98 Hilux Diesel - Good vehicle?

[frozenpenguins]

Hey all... I'm in the Dominican Repub for a while... need a good reliable vehicle, good mileage. Come across a 98 Hilux, 4x4, Dual cab. Not sure if it has a turbo or not?

Can anyone tell me what to be careful of? I'd heard that the Hilux's are practically bulletproof. Is diesel the way to go? Do the 98's have turbos? Will it be too sluggish if it doesn't have a turbo (I haven't driven it yet... I will need to travel to see it in person).

Thanks HEAPS.

[havok011101]

G'Day, I have this exact truck, and have no problems with it.

It's a bit slow around town, due to the engine and gears, but has heaps of power down low and low gears so offroad it goes very well, which is the point.

Very reliable and tough, and should be easy to get parts and a mechanic that knows his way around one...

[greenpower]

If it says "2.8d" it's the L-series, non-turbo which is bulletproof, but you have to be sure if the timing belt has been replaced, that's the only thing to be careful of. Car is a bit slow, but has loads of low range torque, amazing towing capacity, and reliability. You wont be sorry! cheers!

[BigDan]

I've just looked at a few Hiluxes this week and decided on a 96 model myself. The most common problems I've seen to be wary of:

- Front axle leaks (dripping oil on the inside rim of the wheels - get down underneath, drips should be obvious
- Potential for light rust underneath and in tray. Also check floor pans (remove floor covering) and doors (pull seals open a bit)
- Steering - if a bit loose, you may need to do idler arm bushes (easy, cheap DIY job, I've heard) or something else. Don't neglect to fix loose steering, since the large amount of play in it before you actually turn the wheels could get you killed.

That said, I'm not a mechanic and not even a Hilux owner yet (2 more days), so take it all with a grain of salt :-)

Daniel.