hilux surf subic

[popoyn]

im thinking of getting a hilux surf from subic. pls. give me your honest opinion. thanks

[mazdamazda]

as for me... am staying away from converted-RHD vehicles.

[BlueBimmer]

yep i 2nd that

[v22]

have'nt met anyone who sticked long enough with his surf... they would always upgrade to a pajero or a trooper...

my SUVic pajero is ok naman, for my standards... it's not a bnew vehicle so do'nt expect that its in a nothing to fix condition... i had my underchassis refurbished, minor electrical works done so far... replaced all the belts and hoses for preventive measure... problem is i think its suffering a little blowby, i consumed 350ml of oil within the span of 5000 kms. not much though, its bearable since i got a high mileage unit 102T kms at the time, or maybe it was due to the turbo leak that i had to get fixed..

its very important to check the steering sytem and the brakes if it were converted properly..



though its not a surf, i'm just sharing some possible similar problems you may encounter.

[konde]

balita ko sa 2 friends ko na may surf dati, medyo prone daw sa overheating. pero baka yung units lang naman nila.

[alromcc]

balita ko sa 2 friends ko na may surf dati, medyo prone daw sa overheating. pero baka yung units lang naman nila.

For anyone still interested on Subic surfs, I would like to share some tips(which I got from others) on prevention/trouble shooting overheating problem on surfs, as follows

1st : check coolant level, then all hoses & radiator for leakage - run idle in your garage and look below for water drips. Replace leaking hoses or worn clamps.

2nd : check/replace thermostat - located inside the top hose connection at engine end from the radiator (needs to unscrew 2 bolts to access). - this is the usual culprit = needs few effort & small cost of a new thermostat replacement.

3rd : if still over heating, check/ re-oil your radiator fan - needs 4 tubes of silicon oil to do this.

4th : if still over heating, overhaul or replace your radiator

The above are most common senario on surfs. However, after exhausting the above solutions and overheating still remains, consider causes such as tune-up problems or engine mechanical problems (unusual, otherwise it will not come out of subic).

Other tips I got once you take your vehicle from Subic are

- change oil & filter immediately
- detach rubber tubing to EGR (don't know why though)
- check hair line cracks on the tires (replace with new ones if there are)
- although a lot uses reshaped pitman arm, incase your pitman arm was welded, check quality of the weld (pick it with hammer, look for cracks).
- check tightness of bolts & nuts used on the conversion (idle arm, pitman arm, steering shaft supports and joints)
- remove the front chairs & front carpet. Clean all rubbish/dirt generated during conversion, then apply tire black (to avoid corrosion) before putting back you carpet.
- if the wipers were transfered, apply grease at the underside of the plugged holes (previous positions of wipers) to avoid corrossion.

The above are really tigious to most people. But once you did, it may give you peace of mind to enjoy your vehicle.

However, I also agree on the setting away any dilemna on buying 2nd hand cars, by buying brand new ones (which I also did before). It always depend on our likes & budgets.

[telulah]

For anyone still interested on Subic surfs, I would like to share some tips(which I got from others) on prevention/trouble shooting overheating problem on surfs, as follows

1st : check coolant level, then all hoses & radiator for leakage - run idle in your garage and look below for water drips. Replace leaking hoses or worn clamps.

2nd : check/replace thermostat - located inside the top hose connection at engine end from the radiator (needs to unscrew 2 bolts to access). - this is the usual culprit = needs few effort & small cost of a new thermostat replacement.

3rd : if still over heating, check/ re-oil your radiator fan - needs 4 tubes of silicon oil to do this.

4th : if still over heating, overhaul or replace your radiator

The above are most common senario on surfs. However, after exhausting the above solutions and overheating still remains, consider causes such as tune-up problems or engine mechanical problems (unusual, otherwise it will not come out of subic).

Other tips I got once you take your vehicle from Subic are

- change oil & filter immediately
- detach rubber tubing to EGR (don't know why though)
- check hair line cracks on the tires (replace with new ones if there are)
- although a lot uses reshaped pitman arm, incase your pitman arm was welded, check quality of the weld (pick it with hammer, look for cracks).
- check tightness of bolts & nuts used on the conversion (idle arm, pitman arm, steering shaft supports and joints)
- remove the front chairs & front carpet. Clean all rubbish/dirt generated during conversion, then apply tire black (to avoid corrosion) before putting back you carpet.
- if the wipers were transfered, apply grease at the underside of the plugged holes (previous positions of wipers) to avoid corrossion.

The above are really tigious to most people. But once you did, it may give you peace of mind to enjoy your vehicle.

