For those who may be interested in a new van ......
www.carsales.com.au/editorial/details/new-toyota-hiace-officially-revealed-117044/
www.drive.com.au/news/all-new-toyota-hiace-on-the-way-120795
Select to expand quoteWindmanV said..
For those who may be interested in a new van ......
www.carsales.com.au/editorial/details/new-toyota-hiace-officially-revealed-117044/
www.drive.com.au/news/all-new-toyota-hiace-on-the-way-120795
I like the new safety features , after having recently been in a accident in a hiace if i had knee airbags i reckon i would have far less injuries , plus its good to see a semi bonnet design .
Side-on looks like so many euro vans its not funny.
Must be a new bloke at Toyota called Van Der Designer, La Designeur, or Designfeakekenshiegen?
The 3.5 petrol sounds nice.
Back to pessimistic again- price? 
I was horrified at how much some vans cost, when they are the same as the hatchback but with an extra few square meters of box welded on the back... so we shall see...
Select to expand quoteclarkee said..WindmanV said..
For those who may be interested in a new van ......
www.carsales.com.au/editorial/details/new-toyota-hiace-officially-revealed-117044/
www.drive.com.au/news/all-new-toyota-hiace-on-the-way-120795
I like the new safety features , after having recently been in a accident in a hiace if i had knee airbags i reckon i would have far less injuries , plus its good to see a semi bonnet design .
Yes, thank god you were driving something with a bit of protection, but it looked like the bullbar did a lot of that.
I had a Mazda E2000 years ago and it worried me a lot that the only thing between your feet and anything in front of the car was a thin layer of sheet metal. Lucky they are also slow, but that doesn't help in scenarios like yours.
The cab over design seems like a good way to reduce the length of the vehicle, but I think a SBV is a better safety option.
Been driving my old hiace for five years now and am starting to feel vulnerable. Might be time to change to a safer design. Can't afford a new one though.
I don't think spending thousands a NEW van that will just be full of sand, salt, and empty stubbies is money well spent.
Can get a cheap as 5 year old vans/wagons for a quarter of the price that you can throw all your wet stuff in and not have to worry about it.
But I guess we need some suckers to buy them brand new before we can buy them second hand, lol
Select to expand quoteTardy said..
A trailer is way better ...
As long as you're happy to take up a couple of parking spaces
The new Toyota HiAce has been released.
Worst aspect of the new unit is that it needs 6 month/10,000 km servicing which, IMHO, is not commercially acceptable.
Look how much capacity you lose having the steering and cab set behind the front axle!
Yes. Bigger engine bay/bigger engine. but what are you wanting out of a trade vehicle
Fuel Consumption efficiency and cargo space.
Bring back foward sitting Vans and stop making them more SUV styling.
Select to expand quotelotofwind said..
I don't think spending thousands a NEW van that will just be full of sand, salt, and empty stubbies is money well spent.
Can get a cheap as 5 year old vans/wagons for a quarter of the price that you can throw all your wet stuff in and not have to worry about it.
But I guess we need some suckers to buy them brand new before we can buy them second hand, lol
Just like windsurfing gear 
Select to expand quotepatsken said..Tardy said..
A trailer is way better ...
As long as you're happy to take up a couple of parking spaces
I don't care about me taking up 4 car spots
Select to expand quoteWindmanV said..
The new Toyota HiAce has been released.
Worst aspect of the new unit is that it needs 6 month/10,000 km servicing which, IMHO, is not commercially acceptable.
Worst aspect is its looks!
But a car has to have an ugly side for it to endear. Just give it time. Look at the AU Falcon. It was considered dog-ugly when it came out but only now is it becoming appreciated for its hidden beauty . Vanilla holdens of that era are falling unloved by the wayside.
What range could you get if you converted LWB to electric and covered the whole cargo floor with batteries?
Select to expand quoteIan K said..
But a car has to have an ugly side for it to endear. Just give it time. Look at the AU Falcon. It was considered dog-ugly when it came out but only now is it becoming appreciated for its hidden beauty . Vanilla holdens of that era are falling unloved by the wayside.
Ian, the AU was ugly when it came out, but now, its still ugly! i think they rushed out the series 3, with a new bonnet, to make it look less ugly, and then changed in the BA. It must have been styling from the USA as it seemed similar to the Taurus or something else.
I think I even met someone from Ford Australia, a couple I think, at a windsurfing event at Sandy Point. I think they were saying that the public reception of the Falcon was not as good as some had expected.
I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder!
