Back to the drawing board for a Hilux replacement

[HK1837]

Been offered really good $ as a trade for my SR5, and SR dual cab is a steal at the moment. Will have to ponder.

[HK1837]

Just drove an SR D4D with A750F auto, I don't think I could live with it, they are so underpowered. I reminded me of hopping into a Starfire4 powered Torana after driving a 4.2L Torana. The 5spd auto makes it a far better thing to drive than with the old 4spd but I couldn't drive this everyday. I'd have to have double the gaps simply to pull out into traffic. I'd hate to see how bad it'd be towing my car float.
So back to the drawing board! Toyata don't make a V6 SR anymore, and there is little point buying another SR5 V6 although they are $48k driveaway. Only possibility might be is a D4D's power doubles with exhaust and chip so i'll ask some questions.
Might have to revisit the Falcon ute idea :(

[Taily]

What is the towing capacity of the FG GS ute? They can still be found new around the place and you're more likely going to get a deal on one, not to mention the 335KW power figure is more conservative than a goldfish at a shark gathering. They are easy to ditch the ute body and fit an alloy tray to, they tune easily and well too if you need extra grunt/torque.

[wbute]

They are wierd with the auto. If you plant the boot they are as slow as. If you accelerate conservativly they get up and go. Not as quick as the prado with the 6 speed manual though.

[HK1837]

They are wierd with the auto. If you plant the boot they are as slow as. If you accelerate conservativly they get up and go. Not as quick as the prado with the 6 speed manual though.

I was at Tocal field day on Saturday and a bloke I spoke to there was selling exhausts and chips for them and also a pedal box replacement. He reckoned the drive by wire pedal box gave them terrible throttle response and that they sold a replacement to fix it. Sounds like a good idea but first thought is the exhaust, chip and pedal add another $3000 to the car.
Looked again at a Ford today, $31500 driveaway for an XR6 auto, and $36500 for a turbo auto. They've fitted a heavy duty ZF box to the FG too.

Dave, GS is 1200kg towing capacity I think.

[wbute]

That drive by wire sounds about right. Just doesn't react as it should at full throttle. But at half throttle it goes properly.
3K out of my budget. Bet it makes a difference though.

[Taily]

I was at Tocal field day on Saturday and a bloke I spoke to there was selling exhausts and chips for them and also a pedal box replacement. He reckoned the drive by wire pedal box gave them terrible throttle response and that they sold a replacement to fix it. Sounds like a good idea but first thought is the exhaust, chip and pedal add another $3000 to the car.
Looked again at a Ford today, $31500 driveaway for an XR6 auto, and $36500 for a turbo auto. They've fitted a heavy duty ZF box to the FG too.

Dave, GS is 1200kg towing capacity I think.

Interesting. I've got a 1600kg towbar kit fitted to our XR6T sedan and there is a 2300kg tow pack option available with load levelling kit. The genuine Ford part number you'll want is BGC19A009B and is available on (only the) auto ute (all engines). You may need to get the "ugly type" alloys or steel wheels in order to get it fitted as they are part of the "one tonne" pack.

Methinks you might need to find a dealer that isn't just trying to sell you floor stock. The ZF is a sweet box and the raitios are well suited to the turbo engine (keeps it nicely on boost at lowish rpm), just make sure you fit a decent aftermarket cooler to it and be sitting down when you ask how much the 20lts of oil it uses to flush and then fill the converter/box is at or around the 50,000km mark... Zat iz ze price vee pay for Cherman engineerink!

The ZF does have an archillies heel though, the 3-2 downshift during overboost condition (about 5-8 seconds worth) can see upwards of 600nm of torque trying to go through the input shaft, leading to failure. Nizpro do a much stronger input shaft that will handle big torque from worked engines.

[HK1837]

I drove a manual Ranger on Saturday, hated it. Breathless piece of cr@p, ran out of puff in each gear at 3500rpm. Then drove an auto and it was a world of difference, makes the thing actually good to drive. And it smoked the tyres on takeoff. Both were 4x4. Seriously looking at an XLT xtra cab 4x2, they are identical to the 4x4 even down to the ride height and diff lock, just no 4x4 - and it comes standard with auto not $2000 extra like it is on the others. Plus it is 300kg+ lighter. The diff lock would make up for the lack of 4x4 in reversing a trailer situations. It is $12,000 cheaper than the 4x4.
I drove an XR6 NA too, it was very good as well.

Mazda BT-50 Xtra cab 4x4 XTR is hard to beat though, one of these with towbar, tubliner and soft tonneau added is under $50k, same thing in an XLT Ford is $55k plus tonneau and Mazda has Satnav standard.

[Valencia]

Ive got an 04 freestyle cab and an 09 mazda dual cab 4x4 byron cant rate them high enough and in 10 years havnt put a spanner on the 04 model at all

[HK1837]

I came close to buying a 2010/11 BT-50 but pulled out when I couldn't get an auto in a Freestyle cab as manual wouldn't reverse a car trailer up my driveway without frying the clutch.