Seabreezers,
Any help/suggestions in regards to the following question will be gratefully recieved. I have read most of the previous van posts and have found them useful but I had a specific question:
I am going to buy a van and set it up with a bed in the back and boards below. The biggest board I own is a Naish Hokua 9' (270cms) and I have no plans on going any shorter. Looking at internal dimensions of the iload/Hi-Ace (both new models) it would seem that that the iLoad is actually quite short (engine placement).
Does anyone have the iLoad who has been able to fit in a board sized 9ft? Would I be able to set it up so the nose/tail slides under the drivers seat?
If I can't fit the board under the bed then I will definetely buy a Hi-Ace.
Thanks
roof racks and lock off metal thread tie downs.
i know not the same as keeping it inside,but
just an option for you if you're scraping for a couple of inches.
saying that i dont think you would have a problem with either vehicle. I got a 9'1 sup and if fits inside my renault kangoo van,, (just).
My 9ft Hokua fits in the back of my Transporter SWB from corner to corner. If I go in straight I just put it between the front seats. When I looked at the iLoad you couldn't option them with the step through front seats of an iMax so I went the transporter instead (got an exceptional deal on the VW).
I never considered a hiace for two reasons. The passenger seat has limited adjustment and when I sat in it my knees touched the dash with no way to remedy that (my wife is as tall as me same issue for her). And being a design where you are seated in front of the motor it is inherantly less comfortable on longer trips and not as safe.
I have a mate who has just bought a van and specifically wanted one that could handle a 290 board. He ended up with Renault Traffic. I have an Iload but I reckon the Renault trumps it. Worth a look.
I have an Iload and you won't get that lenght in. Unfortunately the back of of the seats are blocked off.
Without a cage in the back you have a about 240 - 250cm load space depending on the seat position.
I have my sup on racks on the roof with locable tie downs, as mentioned above.
It gets pretty crowded if you have a bed, boards and accessories inside the van.
I have thought about attaching it to the ceiling of the van so it comes past the seats. This could be ok if no ne sits in the middle seat.
You're all bringing up every issue/idea/thought that I'm having!
Hi-Ace - longer cargo area ideal for the 9ft however, less comfortable and not as safe. I didn't realise there would be a leg room issue for pasengers - not odeal if the missus is driving - I'm over 6ft.
iLoad - like the look of this the most, is getting great reviews and the diesel has good MPG. Only issue is I'm buying a van to specifically keep everything in - I won't even be buying roofracks. They also seem to be a very good price. Maybe a board on the ceiling is the answer.
Traffic - these look to be a bit of a combo of the above. I think they look good and seem to be quite big internally. Only issue is I'm English and they're French - not the best combo . Are they reliable? Are they ok to service (cost to service Toyota must surely be the cheapest?).
Thanks for the advice thus far - very helpful.
Hello, Ben,
My van is like the Toyo's: long and narrow and I suggest you go for something like the iLoad: wide but short. IMHO the width is better than the length, if you are trying to get lots of gear inside.
Re your SUP: the iLoad has a fold-down centre seat and you might be able to travel with the nose of the SUP poked through in this area.
Re you being English and the Trafic being French: whilst there were some minor disagreements between your two countries in the past (Crecy, Agincourt, Waterloo etc), you are now in Orstrilya, so forget your baggage.
Of more importance: the iLoad has won Best Van of the Year in Commercial vehicle magazines in 2009/2010, whilst the Toyo has been roundly criticised for years as lacking in most areas, compared to European vans. That's not to say that Toyos have firmly established their reputation for reliability and durability whilst other vans are still establishing theirs.
You might also consider the nearness to you of a servicing dealer, how much servicing costs and how often that it is required, not to mention whether there is a warranty covering rust.
Hope this helps.
The Iload is a good van in that it drives well and more like a car. The Hi Ace is a little more truck like and noisier. I looked at both when i was buying mine.
Also as mentioned, the Iload has a a better safety rating. When I was buying mine ABS was an option on the Hi Ace and difficult to get.
If you want economy then dont buy an auto, it's thirsty, even in the diesel.
I have a removable frame for a bed thet I use occasionaly for a weekend trip, I'll see if I can find a photo fully kitted with gear and bed.
Ive got an Iload and I can fit a 9'4 mal in the back on an angle.
Ive got internal roof racks in mine which I use for surfboards or sails. For a sailboard in the ceiling space you would just need to make them deeper for the added thickness of board/cover.
Take your board to an Hyudai dealer and get in there with it to try some options. Mine had no problem with me doing that.
You can get all the measurements you want on paper but until you start seeing nose/board rocker and things like that in real life you may get some problems.
Im coming up to two years with my Iload and cant fault it. False floor so have two levels for different gear or gear/sleeping levels etc
I have the Iload and it's great, I'd suggest you take your board down to a dealer and see if it fits. I have a 250cm long 120 x-cite ride that only just fits in. If your board doesn't have much nose rocker it may slide in under the seat a bit and give you the room you need. Other then that, like others have said get some bars mounted and use the roof space as storage, I've done this for my booms. The Iload is good to drive with good power and economy, I've driven mine across the country and back three time....4 boards, 10 sails, 3 booms, 5 masts and a bed..heaps of room.
Jase.
Thanks Jase (and everyone else),
I'll take your advice and head to the Hyundai dealer with my SUP!
Safety/efficiency/comfort are all very important.
Cheers
Good luck mate. Let us know how you go at dealer. If you still want pics after dealer then pm me.
You will see that they have heaps of prethreaded holes for mounting all sorts of different setups.
My setup is basic can take the whole lot out in about 10 mins to fit motorbike etc in if needed.
Hey Jase,
Do you find the black iLoad gets too hot inside in summer? Do you take out your board vent screws if you leave one board inside while using a different one?
Cheers
I would be more inclined to buy the best van thats suits your circumstances, then modify it to suit your gear. When my daughter wrote off my LWB Econovan (which is a story for another day )I had to find another van the next day. The only van I could find was a SWB which is only 2200mm on the floor. I built an overhead rack to take my board, which was supposed to be temporary until I found a good Hiace, but that was 5 years ago!
Took the SUP to the dealership (Northern Beaches) and tried it in the iload - it fitted. Got a good deal so a shiny new iLoad will be mine at the end of the month!
Thanks for the help/suggestions. Next step is working out how to rack it.
Ellobuddha, any chance of a picture or two of the way you've racked your van?
Cheers
One thing I noticed about my Iload van is that the internal paint is very thin and even sand that gets trapped under the rubber mat is enough to start minor surface rust. What I did was to recoat the floor with 2 coats of white kill rust rather than the fish oil that never seems to dry and stinks.
Also I treat it like a car and dont let water run all over the place, its not that hard to do as long as you have some water tight area's for wet sails and board bags
JMan said “the fish oil that never seems to dry and stinks.”
At the risk of ending a friendship, both statements are untrue.
In normal weather conditions, about 20 deg. C, it takes about 3 days for the oil to dry and it dries hard.
With regard to the odour, the fishy smell is removed from the product during the manufacturing process. What remains is an odour which is difficult to describe but which is not obnoxious (it's just THERE). As the oil dries, this odour gets progressively less and completely goes. It's similar to freshly-applied house paint: strong when first applied, not there after a period.
Can demonstrate both to anyone who wishes to see a van interior completely sprayed with fish oil. Dry surfaces, no odour and no rust after 10 years in windsurfing service.
Do you buy fish oil from a car shop like Super Cheap? Are there many brands and is one better than another?