However, I also agree on the setting away any dilemna on buying 2nd hand cars, by buying brand new ones (which I also did before). It always depend on our likes & budgets.

--I could be wrong but this is exactly what scares people about Subic cars hahahaha

[alromcc]

--I could be wrong but this is exactly what scares people about Subic cars hahahaha

Yup, it scares some people, but not all.
I for one, was not scared to do all the checks that i should. Also it did not scare me during my long trips from Cavite to Olongapo, and going up to Baguio two times (via rough Kennon road) with my family (5 persons & fully packed with baggage, and AC was on). Till now it is fresh & ready for more adventures. hehehe

Teka, kakahiya na, kasi para na akong salesman e. hehehe
Hanggang dito na lang ang share ko.
Hoped it helped some interested persons. Bye!

[parakitoJDM]

For anyone still interested on Subic surfs, I would like to share some tips(which I got from others) on prevention/trouble shooting overheating problem on surfs, as follows

1st : check coolant level, then all hoses & radiator for leakage - run idle in your garage and look below for water drips. Replace leaking hoses or worn clamps.

2nd : check/replace thermostat - located inside the top hose connection at engine end from the radiator (needs to unscrew 2 bolts to access). - this is the usual culprit = needs few effort & small cost of a new thermostat replacement.

3rd : if still over heating, check/ re-oil your radiator fan - needs 4 tubes of silicon oil to do this.

4th : if still over heating, overhaul or replace your radiator
- if the wipers were transfered, apply grease at the underside of the plugged holes (previous positions of wipers) to avoid corrossion.

The above are really tigious to most people. But once you did, it may give you peace of mind to enjoy your vehicle.

However, I also agree on the setting away any dilemna on buying 2nd hand cars, by buying brand new ones (which I also did before). It always depend on our likes & budgets.

alromcc, thanks for your advice(s). btw, matanong. kasi yung sa amin eh ang temperature ay laging nasa gitna ang needle ng engine temp (or radiator water temp). is this normal? kasi sa Civic ESi ko eh ang normal ay mga below 4/10's position. and also after reading some of the post's it says yung mga radiators daw ay pinapalitan. now i'm begining to doubt its not orig. radiator. anyway mukha syang all made of steel and mukha ngang mga gawang pipitsugin. how can u tell which is orig or replaced radiator of the Surf? and saan ka makakabili ng parts? like Ball joint, bearing, thermostat and timing belt? (malapit na mag 200,000Km eh.)

[xox]

if you really like the surf, why dont you get an orig lhd 4runner. it should just cost a bit more, without the headaches.

[Bry]

Converted-RHD vehicles scare me.

[j_avonni]

Converted-RHD vehicles scare me.

Me, too.

[Hayward]

You should bring along a knowledgeable and reliable mechanic to check the unit you're planning to buy, giving special attention to the steering mechanism and its installation. My ride is also a converted SUV (Paj 2.5 TDIC) and I've been using it for two years now without a major problem. I have also made numerous long trips to Ilocos without a hitch.

[oldblue]

san ba nakakabili ng orig 4runner

[telulah]

i learned a few things about this conversion business, it is scary to get a converted car now since locators in subic remove good original parts in favor of replacements (radiator, evaporator, gearbox, etc) then they turn around and sell the parts.
second, i have had 3 pajeros and was thinking of getting a surf for a change, i researched the models being sold here and apparently there really are issues with overheating and transmission (2.0L and 2.4L, google it and you will find a lot of surf clubs in europe and australia and read up on their comments).

the only one worth getting is the surf with the 1kz engine if you can find one, they are generally over p500k and for that money you are better of with a pajero either way since 1. parts are cheap 2. anyone can actually fix it 3. regardless of what you hear they are actually dependable.

warning, neither of the surfs here have good inventory of parts, its just that a surf with 1kz engine is awesome, 3.0L 6cyl intercooled turbo, same engine as the prado in that tiny body--talk about diesel power to weight ratio!

the problem with the surf also is that parts are expensive and not easy to find or even troubleshoot, notice how many surfs are for sale who claim not to overheat-why point it out? you dont see that on other cars, you dont see kia "hindi bulok" hahahaha

pajeros, well cant say enough about them, really they are the least of all evils from subic because it is easy to fix and once you get past that first service (drain all fluids, blah, blah, blah) it is a good deal not to mention steel manufacturing in japan is far superior to here--sorry local guys, that is the truth. those pajeros will last much longer than the local ones. but its a judgement call, others may have had other experiences, i had the first 86 pajero na skd and man that car was great compared to the 89/90 i got after that, the quality was not even close, now i am sure our manufacturing has improved but dont think for one second it is at par with japan.

