Buying a Troopy

[surf73]

Hi.

I've just joined this forum as I got severely 'stung' when I bought my last vehicle - and thought I would get some advice from here before doing it all over again.

I'm based in Australia, and after finally getting rid of my hilux surf, (it couldn't handle our environment) - I am ready to buy a Landcruiser troop carrier campervan for around AU$16,000.


Basically it will be a 1995-1998, 4.2l Diesel and have about 350,000Km's on it.

I am currently looking at 4 ex-rental ones which have been serviced every 15,000km since new.

Are there any things that I should look out for when I inspect them?.

Thanks a lot

Paul

Sorry If I don't get back today as I'm leaving work now but will be back tommorow.

[roscoFJ73]

My old boss,who was a long time landcruiser owner,always said "there is no such thing as a cheap landcruiser".

At $16K,they are about 5-6K under the normal used price for a good reason.

350000 Is a lot of klms with potentially 100s of different drivers,many never having driven a 4wd before.I keep reading those horror stories of English and German tourists stuck on salt pans for days or traversing oz via the scenic route without ever deflating the tyres.

At $6000 for an engine rebuild and $2500 for the gearbox and t/case its probably wise to get it checked by an experienced landcruiser mechanic

If they are still running the original motor/gearbox be wary.
I would check the gearbox and t/case are not full of oil thickeners to quieten worn bearings.
The seal beteen the gearbox and t/case often fails causing the t/case to empty itself into the gearbox.If the gearbox is overfull or has a bypass hose fitted you can be almost sure it needs fixing .

Get a compression test on motor.

Brakes and steering can feel great,just before you discover they need a $hitload of work doing to them.

Look for rust everywhere especially around the windscreen frame , lower body panels and the welds on the suspension.

I hope Im not sounding too pessimistic,but keep your eyes wide open

[roscoFJ73]

"Look for rust everywhere especially around the windscreen frame , lower body panels and the welds on the suspension."

Should read "and the suspension welds on the chassis"

[bad_religion_au]

and check the pillars.. even in normal use a 75 series cracks the B and C pillars. so a camper probably has some stress on it.

check the power steering box mount on the chassis... sometimes cracks.

check rear chassis for cracks... telstra used to always crack here in troopies for some reason.

make sure 4x4 works... that the front diff isn't fawked...

[beanz2]

Check the A pillars if it ever had a roof rack. Models after '95 should have a reinforcement there so it's somewhat less likely. The driver's side rear door (RHD) may have cracked or bent hinges if the tire carrier is used for larger and heavier spares. Check the roof gutters for rust. Check the areas behind the rear wheel wells as dirt accumulates there and traps moisture, open the tools compartment and reach inside.

350000km is a lot, but if well cared for the 1HZ motor can last well past that.

Dave

[surf73]

Thanks for that.

I will get a mechanic to go along with me when I look at them tommorow.

Also - The point about them being 5-6K underprice is what appeals to me. The way I see it is that an ordinary guy, (like me) will always take a risk when buying a used vehicle.

However, I will feel much better spending 5K on new parts which I know will be good, than spending 20K+ on a vehicle which has still done 200K+ and could have hidden problems.

It's a nightmare...............But I will go and find a mechanic.

Thanks.

Paul.

[beanz2]

AU$5K will even get you a good used 1HZ drivetrain from a wrecker down under.

BTW, the RACQ or whatever it's called in your state will do a vehicle inspection for $165 - $260 if you are a member.

Dave

[roscoFJ73]

Originally Posted by surf73

Thanks for that.

I will get a mechanic to go along with me when I look at them tommorow.

Also - The point about them being 5-6K underprice is what appeals to me. The way I see it is that an ordinary guy, (like me) will always take a risk when buying a used vehicle.

However, I will feel much better spending 5K on new parts which I know will be good, than spending 20K+ on a vehicle which has still done 200K+ and could have hidden problems.

It's a nightmare...............But I will go and find a mechanic.

Thanks.

Paul.

Paul, they are good reasons for going down that path as long as you are aware of the possible implications,and its true,you may even get another 200000klm trouble free.
I also understand that the fit out in those campers would take a lot of dollars and man hours to replicate,so if thats your thing ,go for it.

Are there any pics on the net somewhere?

[surf73]

I don't have any pictures (only this advert from Autotrader)
I then telephoned and found out that he has 3 more of them.


http://www.autotrader.com.au/photodi...ber=T000175451


I think that the best thing is for me to have a look tommorow and decide what the best thing to do is. Ideally I'll take a mechanic to compare all 4 of them. If I get the RAC to do it then they will charge for each inspection, (here in WA - you have to take the vehicle to their inspection site - they don't come out for 4WD's).

