Your comments please on this commuter van

[miked]

Odometer reading: 114,978 km (but i usually do not trust odometers on used car dealers, any under-the-tree mechanic can reverse the reading with a hand drill)

Dealer asking price is PhP 450,000.00.....trying to negotiate it at 400k or even lower (380k).

Observations:
1. tires on front and rear were made on 2010 & 2012 with about 50% tread life...plus tires on the front are "DURUN" brand, while the rear is "WESTLAKE" (boyband ba itetch?)
2. probably front shock absorbers were shot (traces of leaks present)
3. the boot covers on the steering rack also show some traces of leaks
4. balljoints probably not yet replaced. though ball joint rubber boot covers are not torn (yet)
5. timing belt probably not replaced (i really don't trust even if they say it's replaced already)
6. no thermostat (water flowed when the engine was cold started)
7. engine starts right away (cold and hot)
8. soft upper and lower radiator hose
9. not the original seats and side covers
10. owned by a private school in laguna (so probably driven hard by the school driver)
11. last record on the maintenance history was on 5,000 km mark...probably the school motorpool did the repair and maintenance themselves.
12. fresh white paint (probably a hilamos)
13. oil leak at the engine-transmission bellhousing point (either engine rear oil seal or transmission front seal)
14. no test drive yet. will get back to it some later time on weekends.


[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG]

[miked]

SEAT BELT CONDITION AT 114,978 KM
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG]

TALAGA BANG MAY T-JUNCTION SA MAY RADIATOR LOWER HOSE TO ENGINE CONNECTION?
[IMG][/IMG]
[IMG][/IMG]

[dr. d]

.....yoko...

[GTi]

The Hiace Commuter is a very good car. I remember my old school had one of these as well, though it is still in good condition last time I visited. Its slow, five rows jammed inside makes it rather limited in terms of legroom. Ride quality is so-so. But then its built to last. The Toyota 2L is a good engine, IMHO better than the 4D56 in the L300, and much less prone to smoke belching.

114tkms is quite acceptable for a car of this vintage, but with that much to repair, I'd look elsewhere. There are many other fish in the sea.

[miked]

The Hiace Commuter is a very good car. I remember my old school had one of these as well, though it is still in good condition last time I visited. Its slow, five rows jammed inside makes it rather limited in terms of legroom. Ride quality is so-so. But then its built to last. The Toyota 2L is a good engine, IMHO better than the 4D56 in the L300, and much less prone to smoke belching.

114tkms is quite acceptable for a car of this vintage, but with that much to repair, I'd look elsewhere. There are many other fish in the sea.

most likely tama ka nga na marami pa mas maganda...napagisip-isp ko rin na malulugi din sa repair ang replacement ng parts. plus may considerable blow-by pressure with minimal amount of oil jumping out of the oil filler cap.

year 2000 model sya. kinocompare ko sya ngayon sa mga model 95,96 etc. eh cheaper by about 150k yung mga lower year models (obviously) pero halos the same features and engine....

actually, my mother is the bank for this purchase for their personal use...most probably hindi rin sya for daily use. di na kasi kami magkasya sa pickup ko. kawawa yung mga nasa likod kapag umulan o mainit panahon.

my sights are actually on the cheaper L300s since mas madami available na parts compared to the commuter.

will search again. thanks for the comments

[GTi]

most likely tama ka nga na marami pa mas maganda...napagisip-isp ko rin na malulugi din sa repair ang replacement ng parts. plus may considerable blow-by pressure with minimal amount of oil jumping out of the oil filler cap.

year 2000 model sya. kinocompare ko sya ngayon sa mga model 95,96 etc. eh cheaper by about 150k yung mga lower year models (obviously) pero halos the same features and engine....

actually, my mother is the bank for this purchase for their personal use...most probably hindi rin sya for daily use. di na kasi kami magkasya sa pickup ko. kawawa yung mga nasa likod kapag umulan o mainit panahon.

my sights are actually on the cheaper L300s since mas madami available na parts compared to the commuter.

will search again. thanks for the comments

Meron kaming 2001 Toyota Revo. It has the same engine as the Hiace Commuter. 98tkms siya ngayon, with no leaks whatsoever. I have had it calibrated once and the injector nozzle tips replaced. Other than that, the filters and the fluids inside, the engine remains with the same parts as those that came with it from the factory.

Napakadami parts para sa Hiace! Napakamura ng piyesa, at dahil simpleng sasakyan, kahit sinong mekaniko marunong mag-ayos.

[glenn manikis]

mahal.... mukhang laspag, at hindi maintain ng maayos....

pwede na sa 300k..