you have to like tinkering with your car if you consider getting from subic, now that is the reality of it. it is not hard to select one from subic; however, hayward is right about brining a mechanic, you may actually want to get one that has been here for at least two yearss because during the infancy of this phenomena, conversions were done by the book (orig parts, no shortcut).

it was when they got better that quicker methods were realized especially when margins got thinner since there were so much coming in (replacing of parts, etc). there are pajeros with isuzu trannys now and toyota steering/suspension parts. toyota quality is indisputable although i hardly think they had pajero in mind when they made it hehe

i own a subic pajero and am thrilled about, take it to joseph atotubo in multinational if you choose to get one-you wont recognize it after he fixes it up, cheap pa and lots of good stories-

[popoyn]

i learned a few things about this conversion business, it is scary to get a converted car now since locators in subic remove good original parts in favor of replacements (radiator, evaporator, gearbox, etc) then they turn around and sell the parts.
second, i have had 3 pajeros and was thinking of getting a surf for a change, i researched the models being sold here and apparently there really are issues with overheating and transmission (2.0L and 2.4L, google it and you will find a lot of surf clubs in europe and australia and read up on their comments).

the only one worth getting is the surf with the 1kz engine if you can find one, they are generally over p500k and for that money you are better of with a pajero either way since 1. parts are cheap 2. anyone can actually fix it 3. regardless of what you hear they are actually dependable.

warning, neither of the surfs here have good inventory of parts, its just that a surf with 1kz engine is awesome, 3.0L 6cyl intercooled turbo, same engine as the prado in that tiny body--talk about diesel power to weight ratio!

the problem with the surf also is that parts are expensive and not easy to find or even troubleshoot, notice how many surfs are for sale who claim not to overheat-why point it out? you dont see that on other cars, you dont see kia "hindi bulok" hahahaha

pajeros, well cant say enough about them, really they are the least of all evils from subic because it is easy to fix and once you get past that first service (drain all fluids, blah, blah, blah) it is a good deal not to mention steel manufacturing in japan is far superior to here--sorry local guys, that is the truth. those pajeros will last much longer than the local ones. but its a judgement call, others may have had other experiences, i had the first 86 pajero na skd and man that car was great compared to the 89/90 i got after that, the quality was not even close, now i am sure our manufacturing has improved but dont think for one second it is at par with japan.

you have to like tinkering with your car if you consider getting from subic, now that is the reality of it. it is not hard to select one from subic; however, hayward is right about brining a mechanic, you may actually want to get one that has been here for at least two yearss because during the infancy of this phenomena, conversions were done by the book (orig parts, no shortcut).

it was when they got better that quicker methods were realized especially when margins got thinner since there were so much coming in (replacing of parts, etc). there are pajeros with isuzu trannys now and toyota steering/suspension parts. toyota quality is indisputable although i hardly think they had pajero in mind when they made it hehe

i own a subic pajero and am thrilled about, take it to joseph atotubo in multinational if you choose to get one-you wont recognize it after he fixes it up, cheap pa and lots of good stories-

i live in las pinas and i have a friend who owns a 2.5 subic pajero. he finds it too slow, can joseph atotubo fix it? where can we get in touch with him? thanks a lot for your surf comments.

[RedHotBlood]

i learned a few things about this conversion business, it is scary to get a converted car now since locators in subic remove good original parts in favor of replacements (radiator, evaporator, gearbox, etc) then they turn around and sell the parts.
second, i have had 3 pajeros and was thinking of getting a surf for a change, i researched the models being sold here and apparently there really are issues with overheating and transmission (2.0L and 2.4L, google it and you will find a lot of surf clubs in europe and australia and read up on their comments).

the only one worth getting is the surf with the 1kz engine if you can find one, they are generally over p500k and for that money you are better of with a pajero either way since 1. parts are cheap 2. anyone can actually fix it 3. regardless of what you hear they are actually dependable.

warning, neither of the surfs here have good inventory of parts, its just that a surf with 1kz engine is awesome, 3.0L 6cyl intercooled turbo, same engine as the prado in that tiny body--talk about diesel power to weight ratio!

