Hi Baraza,
I am in need of a four-wheel-drive, double-cab pick-up that can haul a tonne to and from my farm once a month.
I live in Nairobi, about 300 kilometres from the farm, and have homed in on a 2001 Toyota Hilux, 2800cc with a 3L diesel engine, and a 2002 Nissan Hardbody, 3100cc diesel. They are both used vehicles but in fairly good condition.
Their purchase prices are almost the same and my current financial commitments and status can only allow me to move that much. What are the differences in the two workhorses’ performance, power, speed, fuel consumption, durability and spare parts availability.
S Richards
Performance: The performance is broadly similar, but I was impressed by the Hardbody’s torque. That’s the one with the QD32 engine, right?
Power: See “Performance” above.
Speed: I have pushed the 3.2 Hardbody harder than the Hilux. But ferrying stuff to and from the farm does not require competition-grade speeds. Both will do 140, which is about as fast as you would want to go in either.
Fuel Economy: Smaller engine means less fuel consumed. I have heard complaints about the Toyota though, but I’d say Toyota all the same.
Durability: Reputation favours the Toyota, but my observation favours the Hardbody. These cars don’t seem to wither at all…
Spares: No difference here. DT Dobie and Toyota Kenya are everywhere, so availability is not an issue for either.
Hi Baraza,
I bought a Toyota Harrier from an individual who had imported it second-hand from Japan. This gentleman did not give me the user’s manual and so I have been using the vehicle with limited knowledge of the use of various press buttons on the dashboard. My request therefore is:
a) Is it possible to get a user’s manual in English?
b)What is the Power switch for and when is it appropriate to use it? Does it increase fuel consumption?
c) When is the vehicle in overdrive mode and what is the effect of the overdrive function in terms of power and fuel consumption?
d) Can one use the Power switch when in “L” drive?
e) Can you use the Power switch with overdrive?
The vehicle is a year 2000 model and is 3000cc petrol.
Thank you,
Peter.
You could trawl the Internet for PDF files of the vehicle’s manual. I would have done it for you but I don’t have your car specifications.
a) Yes, if you try really hard.
b) The power switch is for when you want the ECT gearbox to perform “sportily”, that is, hold on to a gear longer and shift at higher rpm than usual. It is appropriate especially on hill-climbs, such as from Naivasha to Kimende, or Salgaa to Mau Summit. It increases consumption by a fair margin (a lot, actually).
c) Overdrive does not affect power, but it reduces fuel consumption by allowing the engine speed to drop without reducing road speed. Very good for economy. Keep it on at all times.
d) No need. In L, the car is stuck in first gear, so it will not change up. Using the Power switch is superfluous, unless your car uses full lock-up control in the torque converter (usually in 2nd gear for Lexus cars and their derivatives). To find this out, see ‘a’). Or, in other words, get the manual.
e) Yes
Hello,
I would like to thank you for educating the public, you are doing a good job. I want to buy a used 2006 Toyota Premio with a two-litre D4 engine, but I have been discouraged by some people, who say this car develops mechanical problems frequently, its spare parts are difficult to get, and that very few mechanics have the skills to repair this type of engine.
I have also heard that it needs high-octane fuel, which is not readily available in Kenya. Could you please enlighten me on this engine and whether it is worth the buy?
Also, kindly tell me how often one should change the automatic transmission oil in used cars. Finally, I have been discouraged from using synthetic oil on used Japanese cars. Kindly enlighten me on this.
Thanks.
Whoever discouraged you was on to something, and I had discussed direct injection in petrol engines and the difficulties of managing such engines in the country. I have since been informed by Toyota Kenya that they do service such engines… and service them properly. You may have to pay them a visit if and when you get the Premio.
Direct injection engines run best on high-octane fuel as you mention. But they can also run on the typical premium unleaded, even though I cannot say for how long for sure. What I know is that dirty or untrustworthy fuel will wreck your D4 really fast. Shell’s V-Power is an (expensive) option.
Synthetic oil can be used on any engine as it possesses superior qualities to mineral oils. There’s a belief that blends are the best compromise. For the direct injection engine, I’d advise you to go synthetic.
I don’t know where the belief that mineral oils are good for modern engines came from. I once had a reader narrate how his mechanic advised him to only use mineral oil in a 2005 BMW 3 Series, when I know that BMW themselves advise end users to pour Castrol GTX into their engines, and the GTX is a synthetic oil.
