB 4x4 Trafic recently but it was pretty ancient (all Trafics should on the scrapheap straight from the showroom anyway :mad:)

How are 4x4 transits called? (i mean as vw has "4motion")
My friend has a two transits at work.
old one has around 300 000 miles and drives ok ('00?)
new one ('04) at less than half of this distance got a engine and gear box replaced already !!
are transits low enough to fit parking?
and what size engines do they have?
and are ther FWD? (had a feeling that they are RWD) i wouldn't go for old french car if it is not 1.9d - but it would be too slow for me.

101sean

Transits come in all shapes, sizes, drivetrains and engines but mostly bigger than Hiaces. They had no name as such, just a 4x4 variant. Early ones were converted after build by County, think later ones were line built.

Thread about them here - http://passionford.com/forum/general-car-related-discussion/312224-transit-4x4.html Googling 4x4 transit brings up loads

Another cool but pricey option is the VW synchro van, the one based on the T25 was a proper 4x4 (seen them playing, pretty awesome), the current ones are just AWD. There was a thread about them some time back, 4 or 5 of them in Ireland and a strong support club.

Your other utilitarian option is a Land Rover Defender 110 Hardtop

MarcinG

101sean wrote: »

Transits come in all shapes, sizes, drivetrains and engines but mostly bigger than Hiaces. They had no name as such, just a 4x4 variant. Early ones were converted after build by County, think later ones were line built.

Thread about them here - http://passionford.com/forum/general-car-related-discussion/312224-transit-4x4.html Googling 4x4 transit brings up loads

Another cool but pricey option is the VW synchro van, the one based on the T25 was a proper 4x4 (seen them playing, pretty awesome), the current ones are just AWD. There was a thread about them some time back, 4 or 5 of them in Ireland and a strong support club.

Your other utilitarian option is a Land Rover Defender 110 Hardtop

I'm not going for 4x4 at any cost - i picked hiace as there is not too many japanese vans this size and 4x4 version as RWD would be usless for me . i'm looking for fwd van big enough to sleep in/put 1.8m fishing rods in it and yet low enough to park at any parking.

Slidey

There is a left hooker 4x4 hiace in Roscommon.

Be nearly impossible to get bits for them I'd say.

There is some Sprinters floatin around but they won't fit in multi story.

I'm afraid you are looking for too many things in the one vehicle if I am honest. You may need to prioritise your list

MarcinG

Slidey wrote: »

I'm afraid you are looking for too many things in the one vehicle if I am honest. You may need to prioritise your list

absolute must are:
internal lenght of 1.8 or very close to it .
engine smaller than 2.5
low roof
front wheel drive
100HP and over.
reliability to last more than 100-200 kkm without common problems (as turbos, fly wheels, injectors and so on).
price to fit budget of 3-5 k for van no older than 10 years in decent shape.
at least left window electric.
driving ok ( i found hyundai h100 doggy to drive)
fuel consumption around 7l/100km if possible.

great plus would be:
engine smaller than 2.0
electric mirrors
3 seater

luxury:
auto
a/c
awd (haldex is enough)

hmm I thing i'm getting closer to caddy III (pre face lift) it has 1781cm (hmm not sure found number of different values and dozen of models, van life, maxi etc i have to investigate it) internal cargo space (close enough as i could fit fishing rods above head (it would be only 1 or 2 longer than 1.6m) 1.9 TDI comes in 100HP+ (even 2.0 140 hp which should be a rocket van) i had one (caddy II) and found it as reliable as it gets.
only not sure about real internal lenght (including overhead compartament if it looks same like caddy II) and types of TDI engine (i would prefer pre common rail one if possible).
but as i said i have plently of time to look around

wildefalcon

Would a 4x4 estate car do you? Octavia? Audi All road? Volvo XC? You could always turn it into a van, if you prefer.

Jimmy Garlic

MarcinG wrote: »

absolute must are:
internal lenght of 1.8 or very close to it .
engine smaller than 2.5
low roof
front wheel drive
100HP and over.
reliability to last more than 100-200 kkm without common problems (as turbos, fly wheels, injectors and so on).
price to fit budget of 3-5 k for van no older than 10 years in decent shape.
at least left window electric.
driving ok ( i found hyundai h100 doggy to drive)
fuel consumption around 7l/100km if possible.

great plus would be:
engine smaller than 2.0
electric mirrors
3 seater

luxury:
auto
a/c
awd (haldex is enough)

hmm I thing i'm getting closer to caddy III (pre face lift) it has 1781cm (hmm not sure found number of different values and dozen of models, van life, maxi etc i have to investigate it) internal cargo space (close enough as i could fit fishing rods above head (it would be only 1 or 2 longer than 1.6m) 1.9 TDI comes in 100HP+ (even 2.0 140 hp which should be a rocket van) i had one (caddy II) and found it as reliable as it gets.
only not sure about real internal lenght (including overhead compartament if it looks same like caddy II) and types of TDI engine (i would prefer pre common rail one if possible).
but as i said i have plently of time to look around

That's a crazy princess and the pea list. Just buy a liteace if you can find a decent one.

MarcinG

wildefalcon wrote: »

Would a 4x4 estate car do you? Octavia? Audi All road? Volvo XC? You could always turn it into a van, if you prefer.

wouldn't - i want to keep stuff inside car at all the time (thats an idea - saving myself about 1h at every trip or even more when i'm towing boat).
My gear isn't heavy (i guess less than 100kg) but takes half of my bedroom (all sorts of buckets, tents, bank sticks, rods etc).

