Starex or Hiace

[tim4h92]

Hello. My mom owned in succession a 2000 SVX Millenium Starex TCI and then replaced with a 2005 GRX CRDi. Both were with conventional trannies short wheelbase 9-seaters. For our use each gave around 10kms per lit. but the big difference being that the GRX CRDi had tons more power and torque but that's not to say that the SVX was underpowered it's just that the difference was noticeably significant. D4BH (105hp, 23kg.m tq.) vs D4CB (145hp, 35kg.m tq.)

Natandaan ko noon inaakyat namin ang Maligaya drive sa Tagaytay kaya in second gear. mag primera lang pag sobra tarik na.

Aside from doing the usual checks sa pag-bili ng kotse sa Starex watch out for:

1. rust especially sa ilalim ng mga rubber moulding sa pinto at tail gate water tends to get trapped in these places. Parehong nag yari ito sa SVX at GRX namin.

2. Sa M/T also check for excessive looseness or play sa mismong kambyo. The shifter bushings tend to get worn out pero they are easy and cheap to replace.

3. Sa GRX CRDi very impt. to fill up in clean stations. Once tumirik yung sa amin because of contaminated fuel. So ang solusyon was to drop the fuel tank and drain then also replace the fuel filter. Apparently yung GRX wala nang water seperator yung fuel filter. BTW madugo yung fuel filter 2880pesos sa casa. Assembly kasi sya may in-built na sensor kasama yung filter. Pero nung napalitan ok na ulit. Apart from the stalling incident it served us pretty well for 4+yrs and 96,000kms bago binenta.

4. windshield cracks lalo na sa base corners. malaki ang windshield ng parehong SVX at GRX and the body twists a fair bit kaya minsan nag sisimula ang maliit na crack sa coner ng windshield usually sa driver's side. we had both repaired thru yung injection resin thing.

now my mom uses a 2009 sta.fe. the only reason na hinde starex dahil di na kasya yung laki ng grand starex sa garahe namin. HTH

p.s. ayun pa pala mag kaiba ang tunog ng TCI at CRDI engine. una timing belt ang TCI at timing chain and CRDI. Hydraulic valve adjuster na ang CRDi pero sa TCI kailangan pa ng valve adjustment ang tappets once in a while pag service ng SVX.

Thanks for the detailed feedback sir,makes me alll the more look for an M/T version