I have converted 2 ford Transit vans into campers before - and each one took 6 months, (after work etc.) so I am prepared to buy a plain Troopy - but these are preferable.

The other thing that really appeals is the age, (for eventual re-sale) - but obviously, the KM's are high.
Best thing is to have a look and come back to you guys in a couple of days.

Thanks.
Paul.

[surf73]

Also - This may seem like a stupid question - but how do you check if the 4WD works?

Do I need to jack it up or find a sand patch to spin them on? (They are in the City).

[roscoFJ73]

Originally Posted by surf73

Also - This may seem like a stupid question - but how do you check if the 4WD works?

Do I need to jack it up or find a sand patch to spin them on? (They are in the City).

I always take them up to Kings Park.Lots of good hill climbs just below the lookout

Seriously if its gonna clench the deal,the vendor should let you test it somewhere.
I would also demand a high speed freeway test to see what 5th is like.

There is a big patch of sand underneath the Narrows bridge on the southern side

[beanz2]

Lock the hubs and put it in 4WD, drive it in a circle. If it is on bitumen you'd hear the tires squeal.

Dave

[crushers]

or you will hear a bang as the t/case exploads from the extreme load you just put on it....

[Island Moose]

Surf, ex-rentals score high in the "Lemon-Aid" books that are published here in Canada. They're books written by an independent source about the pitfalls of the used car market. The rental cars are apparantly a good bet because they are guaranteed to have been regularly serviced.

What are the rules in Australia regarding foreign imports? Could you consider an offshore model with much lower kms?

BTW, that camper is seriously cool.

[beanz2]

Originally Posted by moose_sv1000s

What are the rules in Australia regarding foreign imports? Could you consider an offshore model with much lower kms?

That used car with low kms phenomenon is Japan only and they get no troopies.

Dave

[surf73]

My last car, (Hilux surf) was an import and I'd never consider going that route again.
The cooling system couldn't handle our climate and basically I cooked it and cracked the head, (as do loads of 'surf' owners over here).
They also have a dual mass clutch system which costs a fortune to replace and the insurance is higher.

The other thing about Australia, (I'm guessing Canada too) is that you can get stuck in the middle of nowhere and having an import could mean waiting weeks for a spare part.

- and as Dave said - they don't have Troopies.

[Island Moose]

Originally Posted by surf73

The other thing about Australia, (I'm guessing Canada too) is that you can get stuck in the middle of nowhere and having an import could mean waiting weeks for a spare part.

.

True!...in Canada you either freeze and/or become Grizzly droppings, while in Australia you bake and/or become crocodile "floatings"...we share so much in common.


You've heard the one about the couple that consults an outfitter shop in hopes of doing some hiking in British Columbia? The store owner says "You need to extremely cautious with regard to bears in the backcountry"...."Always wear these little bells on your boots and carry pepper spray at all times" he continued. "Even more important", he said, "you need to be able to identify bear droppings along the trail, so you know whether you're dealing with a black bear or a Grizzly bear"". "How can you tell the difference?" the couple asked..."Well" said the store owner..."black bear droppings contain various seeds and berries, while grizzly bear droppings contain little bells and smells like pepper".

[surf73]

I guess you don't have to worry about overheating your motors in Canada though.

I just spoke to the guy selling the campers, (I only spoke to his assistant before).

He has 4 of them, all 1997-1998 and the Km's range from 210-290K.
Prices are 15-17,000$AU

Sounds pretty good to me, (especially the Kilometres - I assumed that they would be much worse - as I saw one go through the auctions here with 360,000Km's fo $16K last week)

[roscoFJ73]

Originally Posted by surf73

I guess you don't have to worry about overheating your motors in Canada though.

I just spoke to the guy selling the campers, (I only spoke to his assistant before).

He has 4 of them, all 1997-1998 and the Km's range from 210-290K.
Prices are 15-17,000$AU

Sounds pretty good to me, (especially the Kilometres - I assumed that they would be much worse - as I saw one go through the auctions here with 360,000Km's fo $16K last week)

Paul have you looked at the 75 series campers on Buckingham drive,Wangara,they sell both the prego roof and the lift up fibreglass roofed version.
I think theyre in the same price range as the ones your looking at.
They had 3-4 last month for sale.

[surf73]

Thanks rosco - I'll have a drive around Wangara on Saturday.

I sold my 'surf' on Monday so transportation is a problem at the moment - but I can borrow a car for the weekend.
I'm only going to sleep in it at weekends so I don't need a full-on camper, so I will also look at plain Troopcarriers and put the extras in myself.

Basically i'd be interested in any one newer than 1996 for less that 17K around Perth.