Hello Baraza,
Please give your opinion and advice on the replacement of brake and power steering fluids, and automatic transmission fluids (ATF). Are these replacements necessary if recommended?
After what milage or years should these be replaced? Can the power steering fluid be used as ATF? What are the pros and cons of not replacing or replacing any of the above-mentioned fluids.
Regards,
A A.
Brake fluid is replaced at every service, normally. But this depends on a lot of factors: if you use a less heat-resistant brand (lower DOT number) and you engage in “performance” driving, you may have to change it sooner.
Your mechanic should advise you if and when a premature replacement is necessary. If you experience reduced stopping power after a hard drive, or excessive heat in the discs, then your fluid may be boiling and reaching the end of its usefulness.
ATF is usually replaced according to the manufacturers’ instructions. A typical interval is after every other service. However, your car may experience some things that will inform you it is time to change the ATF. A physical check is necessary: if the ATF is dark brown, has bits in it and/or has a burnt smell, flush and replace ASAP.
These replacements are necessary if recommended. You need your brakes, obviously. You also need your ATF, otherwise your car will under-perform, waste fuel or in some instances not move at all.
Power steering fluid is usually topped up rather than replaced, though it too may suffer from heat damage.
For that last part, the reverse is true. ATF is almost always used as power steering fluid, and, to the best of my knowledge, it works just fine.
Hi Baraza,
I am an ardent reader of your articles. Good work. Kindly inform me whether the BMW franchise has a pick-up truck, and what the ‘AMG’ on the Mercedes flagship stands for.
If you mean the BMW brand, then no, none that I know of, not even one-offs. However, BMW still owns a small stake in Rover — along with India’s TATA and China’s SAIC — and Rover builds Land Rover and Range Rover vehicles. And I do know for a fact that there exists such a vehicle as a Land Rover Defender pick-up, so you could call this car “BMW’s pick-up”.
Cars manufactured under this arrangement between 1994 and the year 2000 are even more qualified for that title because it was during this period that BMW fully owned Rover. The Range Rover P38 2.5 DSE from this era uses a 2.5 litre BMW turbo-diesel engine, for instance. The Defender does not, though.
‘AMG’ stands for Aufrecht, Melcher and Großaspach: (Hans Werner) Aufrecht and (Erhard) Melcher were the founders of the original company, AMG Motorenbau und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (AMG Engine Production and Development, Ltd) which was an engine forge. I have no idea what Großaspach represents.
Hi Baraza,
I am an avid fan of you articles, which are one of the reasons I don’t miss to buy the Wednesday Daily Nation. I own a Nissan B15, YOM 2000, with a manual gear box. The car has served me well for the four years, but I have some questions regarding it:
1) The car has a very rough ride even though I fitted new shocks at the front aimed to improve this. Do you have any suggestions on what I can do to improve the suspension?
2) The head lamps appear to be very dim at night or when it rains. Even after increasing the bulb wattage to 100 watts, they are still dull. How can I improve them for better visibility in general?
3) I replaced the front bushes and rack ends around three years ago. At the moment there is some rattling noise at the front, especially on rough roads. Do they wear out at such a fast pace? I use the car mostly in town and rarely upcountry.
Thanks,
Evans.
1. Install long-travel suspension (bigger stroke room), fit high-profile tyres, and reduce the tyre pressures slightly. The car will feel softer and more pillowy (but still, a Maybach it will not be).
2. How dull is dull? In the rain, most people have “dull” headlamps, unless you have installed spotlights with the kind of wattage and luminosity that can wither surrounding vegetation.
You could try going for the roof-mounted light bar with LEDs, but this will be unfair to oncoming traffic, because you will have given new meaning to the term “blinding light”.
I think the reason your car’s lamps still appear dull is that they demand more electricity than the headlight fuse is willing to let through. Try bypassing the fuse (at your own risk) with the current set and see if the luminosity improves.
If it doesn’t, get a set of grille-mounted rally spotlights, and risk being the subject of undiluted hate from fellow road users. Or have the headlights cleaned with a special agent if they appear dirty to the eye even during the day.
3. That rattling noise could be anything, including the symptom of suspension mounts on the verge of collapse. Only a physical check will verify from whence is their provenance. If the car has stability rings, check those as well.