Select to expand quoteIan K said..
But a car has to have an ugly side for it to endear. Just give it time. Look at the AU Falcon. It was considered dog-ugly when it came out but only now is it becoming appreciated for its hidden beauty . Vanilla holdens of that era are falling unloved by the wayside.
AU's were the best falcon made.. Had two of them in the past, soo good !!
Looks like most of the vans going this way ie with the bonnet style front end ... after a recent large repair bill on my 10+ year old Iload have been looking at newer replacement options as I also use the van for daily work commute ...the shear prices though of used vans for what is a white tin box with very basic everything has amazed me yet again ! At the minute have narrowed it down to a new LDV - G10 which although the plastics are a bit cheap looking inside is a very real option other option is 3 year old transit custom ... same price as the new ldv with 50-60k kms though - both have good cargo space- especially the length, height is ok for car parks and they drive nicely... just got to get my head around spending the $$s !
Select to expand quoteAdam555 said..
Looks like most of the vans going this way ie with the bonnet style front end ... after a recent large repair bill on my 10+ year old Iload have been looking at newer replacement options as I also use the van for daily work commute ...the shear prices though of used vans for what is a white tin box with very basic everything has amazed me yet again ! At the minute have narrowed it down to a new LDV - G10 which although the plastics are a bit cheap looking inside is a very real option other option is 3 year old transit custom ... same price as the new ldv with 50-60k kms though - both have good cargo space- especially the length, height is ok for car parks and they drive nicely... just got to get my head around spending the $$s !
If you are buying a used van i would consider a Hiace, mechanically they are a great van, I have an 2009 LWB 3.0 turbo diesel, had it 10 years and love it , it's been a 7 day a week trouble free workhorse for me
Select to expand quoteMr Milk said..
What range could you get if you converted LWB to electric and covered the whole cargo floor with batteries?
That's my idea
Select to expand quotekato said..Mr Milk said..
What range could you get if you converted LWB to electric and covered the whole cargo floor with batteries?
That's my idea
You'll be all alone 1000 km from home, but at least still rolling, if there's a glitch in our overseas fuel supplies. We only have 3 weeks in reserve.
www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-23/fact-check-jim-molan-fuel-security/9687606
Toyota hybrids running on gas are the go until we get off fossil fuels. The taxi companies have done the homework. I've read somewhere there's even a hybrid Landcruiser in the pipeline.
premium.goauto.com.au/lpg-hybrid-camrys-can-save-6000-a-year/
Select to expand quoteIan K said..kato said..Mr Milk said..
What range could you get if you converted LWB to electric and covered the whole cargo floor with batteries?
That's my idea
You'll be all alone 1000 km from home, but at least still rolling, if there's a glitch in our overseas fuel supplies. We only have 3 weeks in reserve.
www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-23/fact-check-jim-molan-fuel-security/9687606
Toyota hybrids running on gas are the go until we get off fossil fuels. The taxi companies have done the homework. I've read somewhere there's even a hybrid Landcruiser in the pipeline.
premium.goauto.com.au/lpg-hybrid-camrys-can-save-6000-a-year/
Nah, if I can get a range of 400 km and a 1/2 charge I'm set.
Then it's free traveling to go windsurfing
Petrol petrol petrol
We've all heard the horror stories of modern diesels being farked, I've been reading heaps lately to see if anything is worth buying (as I will be looking at secondhand in the next year or so) and I have not seen anything to ease my concerns.
Petrol.
Select to expand quoteMark _australia said..
Petrol petrol petrol
We've all heard the horror stories of modern diesels being farked, I've been reading heaps lately to see if anything is worth buying (as I will be looking at secondhand in the next year or so) and I have not seen anything to ease my concerns.
Petrol.
You mean Patrol patrol patrol.
5.6 litre quad cam V8, independant suspension all round. Extra 100 kg of payload. Why do folks in WA buy bouncy, smoky, diesel Landcruisers?
Petrol engines convert to gas. Future proof it against Oil strikes. Australia has plenty of LPG.
www.whichcar.com.au/car-reviews/nissan-patrol-ti-l-2019-review
I'd love one but I am not a brain surgeon, venture capitalist or own a small country etc.
Why can't a 4WD be made that's not much more than a Commodore price?
Select to expand quotekato said..Mr Milk said..
What range could you get if you converted LWB to electric and covered the whole cargo floor with batteries?
That's my idea
Is this what you've been building?
www.sea-electric.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Seadrive-70.pdf
I just rang them up to check the price...$84 000.
