I have one dead van. Spare car close to dying and I have to drive it right now, and neither will get thru next summer regardless of $$ spent now.

I have no money and will be spending money loaned by family and then have nil to spend on breakdowns for like a year so I can't get this decision wrong.

Suggestions (and why, not just cos your one has been ok lol)

Yes I know Hiace. Euro turbo diesel with lots of km scares me a little with possible big spends coming. However lots of reports that well-serviced MB and VW go to 400,00 or 500,00km just fine.
No iLoad as I want a van not a grenade.

Looking at Merc Vito 320,000km or VW T5 about 280,000 km, assortment of Hiaces around in similar price/km range. Lots of Renault, Fiat and Transit out there but they seem to be troublesome.

Ideas?

Or who is about to trade in and needs a board or two 😂

But why?

Definitely pondering but a lot of imports have spent a lot of time idling on a freeway in Japan so I need to think more
I do like that lots of parts are triton and Pajero so they’re easy enough to work on.


I’d rather have a true commercial tho, to avoid a lot of interior strip-out for racks n bed

Meh said..
Delica?

Adriano, I thought you were a Skoda kinda guy.

Ok, fair enough. Yeah, I helped a friend years ago replace a seized fuel pump in his. I think he had the 1983 model.

Mark _australia said..
Current is a 98 Express that needs fuel pump. So what. But steering rack leak means $1000 plus soon, and it’s got small head gasket leak (combustion into coolant) and head was already done before. So it will pop in summer. Other electrical gremlins. Can’t risk it. Not worth spending $1500 now and maybe $2000 plus in six mths time on a vehicle worth maybe $2k in reasonable nick

That doesn't sound good. I'd be offloading it too. Probably going to be hard to sell, which kind of compounds your problems.

Was it a bad purchase, do you run cars into the ground, or is it some other reason your van has so many issues?

How much can you spend on something else? Maybe get another 98 Express for $3K

Stick with Toyota. You can't go wromg.
www.carsales.com.au/cars/details/2006-toyota-hiace-lwb-manual/OAG-AD-25887282/

Anything Toyota at 300k is just run in. They go forever. If it is ex fleet it usually means it has been fully serviced.
If the dealer still has it a day or two before the end of the month make a cash no trade offer of $7500. You might get it.

Another angle Mark, if you have lots of time and if you're a bit of a mechanic: Pickles Auctions. Ex-fleet, Ex-mining, government etc

cisco said..
Anything Toyota at 300k is just run in. They go forever. If it is ex fleet it usually means it has been fully serviced.
If the dealer still has it a day or two before the end of the month make a cash no trade offer of $7500. You might get it.

Hmmm fleet means whipped by the TA and idling for hours while they text. But yeah the latter is a very good point. Esp if its been sitting on the yard for a bit.