I would rather go for something like grand voyager/estima - but comparing to van it would be still mess (I'm planning to make custom shelves/rack inside to keep it tidy.

BTw. spoken with someone recomending low roof swb MKIV/MKV transits with D engine (pre duratorq) - they are bulletproof and available in FWD, but not sure how would 70KM copy with towing boat?

MarcinG

Jimmy Garlic wrote: »

That's a crazy princess and the pea list. Just buy a liteace if you can find a decent one.

Why is this? Do you mean I have too big list and there is no such vans around or not at my price?

colm_mcm

Jimmy Garlic wrote: »

That's a crazy princess and the pea list. Just buy a liteace if you can find a decent one.

Aren't the Liteace all RWD?

How does it fit any of the criteria?

Unsafe, no equipment, RWD, old, rare, tiny petrol engine, no aircon.

MarcinG

colm_mcm wrote: »

Aren't the Liteace all RWD?

How does it fit any of the criteria?

Unsafe, no equipment, RWD, old, rare, tiny petrol engine, no aircon.

Thank you. So far i would go for caddy III without bulkhead (boot looks big enough - if not there is a maxi version - i know more expensive as newer).
I'll try to drive some of them as there are plently od diesel engines (i guess 5 or 6?) so i can get an idea what i need - i use to drive caddy II and was happy - apart from room for driver (I'm over 187 cm tall)
there are 4-motion versions (i'm not saying to go for one but just mentioning) + a/c and even auto
my dream would be maxi auto 4 motion or tramper- but i need to know lotto numbers in advance first


can someone tell me what TDI/SDI engines can i find in caddy III (i have little list of TDI for passat but ones from caddy has different power - so hey are different ones? i would prefer something older (as heard that new tdi engines aren't too good). I meran 3 letter code (like AHU and so on).
as AFAIK there are at least 4 types of TDI engines + sdi ones.

ps what are the chances of fitting 3rd seat into caddy III (like one from crashed "kombi"/"life" versions or other van?
As sometimes i would like to have 2 passangers (for 95% of my driving 2 seats are fine)

i left idea of transit as it isn't good on diesel (something like 11-12l/100km for TD versions according to couple of drivers)

MarcinG

hi i'm back.
my circumstances has changed slightly.
I may be looking for middle/full size van (caddy like may be too small - i'm thinking sth in a size of vito, delivery, low roof swb transit, hiace).
must:
1 be capable of towing and retrieving lake boat.
2 FWD/AWD only if FWD is not available
3 have a/c
4 low enough to fit car parks.
5 size wise at least 1.8m long cargo area
6 rather bulletproof or widely and cheap fixable (for this reason i've been told to run away from new mercs and fords).


nice would be:
3 seater(but i think all big vans are).
something capable of overtaking in safe way (1.9cdti vivaro was way too slow to overtake tractor on narrow road - i needed straight road to horizon to do it safely).
also abs and wabasto would be nice

I will try to get around 5-7keuro for it.
fuel consumption and engine size may not be an huge issue as it will be registered as commercial (previously i wanted to register it as private).

I would rather stick to the van (chassis Clarence bigger than in normal car would be nice) than to 4x4

ltdslipdiff

Probably not quite what you require, but you could pick up a Delicia (based on Pajero), I'm sure this could be converted to a van, or perhaps an Estima 4x4 or Lucida 4x4.....

The auld lad has a 2006 Caddy TDi with A/C and we pull a one tonne boat up a very steep slipway regularly, no problem with power towing thats for sure ! You won't get a three seater Caddy however.

The Trafic/Vivaro/Primastar vans with the newer 2.0 engine (07 ->) are very good at towing too, and you may very well find a crew cab (usually UK import) with a/c and a bit of load space....

I've always found jeeps much more unsettling to tow with, I'd pick a van any day, maybe its the smaller wheels/tyres?

MarcinG

Probably not quite what you require, but you could pick up a Delicia (based on Pajero), I'm sure this could be converted to a van, or perhaps an Estima 4x4 or Lucida 4x4.....

i found only one old one 15yrs+
so there are no front wheel drive middle size vans on the market?

is nissan delivery any good?

The auld lad has a 2006 Caddy TDi with A/C and we pull a one tonne boat up a very steep slipway regularly, no problem with power towing thats for sure ! You won't get a three seater Caddy however.

but you can get transporter which i think is similar quality and has 3.

The Trafic/Vivaro/Primastar vans with the newer 2.0 engine (07 ->) are very good at towing too, and you may very well find a crew cab (usually UK import) with a/c and a bit of load space....

I'm not sure about its quality-my one (i use to drive 1.9 cdti '04) started to give troubles at around 100kmiles.

ltdslipdiff

The 1.9 renault engine will go for many years if cared for correctly, the newer Nissan/Renault alliance engine is much improved over the old 1.9, now with a timing chain, 115 bhp, and a multi valve head giving better economy too. There are plenty of them out there at the right price, must be serviced correctly and on time for over 100k miles reliability !! You will horror stories about all vehicles, even the bulletproof :rolleyes: transporters and Merc's !!

colm_mcm

Nissan delivery is slower than walking.

0-60 takes something like 27 seconds

Solnskaya

Op, why don't you buy a Fortoysan Litetransito, they will fulfill all your criteria and will also only use 5l/100km. They come in 2/4/rwd/fwd and are exactly 1.8m in the cargo area unless you go for the 4.6m option. Best of all they are very cheap and never break down. There have been reports of weakness in the differansfer boxes, but apparently this only manifests itself as an annoying whine with far too many possible causes and a source that changes frequently from front to rear. If you can put up with this they are perfect.:)

shogunpower

mitsubishi delica....