[yebo]

laspag na.

may 2003-2005 hyundai grx ka na mabibili sa ganyang price. crdi na yun ganda ng hatak.

[myk384]

Hanap ka nalang ng ibang Hiace commuter van.

[Horsepower]

I probably would only pay 50K for that. I'm sure napakalaki ng gastos mo just to bring it to good condition. Your gains wouldn't be substantial kasi napakahina din ng hatak ng commuter.

I'd second Yebo's advice, to get a Starex GRX instead. Browse Sulit, meron dun 2006 for only 420.

[renzo_d10]

400k for that....... (nevermind)

I'd look elsewhere IMO

[boytsiks]

mahal sa 400k yan. yung officemate ko nakakuha hi ace of the same year model ng 330k two years ago

[Ry_Tower]

School van pala, bugbog na yan.

Hanap ka na iba or kung ibibigay ng P250K puwede.

[vinj]

Do not touch. The fact that they went out to do a hilamos and other touch-ups means there's a lot to hide.

Looking at the service booklet, 6/17/2000 it was at 1,000kms then on 8/15/2000 it was already 5,000kms. If that remains consistent then it could run around 5,000kms every two to three months, and thus conservatively it would have around 230,000 to 250,000kms on the odo easily by this time.

[miked]

thanks sa comments....duda talaga ako sa odometer nya given the fact na school service sya dati.

discussion with the agent:
(non-verbatim)
ME: nagpalit na ba timing belt? (tinanong ko pa rin kahit na alam kong di naman nila talaga pinapalitan usually)
AGENT: bakit mo naman papalitan ang timing belt kung ok pa? di ba?
ME: (nahuli din kita sa sarili mong salita boy!)


anyway, di ko na babalikan yung van. the main reason kung bakit van eh kailangang minimum 15-18 seater for about 3-4 families. konti lang kasi naisasakay ng starex compared to these commuter, L300 etc. tsaka baka later on gagamitin for rentals as family business.

[GTi]

thanks sa comments....duda talaga ako sa odometer nya given the fact na school service sya dati.

discussion with the agent:
(non-verbatim)
ME: nagpalit na ba timing belt? (tinanong ko pa rin kahit na alam kong di naman nila talaga pinapalitan usually)
AGENT: bakit mo naman papalitan ang timing belt kung ok pa? di ba?
ME: (nahuli din kita sa sarili mong salita boy!)


anyway, di ko na babalikan yung van. the main reason kung bakit van eh kailangang minimum 15-18 seater for about 3-4 families. konti lang kasi naisasakay ng starex compared to these commuter, L300 etc. tsaka baka later on gagamitin for rentals as family business.

Consider mo rin ang Nissan Urvan. The Hiace has high resale value. Though a good vehicle, not really worth the extra as compared to the Urvan though it is a tad more modern aesthetically speaking.

[kompressor]

A big nooooo! It's too expensive for it's asking price. Kahit nga ipresyo yan ng 300k hindi ko pa rin bibilhin yan because of its current condition. Duda rin ako sa odometer reading.

First impression by just looking at the engine bay pics and your post, nakatikim na ng masakit na OVERHEAT yan. Merong weld dun sa t-junction na tinutukoy mo tapos napalitan na ng bago yung upper and lower radiator hoses and the very typical roadside siraniko solution which is to have the thermostat valve removed.

Para kang bumili ng napakalaking ex-taxi at a premium! Are they kidding? 400k?

[vinj]

thanks sa comments....duda talaga ako sa odometer nya given the fact na school service sya dati.

discussion with the agent:
(non-verbatim)
ME: nagpalit na ba timing belt? (tinanong ko pa rin kahit na alam kong di naman nila talaga pinapalitan usually)
AGENT: bakit mo naman papalitan ang timing belt kung ok pa? di ba?
ME: (nahuli din kita sa sarili mong salita boy!)


anyway, di ko na babalikan yung van. the main reason kung bakit van eh kailangang minimum 15-18 seater for about 3-4 families. konti lang kasi naisasakay ng starex compared to these commuter, L300 etc. tsaka baka later on gagamitin for rentals as family business.

400K will get you a decent Nissan Urvan. The TD27 is ages better then the 2.4L on the Hiace just as well.

[yapoy86]

mahal naman nyan... mga 180k na lang dapat yan eh.. yung mitsubishi L300 exceed long body local version nabenta namin ng 300K.. hamak na mas maganda yun dyan.. eh parang FX style pa yan na puro lawanit

[oliver1013]

Konting tiyaga pa sa aghanap....panget yan.