TEOTWAWKI further down the track.

[BeardyMan]

Another reason I like the surf - has 2 batteries. Just need another set of jump leads and welding rods.

Scythe, the surf is identical to the Hilux, just the body that's different. Oh, and the price tag!

[River Song]

>>> midniteemo

MWAH ...... air kiss

Happy new year

[Scythe13]

Thanks BeardyMan. Shopping list updated.

Can you really see yourself using your car much Post SHTF?

[Timelord]

Surf Gen 2 is not mechanically identical to the Hilux. Only a few Surf's were fitted with full locking diffs..

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And 50% of the Surfs only have one battery. The Surfs have far more electrical gadgets than the workaday Hilux. Surfs are likely to be in much better bodily condition than a Hilux. More Surfs are automatic than manual. Auto 3litres do 24mpg if you drive carefully. 3 litres are less prone (but not exempt) to the mandatory Cylinder head cracking of the 2.4litres. TL

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130,000 miles is average for the head cracking to manifest itself. Rebuild or replacement cost usually results in vehicle being scrapped. Many scrap vehicles on the market due to this.
Check the HiluxSurf forum out first to assess the level of mechanical anxiety and to look at the spares/knowledge & costings back up available. Possibly the best place to buy a Surf. Best buys are from true enthusiasts on these forums who are changing out an already maintained and upgraded vehicle. Pay the price and get a good one. Avoid cheap and from back street car dealers as the vehicles can be costly to repair but fantastic if a good one is obtained... Tyres need to be good on the prospective vehicle or add £350 minimum on to the real purchasing price...

[Midnitemo]

"24mpg!!!!! if driven carefully jeez.....thats ok if you have deep pockets now but whatabout when fuel becomes scarce?...i think a well maintained landy with some sensible mods is the ultimate tool/workhorse for these shores(even though i personally despise them)but 24mpg as your everyday ride...god i miss my panda

[Timelord]

Yes 24mpg was painful. I wish I still had mine but the fuel cost was --- well I'd rather not think about it.... That was an accurate mpg figure by the way. If you get a good Surf or Hilux, then they are a superb well built bit of kit and then the fuel cost was just tolerable. Add on to this £400 of tyres and fast increasing premiums & more motorway miles per annum and the financial equation did not balance anymore. I still kept it because it was just such a good truck, but what finally did it for me was the inability to drive up a track in hard packed snow due to not being one of the rare gen2 Surfs fitted with the full locking diffs. It was sold within the week! What is the point in having a 4x4 prep truck that lets you down unexpectedly. It would have been better to have known that 3 of us would have had to walk up a snow covered mountain with our kit in advance. As it was we had a vehicle loads worth of expensive kit that we could not leave behind. We would have come with less stuff. imagine that in a SHTF scenario... At least with a basic car, I would have known I would have to walk some of the way and would have not got the vehicle stuck up the track either.. A valuable real world test it proved to be.. My old Landie or Jimny would have gone up and down with no bother at all. Permanent 4 wheel drive is also a lot safer and therefore better too. 30mpg if driven gently. Ahh, the good old days.. lol.

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By the way, if fuel is scarce, you probably would not be doing much driving around anyway. Having a vehicle fit for tough conditions might be more advantageous than having a weaker but more economical one. Just how far would you expect to travel about in a SHTF or PSHTF scenario? Most travelling might be very localised and therefore a vehicle might not be needed or alternatively fuel use would be less and only when necessary. That is without the host of other factors of vehicle use in these scenarios. Regards, TL