[roscoFJ73]

I think that is actually Prindiville Drive,Wangara

[beanz2]

Originally Posted by surf73

I'm only going to sleep in it at weekends so I don't need a full-on camper, so I will also look at plain Troopcarriers and put the extras in myself.

Do you have to have the raised roof, Paul? It kills the fuel economy, just like a roof rack. Overlander had an article comparing how a roof rack and a trailer affects the fuel consumption on an 80 series. The roof rack raises fuel consumption much more than a heavier trailer.

Dave

[roscoFJ73]

Originally Posted by surf73

Thanks rosco - I'll have a drive around Wangara on Saturday.

I sold my 'surf' on Monday so transportation is a problem at the moment - but I can borrow a car for the weekend.
I'm only going to sleep in it at weekends so I don't need a full-on camper, so I will also look at plain Troopcarriers and put the extras in myself.

Basically i'd be interested in any one newer than 1996 for less that 17K around Perth.

Paul have you considered a cab chassis with hard cover on the rear.
Lots of 1-2 owner examples in your price range.
They are cheaper in the wheatbelt if your willing to travel 2-300klm
The cab chassis has the advantage of a removeable windscreen frame and roof which makes rust repair a breeze
Nearly all the troopys in the lower price ranges that I have seen have rust repair on the windscreen.

This is a link to under $20k cruisers in the auto trader.You can go back to the beginning and reenter the search criteria to broaden as the troopys are in 2 sections

http://www.autotrader.com.au/SearchResult.asp







http://www.autotrader.com.au/SearchResult.asp

[surf73]

I had a look at them last night.
The guy has let me hire one for $50 per day until Monday so I can't go wrong.

I bought it to a mechanic in Perth this morning and we took it for a drive and put it on the hoist.

It's looking pretty good.

260K, July 1997, no rust, motor is in great condition, new rear disks and 60% front pads, all the shackles have been replaced underneath, suspension looks new, rear diff looks pretty new, dual battery, roo-bar, snorkel, 5 great tyres, dual fual tanks, all the doors fit perfectly.

But........The gearbox is a bit noisy, (mechanic reckons a new bearing set within a year to save the gears), exhaust is blowing, and the handbrake needs adjusting.

It's not as nice as my Hilux surf inside but I'll change the cab interior pretty soon, (probably put 2 single seats in so you can walk through to the back).

I'll take it to Lancalin, (offroad) tommorow but I can handle just having to do the bearings in a few months.

As for the fuel economy, I have always driven vans so am used to it. I also only came to Australia from the UK 2years ago and am used to paying $2.50 a litre so don't mind too much.
Being able to sleep comfortably is also great for after the pub.

He has it up for $16,000 so I'll see what he says about the $1000 for the gearbox work and try for $14K. Most of the Troopies I've seen in this price range are around 1994-1995's without the camping gear. (Fridge, Cooker, Water tank, bedding, roof etc.etc must be worth at least $2K)

..........I'll still keep looking - but being able to hire it for the weekend does give me a lot of time to check it out.

Paul.

[roscoFJ73]

That sounds like a good deal.
When the bearings are noisy it will involve dismantling both the gearbox AND t/case.
So in this state you might as well rebuild the t/case.
I would say the total cost would be closer to $2-2500 if you need a 1st-2nd gear synchro and pay someone to do the work.
The synchro usually grinds in and out of those 2 gears.
That would be for a fully rebuilt g/box and t/case with 1-2 years warranty.
You might as well put a new clutch kit in while your there,$300 and rear mains oil seal$70 OEM


Have a great time up Lancelin,the weather forecast is for 27 sat and 28 sun,so it will be perfect.

A good drive is from Lancelin to Cervantes( 7 hours )along the tracks that follow the coast and then you can come back along the Brand Highway (2 hours).

There is some good spots to stop and have lunch and a swim such as Wedge Island.

There are maps on here,dont pay $3.50 for the crude hand drawn ones at Lancelin
http://www.exploroz.com.au

[roscoFJ73]

Straight to the maps

http://www.exploroz.com.au/TrekNotes..._Beach_Run.asp

[surf73]

Great - Thanks for that.

I have to be back for the 'big day out' on Sunday but I'll definately make the most of the 'weekend rental' tommorow

I always go down South (Margaret river) to get a surf, but I'm sure that with this vehicle I'm going to find some great uncrowded spots on that Lancalin-Cervantes track. (I think tommorow will just be on the Lancalin 'Playground' though.

Maybe See you out there some time.

p.s The Gearbox is not really noisy yet - I didn't even notice it but the mechanic did, (reckons it could be a year before I need to do anything)

Paul (Scarborough)