the problem with the surf also is that parts are expensive and not easy to find or even troubleshoot, notice how many surfs are for sale who claim not to overheat-why point it out? you dont see that on other cars, you dont see kia "hindi bulok" hahahaha

pajeros, well cant say enough about them, really they are the least of all evils from subic because it is easy to fix and once you get past that first service (drain all fluids, blah, blah, blah) it is a good deal not to mention steel manufacturing in japan is far superior to here--sorry local guys, that is the truth. those pajeros will last much longer than the local ones. but its a judgement call, others may have had other experiences, i had the first 86 pajero na skd and man that car was great compared to the 89/90 i got after that, the quality was not even close, now i am sure our manufacturing has improved but dont think for one second it is at par with japan.

you have to like tinkering with your car if you consider getting from subic, now that is the reality of it. it is not hard to select one from subic; however, hayward is right about brining a mechanic, you may actually want to get one that has been here for at least two yearss because during the infancy of this phenomena, conversions were done by the book (orig parts, no shortcut).

it was when they got better that quicker methods were realized especially when margins got thinner since there were so much coming in (replacing of parts, etc). there are pajeros with isuzu trannys now and toyota steering/suspension parts. toyota quality is indisputable although i hardly think they had pajero in mind when they made it hehe

i own a subic pajero and am thrilled about, take it to joseph atotubo in multinational if you choose to get one-you wont recognize it after he fixes it up, cheap pa and lots of good stories-

sir 1-kz is a 3.0 4 cylinder engine, we have a landcruiser prado from a direct importer, the problem is we can't find parts easily when the engine broke due to timing belt failure, so we ordered from japan and have it rebuild by ATI at silang, cavite then they rebored it to make it 3.4L, my brother then sold it to buy a surf 2L-Tefi and LC80. No problem on both vehicles basta papalitan mo lang ng orig lefthand drive na steering columns para pantay liko. When you say converted ba does that mean yung pang right na steering column nilipat sa left? Hindi kasi ganun yung mga nakukuha namin eh, puro pang left hand na but still we replace it with a new one para bago and cgurado.

[telulah]

sir 1-kz is a 3.0 4 cylinder engine, we have a landcruiser prado from a direct importer, the problem is we can't find parts easily when the engine broke due to timing belt failure, so we ordered from japan and have it rebuild by ATI at silang, cavite then they rebored it to make it 3.4L, my brother then sold it to buy a surf 2L-Tefi and LC80. No problem on both vehicles basta papalitan mo lang ng orig lefthand drive na steering columns para pantay liko. When you say converted ba does that mean yung pang right na steering column nilipat sa left? Hindi kasi ganun yung mga nakukuha namin eh, puro pang left hand na but still we replace it with a new one para bago and cgurado.

sorry my mistake on 1kz, its worth it to have though just cause its so powerful!

[parakitoJDM]

i learned a few things about this conversion business, it is scary to get a converted car now since locators in subic remove good original parts in favor of replacements (radiator, evaporator, gearbox, etc) then they turn around and sell the parts.
second, i have had 3 pajeros and was thinking of getting a surf for a change, i researched the models being sold here and apparently there really are issues with overheating and transmission (2.0L and 2.4L, google it and you will find a lot of surf clubs in europe and australia and read up on their comments).

the only one worth getting is the surf with the 1kz engine if you can find one, they are generally over p500k and for that money you are better of with a pajero either way since 1. parts are cheap 2. anyone can actually fix it 3. regardless of what you hear they are actually dependable.

warning, neither of the surfs here have good inventory of parts, its just that a surf with 1kz engine is awesome, 3.0L 6cyl intercooled turbo, same engine as the prado in that tiny body--talk about diesel power to weight ratio!

the problem with the surf also is that parts are expensive and not easy to find or even troubleshoot, notice how many surfs are for sale who claim not to overheat-why point it out? you dont see that on other cars, you dont see kia "hindi bulok" hahahaha
it was when they got better that quicker methods were realized especially when margins got thinner since there were so much coming in (replacing of parts, etc). there are pajeros with isuzu trannys now and toyota steering/suspension parts. toyota quality is indisputable although i hardly think they had pajero in mind when they made it hehe

i own a subic pajero and am thrilled about, take it to joseph atotubo in multinational if you choose to get one-you wont recognize it after he fixes it up, cheap pa and lots of good stories-

telulah, we got the 3li Turbo Diesel Engine. and i can say its really powerful but is also kind of guzzling diesel. but nowhere near as bad as say durango or Expeditiion. btw, is "Joseph atotubo" also in the business of conditioning other Subic RHD converted rides? i mean kaya nya din ba ang Surf, mukhang specialty nya ay Mitsu Pajero's.

[BGA VI]

hi, contact # for Joseph Atotubo 822-3993, 0917-8405942