94M Toyota 4Runner / Hilux Surf - image?

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Thu 1 Jul 2004 17:41
94M Toyota 4Runner / Hilux Surf - image? - Jack Duckworth

A mate of mine wants one of these. I can't stand them. 2 questions: 1. Are the Hilux Surf and the 4Runner the same car? Is there any advantage to having one over the other which you can think of? 2. What's their image?

Edited by HJ publisher on 02/09/2010 at 16:28

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Thu 1 Jul 2004 18:24
94M Toyota 4Runner / Hilux Surf - image? - Mark (RLBS)
Outside Europe they are quite different cars. The 4Runner is the 3rd in the group of Landcruisers and albeit the smaller one, is based upon them, not the HiLux.

Both types of 4Runner seem to be available here.
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Thu 1 Jul 2004 19:57
94M Toyota 4Runner / Hilux Surf - image? - PhilW
Mate down the road has an L reg Hilux from new. Still looks good, seems to have been incredibly reliable. But he is a self-employed builder so the Hilux spends most of its time full of cement, sand, bricks, timber etc. At weekends when he's not working he uses his 5 series BMW. Is your mate a builder or is he going to use it to go shopping?
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Thu 1 Jul 2004 20:27
94M Toyota 4Runner / Hilux Surf - image? - v0n
4Runners were sold in UK between 93 - 96 and were available as 3 litre turbo diesel or 3 litre V6 petrol. UK 4Runners are almost identical to 2nd generation Toyota Hilux Surf, equipped with the same range of engines with addition of 2.4 litre turbo diesel, which was by far the most popular in Japan but many early models were prone to cylinder head failure (japanese recall not followed by majority of owners). 4Runners have slightly worse trim levels and things like aircon were expensive extras, while all imported Hilux Surfs are equipped with aircon as standard.
They are absolutely magnificent machines and run forever if taken care of properly (service priority given to cooling system). Hilux Surfs have massive UK fanbase, and one of the best forums to ask further questions would be www.yotasurf.co.uk/forums/
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Thu 1 Jul 2004 20:35
94M Toyota 4Runner / Hilux Surf - image? - Mark (RLBS)
>>4Runners have slightly worse trim levels and things like aircon were expensive extras

In this country, maybe. But out of here that isn't so. My 4Runner had leather interior, aircon was standard and it had just about every electric extra you could think of.

By comparison the HiLux Surf I had here was positively spartan.

And you can most certainly get the 4Runner like mine in this country. I admit I haven't seen many of them, but they are around. Although I guess they could be imports.
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Thu 1 Jul 2004 20:44
94M Toyota 4Runner / Hilux Surf - image? - v0n
Was yours yankee version of 3rd generaton - 96 or later by any chance?
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Thu 1 Jul 2004 21:02
94M Toyota 4Runner / Hilux Surf - image? - Mark (RLBS)
Yes. Well, certainly later than 1996 and I'm assuming US. I was in South America at the time.
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Fri 2 Jul 2004 06:05
94M Toyota 4Runner / Hilux Surf - image? - Arty
Get a big bull bar with driving lights and winch. Also fit a refrigerator and a snorkel then it would look very cool.

Oh, don't forget to raise the suspension.
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Fri 2 Jul 2004 11:12
94M Toyota 4Runner / Hilux Surf - image? - Jack Duckworth
Thanks for the expertise, everyone! I did check the C by C index first, and found nothing for Hilux or 4Runner, hence the question.

My mate is a Design and Technology teacher in a Secondary school by day, and is renovating a Victorian house by evenings and weekends. His choice comes down to said Toyota or a Merc estate.

Which would you choose? I have to admit, I'd tend towards the Merc, but I'm happy to be persuaded different.

If he does go for the Toyota, would it be much more expensive to insure an imported Hilux Surf than a UK 4Runner?
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